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.
Angels POVThe party had begun and was in full swing, Vanessa had asked for a disco themed sweet sixteenth and although it was Athena’s special day too, she didn’t care. Jake was at the bar a glass of his auburn-coloured liquid in his hand, he was drinking whiskey that was his go to drink when he was stressed. Be together as long as we have, and you notice little things like that. Vanessa looked beautiful tonight, she was wearing a baby blue blouse with white buttons and collar to match the short white skirt she was wearing. She wanted to stand out so being as the fact she is technically a Princess, one day to become Queen she opted for wearing a tiara. Though who could blame her it looked cute.Standing on the balcony that overlooked the hall I couldn’t for the life of me spot Athena anywhere. I knew she wouldn’t be at the centre of the party for she hated attention. Spotting Hector I made my way downstairs hoping he w
Vanessa’s POVHow the hell could that tall sexy assed man be Athena’s mate, the power he held the strength and speed he used made me wonder who and what he was. She didn’t have a wolf so she sure as hell didn’t deserve a strong being like him, a human would have been more fitting. I waited for the dark handsome man to leave before kneeling on the ground next to Athena. Closing my eyes and clearing my mind just as grandfather had taught me, I held my hands over my sister’s unconscious body willing my magic into them as I held them over each wound the rouges gave her. I felt sick to my stomach at the sight of Athena, I had watched our pack warriors train along with countless challenges, but not once had I ever seen a beating as bad as this. There was blood everywhere, she had a stab wound to her abdomen, a slit that went from her knee to her ankle and two black swollen eyes. Had I not obtained the power to heal her she would have like
Athena’s POVMy stomach was in knots, I felt like an imposter. Standing in front of the mirror I just stared at my reflection, I didn’t look like me in fact no, this isn’t me. Mum had arranged for stylists to do mine and Vanessa’s makeup, I didn’t wear it normally for I felt more comfortable in my natural state, that way I didn’t stand out and could remain invisible. I had dark smokey eyeshadow, eyeliner, blusher and bright pink lipstick, though why my makeup was this bright was beyond me. The stylist was given instructions to not leave until I had been ‘dolled up’. To please my mum, I kept my mouth shut and just let her get on with it, I wouldn’t be at the ball for long anyway.Taking a quick glance at the time I knew if I didn’t head down soon then my mum would physically come and get me. I stood in front of the door my hand trembling as it gripped onto the brass doorknob. C
Athena POV Shifting for the first time took us almost four hours and each one of them were excruciatingly painful. I felt every bone in my body break and pop out of place before they rearranged themselves under my skin each time taking my breath away. My skin began to itch profusely as patches of charcoal grey and pink fur sprouted out of my arms, chest and legs. Venus talked me through how to call her forward, but it was so much more difficult than she made it seem. I was ready to give up and admit defeat that I clearly wasn’t meant to have received her that she was sent to me by mistake until she leant me her strength and suddenly here I am. The feeling of the ground beneath our paws and the breeze through our fur felt amazing. My sight was sharper, my sense of smell so much stronger and my hearing well let’s just say I could hear a fair distance away. “How do you feel” Venus asked having retreated to the back of our shared mind so tha
Vanessa’s POVAxel being Athena’s mate should have bothered me for it was the biggest betrayal you could make yet it didn’t. Axel excited me; I had been with a few men before as I became sexually active at sixteen however none of them held the stamina he had. I could feel myself nearing my orgasm as he thrusted into me, but I needed him harder than this. Using my strength and speed I flipped us around so that I was straddling him. Axel grabbed a hold of my hips as he bobbed me up and down, as amazing as the depths he reached was it wasn’t nearly enough to satisfy me. I began to rotate my hips, the friction of my slick clit rubbing on him as well as his rock-hard length deep inside me sent me straight over the edge. I tried to contain the scream that left my lips but failed miserably.“Yes… oh my goddess yes” I screamed as my orgasm rippled through me, thank the goddess for my grandfather having soun
Axel’s POVI told Athena everything, I shouldn’t have as I knew there would be consequences but watching her and her sister go at it in wolf form for a split second, I saw how my life wouldn’t be worth living without my true mate. There was no denying Athena’s wolf was strong but until she had mated with both me and our second mate, her sisters wolf was stronger. I had known from pre-teen years that I would be fated to two, though I wished I knew who the other was. Male or female it didn’t matter, I had been with both before. I asked Athena to be patient that I would find a way for us to be together, but the truth is I hadn’t a clue how to do it. My mum wasn’t going to let up on what she wanted regardless of the fact I had a destiny waiting for me.“When do you go home?” I asked Athena as she got out of the bath whist handing her a towel.“Tomorrow, Vanessa has
Hector’s POVThe most breath-taking scent filled my nose overloading every nerve in my body, my wolf Bryant was pouncing around in my mind. Our mate was near, we knew it shouldn’t have been possible until we turned eighteen which wouldn’t be for another year but that wasn’t to say finding a mate early didn’t happen. As excited as I was at finding my mate I was in love with Athena. Bryant felt conflicted as he to had grown to love Athena yet the prospect of having his fated mate was overwhelming. Letting curiosity get the better of me I followed the scent which had taken me outside. There I saw Athena and prayed the scent was coming from her but as I embraced her my heart sunk knowing it wasn’t hers.“Mate” Bryant purred causing my eyes to snap in another direction, standing there was Vanessa.She looked just as shocked as I to find we had been fated together. I couldn&rsquo
Athena’s POV This old bat truly had lost it. How she even had the nerve to sit there with a straight face before giving me her idea of a ‘proposition’ was beyond me. My mum was a woman of many words and even she was gobsmacked. “It’s a fair deal. Either Athena takes back her rejection willingly, or I will simply siphon her magic and place it in a woman of my choosing and my son WILL mate her” the way in which she glared at Axel had my skin crawling. “You mean Vanessa? You know Axel told me you wanted him to mate her, that you didn’t care it wasn’t what he wanted. I thought it was just an excuse but standing here listening to the shit you expel; well, I can honestly say I feel sorry for him” I was fuming. How dare she even suggest something so disturbing. “My daughter is right there will be no deal. Now Benson if you would escort this woman from pack territory”