ATHENA'S POVMy breath hitched as I saw Cyrus enter the room. His footsteps echoed as he closed the distance between us with an arrogant smirk on his vile lips. Behind him, followed the woman I despised. “Good to see you again, Athena,” her lips curled into an evil smile. “How unfortunate, I don't feel the same,” I spat, struggling against the chains, wanting nothing more than to pounce on that bitch. She stormed towards me, getting a grip on my hair, she yanked me forward by it earning a yelp from my mouth. “You dare open your mouth in front of me, you low life! Who do you think you are, hm? Don't forget you are here at our mercy. I can finish you off in seconds.”“Now, now, Scarlet. Keep it friendly. That's not how we treat our guests,” Cyrus scoffed. She dug her nails into my scalp before finally jerking my head away with a rough push and backed off to stand with her brother. “What the fuck do you want from me?” I snarled. “Feisty,” Cyrus chuckled. “I wanted something from you
XAVIER'S POV It has been one day, fourteen hours and twenty four minutes, and no sign of Athena. I stood and watched as Cameron tended to Oneka's injured arm, changing the bandage. She was giving me the details of everything that happened since the moment we left. “I'm sorry, Alpha. I tried. I really did. But they had outnumbered us. There were just too many of them. I couldn't get to her in time. Something pierced her neck and then she collapsed while trying to fight off a wolf,” she explained as Cameron continued tightening the bandage on her arm. The dullness in her voice spoke enough for how much she felt the loss of not being able to get to her in time. I didn't blame her. Fuck, I don't blame anyone but myself. I had to be more cautious, knowing that our enemy was strong. Why the fuck did I not realize that it all could have been just a trap. I should have been more careful. But it was too late now. They took her away. My love, my Athena. And we tried to search everywhere we co
MAGGIE'S POVShe is your daughter. She loves you. She never meant any of that. I woke up, startled from the voices in my head. They just wouldn't leave me alone. No matter how angry I wanted to stay at Oneka for what she did, somewhere in my heart I knew it couldn't be possible. She was after all my daughter. She was my only family. She had every right to a happy life. I wouldn't want anything less for anyways. But something about this whole situation puts me off. Getting up from the couch, I ran a hand through my hair and sighed. I should probably go out for a walk. The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the forest floor as I wandered deeper into the woods. Each step brought me further away from the familiar sights and sounds of home, enveloping me in a serene solitude that invited introspection.Lost in the labyrinth of my own thoughts, I scarcely noticed the subtle shift in scenery until the trees around me became unfamiliar, their branches weaving a canopy of s
ONEKA'S POVWe stand silent, my mind running over the possible excuses I could come up with. Why did mum have to come here in the first place? Athena. Right. She was missing. But now, how are we going to get out of this mess? Now I understood what Athena might have gone through when I sneaked into the pack and Xavier caught us. Well, what could I say….like mother like daughter. “I didn't know we were having a guest over..” Cameron trailed, not knowing what else to say. Obviously, he was looking at me to explain what a woman was doing in our bedroom. “Oh yes umm…Cameron. She is—”“Your mother? Right?” I frowned. How did he know that? “I'm sorry I didn't mean to eavesdrop but while I was coming in, I might have heard you call her your mom.” Oh. Well. We are surely busted now. “Is everything alright though? You never talked about your mom before, and now that she is here, I think it might be something important.” “Yes. Everything is alright. I..didn't know actually. That she was comi
MAGGIE'S POV“Wasn't making my mother miserable enough for you that you had the audacity to show your face in my pack again?” Xavier growled ferociously and I'm sure everyone could hear the commotion now if they couldn't before. “Dad made a mistake. Now I'll make sure to clean it up for him. From scratch,” his voice was threatening low as his hands encircled my neck, lifting me off my feet. “How dare you! How dare you show me your face after doing that to my mom? My family! You ruined our peace! You made my mom miserable,” fuck. This was bad. I didn't expect him to go as far as strangling. “Stop..pl..please,” I struggled to breathe as the words left my lips. I couldn't breathe. The air felt like it was being squeezed out of my lungs, and darkness clouded my vision. Xavier's grip tightened around my throat, his fingers digging into my skin. Panic surged through me, but I couldn't make a sound. All I could hear was the sound of my own heartbeat pounding in my ears, drowning out the ch
ATHENA’S POVThe chains bit into my wrists, their cold metal links a constant reminder of my captivity. I could feel the weight of exhaustion pressing down on me, every muscle strained from the endless struggle against the restraints. How long had it been since I last roamed freely? Days blurred into nights, merging into an unending cycle of captivity.Through the small opening in the ceiling, a sliver of light teased my senses, a cruel reminder of the world beyond these damp walls. Day and night danced in an eternal waltz, but for me, time had become an abstract concept, lost in the depths of my confinement.Footsteps echoed in the darkness, the sound reverberating through the cold, dank basement. Scarlet's silhouette materialized, her presence a mix of dread and fleeting hope. She was the one I loved, yet the one who held the key to my suffering."Athena," her voice cut through the oppressive silence, carrying with it the weight of inevitability.I turned my gaze towards her, the ch
ATHENA'S POV “Why?” My heart was caught in my throat as I looked at the person in front of me. “Why?” I cracked. “Xavier trusted you, and…” my eyes widened as I realized Oneka….had been mated with him all along? A liar like him! “Why Cameron?” I screeched, knowing my piercing voice will be heard loud and clear by everyone in the room. All this time it was him! And Xavier so carelessly told him everything. He knew every secret of the pack. Every way in and out of the pack. He was the mole all along. His audacity! He laughed. He laughed the great old evil life proving he wasn't even ashamed of what he did. After breaking Xavier's trust, Oneka's trust, his pack’s trust! He didn't feel an ounce of shame. “Calm down, Luna. No need to get so emotional and worked up. And to break it to you, yes. Yes I betrayed everyone. The whole pack. And Xavier. But do you know why?” He took threatening steps towards me, trying to tower over my figure. But I wasn't afraid of him. Not one bit! “It's beca
ATHENA'S POVI don't how long I had been walking for, but these fuckers didn't give me a break. They didn't allow me to shift in my wolf neither did they themselves bothered to. I was fucking draimed because I kid not, we had been walking for hours. And realizing the fact that they had been injecting weird stuff into me, didn't help with my condition either way. I trudge through the dense forest, my body aching with every step, my wrists bound in cold chains that chafe against my skin. The chains around my ankles clink with each movement, weighing me down like anchors. There was no sign of Cyrus for now, but his men flank me, their presence ominous as they drag me forward with callous indifference.Two of them, burly and relentless, grip my arms with an iron grip, their fingers digging into my flesh, leaving bruises in their wake. I stumble over roots and fallen branches, the earth beneath me unforgiving and uneven. My breath comes in ragged gasps, my strength waning with every passi