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
ATHENA'S POVThe cool, damp walls of the laboratory pressed against my back as I strained against the ropes binding me, their coarse fibers cutting into my skin. My heart raced, pounding against my ribcage like a caged bird desperate for freedom. Dread clawed at my insides as I watched the ominous tableau unfold before me.A woman, her features twisted with malice, hovered over a cauldron, stirring a concoction of blood and unknown substances. Her dark eyes glinted with an otherworldly gleam as she muttered incantations that sent shivers down my spine. She was a witch. Other men who I guessed were vampires accompanied her with the ingredients, some of them chemicals and one I recognized as blood. My blood. I could feel the dark energy pulsating through the room, suffocating me with its malevolence.Then he appeared— Cyrus. With a swift kick, he shattered the silence, his presence sending a chill down my spine. His very essence seemed to radiate darkness, engulfing the room in an aura
ATHENA'S POV‘Psstt. Do you hear me?’ I heard Avory seep into my consciousness. ‘Ficking finally,’ I rolled my eyes at her, still trying to break through the ropes after I was left alone. ‘You can't blame me. The drugs kept me at bay. But they have started to wear off now that they aren't giving you more.’ ‘Ok, then use some of your energy and break us out of here.’ The silence of captivity enveloped me, broken only by the distant echoes of footsteps reverberating through the empty corridors. My heart quickened as the sound drew nearer, anticipation mingling with fear.Then, Scarlet emerged, her expression blank and unreadable. I held her gaze, searching for any flicker of humanity in those eyes, but found none. Before I could plead with her, reason with her, she silenced me with a single, disdainful glance."Scarlet, think about what you're doing. You don't—" My words faltered, swallowed by her interruption, by the weight of her disregard."Shut up, will you?" Her voice cut throu
XAVIER'S POVMy vision clears to the sight of Athena, held captive in Cyrus' grip, a dagger poised menacingly at her abdomen, a threat dangling precariously over the heart of my world."Stop!" My voice reverberates with command, cutting through the chaos that ensnares us. My eyes widen and only one thought blares in my mind—to safeguard the life of my mate and our precious pup. The turmoil among the werewolf ranks momentarily pauses, the tension palpable in the air, as Cyrus' sinister beasts snarl malevolently, savoring the impending spectacle."Good," Cyrus taunts, his smirk dripping with malice. "Now tell them all to shift back." Gritting my teeth, I issue the reluctant command, my heart heavy with the weight of inevitability. My loyal warriors obey, their forms morphing back into their human forms, submitting to the whims of our oppressor.Cyrus revels in his triumph, the gleam of triumph dancing in his eyes as his minions descend upon us with savage fervor, crushing my men beneath
AUTHOR'S POV“Put me the fuck down!” Athena yelled, punching at Cameron's back. Maggie had taken some cover which was good because Athena didn't want her getting involved in this. It was too dangerous. “As you wish Luna,” She heard the smirk in Cameron’s voice before he roughly threw her down on the ground, the action catching her off guard. “Ow!” she winced in pain. Before Athena had time to react, Cameron jumped on her, his punch ready to collide with her face and she reacted within seconds to block it. From the corner of her eye, she saw Oneka struggling to keep up with a beast when her eyes landed on Athena in disbelief. “Yes girl, witness for yourself so I don't have trouble explaining who your mate really is,” Athena whispered to herself before her eyes returned to Cameron.“You’re done today, Athena. I'll make sure you don't get out of here alive,” he hissed. “Agh!” Athena groaned, trying her best to hold his punch away from her face. But the pressure was insane and her grip
Author's PovThe battlefield seethed with chaos, a maelstrom of clashing, roars of defiance, and the acrid scent of blood and sweat. Athena and Nate surged into the heart of the conflict. Nate, his primal instincts awakening, transformed into his lup wolf, a magnificent and formidable wolf, his muscles rippling with the promise of ferocity.As they charged forward, the clash of armies reached its crescendo. Cyrus directed his gaze toward Athena. With a swift motion, he unleashed a bunch of silver bullets aiming to blind the very hope that rallied her allies. Not before putting a few into Xavier's wolf which lay limp before his feet. He immobilized him, each silver bullet piercing through flesh and bone, shackling Xavier in a web of agony. With a final shot, Cyrus aimed directly at Athena, his malevolent intent a venomous whisper in the tumult of battle. “Let's get this over with.”Time slowed to a languid crawl as Nate, attuned to the impending danger, watched with a primal urgency. W