Completely in Love with Him

ATHENA’S POV

To say I was humiliated by Nero would be an understatement. The way my body actively freezes in fear anytime he comes near me. The first week Zara passed, his emotions were well written on his face but now, he’s merely a shadow of his true self. The way he hides his emotions is as if he has been doing it for years that the practice has somewhat become his lifestyle.

His eyes sure hold a fire in them, the type that was cold. 

I know he doesn’t care for me but hearing him say it out loud like that did hurt, it felt like he had his hand on my heart and clenched on it. I know things between us will be hard but maybe trying wouldn’t be such a bad idea.

“I don’t care what my mother told you.” He said facing the window. “But I don’t want you in my room for any second longer. So this is what you will do, at night I want you gone. I don’t care where you sleep, but you will not be in this room at night with me. Understand?”

His voice was harsh as he spoke and I didn’t need to look at his face to know that his brows were crooked. He waited for an answer and when he didn’t get it, he turned to face me again. He marched up to where I was seated and grabbed me by the neck.

“I fucking asked you a question Athena, do you fucking understand?” He growls, his pupil darkening.

With the little strength I could muster, I nodded my head shakily as tears pooled my eyes.

“Good, and you better not say a word about it to anyone, especially my mother. If not the pain reserved for you will be much worse. This I can promise you.” He spat his voice laced in venom hate dripping with it.

I fell on the ground with a thud when he released my throat with a harsh push. I winced in pain when my elbow grazed the floor. Nero didn’t say or do anything else other then watch me struggle to stand.

“Get the fuck out!” he yelled.

I did as I was told and I rushed out of his room. Luckily there was not one in the corridor. Nero followed closely behind and slammed the door shut.

I hurried to my room and locked myself in it. As soon as the door closed, I let my body slid on it to the ground. I lifted my knees to my chest, resting my face on it as I cried.

I wanted to cry about a lot of things. The hurt felt so great it felts as though each person in my life did something to me. But right here right now, my tears were for Nero. 

We only just got married a few hours ago. Unlike others who should have been cuddled up or away from others while they enjoyed each other’s company, my husband and I were walls apart from one another.

“I shouldn’t have agreed to what the Queen said. I should have insisted on calling the wedding off.” I said as I cried. The tears were the only company I had in the room. I let them fall as many as could, enjoying their company before they dried off.

Over the next few days, I stayed away from Nero. I made excuses not to have meals with them at the table and I was more than glad that no one questioned me. Not even the Queen. 

I woke up quite early as I usually would, tip toing to Nero’s room to freshen up and change. Usually the door was left open but once I got to it, it refused to budge.

Dread washed over me as realisation kicked in. I wondered why he had locked it when he never did. He may have been cruel to me the last time we spoke but he never once shut the door. A guard should have been stationed in front of the room but I guess for our sake and secret, he made sure there was no one in sight when I had to return to his room.

I knocked on the door ever lightly trying not to wake any one up. And I hoped that he would through his wolf hear the sound. But he didn’t and I kept knocking on it.

“Athena?” I heard a voice call from behind me. “What are you doing outside darling?” the Queen asked.

I refused to look at her and could only bow from the direction I was facing which was the door. I knew I had been caught.

“Good Morning Luna.” I greeted with my voice barely above a whisper.

“He locked you outside didn’t he?” she asked, lifting my head with a hand under my chin.

Even if I wanted to lie and cover up for him, I couldn’t. She already knew what was going on.

I simply nodded and allowed my head lower back as I stared at the floor.

I heard the Queen hiss and mutter something under her breath before she started to pound on the door.

“Your Majesty!” I exclaimed. “He’s going to get furious and blame me for waking him up. Please don’t make him hate me more Luna.” I said my voice pleading as she banged on the door not paying attention to me or rather ignoring me.

The door soon yanked open revealing a much angry and yet sexy Nero. He was topless and as I tried to pay attention to what was going on, I couldn’t ignore how perfectly sculptured his body was. I didn’t get to see the lower half of him but I think I found my favourite part on his body.

“How could you?!” The Queen’s voice resonated through the halls. “How could you lock your wife outside a bedroom you’re to share with her?

I could feel Nero’s eyes on me and I dared not look back at him. I could feel his anger radiating towards me and out of instinct, my body moved to hide behind the Queen.

“I told you I didn’t want her here mother. I should have known she was going to rat me out.” He said his voice hoarse.

“She didn’t tell me anything. Instead I found her knocking on a door she’s supposed to be on the other side of. Why would you do a thing like that to her? I don’t like this Nero, and I’m sure you do not want your father to hear of this.”

I saw Nero’s body tense up and a gruff sound leaving his chest. He stepped aside letting me in and shut it behind me.

His room was much larger than mine and even more beautiful. From my understanding, he had this particular one picked for the day he and Zara had to mate. The designs were even made out of her suggestions and requests to him.

Anytime I had to look at it, I felt jealous of the connection they had. I envied that she was able to get him to love and care for her more than I would ever be able to. 

I stood in front of the wardrobe my clothes were arranged in, my mind drifting off to the first day the Queen told me that I was to be mated to Nero. 

While we were growing up, I had this huge crush on him, so when she told me that I was her son’s mate; I was thrilled with idea of him being mine.

Then I didn’t quite understand what I would be required to do in order to secure my spot as his mate but I didn’t mind it nor did I ask questions. Instead I clung to the idea of being his mate and I would talk about it at every chance that I got.

And when the time came for me to be trained, I did it with everything in me. I trained tirelessly trying to get him to notice how much I have learned in the rings and how much I was willing to learn in the courts as well.

Even at that age, I was completely in love with him.

I guess my fight with Zara brought out the possessive part of me that I kept hidden for years. The fact that I had to watch Nero hopelessly pursue her for months before she finally agreed to be his girlfriend made me furious and hurt at the same time. I couldn’t understand why he didn’t want me when he and I were meant to be. Our parents said it and they promised it.

As for her, Zara to point out if he was going to choose me, something rose in me and I knew I had to take her down. What I didn’t expect was for her to die because I just wouldn’t let go.