REVENGE OF THE BETRAYED WOLF

Freya's heart was racing, and she couldn't stop thinking about the safety of her little ones. In this moment of anguish, she manifested. "Let me go out to carry the children on my back and find them a safe haven". Hearing her wolf, Freya stopped and turned to her cubs. She looked at them tenderly and, with soothing words, told them.

"Phoenix will emerge, you must climb onto her back and cling to her. She'll lead you to safety and leave you there. When the danger has passed, Mummy and Daddy will be with you, do you understand? The little ones nodded, their eyes full of fear.

Ajax's little voice affirmed tenderly: "Mommy, it'll be just like riding the orcs".

"It's okay Mom, I'm so scared!" added Psyche, pouting as she hugged her mother.

"Mom, I'll look after my sisters until you and Crono arrive," declared Metis as she rushed towards Freya, followed by Ajax.

Freya reluctantly separated herself from her children and, without wasting any time, released Phoenix, who gently caressed the children's faces with his muzzle and bent down so that they could climb onto his back. The three children climbed on quickly. Cautiously, Fénix ran through the trees.

Both vehicles stopped when they spotted the black car parked at one end of the road. Claudia, Palas and Eris got out of one of the cars, while armed men got out of the other.

"Tata, I can wait for them here in the car," said Eris, expressing her displeasure; she didn't want to be there, but was forced into the car.

Palas kept a wolf crawling out of the pack, dedicated to surveillance. The moment the black wagon left the pack, this wolf informed Palas that Freya and her children had left the pack, heading west along the road. Armed with this information, Claudia and Palas acted immediately, joined by 30 renegade wolves. It was the perfect time to attack Freya, away from the vigilance of the guards and Crono.

"You're a coward, Eris. If your father hadn't stood by me through the worst times of my life and raised Palas as his daughter so her existence wouldn't be discovered, I swear I'd have killed you long ago," Claudia said, visibly upset. "Mom, leave her here. It's better for her to keep a lookout and warn us if intruders arrive than to get in our way," Palas interjected. Although she'd come to hate her cousin for ratting her out to Pyrrhus, she still felt a certain empathy for her, as they'd grown up together.

"It's all right. If anyone comes to Freya's rescue, you let us know through the link. But if you ever betray us, I swear, little one, you'll go to hell to join your parents," Claudia threatened, making it clear that her hands wouldn't tremble to kill her. Eris nodded, watching her aunt, her cousin and the renegade wolves walk off into the undergrowth, weapons in hand. Even though part of her wanted to grab one of those wagons and run, fear was written all over her face. She knew that if her aunt and cousin were unharmed, she would be the next victim. The idea of dying didn't scare her as much as the certainty that her death would be painful at her aunt's hands, and that terrified her deeply. With her stomach in knots, she turned around and got into the first car, tempted to start and drive away. Her mind was in chaos, she knew those women were ready to kill those children, and that's what she didn't want.

Phoenix could smell the wolves in the air, and they were approaching fast. She ran and ran, exhausted but unable to stop. Finally, she came to a rocky area where narrow caves opened up on one side of a river. Although she feared her cubs might fall into the water, this was the only hiding place she could find to avoid being caught by the wolves.

Fénix carefully tilted his furry body to allow the children to climb down. He then handed over control to Freya, who strode towards a small opening between two rocks. Looking dejected, she returned to her children, took their hands firmly and led them towards the rocks. When they reached the entrance to the opening, Freya spoke softly to them.

"Enter here with caution. Don't go out the other end of this place. Please, children, stay in the center," she kissed each of them on the forehead, her heart racing as a tingle ran through her body. She prayed in her mind that Crono would arrive soon and find her children, for she intended to lead these wolves in the opposite direction, getting them as far away from here as possible, "Don't leave here, no matter what you hear. Stay together. You're only to come out if you hear Mum's or Dad's voice."

"Mom, don't go, don't leave us alone. This place is dark and ugly, I don't want to stay here!" exclaims Psyche in tears, looking towards the place her mother is pointing to.

"My princess, don't make it harder for me. Come on, take your little brothers' little hands and promise me you won't let go of them until Daddy comes, okay? Do it for Mommy. Freya chokes back her tears, trying hard not to let her little ones see her fear.

"It's okay, Mommy. The little girl gave her an innocent smile as she took her little brother's hands.

Freya smiled back at her little girl and turned to Métis, with a confident gesture she recognized her little one's courage and expressed it in an affectionate voice.

"Puppy, take care of your brothers and sisters and don't wander away from them. Daddy will join you soon."

"Mommy beat those wolves, I'll take care of Ajax and Psyche until you arrive," she continued with a worried face, "Don't let them hurt you."

"Of course, my little puppy. I'll beat those nasty wolves and come back for you soon." At that moment, she was inwardly grateful to Crono for marking her. She released pheromones around her children, then encouraged them to enter the opening. Glassy-eyed, she watched them enter one by one, holding hands, through the narrow opening. When he saw that they were all inside, he heaved a deep sigh and relinquished control to Fenix, who quickly dashed to the other side of the rocky area.