Chapter Two

Vanessa’s POV

I couldn’t believe Athena just ran off, we were in the middle of a fight and the coward she was bloody legged it. I was fuming, my wolf Jewel practically seething with anger. We were supposed to be daughters of an Alpha the blood that run through our veins linked to the moon goddess giving us the edge over other wolves. Athena however didn’t deserve the title. She had no gifts, no wolf, she was a weakling a disgrace to our royal heritage. I knew she was hurt that I was gifted, and she wasn’t and yes, I may have thrown it in her face multiple times but why should I have to hide what I have? I’m proud to have what I do, to have aced in my training when our grandfather tested me. 

Athena missed the rest of the afternoon at school, which was no skin off my nose, personally I was glad she wasn’t here. I didn’t want to be associated with her by any means. Megan had suggested convincing my parents to send Athena away, to stay with our grandfather Using the idea that he could try and awaken any gifts that may be deep inside her, which we both knew she didn’t have. They weren’t convinced it would work and told me no that her place was here with us Urgh why is life unfair, I’d have to find another way to get rid of her. When I got home and walked into the bathroom the scent of fresh blood hit my nose, I pull the shower door open to find Athena sitting on the floor cutting at her arms again, her face plain and stern void of emotion.

“Why do you do that? It’s not going to solve anything is it” I look at her with disgust, unsure why my twin had to be pathetic like her.

“Leave me alone” Athena’s voice a mere whisper as her eyes remained focused on what she was doing to herself.

“You’re not going to heal; you know that right? I mean if you had a wolf then they could have healed you had they wanted to, that’s if they could stomach being a part of you to begin with. Hell, I’d even heal you if you were worth it but we both know you’re not”

“Fuck off Vanessa. Haven’t you caused enough damage already. You hate me I get it, so why don’t you just leave me alone. Just pretend I don’t exist”

“Believe me if I could, I would. Do you know how it feels to be bonded to such a useless piece of meat like you? Your no good for anything. Nobody will respect you as an Alpha nor as a Luna, not without a wolf. And how the fuck do you plan on keeping a mate. You’re a burden Athena, to all of us” I took one last look at her and walked away, I needed her to go and soon.

I spent the evening in the alpha suite lounge until called for dinner. Though we had our own dining table up here my parents always insisted that we have dinner with the members of pack that ate in the communal dining hall. My mum played with her food, her mind clearly elsewhere. I had a feeling I knew where so didn’t bother to ask because if by chance it was to do with sister I didn’t want to know.

“Have either of you seen Athena? I’ve called to her through the mind link several times but can’t connect to her” My mum looked between me and my dad both of us shaking our heads.

“Vanessa what happened at school today? Before you even think about lying to me remember you girls party is tonight and I will cancel it” My dad just looked at me, there was never any point in lying to the man he was a living breathing lie detector.

“She deserved it” I didn’t say anymore just shrugged my shoulders.

“Deserves what? Vanessa what happened” I looked up to find my mum glaring daggers at me, if looks could kill I’d be screwed.

“She started on me, I walked into the cafeteria, and she pounced on me. She repeatedly punched so I commanded her outside and shifted”

“You shifted at school. Please tell me you gave your sister the chance to shift” it was obvious mum was unaware to Athena not having a wolf. I wasn’t going to tell them because then she would get all the attention like the attention seeking bitch she was.

Athena’s POV

Vanessa was right, i was a disgrace to my family name a burden that no one deserved to be stuck with. I had wanted to leave for ages, I didn’t want to be here to be surrounded by people that mentally abused me. There was only so much someone could take before finally snapping and i was already one foot over the edge. The fighting I could take as I always managed to get a few good hits in but the words, those I couldn’t handle they felt like I had been stabbed in the heart or at least what I imagined it to feel like.

It was supposed to be our birthday party tonight, though it was more for Vanessa being as the only friend I had was Hector. I knew he would be there he had been going on about it all week, but it wasn’t fair for me to bring him down to, he deserved better than me.

I looked down at my arms to see I had sliced them with my pocketknife again. I couldn’t explain it but when I felt like giving up, I would space out coming back round to myself to find I’d self-harmed almost as if something inside of me wanted to bleed the depression away to relieve me of the darkness I held within me. You’d think I would have felt the pain as I did it, but I didn’t. I always felt numb, physical pain didn’t seem to harm me when I was in this state. Standing up I took some bandage out of my bag and wrapped it around the cuts that went over my arm and wrist before cleaning up the blood that sat pooled in front of me. I looked at my phone to find a few missed calls from Hector, I had been so out of it that I hadn’t heard my phone ring. Cleaning up I could feel my mum try and force a mental connection one which I blocked. I didn’t want to see or talk to anyone. I’d had enough of this place being made to feel like a stain they couldn’t get rid of. There was no way I was showing my face at the party, everyone from school would be there laughing at me with their snarky remarks and I couldn’t handle it. I was going to wait until I turned eighteen to leave but I couldn’t wait not anymore. Pulling a rucksack from under the bed I filled it with a few necessary items before opening the bedroom window. I took one last look behind me and jumped.

I ran for the forest sticking to the shadows trying to remain unseen by pack members or patrol. I knew the route they took and the time in which shifts changed I just didn’t know who was on tonight. As the wind picked up blowing in my direction one scent stood out. It was Benson, he was my dad’s Beta and best friend. The scent was getting stronger which told me not only was he working patrol, but he was coming this way, I had no choice I needed to run past territory lines and quick. If Benson caught me, he would have me marched back to my parents. I used all my speed and made a beeline for the clearing in the trees, I knew these forests like the back of my hand. I had spent many times alone at the secret waterfall. My dad had told me about it when I began to be bullied, he said that no one other than him and mum knew its location so I could hide there when things got too much. Had it not been my birthday I would have spent the night in the cave behind the waterfall, but I knew the moment the party began my parents would know I was missing. The cave being one of the first places they would check.

I needed to be gone completely, so I headed north in the direction of a human town. I had only been there once because whenever we left Moonlight territory my parents insisted that Sid go with us for he was the packs gamma his job included protecting my sister and i along with our mum. The human town was my best hope, I would be safer there than in the woods. I was less likely to be found by rouges of another pack.

After running for an hour, I slowed down to catch my breath just as the town came into view. I looked at the time on my phone 7pm the party would be starting soon and that’s when my parents would notice I was gone. They would bombard my head with their command as they tried to force a connection which would give me a crippling headache, I know this because it’s happened before. Had I been given my wolf she could have blocked the pain, but I was on my own. I had a little bit of money saved up; it was enough to get me far away from here, but a hotel would do for tonight. After another half hour of wandering around I found a bed and breakfast which had a few rooms left. After paying for my room, I opened the door and flopped onto the bed. I was about to close my eyes when the door was suddenly kicked in. 

The awful stench of sewerage burned my nostrils as three men stood in my doorway evil smirks on their faces. They were rouges and now I was fucked. I jumped off the bed and ran to the bathroom but was grabbed before I even reached the door. One man shut and locked the front door before turning to close the blinds while the one that grabbed me chucked me to the floor. The biggest one of them was tall he had to have been nearly seven feet, he would have made my dad look like a midget. He sat on the chair a calm expression on his face which terrified me. When he nodded to the man towering over my cowering form, I felt his boot connect with my head sending me flying backwards into the bedside cabinet. Shit that hurt, what I’d give to feel numb at this moment.

“Athena, isn’t it?” The man sitting down spoke his elbows resting on his knees as he watched me.

I ignored him which must have angered because the man that kicked me grabbed my hair forcing my head to look in the direction of the bigger rouge who was clearly in charge. My heart was thumping away loudly as fear coursed through me.

“I’m Jerry, I’ve waited a long time to meet you, Athena. I doubt you have heard about me, so I’ll tell you who I am. I used to be a member of the Royal Pack but was banished by your grandfather William. I thought all was lost when my mate rejected me because of him until i recognised you. All alone and walking the streets at night. Silly girl.”

“I don’t care who you are what do you want with me?” I spat the blood from my mouth towards him. 

Jerry waved his hand and the man who had my hair in his grip raised my head to look at him before connecting his fist to my face. I felt my nose crunch as blood trickled down my face, a cruel smirk on the man’s face as he realised, I wasn’t healing. I watched as he cocked his head to the side taking a deep breath before looking back at me.

“She doesn’t have a wolf. Are you sure this is her” he growled at the man in charge.

“Oh I’m sure of it. So, you haven’t been gifted like your sister then. Well then love it looks like you’re in fucking trouble doesn’t it” he says as he stands before quickly crouching in front of me. Gripping my chin, he placed his nose in the crook of my neck taking a deep breath confirming I indeed had no wolf.

An ear deafening cackle left his lips as he stood up before continuing to beat me. I don’t know how long the beating lasted but i knew he had cracked a few ribs and possibly punctured one of my lungs by the way I was now wheezing. As I tried to sit back up, I was kicked back down only this time I was dragged by my hair and thrown into the bathroom. I had never been this scared, in this moment I instantly regretted having left my parents territory.

Using what little strength I had, I tried to force a connection with my parents but couldn’t reach them so as a last resort i tried Vanessa. Being my twin Vanessa would know I was hurt and in danger, yet she continued to block me from her mind. I knew she hated me, but I never thought she would let me die. It was obvious no one was going to come for me and it was my own fault. There was no way I was going to die here beaten by a group of rouge’s, I wasn’t as strong as them I knew that, but I couldn’t just submit. I needed to fight.