Aria’s POVAthena and I had talked this through. Before Atlas had come barging into her home and ripping my apple juice out of my hands. Athena had confessed everything to me. Telling me that she was also my sister. That the people she had called Rogues were actually our father and her mother.The funny thing was, the news of discovering that I had another half sister didn’t phase me one little bit. Not after Diamond and Aesha. After all, Diamond had announced there were others, that they just hadn’t shifted. Who knows how many siblings I had!The fear in Athena’s eyes when she blurted out the truth was heartbreaking. She hadn’t done anything wrong, but it only confused me further. Jacob had saved her from Frederick and yet he was still going to meet him. It wasn’t like I could ask Jacob now, his corpse still laid behind the pack members, his blood seeping into the cool grass.Our plan wasn’t going to change. I would lead them all directly to Frederick’s location. Athena would try and
Aria’s POVHe sounded genuinely shocked. He stared at me, waiting for me to say something. Waiting for me to expand on what I had said. When I don’t speak, he jumps around like a child.“She knew you would be special,” he tries to mutter below his breath. “Your fate has been sealed for a long time. Finally!”We need to get out of here! Tala rumbles through my head. She felt the same uncomfortableness as I did.“Yes, yes, yes. This could work. She doesn’t want you dead. Now she will have to come to me!”Frederick grabs hold of my arm, pulling me over the small stream and back into the woods. His long nails piercing my flesh as we moved. There may not have been much to him, but he was strong and he was able to pull me along no matter how much I resisted.He drags me through the trees and bushes without stopping, across two fields and finally stops in front of a large farmhouse.Where are we?”‘I don’t know.’ It was the first time that I had seen a farm house here, I had always been surr
Atlas’s POV“I can’t wait any longer.” I had heard nothing more from Aria, not since she had mentioned something about being near a stream.“You have to, you need to pay attention to what she is telling you.” Athena clamps her hands together, pleading with me to remain here.“I can’t, I can feel it, something is wrong. And she hasn't told me anything since a few hours ago.”“Has she said something is wrong?”“No, but….”“Then you have to stay put.” She cuts me off, annoying me further. People didn’t cut me off mid sentence, especially if they knew what was good for them.I glare at her and she quickly sits down, “I’m sorry, it’s just, Aria has given me strict instructions. It's hard you know. I don't want to betray my sister and I also don't want to betray the Lycan King.”“You kept that quiet too, didn't you! Sisters!” I wasn’t annoyed that Aria had another sibling. In some ways I expected it. If Frederick had gone around impregnating wolves, then there was every chance that she had
Aria’s POV“That’s impossible!” Frederick exclaims. He quickly dismisses the men that had tied me down“I’ve come to learn that nothing seems to be impossible.” I look down at my bump. Feeling the movements of the growing pup inside of me. The pup was supposed to be impossible, but here it was, inside of me.I hope you are right about this idea of yours! Tala squeals as Frederick slams his hand down on the table next to us.‘Frederick won’t risk my death, not yet and not now he has demanded that I am going to give everyone a pup!’If anyone tries to touch us!‘You don’t have to worry about that. The plan will work!’“I need you to tell me everything!” Frederick snaps as he moves to the other side of the room and grabs a stool. He slams it down, right next to the bed and settles himself on it.Turning my head in his direction, I make an over dramatic point of closing my mouth and looking away from him.His hand grabs my face, his fingers squeezing my cheeks as his nails dig into my ski
Atlas’s POVPlease tell me that isn’t her plan. Ryan went into full denial mode as Athena finally tells us that Aria plans to shift.“You cannot be serious, Athena? Aria knows full well that she can’t shift while pregnant. She could kill the baby, she could kill herself!”Athena frantically shakes her head at me“Can’t or not allowed?”“What is that supposed to mean?” I snap. I had led a pack. I knew the complications that shifting while pregnant caused. I had seen many female wolves lose their pups or their lives over something so trivial. It wasn’t me that decided, it was nearly every Alpha in the world, long before Ryan ws born. Women were forbidden from shifting if they were with child. It was the duty of the father to protect them.“We know, right! We all know that women are not supposed to shift when pregnant. As the pack doctor, I have seen it time and time again, but and it’s a big but. Aria is different, in so many ways. I know that and you know that. It's why you love her is
Aria’s POVThe distraction from Aesha is what changed everything.I was about to rip Frederick’s throat out with my teeth when Aesha screamed something about silver in his blood and he used that exact moment to plunge his taloned fingers into my stomach.Everything fell apart fast. Tala’s scream takes over me as I stumble backwards, cradling my stomach as blood pours from me. Screams erupt all around me. The fear could be seen in Atlas’s black eyes as he launches himself across the ground to catch me. The smell of my own blood strong in the air and over the top of it all, I could hear Fredericks laugh. Deep, heavy and manic.The pain quickly goes numb and I feel nothing other than my own warm blood running down over my skin. It's like time had stopped around me and yet it continued at the same time.Atlas presses his large hands against my stomach, trying with all his might to stop the bleeding. I feel my own body slowly shift back to my human form. Death. Death forces us to shift ba
Atlas’s POVI had seen her in some awful situations. Hanging on to the edge of life over and over but this was different. This time, I actually thought I had lost her for good.When Athena had pulled my son from Aria’s womb, I never expected him to be alive, let alone breathing. I had seen what Frederick had done. My son's body was tiny and only just fit into the palm of my hand. Frederick made an advance to try and take him from me just as Aesha plunged one of Fredericks own weapons into his heart.“Keep him warm!” Athena had instructed while she got to work on Aria. Her hands drenched in Aria’s blood as she quickly worked to find out where the bleeding was coming from.She had shouted something about getting Aria back to the pack as soon as possible, but all I could do was stare at the tiny boy in my hands. I was a father. A day that I could never imagine happening.Arriving home, my days were spent between Aria’s hospital room and the small room where our son was being watched aro
Atlas’s POV“OMG, I shouldn’t have said anything. It’s just I’m still not sure who does and doesn’t live here. I’m sorry, Atlas. I’m sorry that I screwed up again.” Aesha drops her head, peeking up at me every so often as she waited for me to say something.“Aria’s a mom?” Simon asks with concern."Mum!" Aesha mutters"What are you talking about?" Simon queries"We're English. It's mum, not mom!" She does a weird head wiggle as she rolls her eyes."Whatever, is she here then?"“Yes and before you go getting your knickers in a twist. I am the father, not Elijah.”“That’s not…I wasn’t trying to say that.” He waves his hands at me. “Is she okay? I mean she always told Elijah that she never wanted a child, not after everything she went through.”I glare at Aesha, a warning to her to keep her mouth shut.“Things change.”“Can I see her?”“No!”He doesn’t push it any further, instead he nods his head at me. “Okay, but can you help with what’s happening out in the world?”“No!”“You can’t or
“You won’t, you will never do it!” Athena screams as I drag her across the ground. “Shut your fucking mouth.” I yell over her whimperings.“Then just kill me. I can't bare to see you fuck us over.”“No Athena. You will see what happens. You will watch as I take over the entire world and you will hear all of it.”“Please, just let me die.”“No fucking chance.” I threw her body into the dungeon where Aria had been locked away. Athena’s body hits the stone floor as she rolls across the ground.“Please, Atlas, please just let me…”“Alpha Atlas.” I mutter. She was a traitor, she wasn’t anything other than that.“Alpha Atlas, please just let me die.” She continues to beg.“No chance.”I slam the door of the dungeons shut. Slipping the key into the lock. She would never get to see any of the pack again. All she would ever get is the information of how the world was changing. How I was becoming the King that no one could stop. How I would be unstoppable,I walk down to the gates, waiting for
Atlas’s POVI couldn’t believe what I was hearing. How could Simon be mated to Athena? It didn’t seem possible. After all, he was gay. He had been married to a man.A man that he met at my ball! Ryan mutters. He sounded almost annoyed. “I can’t help it, Simon. The Moon Goddess obviously paired us together for a reason. It's not my fault.""There could have been a chance, but I can't protect you now!""You're not even going to try?"“Shut up. Just shut up you stupid woman!” Simon growls at her, obviously having enough of her shit.“I’m sorry that I am not what you wanted. Let me guess, you wanted someone with a dick!” Athena snaps back. "Well, I'm sorry about that, so suck it up!"“Whatever is going to happen between us doesn’t matter if Atlas kills you.”The sentence was perfect timing. Stepping into the small room. I see Athena sitting on the edge of a sofa. Her face in her hands. Her chocolate brown hair draped down over her. Simon had his back to me. His hands on his hips. A red t
Atlas’s POVSimon bursts into the room. I hadn’t even realised he had followed me. He stops in front of the empty crib. “Where is he, Atlas?” I couldn’t speak. I was in shock. How had I not felt it? How had I not known that he was in trouble?“ATLAS? Where the hell is he?”“She has him. She has taken my son.” I growl“FIND ATHENA!” I yell through a link to every single wolf and Lycan in the pack. “DO NOT LET HER OUT OF YOUR SIGHT. SHE HAS MY SON!”“I can help.” Simon offers.“How? How can someone like you help.”“He is okay. Hunter is okay. That’s why you couldn’t sense him being taken. His Aunty has him. If he feels danger. You will know. You will feel it”“How can you be certain? He is the first Lycan child.”“Because you feel it when he cries. You feel it in your heart when he is upset. Whatever Athena has done. She is keeping him safe and he trusts her. The question is, what does she want in return.”“I know what she wants. She wants Bethany dead.”“Me?” A small voice cries behin
Atlas’s POVAesha drops her head, keeping herself from looking at me. I wasn’t mad at her. I already had my suspicions. The way Athena looked at Bethany. The spite in her words. I had never known someone so jealous over a child.“Thank you, Aesha.”“You’re not mad at me?”“I’m not mad with you, no! You did the right thing.” I mull over her words. Frustrated that I couldn't get a break.“I told you Aesha. It was better to tell him than not.” Simon mumbles and nods at her, giving her a smile. I wondered how long this had been bugging her. Not once had we been alone today for her to tell me. Athena was always there, hovering or Bethany was at my side. Had Athena known Aesha had overheard her?“Did she know, Aesha? Did she know that you were listening in?”“I don’t… I don’t think so.”That sounds like a yes. If Athena had picked up her scent, then it would be obvious. It’s why Athena probably hovered at the funeral.“Things are getting more and more fucked up!” Simon mutters“Why are you
Atlas’s POVGetting Aria ready for her funeral hit me hard. It made me realise just how much I missed her. She had put me through my paces, testing my patience but at the end of the day, she was mine.I'm not ready.'I know, but it is time.'Just like Bethany had said, Aria looked as though she was sleeping. Her fresh clothes hid her fatal wound. Aesha was busy putting some sort of make up on Aria, giving her a bit of colour. She keeps her mouth shut, knowing that it was best not to speak.It had been a long time since I had sent someone back to the Moon Goddess and I wasn’t ready for this. I reach out to touch her cold skin. Hoping that by some miracle, she would wake up. That this was all just some nightmare.“Everyone’s ready.” Athena mutters. I see how she glances at Bethany, but she doesn’t say anything and Bethany is oblivious to it.I nod and she leaves, taking Aesha with her. Bethany remains behind with me. She had stayed with me ever since we went to the orphanage earlier. Sh
Atlas’s POVOver the course of the next few days, it was almost impossible to get anymore information out of Bethany. The moment she felt threatened, she would clam up. Hiding herself away, never leaving the house and refusing to speak to anyone. The only thing that would coax her out of her hiding spot was hot food. Today, it seemed like the smell of food wasn’t even working. I would have to go and find her when I was done.“Some great idea of yours.” I mutter as Aesha sits at the breakfast table with Athena and I.Athena cocks an eyebrow at me. She didn’t have a clue what I was talking about, but her gaze hit me hard. I had allowed Athena and Aesha to stay in the packhouse. In some ways it helped me feel close to Aria. Yet, it always seemed like they were watching my every move.“Is this about the funeral, Atlas? Because you can’t keep putting it off forever. Aria isn’t coming back.” I heard the undertone in her voice. She was trying to be assertive but she was grieving like the res
Atlas’s POVThe small girl remains asleep for hours. Whether it was shock or tiredness that was causing her to sleep so heavily, I couldn’t tell. Her blonde hair was dirty. There were blood stains around her finger nails. Her blood splattered clothes were too small for her, torn in places too. Her feet were bare and didn’t look like they had been cleaned in days, maybe weeks.Hunter stirs in my arms, making little noises and I watch as the girl's face screws up. Like my son's sounds were causing her some distress. Calling for Aesha, she comes into my office and takes Hunter from me, casting a glance over the young girl.“Still not woken?” She asks and I shake my head.“I think she might have needed it.”“Sleep? She was with humans, surely they were looking after her, she is just a kid. At least you haven't killed her. Does that mean you are going ahead with what I suggested?"I don't respond. But I had investigated the girls feet. The hardened skin, the old scars, the clothes that wer
Atlas’s POVEveryone stayed out of my way except for one. He never spoke but it wasn’t like I could get rid of him either. His constant looks of disapproval and tutting were starting to grind on me.‘Ryan, if you don’t start keeping your disapproving looks to yourself, I will take that concoction that I made for Aria and block you altogether.’You’re losing it!‘Fuck off!’You need to talk about her!‘Will you shut the fuck up!’No. I loved her too and now, now you are just shutting down. Do you even care how I feel!‘You didn't love her, not like I did.’ There, I had said it. The overwhelming ache of my heart was almost too much. ‘But you got what you wanted, didn’t you, Ryan?’He is quiet again, because he knew exactly what I was referring to. The day he attacked her family. The plan he had made with Aria's sister, Seren. He had got what he wanted all along. A child with the woman he was mated too.It’s not like that. I made a mistake. He mutters at me, but I could feel that I had h
Atlas’s POVHuman after human, I tear them apart. Promising myself that I would get my revenge for what happened to my mate.The scent of blood swirled in the air as the humans screamed begging for their lives. They should not have come to war if they were not prepared to dieYou have to stop. This isn’t going to bring her back! Ryan pleads with me.But this is what they came for. They came for us and I had no intention of letting them leave.Humans tried to run, trying to escape their deaths and yet the Lycans and wolves seemed to have a whole new reason to kill. They wanted revenge for Aria’s death as much as I did.As the remnants of the humans laid scattered across the grounds, I instructed my men to check that no one was hiding amongst them. The last thing I needed was a human that could escape to tell the tale.Shifting back to my human form, I go back to Aria’s lifeless body. Pain exploded through my chest all over again as I held her close. She had been taken away from me, fr