Chapter 20

Anita’s Pov

As I approached the pool, I spotted Damian waiting for me. He was already dressed in his swimwear, his usual stoic expression masking whatever thoughts might have been swirling around in his head. He greeted me with a nod, his eyes were scanning my face as if searching for something.

“Ready for training?” he asked.

I nodded, trying to push my lingering doubts to the back of my mind. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

Damian led the way to the pool, and as we stepped onto the deck, I noticed Alpha Hades was already there. He was standing in the shallow end, his phone pressed to his ear, his posture tense. His voice carried over the water, sharp and frustrated, as he spoke to whoever was on the other end of the line.

“I don’t care about the complications,” he snapped with a tone laced with impatience. “I need this annulment processed as soon as possible. No more delays.”

Annulment?

The word echoed in my mind, sending a pang through my chest. He was still determined to sever the bond with his mate, to end whatever connection they had left. I knew it wasn’t my place to feel anything about it, but I couldn’t help the sadness that settled in my heart at the thought. Whatever had happened between them, it was clear that it had left deep scars on Alpha Hades—scars that he was desperate to erase.

Alpha Hades noticed our approach, his eyes narrowing as he ended the call abruptly. His gaze locked onto mine, and for a moment, I felt as if he could see right through me, as if he knew all the thoughts I was trying to hide. His expression was dark, filled with an emotion I couldn’t quite read.

Anger?

Frustration?

Or something else entirely?

He didn’t say anything at first, just stood there, his eyes lingering on me for a few moments longer than necessary. I shifted uncomfortably under his scrutiny, unsure of what to expect.

“Anita,” he said finally with a sharp voice, “Join me for training.”

I hesitated, glancing at Damian, but he just gave me a subtle nod, urging me forward. I took a deep breath and stepped closer to the edge of the pool as the cool water lapped gently against my feet.

I glanced around the vicinity once more and something caught my eyes immediately.

It was Kira.

She was hiding at a corner with her gaze directly fixated on me.

She had this sinister and mischievous smile that tend to spread across her lips as she looked at me.

Lately, i have been seeing her folk around Alpha Hades like a fly and sometimes, I felt like she was doing too much.

I have always known that love is a feeling that comes naturally. It's not something that needed to be acted upon by a force.

With her actions, one could tell that she likes Alpha Hades. But unfortunately, Alpha Hades doesn't feel the same for her.

He had always looked at her with a cold and dismissive eyes no matter the kind of tantrums she tended to pull.

For a moment, I tried to grasp her mood but couldn't wrap my head around what she was planning because that look had something lingering beneath it.

Suddenly, Alpha Hades' voice snapped me off and I turned to him.

"Anita, Let's start."

I nodded in acknowledgement to what he said then turned to look at her one more time, and unfortunately, she was gone.

I felt uneased a bit as i couldn't find her at that same spot she was but brushed off the feelings and turned back to Alpha Hades.

He made a smirk, an intense one at that, which was almost challenging, as if he was daring me to question him. But I didn’t. I couldn’t. Instead, I nodded again and prepared myself for whatever he had in mind.

Without another word, he signaled for the start of the training, and we both dove into the pool. The water was cool against my skin, refreshing in a way that made me feel more awake, more focused.

I pushed myself hard, determined not to let the Alpha out do me, even if my mind was still clouded with uncertainty.

We swam back and forth, racing each other with a fierce determination that bordered on desperation. Each stroke of my arms through the water felt like a release, a way to channel all the confusion and frustration I’d been feeling since last night.

And for a while, it worked. The physical activity cleared my mind, it also allowed me to focus on something other than the Alpha’s strange behavior.

As we finished the first race, I glanced at Alpha Hades, expecting to see the same frustration in his eyes that had been there earlier. But instead, I saw something else, a kind of respect, maybe even admiration.

“You’re stronger than most werewolves I’ve trained,” he said,

A small smile tugged at my lips despite the tension that still lingered between us.

“Thank you, Alpha,” I replied, as a chilling feeling of pride coursed my skin at his compliment. It wasn’t often that I received praise, especially from someone like him.

We continued training, the races became more intense with each lap. Alpha Hades pushed harder, and I matched his pace, refusing to back down.

After what felt like hours, Damian finally called for a break. He handed us both drinks, and I took mine gratefully. The cool liquid helped to welcome relief inside my bosom after the strenuous exercise.

As we stood by the edge of the pool, catching our breath, Damian made an observation that caught me off guard. “I don’t think I’ve seen you this engaged in a long time, Alpha,” he remarked, turning to Alpha Hades.

Alpha Hades didn’t respond immediately, but I could see the wheels turning in his mind. He looked at me, and for a brief moment, I thought he was going to say something personal, something that might give me a glimpse into what was really going on in his head. But then, he simply nodded.

 “Maybe this means I’m getting closer to being recognized by the Alpha,” I said, disrupting them with a playful grin, and they turned to face me.

To my surprise, both Damian and Alpha Hades scoffed and laughed out loud.

Woah! I was funny!

I joined the chorus and laughed alongside.

    

As we laughed and chatted, I took another sip of my drink.

After a while, I started feeling lightheaded, it was as if my body was going to fall down. My eyes started getting dizzy.

At first, I tried to shake it off, thinking it was just exhaustion from the training,

"C'mon Anita. Let's go in for another race." Alpha Hades suggested, turning to me.

"I'm- I'm coming please." I said to him slowly, trying to regain my sanity because at this moment, my head was already wobbling.

As Alpha Hades suggested another race, I found myself struggling to stay focused. Still, not wanting to show any sign of weakness, so I agreed, determined to push through.

But as soon as I dived into the water, I knew something was wrong. The world around me spun, the water closing in like a dark abyss. I tried to swim, to resurface, but my limbs felt heavy and unresponsive.

Panic set in as I realized I couldn’t reach the surface. My vision blurred, and the last thing I saw was Alpha Hades’ figure rushing toward me before everything went black.