An extra long chapter because I couldn't write yesterday. I wasn't sure when I would reveal artemis, but it felt like the right time.
Raiden’s pov“No fucking way!”Dad growled at me, his aura spreading throughout the room. I tried to stand up straight and not give a fuck what he thought. I am not doing it, no matter how important he claims it is!“Raiden! Since when do we use such language? I am still your father and your alpha.”I finally had no choice but to lower my neck, his alpha aura pressing me down. “Since you told me I needed to leave my mate behind to talk to some other alphas.” I growled as soon as he let me go.Dad sighed, “so you’d rather wish I would send Steve?”“Yes!”Dad raised his eyebrow, “I am doing this for you and for Atalanta. Son, look at me.”He still looked fragile, although he’d never show it around anyone other than family. Part of me felt bad he had to use his alpha aura on me because it would weaken him.‘But the other part is pissed off,’ Atlas growled.I looked at my dad and sat back down in my chair. I trusted my old man, but this was just too much. Sending me off to some meeting wit
Zev’s povWhen I entered the library, I noticed Atalanta was there too, but like usually, I didn’t bother acknowledging her. It was easier this way.‘You’re punishing her.’ Rishi voiced. But I’m not punishing her.I’m avoiding her. I promised Raiden I wouldn’t do anything to upset his precious mate, and if I were to talk to her, something mean would most likely come out.I still feel betrayed. Even more so now that I’ve learned the full truth of what’s going on.She could have trusted me. I trusted her, and look what that got me.Raiden had asked me to investigate half-wolves throughout history. It’s something I knew a little about but hadn’t researched thoroughly before.He had explained what Atalanta had overheard that general guy say. It was ludicrous to think that would work—breeding half-wolves to fight against full-blooded werewolves?But that man sounded crazy anyway.They’d never be strong enough to defeat us, but they would be perfect spies and could potentially attack us from
Atalanta’s povMy old phone had been at Ardale when everything happened, and I guess every message I had sent had been examined. I only communicated home by calling, so it probably wasn't very helpful. But once I arrived here, I got a new phone since I couldn’t mindlink. It only had Raiden’s number and the packhouse number, just in case.Part of me wanted to reach out to Suzie, but I wasn’t sure if it was safe. She knew I was here, so if she wanted to speak to me, she would, right?‘You’re scared.’I am. She has every right to hate me, but to actually receive that hate would be heartbreaking. Now I’m in a limbo of not knowing how she would respond. I can pretend we're still friends—just friends who don't speak.I could just find out what Artemis meant by looking on my phone; it wasn’t something I was used to, but I had learned how to use a cellphone at Ardale, and I knew how to search online.But Artemis wanted me to be at the library.‘I like the smell of books.’It was weird hearing
Atalanta's pov “First we get naked, then I will explain,” I said, needing him inside of me more than ever. I helped Raiden out of his pants and lowered mine to the ground. He shredded my top with his claws, which I somehow found extremely sexy even if I didn’t have that many clothes. Luna Grace said we could go shopping soon, though, but I haven’t felt brave enough to go into the city. “You’re so beautiful,” Raiden said while he looked at my naked body. We had showered together a few times, but he had been extremely respectful. But that was over. I gigged to myself. His erection was standing proud, while his eyes roamed my body. “Fuck, you’re sexy.” “Can I taste you?” I mimicked his words. He nodded, “yes, Atalanta.” I got on my hands and knees, bent over his body, licking his tip like an ice cream before sucking it into my mouth. “Fu-uuuck, that’s good.” I hadn’t heard Raiden swear much, but it didn’t bother me. My family used a lot of bad language around each other. I starte
Raiden’s pov“No fucking way.” Dad had told me not to curse during these meetings, but at this point it was either use a few profanities or totally lose my mind.‘Let’s kill them all,’ Atlas growled, clearly feeling just as frustrated as I was.“We would like to know your source and question him or her ourselves.” Alpha Samual spoke calmly.This was his counteroffer, because another ally of ours had just asked me to hand over my source and let him torture her.Dad had warned me against mentioning Atalanta. He said it was my choice in the end, but if everyone realized who my mate was, the conversation would switch to her rather than what was important.“That will not be possible,” I replied, trying to keep Atlas’ anger, and well, my own, under control.“Future Alpha Raiden, how can we trust your source speaks the truth? Where is the proof?”I shrugged, “there is none, other than their word. But if you don’t want to believe me, that’s fine too. I just figured that it would be good to kno
Zev’s pov“You killed my son!”I did not expect today to go like this. I assumed I would be able to help Alpha Ethan with some work or to take out some anger at the construction site where we were currently rebuilding one of the houses along the border that was destroyed.But instead I was asked to accompany Luna Grace and Atalanta to the city.When we all had breakfast together this morning, both Atalanta and Luna Grace seemed different.‘They had sex,’ Rishi stated.Apparently Alpha Ethan was feeling well enough again because Luna Grace was walking around with a big smile, smelling even more like her mate than usual.And Atalanta, the person I was supposed to keep an eye out for, seemed different. She was either deep in thought or talking to her new mother-in-law. But she seemed more at ease, or less sad somehow.I don’t know; maybe it was the way she carried herself. Her shoulders weren’t up to her neck, her head wasn’t to the floor, and I even saw her smile a few times.It angered
Atalanta’s pov‘Say something. You didn’t do it!’ Artemis growled inside my head, but I couldn’t. This woman had lost a child because of me. I told them about Belladonna; I should have warned someone when Archer said everything was coming to an end.I should have known they had something planned.‘You could not have known.’ Artemis argued, but by then Luna Grace had already stepped up and started to defend my honor.It was very different from how Raiden would defend me. Luna Grace remained calm, stating facts and still showing sympathy. But she would not allow the grieving woman to call me names.I had never been defended this way. It didn’t even seem like the way a werewolf handled anything. I was taught they were animals, violent creatures.'While our sexy mate may have a more primitive approach to defending you, that doesn't mean we're incapable of using different methods to solve a problem.' Artemis said. Raiden is sexy, and his protective nature has always attracted me to him.Eve
Zev’s povIt was much easier to deal with the idea of Atalanta being half werewolf than dealing with what my Alpha and Luna had told me regarding my parents.I had confided in them over the years about my reluctance to take on a mate. Raiden knew better than anyone why I didn’t want a mate, but even he couldn’t understand how deep my fears rang.It was so much easier to blame the death of my mother for my dad breaking down. In my mind, it had been like night and day. The severed mate bond turned him from a great father and fantastic mate into a monster.Losing the love of his life literally broke him.But that wasn’t the case. My mom losing her life had only been part of the reason for my dad's behavior. It were his choices that started the breakdown between his wolf and himself.But the hardest part to come to terms with was that my dad had always been capable of hurting those he loved. Maybe not as brutally as he hurt me, but there had always been something inside my father that made