Athena's POV
“So what now?” Ulf's question hung in the air, echoing my uncertainty about our next move.
"I didn't anticipate this," I admitted, my determination overshadowed by the lack of a clear plan.
His laughter held a hint of anger. "You what?" Ulf demanded.
"I expected a solution, not a roadmap," I confessed.
My spirit was low. A thought crossed my mind, and I cautiously proposed.
"Maybe I should touch it."
Ulf's abrupt reaction interrupted my impulse.
"Wait!" she exclaimed.
"Only shamans and the moon goddess' descendants can touch it while it's glowing," Ulf warned.
"I can't leave empty-handed after coming this far." Frustration crept into my voice.
"I share your frustration, anger is boiling within me too." Ulf sympathetically replied, Understanding my plight.
"Perhaps there's a guardian or something that can help," I pondered.
"The guardians are long exti
Ralph's POVIn the wake of Tala's counsel, we enlisted skilled werewolves, mostly hunters, possessing an acute sense of smell to track down Athena, yet their efforts were not yielding results."Tala, this is dragging on," I confessed, pacing in my office."I believe we will get her soon," she reassured.She was tapping her legs nervously, while her hand cradled her chin in a display of shared tension."None of the hunters returned with anything substantial, despite the promise I made of beta status to whoever brought her home," I vented my frustration.“I have another idea,” Tala proposed an alternative, and I rolled my eyes.“I know the past ideas have not worked but just listen to this,” she pleaded."What is it?" I inquired."You and I understand Athena better than they do. I'll venture into the woods and find her myself," she declared."I've considered doing that
Athena's POV"So, telepathic abilities?" Ulf inquired between bites of roasted meat."Yes.""Never heard of that," she admitted."Hmm.""Prove it," she insisted."Is that your favourite word? Besides, you might end up getting hurt.""Prove it!" She persisted."I accidentally delved into your memory the day you followed me. I know you're a girl wrestling with sadness, striving to prove herself even after her father's demise."She abruptly stopped eating, her sorrowful gaze penetrating mine."What?" She managed to utter."I warned you about the possibility of getting hurt," I defended myself.Silence enfolded us as we continued to eat. I stood up, pacing slowly back and forth, exercising a bit. Ulf leaned against a tree, quietly observing.What pains me more is my innocent unborn child, who suffers alongside me. I feel the baby's movements from time to time.“My sister has alw
Athena's POV "Thank you,” I expressed gratitude to Ulf.“For?” she inquired.“Coming along and attempting to protect me.”"That doesn't make us friends,” she mumbled, cheeks flushed.“You're one twisted person,” I commented, and we both chuckled.“If we're staying here, we can't leave these bodies around,” she suggested.“You're right. Should we burn them?”“No, the smoke might attract attention.”“True, let's take them as far as we can.”We dragged the bodies into the woods. Ulf managed two, while I struggled with one.Returning to the tree, hunger struck, and there was nothing left to eat.“It seems the animals here are aware of my presence, I can't perceive any scent,” Ulf confessed.“I'm thirsty and hungry too,” I grumbled.“And I'm exhausted, having used most of my energy. Should we venture into the woods to try our luck?” she suggested.“Yes,” I agreed, rising.We walked cautiously, ensuring not to lose our way back to the tree."I think I smell a fruity scent," Ulf said to me.
Ralph's POV "We've been walking for days now," I voiced my frustration. "I've lost track of her scent," Tala responded. "I can't smell it anywhere." "I'm hungry and tired, we should rest a little," Tala suggested. From her oversized bag, which I initially complained about, Tala produced dried roasted meat and water. "I told you this bag is useful," she remarked as if reading my mind. As we began eating, rustling in the nearby bushes caught our attention. I swiftly stood up, unsheathing my sword. Four werewolves emerged, raising their hands in a submissive gesture. "Alpha," they all bowed. I struggled to recognize any of them, but they were undoubtedly hunters. "Who are you?" I inquired, surprising them. "We are part of the hunters assigned to track Luna," they replied. Over the past two days, I had encountered a few of their kind. "Join us and share a meal," I invited them. As they sat, it was evident they were famished. Tala, being the compassionate person she is, handed
Athena's POV"I should have stayed with my mother," Ulf whispered, stimulating a chuckle from me."Why laugh when our lives are at stake?" Ulf retorted."Relax. If they intended harm, we'd be gone by now.""Well, there are fates worse than death," Ulf mused."You make a valid point," I concurred.Heavy footsteps echoed down the stairs, revealing the leader. A massive, unkempt figure exuding a masculine aura with rough brown hair and deep red eyes."Why are there two of them?" he croaked."We found them together," a soldier responded.Approaching, he roughly inspected my neck for markings, repeating the process with Ulf before stepping back."The pregnant one has a mate, the other is of no use, mateless…," the Alpha began but was interrupted. "I'll claim her as my mate," a soldier interjected.In an instant, the leader unsheathed a short knife, aiming it at the soldier's throat, who collapsed into his pool of blood."No one interrupts me when I'm speaking," he vented.Ulf and I gasped
Athena's POV I felt a tremor of fear as I hesitated to continue eating. Ulf, noticing my unease, gently held my left hand in an attempt to soothe me.“You don't like the food?” the Alpha questioned, his voice hoarse.Fear silenced me initially, but when he repeated the query, I mustered the courage to respond.“No,” I stammered.“Then eat!” he commanded.Despite the lack of enjoyment, I hastily continued stuffing the food into my mouth.“I called you two here to make an announcement,” the Alpha began, and both Ulf and I paused our eating.“White hair, you have an important role to play later on,” he addressed me.“And as for you, the mateless one, you will become my Luna,” he dropped the bombshell.Awe filled my widened eyes as I glanced at Ulf, who shared my astonishment. The room resonated with the audible thud of our accelerated heartbeats."If you're done eating, you may leave,” he commanded. Ulf boldly questioned, surprising everyone. "Do I have a say in this? I mean, you abduc
Ralph's POVWe've been on this journey for days, and there's still no sign of her. Perhaps we've been looking in the wrong direction.A heaviness lingered in my heart, if only I could turn back time, I'd make corrections to ensure she felt comfortable enough to share more with me.My initial impression must have instilled fear, causing her to withhold vital information even after we fell in love, afraid of my reaction.I let out a deep sigh and settled on a tree trunk, elbows on my thighs, head bowed, contemplating the twists of my life."What's troubling you?" Tala's concern echoed in her voice."I feel like I've failed as a husband," I confessed with another heavy sigh, lifting my head to gaze into the abyss."Hmm, true."Tala, never one to sugarcoat, sighed as well and joined me, sitting close."You can't blame yourself for everything, sometimes things just happen," Tala consoled, carefully choosing her words."I'm worried about my pack. We've been away for a while now," I confesse
Athena's POV For days, our attempts to gain access to the Alpha's office proved futile, leaving us confined to our rooms for the most part. Only twice were we permitted to join him for meals.On this particular day, a breath of fresh air came in the form of new clothes. The Alpha summoned us to the dining room for a shared meal."In five days, we'll celebrate the full moon, and that's when I'll take you as my wife," he declared to Ulf, his eyes penetrating."Also, that is the day you will fulfil your duty to me," he added, directing his gaze towards me.My heart sank into my stomach, the weight of his words settling heavily upon me. He had concealed this information, but knowing the truth left me torn between emotions.Despite the impending challenges, I knew I needed strength, so I pushed the tasteless food down my throat. Ulf, perceptive as ever, recognized my silent struggle and mirrored my determination until our plates were empty.“I can see the news got you both excited," he n