AthenaMy pulse quickened with forbidden longing. He was all I wanted, all I could think about. Blood throbbed in my veins with a scarlet web of desire. I wanted him badly. Cameron and I lay in bed, the quiet between us filled with unspoken words and emotions I was too afraid to acknowledge. His arm was wrapped around me, holding me close as if he were trying to imprint the memory of this moment. I knew it was reckless, foolish even. But in this fragile moment, I didn’t care. I couldn't lose everything—I had already lost too much. If I was going to let him go, I didn’t want to regret not holding on to him one last time.He gently caressed my hair, his touch warm and familiar, sending shivers down my spine. His voice was soft, almost a whisper. "I love you, Athena. I love you more than you can ever imagine."Instead of responding, I felt a knot tighten in my chest. The words he spoke were too much for me to handle. Instead of letting them sink in, I changed the subject, pushing away t
Seventy-fiveCameronAthena had made up her mind, and it showed in her eyes. Her certainty was cold and unshakable. It had been five years but I could read her like a book. That familiar look of hers, the one she wore when she’d already decided there was no going back, was the same look she gave when she was determined to win an argument, the one that said, I’m right, and you’re wasting your breath trying to convince me otherwise. Except this time, it wasn’t about something trivial. This time, she was dead serious about rejecting our bond.The thought of rejection suffocated me. Did she seriously think this was easy? Did she believe she could just toss away our bond like it was nothing? Like we hadn’t been bound together by forces we couldn’t control? Wasn’t she feeling the same gut-wrenching, soul-crushing agony I was? Or was this just some sick game to her—a way to prove that she could out-stubborn fate itself?I knew Athena could be headstrong—hell, stubborn might as well be her mi
AthenaI knew my actions had driven Cameron away, and maybe there was no fixing the mess I’d made. But what other choice did I have? The sadness was a constant, sharp ache swirling inside me. Also, conflict raged in my mind. Had I made the right call? Why the hell was I the only one carrying the weight of his safety?Shouldn’t he give a damn too? He was the one in danger if we stayed together, not me. Yet here I was, feeling like the entire burden was strapped to my back.And for what? Because I loved him? Maybe that’s what love demanded—being selfless, sacrificing what I wanted for the sake of someone else. But damn it, how much sacrifice was enough?Love wasn’t supposed to mean breaking yourself down, piece by piece, until there was nothing left. Yet, here I was, trying to convince myself that letting him go was the noble thing to do. Was it really love, or just fear? I loved him too much to watch him die. Or maybe I was just too damn scared to face the possibility. That was the
A/N: I'm so sorry for the mixup in chapters 75 and 76. It has been corrected but will take a day or two for it to take effect. Athena The days blurred into one miserable, suffocating haze and dragged me deeper into the pit of despair. Every morning felt darker and heavier than the last, as if the sun had lost interest in shining on me altogether. Most of the time, I just curled up under my sheets, the curtains pulled tight as though I could block out the world and all the reminders of what I’d lost. Talking to anyone? Forget it. Unless they had a direct hotline to the Goddess herself, they could all stay the hell away from me.I had one focus—finding a way out of this mess, a way to get some divine intervention that might save both Cameron and me. If I wasn’t curled up in bed, spiraling into dark thoughts, I was glued to my computer screen and desperately researching anything at all, that might connect me with the Goddess.I combed through ancient texts, blogs, even random consp
Cameron I tried to keep things normal, but it was damn hard with the rejection ceremony looming over me like a storm cloud. No matter how much I tried to focus on Barbara, who carried my child, my mind kept circling back to Athena. Barbara, always a pest, insisted I drive her to the clinic for her weekly checkup. I still couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that I was going to be a father. It should’ve brought happiness, but instead, breaking the bond with Athena weighed heavier on me than anything else. “You keep frowning,” Barbara said with a lazy tone. “And you better stop with the road rage. I’m too young to die.” I clenched my jaw and hissed under my breath, gripping the steering wheel tighter. I couldn’t wait for this to be over, just to get some damn peace. Barbara, realizing I wasn’t in the mood to answer, tried a different tactic.“Have you thought of any names for our baby?” she asked, popping open a bag of chips.I fought the urge to roll my eyes. How could she expect
AthenaTonight marked the full moon, the night of the rejection ceremony with Cameron. The thought alone felt like swallowing glass—jagged and brutal, cutting away any shred of comfort I had left.No joy hid in the shadows of this night. Only a thick, crushing hopelessness pressed on me, making every bone feel unstable and every step heavier. My whole body trembled like I was walking straight toward my own death.So, this was real.My parents stood nearby, watching me with faces heavy with sorrow, knowing full well the pain this ceremony would leave behind. Their eyes mirrored my pain and they knew that what we’d come here to do would shatter me and change me in ways I wasn’t prepared for. My mom's hand lingered on my shoulder.I wore a simple white dress—loose, in soft cotton, with embroidery around the bust. It felt like a mockery, this innocent white garment, as if dressing me like a sacrificial lamb somehow made this easier.With every step toward the clearing where my pack waite
AthenaSeeing Cameron here crushed me, like my heart had been wrung out and left to dry. He had actually shown up, and we were really going to go through with this bond-breaking ceremony. He stepped forward, and the drums faded, leaving only hushed whispers from the crowd.“Oh my God, he’s here,” Mia murmured in despair. “You two are really going to do this?” Her eyes brimmed with unshed tears, as if pleading with me to reconsider. Her gaze cut right through me, screaming that this was a massive mistake. Of course, I knew that, deep down. But what choice did I have? What other path was left?Cameron kept walking closer, each step as heavy as a stone dropping in my chest. He stopped in front of me, his presence cold and distant. His father, the king, stood nearby, watching without expression.“Let’s get this over with,” he said, voice devoid of any warmth. I’d never seen him like this—no trace of pain or sadness, just a cold, flat look in his eyes, like he’d shut down completely.“I
Athena “You’re so delicious my love,” Cameron said as he took off my bra and then proceeded to lick down the length of my neck and nipped at my shoulder with his teeth.“Did you know the torture I went through staying away from you?” he mumbled against my skin.His breath was hot on my neck, sending a shiver through my body. He nibbled on one of my nipples gently, pulling slightly on it His delicious touch made me want to squeal with delight and giggle hysterically. He continued undressing me until I was completely nude before he gently lifted me onto the bed, positioning himself on top of me.His shaft teased my entrance, rubbing without entering and I groaned, making him laugh. “I'm dripping wet for you,” I managed to say. He kissed me passionately and his tongue flicked along mine, exploring every inch of my mouth greedily.He was like a wild animal, taking me. Ravenous for more of my body, making me moan and arch into him in pleasure.Our tongues danced together and his soft moa