Chapter 2

Athena Blackstone pov

“Gavin! You're here?!” Veronica stammered as she offered me a friendly pat on my shoulder.

Disgusted, I grabbed her hand and yanked her forward, causing her to stumble to her knees.

“That's for breaking my mom's necklace,” I hissed in her lowered ear.

The crowd started to snicker at their soon-to-be Luna, she got up, wiped off her knees, and glared at me.

"Athena, show some respect for your Luna," she snarled and whipped her hand back then slapped me hard across the face.

Gritting my teeth I narrowed my eyes at the bitch.

"You still haven't changed," the Gavin stranger said from behind me, and Veronica stammered, "She was being insolent and needed discipline!"

I glanced at her and then the guy and was confused by Veronica looking as if she was the one who had been slapped.

“What's her deal,” I questioned Bria with my thoughts and she said that she hadn't a clue.

Finished with her odd charade, I rolled my eyes, and with my broken necklace clasp in my hand, I turned and stormed off. I wanted nothing to do with her or the bastard that rejected me, or their stupid wedding for that matter.

Heading into the forest away from all the pack I heard a male's voice calling out.

“Miss, excuse me! Wait up for me, PLEASE!”

Turning I furrowed my brow at Gavin chasing after me.

He was very handsome so I watched the eye candy get closer, curious about what he wanted with me.

He slowed his step as he got closer and ran his fingers through his light sable hair.

“Hey, I didn't get your name,” he said in a breathy fashion.

“Right, I'm Athena Blackstone,” I told him while squeezing my broken necklace in my hand.

“Veronica is a psycho, and I should know; she tried getting me to wed her,” he blurted, and I gave him a raised brow.

“Funny you should mention that since she's marrying the asshole who rejected me for her,” I huffed.

Giving me a befuddled look he told me he couldn't believe that.

“You're stunningly beautiful and she's a fake plastic snake. He made a big mistake choosing her over you.”

Grinning at his off-handed compliment, I explained that Jordan thought I was unworthy of being his Luna because I was a pack warrior and an orphan.

“Sorry about your parents,” he said sympathetically.

“I don't know about my dad; he left my mom when she was pregnant with me, so I'm not sure who he is or if he's alive,” I explained and surprised myself with being so forthcoming with this stranger.

I felt drawn to him like a moth to a flame, and Bria was snickering at me and my naughty, intrusive thoughts of wanting to see him in the nude.

“My entire body was humming in his presence, and I had never done that before around the opposite sex,” I thought to her.

My eyes trailed down his muscular frame daringly and I noticed that he was eyeing my clenched fist.

He asked me if I was squeezing something to death.

Giggling I shook my head and opened my hand to show him my broken necklace.

“Veronica tore it off my neck, insinuating that I stole it from her, but it was given to me by my mom, and it's all I have left from her. It's a gift my dad gave her on their wedding night,” I sighed, heartbroken over the broken piece.

When he reached out to touch my cheek I met his eyes and stared into his amber irises.

“Goddess, his eyes are hypnotizing; it's like being sucked into his soul; it's as if I'm staring into myself; why Wolf,” I pondered.

All Bria did was sigh peacefully in my mind as I continued studying the attractive man.

“You're too lovely to have a frown,” he said in a low timber that caused my heart to race.

“You're too much,” I responded coyly and batted my eyes up at him.

Grinning Gavin chuckled and stepped closer to me. I could see his heart beating in his chest erratically.

Throwing caution to the wind I didn't protest when he cupped my cheeks and started kissing me.

Kissing him back with wild abandonment I had never felt so alive nor as wanton as I did with this stranger. He was the complete opposite of any male I had been with.

Growling deep in his chest Gavin moved his mouth along my jawline and told me that he had to have me this instance.

“I concur, you hot, luscious man,” I purred, then closed my eyes as he nibbled on my ear lobe.

It wasn't long before we were both naked and exploring each other intimately. When he thrust into my damp, eager body, I melted against him.

“Goddess you're perfect,” I moaned wantonly. He was thick everywhere, unlike the thin and scrawny Jordan, Gavin filled me.

After reaching my peak I orgasmed so hard my eyes rolled back in my skull.

The experience was so intense that I must have blacked out. I awoke much later to the morning sunlight. A shadow stood over me, laughing and poking me on the side.

Opening my eyes wider I saw Anton looking at me.

“You missed your patrol time, and the new Luna has been asking about you and where you went before the ceremony,” he growled.

Mortified, I covered my bare breasts and grabbed my tank to put it on.

“Why does Veronica care about what I do? All she does is belittle me,” I huffed.

“Who's the one that marked you?”

Eyeing him oddly pointing at my neck, I shook my head.

Running my fingers up my collar bone I stopped at the tender area.

“Oh shit,” I muttered.

“Oh shit, is right; Alpha and Luna are going to have your head,” Anton asserted as I shimmied on my pants.

“What an asshole to mark me and then disappear,” I murmured through my gritted teeth.

I also couldn't find my broken necklace causing me to deeply regret my rendezvous.

Standing I patted the back of Anton and thanked him for the privacy.

“I won't inform anyone about what I saw, but I will advise you to keep the mark hidden since pack warriors must be unmated,” he stressed, and I nodded.

“Thanks for covering for me.”

Shaking his head, he said, “I have, but I can't say anything about the others.”

I cursed again knowing that I would face consequences for my actions.

With my head hung low, I slowly made my way back to the guard's house, weighing my options for what I could say that would cover my absence.

“Just say that you went for a run to clear your head,” Bria suggested.

“Sure,” I muttered as my thoughts kept returning to Gavin and the feeling of him still buried deep within me.

“His mate mark tossed you over the edge,” Bria chortled and I smiled as I nodded in memory.

“Oh yeah, it was the best mating I have ever experienced,” I murmured as I entered my home.

Hurrying to my assigned bedroom I went to the bathroom and stared at the bite mark on my neck.

“What on earth was that man thinking?”