Chapter 1

Athena Blackstone pov

Laying in my bed in my tiny room in the guard's house, I could hear my wolf Bria shouting at me to wake up.

Shifting to my side, I growled sourly at her, interrupting my sleep after my late-night patrol.

“The wedding for the new Alpha and Luna is today,” she stressed.

Rolling my sleepy eyes I huffed, “What do I care? He refused our mate bond because I'm supposedly too weak to be a Luna and an orphan.”

“Well, your mom is dead, and you have no clue who your father is or if he still breathes, so technically, you are an orphan but never weak,” she responded.

“Fine, wolf, I will rise, but I'm not going to dress formally; jeans and a green tank top are all they are getting from me,” I growled sourly as I scooted off my bed and went to prepare.

I still felt bitter about Jordan refusing our bond. His parents, the current Alpha and Luna, had retired, making him the new Alpha.

“And Veronica your new Luna,” Bria chimed in my thoughts.

“Oh for joy,” I growled sourly as I put on my late mother’s necklace she had left me.

Running my fingers down the platinum chain I studied the diamonds that clustered into a heart shape and felt sadness over her passing.

“She protected Jordan's parents and a mate's refusal is what it gained me,” I thought and frowned.

“At least you slept with him before Veronica ensnared him,” Bria chortled, causing me to snort.

“You're a spiteful bitch but truthful,” I mumbled softly.

It was true, I had lain with Jordan, believing he was my mate, but it wasn't something that I would brag about as it wasn't that enjoyable. I was confused about who my mate was and vowed I wouldn't be misled again by my heart.

Standing before my full-length mirror, I studied my reflection.

“Guess I better get down to my guard duty,” I huffed and strolled out of the house.

Waving to the rest of the guards I did patrols with, I hurried to the festivities that were being held before the nuptials.

Trying to be stealthy to avoid the rotten Veronica and backstabbing Jordan, I kept away from the groups of guests clustered together in idle chit-chat.

Hanging back with my fellow guards, I scanned the crowd and, unfortunately, caught Veronica’s narrowed eyes.

She looked disgusted with me, which was nothing new, but off for the day of her wedding.

“Why is she shooting daggers at me?” I asked my wolf, Bria and she huffed in my mind.

“Maybe she knows that you fucked Jordan,” she offered, and I groaned internally, seeing the female beelining toward me.

Her click of followers started after her as I crossed my arms awaiting her sharp tongue.

Glaring at my neckline she screeched, “Why are you wearing the necklace that Jordan gave me?! Did you steal it from my room?”

Cupping the heart pendent in my hand I told her that it was left to me by my dead mother.

Waving her hands in the air, she ordered the guards, my work associates, to hold me.

I balked as two of my burly coworkers held my arms to my side.

“What are you doing,” I questioned them both.

“She's Luna, Anton responded and I shook my head.

“She's not Luna yet,” I spat as Veronica grasped my necklace and pulled it, breaking the chain from my neck.

Glaring at her as she examined it closer.

“Oh, this is just a worthless fake and a gaudy copy at that,” she said callously and tossed it to the ground.

Jerking my arms from the guards I searched for my heirloom that was being trampled on by her crowd. Finding it broken in two I snarled, “Veronica, you are a selfish cunt not worthy of the title Luna!”

Veronica turned around and headed back toward me.

Seeing her seething and raising her hand to slap me, I shut my eyes, awaiting the sting.

When the strike didn't come, I cracked my eyes open to see her wide-eyed and mouth gaping as she focused over my shoulder.

Glancing over my shoulder I swallowed at the amazingly attractive man standing there.

“What's going on here?” The handsome stranger questioned and I turned back to Veronica to see her whole demeanor change to a meek and demure bumbling idiot.

“Such a phony,” Bria growled and I grinned slightly at the attention being taken from me.