ATHENA'S POV
I woke feeling like I got hit by a truck and then stampeded on by a herd of buffalo. Memories of Scarlet stabbing me and then throwing me into the river flooded my mind. I drew my palm toward my stomach to investigate my wound. I flinched. Instead of finding a gaping, bleeding hole, my fingers met with bandages and my nose with a foul aroma. I lifted my hand and took a whiff. The ointment was strong and repugnant. “Holy Moon Goddess, my head hurts,” I whined.“Ah, I see you are up, child,” said a cracking voice from the room's darkness.Shuffling noises met my ears, then the dragging of curtains on a rod. Sunlight streamed in as an elderly woman parted the old, dusty drapes. She padded around barefoot in a tattered grey dress with an overused dishrag thrown over her left shoulder. Two more hung from the string of the dress tied around her waist. Her tired, yet striking, brown eyes watched me with concern, with the crow’s feet at their edges enhanced. Her thin pink lips turned up in a small smile.She looked friendly. Still, I had to be cautious. “Wh-who are you?” I asked, my voice sounding hoarse and foreign. I sat up in the bed I found myself in, fearing I might be in danger. Or maybe I was being ridiculous? She saved me, after all.“Don't worry, child. I won't hurt you.” She chortled. “My name is Maggie. And you?”I hesitated. But she did patch me up. There was probably no need to lie. If she had wanted me dead, she would have let me bleed out. “I'm Athena,” I answered. “What happened?”“Well, I went down to the river to check my fish net when I saw you passed out near the bank. You appeared to be hurt pretty bad, so I took you here and nursed your wound,” she explained. “I didn't think you'd make it, but after twelve hours your fever broke, and your breathing evened out.”“Twelve hours? I’ve been asleep for twelve freaking hours?”“No, child. You've been out a little over forty-eight,” she corrected. “Now, I made you some soup. You need to eat.”As soon as she mentioned food, my tummy started rumbling like a storm at sea.The woman glanced at my belly and chortled. “Give me a second. I'll be right back.” A minute later, she returned with a bowl of soup and proceeded to shove spoonfuls into my mouth.I accepted every one. “This is delicious,” I praised.“It's my famous fishbowl soup.” She crammed some carrots into my mouth. “Now eat,” she commanded.“Thanks, Miss Maggie,” I said, wiping the sides of my lips with the paper towel she gave me.“Please, child, just Maggie. Miss Maggie makes me seem like a grandma.” She chuckled.“Okay.” I burped so loud the cabin seemed to shake. “Excuse me.” I flushed, and she smiled.“It's okay. You were hungry. Do you need me to get you anything else?”“No, thank you. I'm full for now.” I nodded in appreciation.“Well, praise the Moon Goddess, you're all right,” she sighed, and I froze.“Praise the who?” I asked in shock.“Uh, don't worry about it. It's just something I always say.” She blew it off with a wave.“You're a werewolf,” I barely whispered.Maggie's head spun to meet my gaze, her eyes black as midnight. Her pale skin got a little flush while her hand ran over her waist-length white dreadlocks. “So you are a human who knows about our kind?” She shook her head. “That would explain the smell.”“Smell?” I had no werewolf scent. How could she smell me?“Are you dating a werewolf? Did he cover you in his feces as a part of some sick sexual fantasy? You kids nowadays don't —”“Ugh. No. It's nothing like that.” Goddess knew I didn't want to hear another word. This woman's mind just went to a dark place. But something about her made me think about my parents. Maybe it was her protective and caring nature. My fingers clutched my neck for my pendant, but it wasn't there. “My necklace. Where is it?”“Calm down, child. It's on the table right next to you.”I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw it.“Now, tell me what happened to you.”I didn't know if it was a good idea to trust her, but I needed to talk to someone. So I spilled everything; my parents' murders, my cheating boyfriend, and best friend. However, I excluded the part about Scarlet trying to murder me, making it sound like a man had done it. Though their cabins were miles apart, but still the only two I've seen out here. What if they knew each other?“Then Xavier, the werewolf who found me, said he'd be back for me, but Scarlet probably told him I ran away.” I finished.“And you say this Scarlet lives up the mountain where the river begins?”I nodded.“And the man who did this to you?” She inquired.“I don't know. He probably is gone by now. He probably thinks I drowned when he threw me in the river.” I didn't think she bought my lie, but she asked no further questions.Instead, she said, “Okay. Get some rest now. I'll be taking you to my pack tomorrow. My alpha can help you.”“Really? Thank you so much,” I beamed. “What pack are you from?”“The Midnight Pack.”I gulped. My father told me long ago that our pack and the Midnight pack did not mix. Not that we were enemies, but we weren't friends either. Something about a previous Alpha stealing my grandfather's mate.“But I hear the alpha there is a demon and a wicked brute.” I swallowed hard, remembering a story I’d heard about how he used his bare hands to rip a guy's spinal cord from his body for trespassing on his land.“He can be aggressive, but isn’t that true of all alphas?” She shook her head. “Alpha Pureblood is not that bad.”“Okay. When do we leave?”“At first light. Now get some sleep.” She tapped my leg. “You need it.”I watched as the mature she-wolf scuttled to exit the tiny bedroom. “Maggie?”“Yes, child?” she answered, turning to me with a warm smile.“Thank you.” I yawned.“You're welcome. Now rest.”*******Maggie and I were closing in closer to the Midnight Pack.“Slow down, please," I begged. My muscles ached, and my throat was parched.“Alright, you can rest over there," Maggie pointed at a cozy looking cave to the far side with a triangular-shaped door. “That looks like a temple that no one uses anymore," she told me. “You can wait in there. You will be safe, and I will go fetch the Alpha and be right back."“Ok," I nodded as I watched the old she-wolf sprint off in wolf form, while I slid down to the floor I just needed to rest my legs.************XAVIER'S POVAfter I secured my borders, I went back to Scarlet's cabin to fetch the young girl, but Scarlet said the girl had run away. I tried tracking her, but it was no use. She had no scent, so my wolf did nothing but lead me around in circles. Eventually, I returned to the pack house.“Where is she?” I howled, sending my fist into the wall of my office for the tenth time. It had been three days since I’d seen her, and my inner beast was agitated.My beta, Cameron, asked, “Why didn’t Scarlet mind-link you as soon as she realized the girl was missing?”Good question. I’d asked her the same thing. “She told me she tried searching for the girl herself because she didn't want to disappoint me.”Cameron rolled his eyes. “I bet she was crying and putting on a show.”I sighed. “You never liked her.”“No offence Alpha. I know she’s your ex-mate and all, but she’s a total bitch."I scoffed, and thankfully Cameron didn't press the conversation any further. “So when's the meeting with the new Alpha of the Moon Stone Pack?”“In thirteen days.”“Why so long?”“Something about the Lunar Eclipse or some shit.” Cameron snickered.“Okay,” I sighed, my mind still on that girl, still pissed I couldn't find her. I needed to know she was all right. Since I couldn’t, I went to the Wolf's Den to blow off some steam.I spent some time enjoying my she-wolves and was inside one of them about to explode when the doors to the den opened. Big silver eyes belonging to the beauty that had been plaguing my mind since we met raked the scene. My dick went limp, and I pulled out of the she-wolf quickly. But I didn't know what to do or say. So I just stood there like a clown—a naked clown. I waved my hand at her awkwardly and said, “Hello.”AUTHO'S POVAthena's everything hurt.The pain was like fire burning her limbs. She winced. It blew up in her head with a terrifying blankness. It was nauseating. She quivered. The pain felt like a hot, sharp knife, covered in salt, slicing through her skin and into her muscles and bones, as though her legs had been frozen and a bolt of lightning had struck her body from head to toe.Her wound was throbbing, and her fingers were numb. She coiled them unknowingly to ease the painful rigidness. She curled up next to the tree trunk closest to her and decided to wait for Maggie there. Her feet couldn't go any further, and she wasn't sure about this plan that Maggie had. Alpha Pureblood was said to be a very ruthless and unforgiving Alpha. She just didn't think he would take time out of his murderous schedule to help a weak little orphan like herself. He was probably feeding on Maggie's intestines right about now. She pondered.She was so tired. A yawn escaped her lips. She just needed to
ATHENA'S POVI felt so protected and comfortable in his arms. His musky essence of almonds and spices served up more satisfaction to me. I didn't want to let go of him. His chest was hard because of his washboard abs, producing warmth to my trembling frame.“Was it quick?” I asked. That poor girl didn't ask to be born with blonde hair and silver eyes. I couldn't believe someone would murder a person because of something that came naturally to them. Xavier's chest rumbled out a raucous laugh. The vibration shook my ear that was pressed up against him. “This is not funny, Xavier. Your Alpha is evil." I tilted my head upwards, so I could stare into his face.He parted his lips and spoke. “Are you this gullible, Athena?” He captured his bottom lip between his teeth. His whole expression sparkled with mischief.“Hey, back so soon?” A male's voice interrupted us. Xavier's eyes looked over my shoulders at the man.“Yes, I am. What did I miss?" Xavier sought, and I was struggling to wiggle my
AUTHOR'S POVXavier's heart was pounding at a mile a minute in his chest, while he stood there listening to Athena relaying the vile and disturbing things that happened on that fated night when her parents got murdered.What made it worse was that she witnessed it. Xavier hated that this sweet girl had to see that evil bastard, Cyrus, infiltrate her home and take everything away from her.Exodus was frozen in the back of Xavier's mind, rooted to the spot. His insides bubbled with rage as he fantasized about ripping Cyrus to smithereens.Athena was a crying wreck now, clutching her pendant with trembling hands while describing how she held her parents' wounded bodies until their life forces ascended to the Moon Goddess. Her recollection of their deaths cleaved open Xavier's heart, reopening the old wounds that his parents' deaths caused.Athena shook as she cried, squinting her eyes tightly as the salty liquid ran down her face in streaming lines.“Oh, Athena. I'm so sorry." Xavier qui
AUTHOR'S POVThe fog receded up the mountains as the sun woke up, spreading its warmth and golden beauty around the meadows that surrounded the Midnight Pack.Athena was riding out a nightmare. It was about the night of her parents' murder, and every time she got close to the cloak figures that shot her parents, someone would stab her from behind. In a panic, she jumped from her slumber, clutching her chest in a way to ease her racing heart. She was breathing violently, thanking the Moon Goddess that it was only a dream, at least the last part of it.Sadness swept over her from all angles, followed by anger and hopelessness. Then Xavier flashed in her thoughts, and she realized he was her silver lining in all of this. She promised herself that as soon as she became Luna, she would orchestrate her revenge.The door crept open, and a slender omega glided in. Athena sat up in bed when the lady entered."Oh my, I didn't know you were up yet,” she spoke, startled. “I'm Valerie, and I'll fe
XAVIER'S POVI never thought the day would come when my mind would allow me to share such delicate information with anyone. But here I was, pouring my heart and soul out to a girl I just met.I peeled open my heart, layer by layer, and I revealed every secret that I'd only ever shared with the Moon. We sat crossed-legged on the soft grass facing each other and I left no detail out as I began to tell Athena everything about my past.“So, you also witnessed your parents' murders," she sniffled. “I despise him. I hate that Cyrus so much." Her tiny fists were closed so tightly, I didn't have to look at her face to know she was angry. Her silver eyes hardened like a steel sword when she let her rage take over.“And I promise you this, Athena Moonville, I will gift you Cyrus's head on a spike. You mark my words," I grunted. A ball of anger rolled off my chest, turning my voice demonic. I had to force Exodus to sit down in the back of my mind. He was grunting, raving mad with saliva leaking
XAVIER'S POVRain was crashing down around us. Thick drops pounded in synchrony with my heart as I looked at her. I held her hand while we ran through the path up the grapevines. Her giggles tickled my eardrums as we got soaked. Our bare feet sank into the lushness of the wet, soft earth. She rushed in front of me now, pulling me along behind her. I laughed each time she would turn around to study me.Her eyes caught mine and I couldn't dare to look away. Her tangled wet curls matted to the side of her face. “You're so beautiful," I spoke, my voice like thunder against the pitter-patter sound of the droplets hitting the ground. She was blushing because of my words, and they were true. She was more beautiful than the storm around us.Our smiles brightened, captivated by each other's presence. Never had there been a more perfect moment for me. And even though we weren't lovers — yet, I doubted there were ever two lovers who shared such an amazing scene.I halted in my tracks, causing he
ATHENA'S POVTo say I felt awkward and embarrassed would be the understatement of the century.Elder Panton's heavy gaze added a burden to my already weak body. My feet still hadn't recovered from Xavier's touch. They were still wobbly and jelly-like as we followed Elder Panton inside the pack house.Xavier had his hand on my back in a protective manner. Members of the pack stared in fascination as they scrutinized our dripping forms.We stopped in front of a white door. An omega handed us both towels, so we could dry ourselves.“Valerie, why don't you take Athena to her room," Xavier ordered, and it was at that moment I noticed Valerie stretching her arms out to me.“Xavier?"“I will be there as soon as I'm finished here," he took my palm and kissed it, and everybody in eye shot gasped.“Come, let us go now," Valerie wrapped a hand over my shoulder and steered me away from the others.“Why is everybody looking at me like that?” I asked.“It's because the Alpha has never shown emotion
XAVIER'S POVI held my breath while I followed my uncle into his office. My nose flared, sucking up the aroma of his frustration. He was angry, and I didn't appreciate him reprimanding me in front of Athena, but my wolf and I decided to give him a chance to speak first.“Are you insane?" He boomed, the chair made a screeching sound over the wooden floor as Elder Panton dragged it from beneath the desk. He plopped down, sighing. “I thought you said you were searching for a Luna for our pack, not out frolicking with some measly little human.”“Don't you dare talk about, Athena, like that," I roared, my lips peeled back revealing my canines. I snarled at the old werewolf, warning him how serious I was. “She should be respected, and I will accept nothing else."He paused, leaning back in his seat and resting his chin on the back of his hands. “What is this, Xavier? Tell me what's really going on? I can taste your protectiveness of her." He asked using my first name. He often did so when w