“We've been wandering about for a few days now, Athena. Let's find a real bed to sleep in tonight”
I inform Athena as I log my tired body across the sea of trees in my path. I feel my muscles turn to jelly. I'm exhausted. I haven't had real food in days or slept in a real bed.
Hunt. Kill. Eat. Find a warm cave to sleep then repeat. Athena has been my only company in days. Sometimes, I talk out loud to her rather than use my mind. I haven't seen a single soul ever since I left the moonstone pack.
*Snap. The sound of twigs breaking in the far distance catches my attention. My hearing has become sharper the last few days due to hunting. I moved to that location.
“What's a little girl like you doing out here all alone?”
The man bends at waist length to speak to the child. He's a rogue and so were his companions. I would know. I am one too
“I was playing hide and go seek with my daddy”
The little girl answers like the gravity of the situation hasn't dawned on her yet. She hasn't witnessed the horrors of the world yet. She's too young.
“I was hiding with Mr. chuckles and I got lost”
Her eyes started to swell with tears. She's terrified. Not because of those people, because she may never see her Daddy again. I want to walk over there and hug her. Tell her everything is going to be fine and assure her I will find her Dad for her.
I stay put. If I walk over now, it will be me against three and I can't shift into my wolf. the beads will prevent it. If I lose, I'll be putting myself and the little girl in danger. I had to think this through.
I saw an opening and dropped my duffle bag as quietly as I could. I move stealthily behind one of them and quickly snap his neck.
“Hi baby. Can you close your eyes for me”
I tell the little girl without breaking eye contact with the ringleader. She obliged.
“aarrgghh Why are you trying to be a martyr. trust me. It's not worth it.”
“I'm not gonna watch you maul a little girl to death for sports”
“You are a rogue like us but don't smell the same way. What are you?”
The second one sniffed the air. I also realised I smelt differently than normal rogues. Something's different about me.
“Since you want to be a hero so bad, why don't you die with her huh”
He throws a jab at me. I barely dodge. The second one moves to stand at the back of the little one. It's a silent threat and a warning.
I wish I could shift at that moment.
“Athena I'm gonna need to you lend me a little of your strength”
This time I launched the attack first. Our fist flew at each other. I may be taller and stronger than most female werewolves but I am no match for a male with apparent training. In no time I'm thrown on the ground.
“Ahhhh”
The little one's cry draws my attention. I find blood trailing down her neck. I look at the second rogue. He smirks.
“I got bored watching you both fight”
Athena snaps the sight of the blood. She takes over and for the first time. I shift in front of another.
Athena is bigger than most wolves. She is huge. As big as an Alpha wolf. I realised that was not normal when I saw the female wolf's of the moonstone pack. All the more reason why I didn't force the shift in front of them.
All Athena saw at that moment was red. She wanted to protect the little cub.
She turns her eyes first to the one who drew the little cub's blood and went in for the kill.
She spared none of his body parts as she bites, claws and dismembers him. The putrid smell of piss enters my nostrils. I snap my head in the direction of the source. The ringleader was shaking in his boots.
“Pl- pl- please sp-spare m-m-e”
His tears and snort mix together and run down his face. Too bad. There will be no Mercy. He's seen my wolf form. I can't leave a witness.
I growl as I walk slowly towards him. I hear his heart race with each step I take. I smell his fear in the air. He knows he's not going to escape my wrath.
He stops pleading and prepares to shift into his wolf. I growl at him to stop his movement. He manages to shift in record time. Fear of death is a strong motivation. I bite him in his hind leg as he completes his transformation.
His wolf growls and bares his teeth at me. That's a sign of challenge. Athena is in her berserk mode. She's not going to let it go.
We launch at each other at the same time. He manages to nip at my shoulders and Athena lets out a whimper before she gains advantage in size. She's bigger than him. She mauls his shoulders, dislocating his joints totally.
He lets out a whimper. Now his wolf is struggling to stand erect on his shaky paws. He's lost. He tries to distract me in order to escape. Athena doesn't give him a chance.
She goes for his neck and bites down. She doesn't stop, not even after she's drawn blood. She only stops when she hears the dull thudding of his heart as it comes to a stop before she drops him.
She walked towards the little cub and licked her neck. She licks until the blood is wiped clean and the wound heals.
She hears the sound of twig snapping and stands in front of the little one in a protective manner.
“Adriana!!”
The voice in the distance shouts.
“Daddy”
I hear the little one say. All I could sense was the looming threat. I was already weak. I had no idea how many were coming. I don't think I can fight them all.
I don't register what she says. All I saw was the threat.
“Adriana”
The voice was closer now. I get ready. My front to the ground, ready to pounce at the intruder.
I see him as he enters my line of vision. He pauses and sniffs the air. He turns to me and takes a step closer.
**Grrrrrr. I growl protectively. No one was going to hurt her.
“Hi beautiful. It's okay. She's safe now”
“Daddy”
The little one took one step in his direction. She trusts him. I let down my guard a little. I still bare my teeth though as I stand to my full height.
*Snap. I hear more footsteps and go back to my protective stance. I look in the direction of the footsteps.
“Hey it's okay. It's okay”
He whispers. I don't notice when the stranger comes closer. I see him lifting his hands and I growl at him in warning.
“It's okay beautiful”
He whispers as he touches my fur. Sparks. I feel sparks. Like electric current running through me at his touch. I don't hear the footsteps anymore, too distracted by what his touch was doing to me.
He hugs me to himself. Athena gives me back control of my body. I felt so weak and exhausted.
“You are safe with me”
I did feel safe in his arms and I passed out. He wastes no time hugging me to his body.
“aarrgghh”I wake up feeling disoriented. I look at my surroundings. It's unfamiliar. I shift the sheets and start to stand up from the bed and move to stretch when I feel eyes on me from across the room.“Arrrghhh!!!”I thought I was alone. He sat quietly at the far end of the dark room like a creep. It's unnerving.“Hey it's okay. I'm sorry to startle you. I've been waiting for you to wake up for a while now.”“How long have I been out”“Two days”TWO DAYS!! was I drugged or something. What if he did something to me in my weak state? The panic must show on my face. “Don't panic. You are safe here”The most magnetic voice says slowly, pacifyingly. I sniff the air and smell spice. I realise the room is covered in it too and so am I and it was not the most uncomfortable smell. I actually liked it.“Mate”Athena whispers weakly in my mind. She's recuperating after her fight with those rogues. I register what she says then.“WHAT?! MATE? Athena don't spout nonsense. W-We already have a
A voice rang out behind me. I don't turn to see who before I reply. “Just because we are part animals doesn't mean we should act like one. Where are your manners?”“Coming from someone who doesn't smell like a rogue,but also doesn't belong to my pack” she sassily replies as moves to stand in front of me.“Who are you?” I asked her as she settled in front of me.“I should be asking you that. What do you want? Why is Alpha being so nice to you? What makes you special?” she asked each question and moved threateningly towards meAthena wasn't having this wolf pup challenge her. Although she felt weak, she accepted the challenge.I stared at her until she submitted. I could feel her wolf whimpering in fear at Athena's strength. Her wolf submitted soon after and Athena went back to resting.“Who are you?” It was my turn to ask now, considering she just challenged me.“N-none of your business” she huffs at me. Her wolf must have warned her with the strength of mine.“Okay. Well, unless you a
“Hey” I snap my finger in front of her eyes to wake her up.“Sorry, I think I heard you wrong. You said you're his mate?” She asks again for confirmation.“Yes I am” I nod in reply“But the legend of having a second chance mate is as rare as meeting the moon goddess herself!.” She exclaimed“I know. I can't explain it myself” I sigh and sit on the chair he sat on when I was sleeping.“Alpha had a mate before. Maybe the moon goddess is giving him a second chance mate because he lost his too soon” Madison said trying to explain the bizarre situationI mull over what she said. Maybe she took pity on me too for giving me Maverick. He wasn't exactly the best mate to me. I wait for the stab of pain that Athena feels each time I think of him. A beat passes. Another. It doesn't come. It's good he doesn't have an effect on her anymore.“I had a mate too.” I say and she looks up at me“Oh honey, I'm sorry for your loss” she tries to hold my hand to offer comfort, but I move it away before it l
Jason turned to me and asked “Do you know him?” “No. I don't think I do.”I replied, shaking my head at Jason. I turned to the stranger “I'm sorry, who are you?”His next words shock me “It's quite alright you don't recognize me your highness. You were a baby when we got separated”“Baby? H-highness?!” I said in panic. Jason quickly moves to my side and rub my back soothingly “breathe beautiful” he whisperedI'm too far gone in my panic to focus on what he just called me.“I'm sorry for laying it all on you like that. Perhaps when you are ready. I can come find you or you can ask Alpha to send for me” Josh said bowing. To me.I figured the beads must have some important qualities and good origin story, but Royalty!. That wasn't never part of the equation.“Sure, Josh. I'll send for you when she's ready.” Jason said calmly. If this was a shock to him, he hid it well. “Do you want to sit down?” He said leading me to a chairI'm still in shock as I sit. “Let me get you something to drink
Jason's Pov “Daddy. Wake up.. wake up.. wake up!” Adriana shouted with each jump on my bed I was already up after the first shout, but decided not to get up to rile her “Daddy! Please get up” she said in frustration “Hello bean. Why are you up so early?” I said turning to face her “I want to make pancakes, but I can't reach the counter” she said sheepishly “Is that your only problem, bean?” I tease “I can't make pancakes and I can't do the flipping thing” she said with a quiver in her voice. One wrong word from me and she'll burst into tears. I try to avoid making her cry as much as possible. “Come here” I open my arms wide for her and she jumps into my arms for a hug. “Let's go make pancakes” “Yay!” “Wait!” I said placing her down and putting on some shoes. “Why do you want to make pancakes?” “I want to give it to the pretty wolf that did rawwr and save Adi” she said referring to Ares That makes the pancakes a little more special. “Okay,” I clap “let's do it” I lift her a
Ares PovI shower and change into my own clothes and head back downstairs. There's movement all around me. Everyone was up.I spot Josh in the living room easily. And walk towards him.“Hi” I said“Your h–” he starts to say when I immediately cover his mouth. I received looks for my strange action. I signal him with my eyes to keep it down. Before I let go of his mouth.“Where can we talk?” I asked“Alpha said we can use his office. It's soundproof and away from straying ears.” He replied. I nodded and he led the way to the office.“This is all going to sound a bit much, but I promise to explain everything in detail” he said“I want to know” I said in determination“I will start at the beginning” he said and tapped something on his own beads and a voice rang out, telling the story…The moon hung low in the dark sky, blessing us with its ethereal glow. The palace was filled with joyous noise at the celebration of the birth of the princess. The king and queen had had her for a while, b
I stay afloat for the next five minutes as my body absorbs all of the power before I descend. I feel the power within me with every inhale and exhale.“What just happened?” Jason asked, looking between me and Josh.“She activated one third of her powers” Josh replied like it was an everyday sight “now we just need to find her mate to complete the activation.” He continued“I am her mate.” He said. “Ohh” Josh muttered. “What activation are we talking about?” Jason asked perplexed“We are not sure, but if the seer was right and if what his dad said was true, there's more to come.” I answeredI feel Athena rise in my mind.“Ask for an open ground. We need to shift. Fast.” she said in a hurry“Is there an open ground? Away from others if possible. I need to shift” I said to JasonHe thinks for a moment before he replies “there might be, come with me.” He said and led us both outside“Josh, this might come out offensive, but I need you to leave. The bead halts my shift everytime I'm in the
I test the limits of my powers for the rest of the day. I realise I can touch the surface of a person's thought if I visualise their face and name in mind, but it took a toll on me to do that.The next day, I look for Madison to ask for her help. She comes along with another friend of hers.“Hi Ares. I've heard so much about you from Madison” the stranger said to meI look at Madison in confusion. I haven't heard a word about the stranger and I wasn't sure what she had heard of me.“She knows about how you saved Adi. She was away for some pack business at the time” Madison clarifies. “Ohh” I said and finally nodded in greeting to her.“This is Isabelle” she said pointing to her friend who waved at the mention of her name“Hi,” I said to her. “I need your help,” I said, turning back to Madison.The urgency in my voice makes her respond seriously. “Sure. What do you need?” She said“I need new clothes. Can you show me to the store to get some things? I noticed I don't have the proper a