Athena's POV"Don't you dare make me regret saving your life. We don't have a single second to spare," he panted out frantically.My heart was pounding as I turned to face him, his words ringing in my ears like a death knell. Despite the urgency in his voice, my feet froze in place. Something about the way he spoke made my stomach churn with unease.Without taking any thoughts of his words, I turned around and ran the opposite direction.Dante was the actual monster and I didn't realize it until now.It hurt me to think I was ever associated with such a person. Did the moon goddess do this to me?My mind was in a whirlwind of confusion and grief as I thought back to all the times I had put my trust in Dante. Was it all a lie? Had he been using me this whole time, just like he had tricked my old pack?Maybe he rejected me to finally get the chance to rid the world of all werewolves."Even if you hate your life so much, what about the child in your care? I suppose that was why her fath
Athena's POVTears streamed down my face as I clutched my folded knees, feeling like a failure. I had left my daughter behind, placing her safety in the hands of a stranger, and now, I was about to risk my life to rescue a group of werewolves--werewolves that may never appreciate my efforts at saving them.Sue's voice broke through my sobs, "You're doing this to protect her. You're a strong woman, Athena. Don't beat yourself up over this."I took a deep breath and wiped away my tears, nodding in agreement. I had to be strong for these werewolves, for my daughter, and for myself. Even if then never appreciate my effort, I was doing this for me, I told myself.I approached the grounds, the full moon cast an eerie glow on the dark and desolate buildings ahead. The air was thick with the scent of fear and desperation, as if the very walls were crying out in agony.Then I remembered something. How could I have forgotten. Gazing back at the shadows behind me, I yelled severally,"Kevin!" at
Athena's POVI felt a hand tug at me, then I opened my eyes immediately.We crawled under a dark counter, as we managed to manipulate our way out of the fidgety crowd."Where are they?" the voice roared behind while the unknown person ahead whispered urgently,"Hurry."I winced as a sharp tiny glass pierced my palm when I crawled my way out.We approached a backdoor and immediately he pulled it open and dragged me out forcefully,"Run!" he yelled, as I heard marching footsteps rambling all around.With the whole strength I could muster, I ran, my heart beating heavily, as I looked to both my right and left, expecting the worst to happen.I heard the sound of heavy boots trailing behind me, I was too scared to steal a peep, flinging my whole body forward until Sue took over.I dashed past the deserted path, hoping the foot step would cease until I heard a voice call out."We've lost them." It took me a while to realize I was not chased but accompanied.I transformed back to my human fo
Athena's POVThe tears were daring to burst out of me. I hated to find out that I was still deeply in love with a beast. My hands were clasped on my mouth, muffling back my tears, as I managed to locate a partly open door-- I knew it to be the store house for dried foodstuffs. The footsteps grew louder. My back was against the wall in the store room, pinching myself to snap out of the sudden emotion.Then, it dawned on me. The old mark burned bitterly on my neck which meant Dante might have picked my scent. He might have known it was me. I dampened my eyes with Tyler's coat and peeped through the key hole.I saw a part of his legs, walking around. He approached the door. my eyes glazed with fear as I backed away, holding my breath.Then, there came a voice. A voice I had always hated. The same one that took what should have been mine."What keeps you up, My King?" Charlotte asked. There was no mistaking her annoyingly pitched voice.I sat there in silence, staring blankly at the da
Athena’s POV“Are you the warrior sent to kill us?” I heard a voice probe behind me, startling me for some moments. I managed to roll away from Tyler’s already cold body to find the source of the innocent voice.A little boy stood in one of the stacked cages below, holding the cage bars with watery eyes. My heart was filled with compassion for him as I approached him. He backed away, further into the cage as I tried to reach for his hands.“I’m here to save you,” I replied, kneeling on both knees, the cafe separating us, wondering why Tyler chose to be brutal even to innocent kids that knew nothing of their abilities yet.“Can you save my mother too?” he asked, rubbing off the tears in his eyes. “I’m leaving no one behind. Okay? I'll make sure everyone gets out alive,” I tried to assure him, breaking the lock on the cage with my fist. Unlike the rest of the other captives laying helplessly in their captive state, he wasn’t chained down with silver. “How about you find your mother
Athena's POVI felt my heart skip several beats. The crowd I was supposed to save began to back away. I turned around. Like one that had no sense of danger--that was far from the truth.I recognized the voice. On turning around, I recognized the face too."Let them go. And have me instead," I called out to him. He stood ahead. Relaxed. His usual expression that seemed to evoke fear even out of the bravest of warriors. "You only made it easier for me," he replied calmly, smoke puffing out of his mouth as he spoke. I looked back at the crowd and yelled at them,"Shut the hell up." Their fear was justified considering the kind of man before us. But I had to fake some sort of dominance. Fake confidence. Anything to make him realize he wouldn't have his way so easily.I turned around. He wasn't there. He was the same man that threatened me to turn against Dante before I broke free."No one has pulled a successful escape from me. Just look at you. If only you sided with me, you wouldn'
Athena's POV"Say nothing," he whispered, his eyes glinting in the moonlight as he laid me down on the cold, hard slab. I felt weak and vulnerable, my body exposed to the harsh elements, but there was something in his touch that made me feel safe, even as I sensed danger lurking all around us.The wind howled, whipping my hair around my face as he bit into his wrist, drawing forth a few drops of his dark, viscous blood. With a steady hand, he brought the wound to my lips, and I felt a strange, almost primal urge to drink.As the blood trickled down my throat, I felt a sudden surge of strength, my senses sharpening as the world around me came into sharper focus. But even as I felt my powers returning, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something mysterious and dangerous about this man, something that I couldn't quite put my finger on.With each drop of blood, I felt a deeper connection forming between us, a bond that defied explanation and seemed to transcend time and space.
Athena's POVStronger mind. More boldness. I'd never known my wolf, Sue to be as fearless as the night of my induction.The other wolves surrounded the yelling body. I ran into their midst. Immediately, I recognized the scent.Walking around her, I sniffed further. The others growling at her ready to tear her up.I growled at my newest pack members, asking them to back away while I transformed back to my partly human form."You either bow to my rule or dare to be their first prey," I threatened. She kept wailing. The pain of betrayal must have caused her so much but she didn't seem to surrender,"Never! I'd rather die than bow to a female Alpha, let alone the one whom I so much despise. Bitch!"The others threatened to attack but I stopped them."Let by gone be by gone, Scarlett else, you've the chance to run and never look back. it's the only favor I can afford you or I leave you to my hungry pack," I threatened, my voice loud and threatening."Not until I collect all that belonged
Athena's POVOur new territory was fortified with bars and gates. For a whole week, we put the place in order. Taking out the dark magic of the vampires, burning down dungeons with vampire prisoners.A week passed and still I hadn't reached out to Kevin.Each time Cosmo would ask of him, I gave her the same reply,"He left."I realized no one could take his position better than him."He helped us overcome the vampires. He killed his people for us. Why wouldn't you trust him? He's saved us twice," Sue scolded one afternoon, when I got back from visiting the construction at the borders.Dante also built the training center as promised at the center of both kingdoms.I tried not to believe her. Kevin was a werewolf and a Vampire. It was hard to trust hybrids like him. But I gave in, sending him a mindlink,"We need you back, Kevin." I waited for a reply but it didn't seem forth coming."Alpha," one of the guards came to me, as I sat at dinner with Cosmo."You've a letter," he added with
Athena's POVOf a truth, I was more than glad to see Kevin again. And the fact that he saved my life yet again from the blues melted my heart. As he held my wrist with Cosmo in our middle, it only felt right to give love a chance.But there was Dante. And I felt it. I felt the spark like it never left. Maybe Kevin could help me forget about him. The sight of Dante soaked in his blood, needing help, tortured me.I was barely a meter away. Tears dropped down my cheeks as we stepped out. I managed to hide those tears as Kevin said,"We have to burn the bodies."i halted in my steps, squatted to the same eye level as Cosmo,"Are you alright?" She nodded a response, as I noticed how feebly she looked."What's wrong?" Kevin asked."She passed out earlier.""I know a safe place she can stay untill we clear the mess around here," Kevin hadn't completed his statement when Cosmo began to throw up. Kevin rushed to carry her and ran. I trailed his steps, scared for my daughter's life. Her bod
Dante's POV"Who are you?" I demanded, turning around. It was pitch black but I saw two blood shot eyes glowing."A prisoner, just like you're now. You smell like fresh blood.""I'm not a prisoner," I corrected, ignoring who ever it was as I tried to find my way out."It's a waste of time," the voice said.I was beginning to believe the words until I felt a door knob. But, it pulled open without my effort. I backed away as three men barged in to me, holding lamps. "What have you done, Dante!" the man in front, with thick beards roared, while the other two men held me down."Have we met?" I asked, without regard for the authority he seemed to command.There was a loud noise coming from outside. Like a war. Then I realized my warriors were around, giving me more courage."How dare you come into my kingdom to cause havoc!" I caught a view of the turbulence outside behind him. It was a bloody sight. It was hard to tell who was winning the fight. "I presume you're the vampire Lord, ar
Athena's POVMy heart pounded heavily as we got into the surroundings of a large mansion. I had Cosmo climb on my back before we passed the rocky slope. Her weight slowed me down, as the witch led all through.I saw a large mansion, and my uneasiness only grew wild.She pulled me back as I continued toward it,"We have no business with the Vampire Lord, remember? It's this way," she said.We took the first turning to our right and proceeded down a flight of stairs that had mosses and spirogyra growing all over its surface."Where's this place?" I asked, in awe."the sacred grounds. It was the same place my people were killed and sacrificed. We would most certainly encounter opposition here. It's never left unguarded."I instinctively clutched my arm around Cosmo's wrist on my neck as we continued down the multiple stairs.She gestured for me to stop, her eyes glistening as she looked around us.A piercing cry struck me. Cosmo's cry. "Cosmo!" I yelled as I pulled her from my back to t
Dante's POV"I need your help," I broke the surprise on his face as I approached the front deck."How may I be of use to the King?" Tony asked with his crooked voice, broken with old age."The Vampire Lord. I need to know him. I need to find him. Is that too much to ask of you tonight?""My King, does not believe in sorcery. I'ld rather not bother you," he said with a bow."It's an order, Tony. It's the only chance I have. Get on your horse. Are your legs too feeble to ride?" I enquired, as he pulled an Arabian horse toward me, immediately I made the order."My skills are very much intact. my major concern is our sudden visit to the vampires. Their powers are twice as much now," he suggested, brushing the hair of his horse like one preparing for an honorary visit. "That's why you're coming with me. Do whatever you have to do.""I'm stricken with age Alpha. I'm not the best man for a fight. I can only see in part. That's the only power I have. We may need back up."We rode out of the
Athena's POVThe pack's healers fed the witch with herbs she'd requested herself, pointing at trees around, including wolfsbane.I squatted beside the old witch, watching how she rolled the herbs into several balls, applying the juice into every opening on her face, including her nostrils.She kept a few of the balls in her clothing,"We may need some of these. Just in case," she said.Behind me was a troop. The entire pack, arranged according to their war experiences and agility. The feeble ones amongst us were made to converge at the middle. An order we've maintained since our conception as a pack, forming a defense against the weak. Everyone prepared their weapons. Animal horns, drenched with liquid silver and wolf bane, arrows, daggers, and spears. The only weapon I had with me was the witch who seemed to know alot about our enemy."We don't have much time," the witch said in a crooked tone groaning in pain as she got back on her feet.She held a walking, but what she did with
Dante's PoVI was confused. Someone was in there with her. Who was it that made her laugh more cheerfully than I ever made her? After all my efforts at making things work. Why did they choose to hide in such filth?"I don't know what's going to happen now that he's marked me. We might have to cut our seeing,"Charlotte's whisper reached my hearing even louder. There was no mistaking her voice. I followed her scent. The surprise clouded my reasoning of what could be.I was more interested in knowing how the conversation would end. I wanted to find all the answers without having to confront both of them yet my rage boiled like wild fire."His reign is for a while. We've come this far. Very soon, we'll form our own empire. I'm tired of staying in the dung. But, anything to be with you.""You flatter me.""Some day we're gonna have this on his bed. Make you moan and cry my name.""That's too risky. He'll kill you.""I've never been afraid of death. You're quick to forget my status. I'm
Dante's POVAlarmed, she scanned my face and the flowers in my hands.I didn't know what to do but my heart raced.She had to say something. I desperately wanted her to accept my offer before I changed my mind. After all, that was what she always wanted. The moment only grew more awkward and to my amazement she dashed out of my presence."Charlotte!" I yelled, dumping the roses in my hands to chase after her. She tripped on her dress but I caught her before she got up."That's not how to treat your husband, the king!" I raised my voice. It was too late to caution myself, as tears began to stream down her face."I'm sorry," I managed to say, looking into her eyes to soften the moment."There's no doubts, you're drunk again," she responded, pulling away from me and running towards the palace.I watched her run from me, heaved a sigh before trailing her footsteps.I didn't expect her to be difficult.I had to end all of it today. I had to prove to my mother that all she wanted from At
Dante's POVShe was gone. I scoured every conceivable place, desperately searching for her, but she eluded me. My mother made it even more challenging for me to forget."Have you looked into neighboring packs? Don't you care about your daughter at all?" my mother interrogated one morning during breakfast."I've done everything I can, mother. There are no packs around save the vampires. Besides, She's better off without me," I replied, burdened with overwhelming guilt."Immersing yourself in strong wine and distancing yourself from your family won't lead to healing, my son. Find my grandchild as soon as you can."Her words struck me with such force that I dropped my cutlery in frustration, unable to bear the weight of her unending accusation."And what about Ben? Charlotte is the Queen Mother. It was wrong for me to have fallen in love with a werewolf in the first place. This is my way of setting things right, just as you wanted," I snapped back, muffled by the towel on my lips as I re