The Hidden Alpha (Stryders #4) - HOLD

Chapter 23: Too Many Realizations

Really love all the support- keep on it guys! Thanks to all of you who do. 

Always love to hear thoughts about this story? Freya? Callum? Is it too slow (actually jk it's going to get worse)

No cliffhanger.

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"Keeping up with the Barrier is killing him. Like you noticed before, it's like a living thing, but a huge magic enchantment that no ordinary being can control. Callum keeps it alive and slowly he's dying by exerting too much of his magic on it," Julian continued on.

Callum is dying.

Tears do start to form my eyes by the horrible news.

There was more shouting, and Julian got up, tense and ready to intervene.

I followed him out of his tent, to where Callum was in front of two super huge guys like they were auditioning to be linebackers on a football team. They were about a whole foot wider than Callum too.

I froze while Julian kept walking ahead. Adrienne was there. Coming back inside the Barrier.

Spotting me, he took a step forward. "Freya!"

I took one back, finding my way how to move. My flight or fight was kicking in, and I was about to become a soaring eagle. Logic wasn't present in my mind since I should know that there would be no way Adrienne would attack me while Julian or Callum was present. Where there are witnesses.

Watching this entire exchange, always calm and composed, Callum's entire face flashed with fury taking in my reaction of Adrienne.

The two guys in front of him immediately drop to the ground with large thuds unconscious. Callum steps over them, walking to Adrienne with a new deadly purpose. Adrienne looked terrified now. 

"Is he the one?" Callum asked me, already knowing- how could he know? Julian hurried alongside Callum to block him from trying to get any closer to physically harming Adrienne.

Adrienne's eyes widened, and he held up his hands. Understanding the danger he was in now. "Let me explain, Freya. Please."

Didn't I ask the same thing to Julian and Callum earlier, and was it different?

Flora came around the corner of the tent, probably sensing her mate be here, but she wasn't expecting this situation. Nor her mate crumble to the floor which I think wasn't Callum's doing.

"What's going on? Why are you here Adrienne?" Flora asked. Adrienne shook his head, but Flora's eyes softened at where he was right now. I couldn't blame her because of the mate bond, but at the time same, Adrienne tried to kill me. Flora bent down, whispering something in his ear. He looked tired, leaning in to her.

Watching them made my throat clog. I stepped in front of Callum. "I think I'm going to head to my tent and sleep early." Callum's gaze met mine. I nodded my head away from Adrienne so Callum wouldn't get any ideas. "Come on." 

Julian said his goodbyes to us as he joined Adrienne in talking about what that was all about.

Callum glumly followed me as I tried not to rush out of there. "Tell me if he was the one- why don't you tell me, Freya?"

I turned around to see his piercing gaze at me as we arrived in front of my tent. I shot back, "Why don't you tell me that you're-"

You're dying. You have magic. You healed me.