I slump back in the seat. This is too much. “I don’t understand any of this,” I say. “We all have the same marking?”
“Yes, and all of them are in the same place. We think this mark shows that you’ve been blessed by the Moon Goddess. Apart from your eyes, this shows that you’re a chosen lycan,” Luna Rachel says.
“Chosen for what? Why would I, or any of the others, be chosen or blessed by the Moon Goddess?”
“We don’t know why you’ve been chosen, Athena. At the end of the day, what matters is finding those responsible for the attacks, and that will hopefully get us to the bottom of this,” Alpha Peter says.
“But how?” I ask. “I have no idea where I’m supposed to go from here.”
“I contacted Nicholas Teresi this morning and asked him to come down. He should be here tomorrow,” Doctor Shields says.
“What? I didn’t ask you to do that,” Alpha Peter says.
“I thought it could be helpful to get them together, Alpha. To see if they can help each other,” Doctor Shields says.
Alpha Peter nods, then turns to me. “Does that work for you, Athena?” He asks. “You can continue to stay here with us.”
“I don’t have anywhere else to be. I’ll have to go back to the motel in town, though. I only packed for a couple of days, and if I’m staying here, I may as well check out.”
“I can take you out there now if you like,” Beta Jason offers.
“Thank you,” I say with a smile. “That would be great.”
He nods and gets his phone out of his pocket as he steps out of the office.
I stand from the chair and shake the doctor’s hand. “Would you mind if I take a look at these files while I’m staying here, Doctor?” I ask him.
“Of course,” he says, and he hands me the manilla folders. “You’re welcome to anything that might help you.”
Luna Rachel stands and comes around the desk and engulfs me in a hug. “It’s been so nice to meet you, Athena,” she says kindly.
“You too, Luna,” I say, returning the hug. I nod to Alpha Peter, “Thank you, Alpha,” I say.
Alpha Peter nods back, and I leave the office. I head out the front, and Beta Jason heads towards the SUV that we came in. I follow him over and get in the passenger side, placing the manilla folders on the floor.
“Where were you staying in town?” Beta Jason asks as he starts the SUV, and we head towards the main street of their pack grounds.
“The Bend Motel, just off the highway on East Pima Street,” I tell him.
He nods as we exit the compound, and we fall into a comfortable silence as I stare out the window, watching the world go by.
‘So, the Luna thinks that we’re some kind of special lycan, blessed by the Moon Goddess?’ Enyo asks.
I snort. ‘Apparently so. Like your head needed to get any bigger,’ I say with a smirk.
“Everything okay, Athena?” Beta Jason asks, and I realize I snorted out loud.
“Sorry, I was talking to Enyo. That wasn’t aimed towards you,” I say with a small smile.
“I suppose you both have a lot to process,” He says. “Is there anything I can help with?”
“I honestly don’t understand any of it. If it’s true, why would the Moon Goddess choose us? And why don’t more people know about this stuff Plato wrote?” I ask.
“Who knows if this Plato stuff is real? You know how our ancestors liked to exaggerate,” he says with a smile.
I study the Betas profile. At least 20 years younger than Alpha Peter, he is good looking with short sandy brown hair, sea-blue eyes, a strong jawline, and the typical buff body of a Beta.
“Can I ask you something about your situation, Beta?” I ask cautiously.
He gives me a sideways glance, then nods.
“There’s quite a significant age gap between yourself and Alpha Peter…,” I trail off, unsure how to word my question without pissing him off.
“My father was originally the Alphas Beta. Unfortunately, he died the same day Leo did,” he explains sadly.
“I’m so sorry, Beta. I didn’t mean to pry,” I say softly, knowing his loss. “I guess I’ve been so caught up in my own loss, I didn’t stop to think that I’m not the only one to have lost someone in these attacks.”
He clears his throat as we turn onto the main highway. “It’s fine, Athena,” he says gruffly.
I look back out the window, falling silent again.
A few moments later, I sense the Beta tense and speed up slightly. “What’s wrong?” I ask, turning towards him.
He glances in the rear-view mirror. “I think we’re being followed,” he says.
I turn my head to look out the back window, just as the sedan behind us speeds up and nudges the bumper of the SUV.
“What the fuck?” Jason curses as he speeds up more. “What is this asshole doing?“ he yells as he winds down his window. He waves his arm out the window, trying to tell the car to go around us. But, instead, the car hits us even harder.
“What is this guy’s problem?” I yell, flipping the person off in the car behind us.
“Can you see who it is?” Beta Jason asks.
“No, the windows are tinted, just the outline of a male,” I tell him.
“Hold on,” Beta Jason says, and I grab hold of the handle above my door. Beta Jason slams the brakes on, but the sedan stops in time. The wheels of the SUV squeal as the Beta speeds up quickly, fish-tailing as we take off again, but the sedan stays right behind us.
“It looked like there was someone in the back seat,” I say.
The sedan speeds up again, this time trying to get beside us. Beta Jason speeds up as well, but the sedan suddenly swerves and strikes us near the rear bumper, making Beta Jason lose control of the SUV momentarily. We end up swerving off the road, narrowly missing a tree, then my head slams into the dash as we stop hard just before hitting a large boulder.
“Owwww,” I say as I sit back, resting my head back on the seat. I dab my forehead with the back of my hand, finding a small amount of blood, but already healed. I turn to Beta Jason, and he’s trying to get his seat belt off.
“Mother fuckers,” he swears as he breaks the buckle and opens his door. He stumbles out, cursing more under his breath. I undo my seat belt and get out as well. I walk around the SUV to find Beta Jason leaning against the door, holding his left shoulder.
“Are you okay?” I ask him.
“I’ve dislocated my shoulder. I need to pop it back in,” he says through gritted teeth.
“Here, let me help,” I say. As I go to place my hand on his shoulder, he grabs me and pulls me to the ground as a bullet flies past me and hits the car. He lands on top of me hard, his body protecting mine. “What the fuck is this!” I yell, rolling the Beta off of me and looking up towards the road. Enyo pushes forward, and we squint, looking at the person running back to the sedan.
I gasp.
‘DEREK!’ Enyo yells and shifts. She runs up the hill towards the road as Derek gets into the back of the sedan. Enyo chases after the car, but they’re too fast, and they pull away and speed up the highway.
‘FUCK!’ Enyo yells. ‘How the hell did he know where we are?’ She says as we come to a stop in the middle of the road.
‘You don’t think it was Beta Jason, do you? He left the office before we did, and he was about to call someone,’ I point out.
Enyo turns around and runs back to the Beta. As she runs back down the hill, Enyo growls loudly at the Beta, who is now sitting against the SUV.
“Woah, Enyo, what’s wrong?” He asks, standing up in a panic. I force the shift back and charge at him, knocking him to the ground and landing on top of him. I put my hand around his throat and extend my claws.
“What the fuck, Athena?” He asks, moving his hips to try to tip me off him.
I squeeze his throat tighter. “Who did you call outside the office?” I ask him angrily.
“The… gate…” He gasps out, struggling for air.
“BULLSHIT! Who did you tell that I was leaving the compound? That we were heading back to the motel?” I ask, putting pressure on his dislocated shoulder with my other hand.
“ARGH!” He screams in pain. “NO-ONE! I SWEAR!” He yells, squirming, trying to get out of my grip. “If I was trying to kill you, I wouldn’t have saved you from that bullet!”
Enyo growls, pushing herself forward. “If I find out you’re lying, you’re dead,” she says with a snarl.
‘He seems to be telling the truth, Enyo,’ I say.
‘Just making myself clear,’ she says and pulls back.
I release Beta Jason’s throat and slam his shoulder back into place.
“Argh! Fuck Athena!” he growls.
“You’re welcome,” I say in a huff, putting my hands on my hips.
He looks up at me and inhales sharply, his eyes running down my body and back up again, his cheeks turning rosy as I feel him harden beneath me.
I quickly fold my arms over my chest, covering my boobs. “Down, boy,” I say, an embarrassed grin on my face. I go to stand, but he grabs my hips, stilling me. Being a lycan, you get used to being naked around other people, but this feels… different. No one has ever looked at me like the Beta is right now.
I squirm under the weight of his gaze, eliciting a moan from the both of us. The smell of my arousal hits both of us, and it’s my turn to blush.
“You’re beautiful, Athena,” he whispers, his thumb running over my hip.
“Um, Beta…” I start to say, but he cuts me off by lifting me off him.
“It’s a pity we’re not mates,” he says as he stands up, pulling me with him.
He turns and goes to the back of the SUV, opens the back, and gets a shirt and track pants out of a gym bag. He hands them to me without looking.
“Thanks,” I say as I take the clothes and quickly put them on as he inspects the car.
“It doesn’t look like there’s any major damage. But we should get going in case they decide to come back,” he says, and he gets in the driver’s side.
I jog around to the passenger side as he starts the car. As I get in and put on my seatbelt, he reaches down and picks his cell up from the floor.
“I need to call this in when we get to the motel,” he says as he reverses away from the boulder and then pulls back onto the road. “Who the fuck was that?” He asks.
“I don’t know who the driver was, but the one who shot at us was Derek. The private investigator I was working with back home,” I tell him angrily.
“From private investigator to killer? What the fuck is happening?” He asks.
“I don’t know. But if I ever see that slimy fuck again, he’s dead.”
I pack the last of my clothes into my suitcase while Beta Jason is on the phone with Alpha Peter. “Yeah. Room 12. Mhm. Yes, Alpha. We’ll wait here until they arrive. Thanks,” he says and ends the call. “Alpha is sending a group of warriors to escort us back to the compound. They’ll be here in about an hour,” he tells me. I nod as I head into the bathroom to grab my toiletries and makeup, packing them into a small bag. Then I turn to leave and crash straight into Beta Jason. “Shit, sorry,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck. “I was coming to see if you needed any help.” “Oh, I’m nearly done,” I smile awkwardly. “Thanks though, Beta.” “You can call me Jason,” he says as he moves to the side, my breasts rubbing against his chest as I move past him into the room. I feel his eyes on me as I get the last of my things from around the room and pack them in my suitcase. I turn and look at him, my heart rate picking up as we stare at each other. ‘Today has been a whirlwind of emotio
We arrive back at the compound with no issues at 4pm and find Alpha Peter waiting for us out the front of the pack house. “Let’s go into my office,” he says as we get out of the SUV, so we follow him inside. Alpha Peter closes the door behind us when we enter his office and then walks around his desk and sits in his chair, and Jason and I sit across from him. “So, what exactly happened today, Jason?” Alpha Peter asks. “I told you most of it over the phone, Alpha. I noticed the car pull onto the highway shortly after we did, but I didn’t think anything of it at first. It wasn’t until they sped up and started tailgating us, that I felt something was off. Then, when they managed to run us off the road, Athena chased after the one that shot at us,” he says, looking at me. “Yes, it looked like it was the private investigator, Derek, that I told you about,” I tell Alpha Peter. “It would seem that he wants me dead. Which would explain why he disappeared after sending me to meet with a hu
I’m woken the next morning by someone knocking on the door. “Athena? Are you awake?” I groan when I realize it’s Jason. I turn over, look at the time on my phone, and groan again. It’s 4:30am. “It’s too early,” I yell out and roll back over, hiding my head under the blankets. “I’m coming in,” he says, and I hear the door open. I sit up in a huff and rub my eyes. “Jason, I’ve barely slept. What’s so important that it couldn’t wait until later?“ I ask. “I wanted to make sure we were okay,” he says, blushing, and gives me an awkward smile as he sits at the end of the bed. “Why wouldn’t we be?” I ask as I pull my hair back into a ponytail. “Well, because we almost… And then I found Jess, my mate…,” he trails off. “Oh, I see. Did you tell her about yesterday?“ I ask, not able to hide my embarrassment. Jason blushes again and says, “I did, but she understands it didn’t get far.” “Well, she has absolutely nothing to worry about. Yesterday was a crazy day, and I’m thrilled for you
Alpha Peter stands in front of his Gamma. “Stand down, Richard!” He yells, his alpha aura radiating from his body. “Athena is not a threat!” Gamma Richard bows his head, submitting to the Alpha, but he growls in my direction. “Listen to your Alpha, Gamma. You don’t want this fight,” Enyo says cooly. “Enyo, you’re not helping,” Jason says. Enyo shrugs and looks back to the Gamma with a smirk. “Shift back now!” Alpha Peter orders him. Gamma Richard shifts back and kneels in front of Alpha Peter. “I’m sorry, Alpha,” he says and bows his head. “You need to tell me exactly what Doctor Shields has been telling you, Richard,” Alpha Peter tells him. “He approached me about a month ago and said that things were happening that could impact our pack and that it would be up to me to protect us. He said that outsiders would come to the pack that would endanger all of us, and they couldn’t be trusted,” he says. “Has this been told to anyone else in this room?” Alpha Peter asks, looking
‘We need to find an Alpha and a pack, Andreas. I can’t continue to be a rogue. We’re pack animals. This is killing me,’ Ares says dejectedly, as we run through the trees at the back of the Moonstone pack territory. ‘I know, buddy. But it’s not safe. We can’t return home, and joining a pack puts them in danger. So instead, we need to concentrate on finding out who attacked our pack and why. And we need to find the other lycans that are like us.’ ‘I know,’ he sighs. ‘Do you think Athena is still here?’ ‘Noah said that she left the motel with the pack Beta, so I assume they came back here. Hopefully, the old man at reception gave her our number.’ ‘Do you think she’ll call?’ ‘I probably wouldn’t with what’s been happening.’ Ares stops suddenly, his hackles raised. ‘Someone is coming. If their warriors see us coming this way, they will attack,’ Ares warns. ‘We need to get off their territory. Over there, up the hill a bit,’ I instruct Ares. He turns in that direction, running back
Enyo goes back to where she can still smell the scent and says, ‘I’m telling you, Athena! It’s our mate!’ ‘I’ve told you before, Enyo! We don’t have time for a mate!’ ‘You don’t get to decide that! Just because you’re having issues with the Moon Goddess doesn’t mean I am!’ she growls, still sniffing around, trying to find the scent again. Donny whimpers and shifts, and Nick walks over to us. “What’s happening? Why did you take off like that?” He asks with worry in his voice. I force the shift and look around the area to see if anyone else is around, but it’s definitely just the two of us. “Enyo thinks we caught the scent of our mate,” I explain. “All the way out here? I think we’re close to the edge of the packs’ territory,” he says, looking around. Enyo whimpers. ‘I’m sure it was our mate, Athena. You can’t deny us our mate. You know what that does to a wolf,’ she says sadly. “She’s sure,” I say, a pang of guilt washing over me. “This concerns me, Athena. Why would someon
Three days later “Wake up, bitch,” a voice whispers in my ear. My eyes flutter open, and I feel something sharp at my neck. “What the fu…,” I start to say, but a hand covers my mouth. “Say another word, and you’re dead. Got it?” the voice warns. I nod as my eyes adjust in the dark, and I realize Catherine’s face is only inches away from mine. “My dad is being banished because of you,” she spits, the anger in her voice like venom. ‘Shift, Athena,’ Enyo growls. ‘Not yet,’ I tell her. “I’m going to kill you for what you’ve done to my family,” she whispers as she trails a knife down my throat. I try not to make a sound as wolfsbane burns my skin anywhere the blade touches. “But first, I’m going to make you suffer.” A sick smile forms on her face as she cuts my arm, and I gasp from the pain as the wolfsbane enters my system, the burning feeling excruciating. She cuts me again, but this time on my stomach. I try not to scream as tears fill my eyes. “Look at you writhe in pain
“Athena…? Athena, wake up, honey.” I groan as I open my eyes and see my mom standing over me. “Mom? What’s wrong?” “Nothing, sweetheart. The doctor just needs to look at your eye,” she tells me as the door to the room opens and Doctor Connors comes in. “Where am I?” I ask Doctor Connors. “You’re in the pack hospital, Miss Argos,” she explains as she leans over me. “I just need to remove the bandages to check how your eye is healing,” she explains. I nod and slowly sit up, and she removes the bandages wrapped around my head, covering my right eye. As the last bit comes off, she removes the gauze, and the light above me burns my eye. “Argh!” I yell, covering my eye with my hand. “Try not to touch it, Miss Argos. Is the light hurting it?” Doctor Connors asks. “Yeah, it stings like a bitch,” I say, refusing to move my hand. “This is good. It means your vision may not have been affected. Remove your hand, slowly open your eye, and tell me if you can see anything,” the doctor ins