ODINCade’s gaze flickered between my eyes, which was fixed on the diary, and the words on the page.“Alpha, is everything alright?” he asked carefully, his tone hesitant.My thumb traced the corner of the diary absentmindedly thinking about Lynn’s words and what I had witnessed with my own eyes. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of Ekim. She was lurking by a tree, her eyes watching the exit of the office building.Snapping the diary shut, I handed it back to Cade. “Prepare for the meeting,” I ordered, resuming my walk.“Right away,” Cade said, bowing his head slightly before hurrying off. I could hear him mind-linking the others to gather in the meeting room as he followe
ODINCade trembled under the weight of my fury, his head lowering in submission. “I… I’m sorry, Alpha. I crossed the line,” he stammered, his voice barely audible.With a sharp shove, I released his collar, turning away from him as anger pulsed in my veins. But before I could storm off, movement ahead caught my attention.Damon.He was walking toward me, holding a tiffin in his hand. His figure, his presence, struck me like a force I wasn’t prepared for. The moment our eyes met, the storm inside me quieted. My wolf, who had been raging moments ago, suddenly fell silent, its growls replaced by a low, almost purring hum.I watched him approach, his every step unhurried. My fists, which had been clenched so tightly, rel
ZEUSI could not recall a single day in my life when someone had saved me, because there was none. It had always been me…alone. I was my own protector. I lived by the belief that a protector cannot be protected. A protector was bound to be wounded, to bear the brunt of the battle.But for the first time, I had been protected. To top that off, the one shielding me was my kidnapper. Before I even realized what I was doing, my hand had moved of its own accord, to touch his cheek. I should have been scared. Scared of the possessiveness burning in his eyes, of the obsession that crackled like lightning between us. Instead, I found myself mesmerized, both of our lips slowly inching closer, an invisible force pulling us together.But then…“Goddess, are you two alright?”Ekim’s voice shattered the moment like glass. My eyes flew open in alarm, and I jerked back as though I’d been burned. Heart pounding, I scrambled to my feet and turned to face her, hoping she hadn’t seen what had nearly ha
ZEUS“Alpha,” Cade knocked on the door, attracting our attention. “I came to deliver these,” He had a jar of cookies and the tiffin that I had dropped earlier. It was Alpha’s lunch.“Put them on the dining table,” the Alpha ordered.Cade did as he was told before he quickly left. Noticing the air was still tense between us, I quickly started opening the tiffin before he could remember he was angry with me. "Since you are already here, have your lunch,” I stated, ready to put the chicken sandwich onto a plate, but he stopped my hand. He took the tiffin from my hand and started eating with it.I could not help but blink. Why was he not using a plate? He seemed to be obsessed with tiffin!I took a seat at the dining table as I
ZEUSI should have guessed. When Ekim handed me nicer clothes to wear, then led me through a side door that I didn’t recognize, so seamless and inconspicuous that I couldn’t have imagined it would lead me here.The full moon party.And now I was stuck.“Girls, meet my boyfriend, Zeus,” Ekim announced proudly, her voice clear and loud enough to draw every gaze in the room.‘A boyfriend?’“A human?” one of the she-wolves sneered, her sharp eyes narrowing as they roamed over me.The judgment in their stares wasn’t what unsettled me. No, that I could handle.
ZEUS“No… no, no! Wait!” The words burst out of me as I desperately tried to plant my feet on the ground, using every ounce of strength to stop him from dragging me any further.He paused, his burning gaze turning to me with a mixture of irritation and dark amusement. “What?” he growled, his patience clearly wearing thin.I swallowed hard, my voice cracking as I tried to reason with him. “Please, listen to me. I can explain everything! I didn’t mean to disobey you. I swear, it’s not what you think,”He yanked me closer, his face just inches from mine. His growl rumbled deep in his chest, sending vibrations through my body. “There is nothing to explain,” he said, his voice low and menacing. “I saw everything. I heard everything. You’ve lost your chance, Damon.”
Zeus“Take it out…” he whispered, guiding my trembling hand onto his manhood.Our eyes locked, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still. My heart pounded violently in my chest, each beat echoing like a drum. Breathing became a foreign concept, as my mind struggled to process what was happening.Never in my life had I been this close to another man. This intimate, this vulnerable. Memories of my time in the boys' hostel surfaced, a place notorious for its strange camaraderie, where boundaries often blurred in the dim light of mischievous nights. Back then, I’d seen things: boys laughing carelessly as they shared clothes, whispered secrets, and even indulged in quiet explorations under shared blankets when they thought no one was watching were not uncommon occurrences.
ZEUS He loved it? My heart stuttered in disbelief then it skipped a bit. I wanted to savor the moment, to admit to myself that I loved it too. The way he held me, the way his lips claimed mine. But before I could even process what had just happened, he abruptly pulled away, breaking the kiss as if it had meant nothing. I sat there, stunned, my back against the cold ground, watching him fix his shirt and pants with a precision that felt deliberately detached. His gaze no longer held the fire or hunger from moments ago. It was cold, impassive, as though the entire exchange had been a figment of my imagination. Why? Was someone coming? Did he not want to be caught? That would make sense. He was the Alpha, after all. Then why start this in the first place? My heart squeezed uncomfortably at the thought. Could it be he did not want to admit to himself exactly what he had just done with a guy? That was understandable. I was surprised myself, that I touched another man’s manhood and
ZEUSBarbecue? Don’t tell me…My grip tightened around my phone as Odin’s words from that day echoed in my mind—the day he had asked if I was hiding something."If I find something unsavory, I will erase its very existence from this world. But you wouldn’t like the old Odin."A wave of panic surged through me. It turned out that Gary was the "unsavory thing" Odin had been referring to. And this barbecue—it wasn’t just a casual gathering. It was Gary.My pulse thundered in terror. Gary was in danger. I had to save him. I had to act fast.I glanced at the door, then o
ODINSitting on the cold floor of my bedroom, I gripped the disconnected phone in my hand, my gaze locked onto the documents Cade had placed before me.“Alpha,” he began hesitantly, “this is the police report from twelve years ago.”My eyes flickered to the file as he continued.“The man named Harris and his gang were convicted of kidnapping, child abuse, and pedophilia. That man, Harris… he was Zeus’ father.” Cade pointed at the grainy photo stapled to the document.I studied the image, my pulse drumming in my ears. The man looked nothing like Zeus—except for the eyes. Those damn eyes.Rage burned through my veins. My fingers curled, claws scrapin
ZEUS“The wound is completely healed,” the doctor announced, his voice carrying a note of relief.It wasn’t surprising. Every time he came to change my bandage over the past week, Victor loomed over him like a silent executioner, making it painfully clear that any mistake would not be tolerated. The poor man had been under so much pressure that today, when he turned to Victor, his smile was more nervous than pleased.“There will be no scar,” he assured, quickly adding, “but please continue applying this gel until its gone.”Victor accepted the tube without a word, and the doctor wasted no time in making his exit—ignoring the fresh coffee the maid had just served him.I picked up my own cup and glance
ZEUS“Mr. Damon, we’re here,” Victor announced as he opened the car door for me.I remained motionless in the back seat, just as I had been the entire ride. More like a corpse than a living man.“Was it Susan who called you?” I asked without looking at him.Victor was silent for a moment before responding, “Yes.”Of course, it had to be Susan. She would do anything to save herself—even sell her soul. She kicked Gary out, knowing I would come back for him, and then called Victor to cover her tracks.Without another word, I stepped out of the car and back into the world I was accustomed to. The penthouse.I stoo
ZEUSI just wanted to help him. I just wanted to give him food and shelter. I just…But when I rolled over in my sleep, I woke up to a nightmare.I froze. My body frozen, my mind refusing to process the horror unfolding before me. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move.For a long, paralyzing moment, all I could do was stare.Then something snapped inside me.I lunged forward, shoving my father away from Gary with all the strength I had.Gary had already passed out, his small body limp and motionless on the floor.I reached for him,
ZEUSMy fingers trembled at my sides. "Shut your mouth, Gary."He glanced at my shaking hand before his cold stare met mine once more. Then, his lips parted into a slow, wicked grin."So you really have found someone, huh? Someone that you think is more important than me?"Before I could react, he grabbed a brick from the ground and hurled it at me. "HOW DARE YOU!!!"I didn’t move.The brick struck my head, splitting my skin. Warm blood oozed down the side of my face, fast and thick. But the pain barely registered.Gary’s fury exploded as he screamed at me. "YOU FUCKING CRIMINAL! YOU MONSTER!
ZEUSThe day I came home from school and found my mother lying lifeless on the kitchen floor was still etched into my memory like a scar that never fades. My father, a drunk even then, barely acknowledged her death. From the funeral to the burial, he remained the same. A man drowning in alcohol and indifference. He already had a mistress outside our home, along with a daughter, so my mother’s death meant nothing to him. But for me, it changed everything. That was the day I became the new target of his abuse.By the age of thirteen, I had already grown accustomed to a life of servitude. Every day, I woke up early to cook, clean, and take care of the house before and after school. Every night, I braced myself for the beating that followed my father’s drunken return.That night was no different. I left the
ZEUSAfter Odin left, I spent some time playing with the baby until she drifted off to sleep again. Once she was settled under the caretaker’s watchful eye, I hurried straight to the kitchen.Hidden beneath a pile of neatly stacked dish towels was the smartphone I had stashed away. Jay’s phone.I couldn’t thank him enough for this favor. He never questioned why I needed it, simply handing it over and telling me I could return it whenever I wanted.Now was my chance.With Odin around, I hadn’t dared take the chance to use it. But now? Now I had to.I switched on the phone and immediately dialed a number, but not Gary’s.Hi
ZEUS"You would not like the old Odin."Odin’s words echoed in my mind all night, refusing to let me rest. The next day as I stood in the kitchen, stirring the pot, I barely noticed when the heat came close to searing me until the sting snapped me back to reality. I yelped, jerking my hand away just in time before I got burned.With a shaky breath, I turned off the stove and gripped the edge of the counter. What the hell had last night been about? Odin had looked at me like he was certain I was hiding something. Dead serious.He wasn’t wrong.When I returned to Odin that day, I had a plan. First, to prove to him