ATHENA’S POVI shut the door behind me. My head was throbbing and dizziness threatened to take me if I didn’t take the rest I was supposed to. Who knew that packing and moving was this exhausting, and to think I was actually excited to be in the same room as Nero just because we were married. Slowly I was beginning to learn that marriage doesn’t mean that you both need to be in the same room let alone the same bed. The title could be for anything and ours wasn’t love.The rest of my things had been neatly folded and the maids had just exited my room leaving me alone. It was good to finally have moved back. I didn’t think I was ever going to miss the room but I did even though I spent most of my nights as a married woman in it.My thoughts drifted back to Nero’s words about going for a hunt. He had never wanted to do anything with me, and now he wanted to go hunting? Dread enveloped me at the mere thought of going somewhere alone with him, especially the woods.While he spoke earlier,
NERO’S POVThrough the week, I had been restless. A part of me wanted to cancel the hunt and just let things be but what would Zavier think of me? I couldn’t let him think I was weak especially when it came to Athena.I finally made up my mind, ensuring to keep myself locked in that decision. I hated the worry that kept creeping up my chest at the slightest thought of her. It was like a warning for a disaster about to happen and I was pissed that my mind didn’t understand that the disaster was going to be for Athena and not me.So I went to the Queen to inform her about the hunt. She wanted to argue about the dangers of going alone without the guards but I knew too well that she was worried about what I would do to Athena. Making her understand that it was going to take me a while to get to the point that I could forgive Athena, I just wanted to see if we could do the things that I loved with her like I did with Zara. And part of it was true of course. Zara and I loved to hunt, but th
ATHENA’S POVAnger was an understatement to what I was feeling. What was I thinking trying to find the good in someone like Nero? He was a goner, and his hate was evident. I could see it here. I did see it.And I know the only reason why he stopped Zavier from-I can’t even say it. It was appalling. It was because he was jealous. He didn’t have to say it for me to know that that’s what he was feeling.While they were too busy arguing, I didn’t need anyone to tell me I was stupid if I waited until they were done. My eyes roamed the woods in sharp gaze and the little opening I found, I took off leaving them to their discussion.I hate him. I hate him so much.His plan was never to go hunting, he was going to give me up to a bunch of nasty rogues as their breeder. I was his wife! How could he?As my heart thumped, so did my legs. I ran as fast as I could trying my best to create a gap between us.“You fucking bitch” Zavier growled from behind me. “I’m going to kill you for sure this time.
NERO’S POVI almost lost it back there. That filthy rogue had his hands on Athena and it took me all of my will power not to snap his neck for touching my wife.“You never regarded her as your wife, or mate, do you not hate her anymore?” my wolf asked and it was his voice that snapped me back to the reality that Athena needed to be taken out.Why did I want her then?I do hate her but damn it if I didn’t want to have a taste of her again.I had to watch Zavier do all the talking because I knew I couldn’t go through with it. And her begging me like that, it was the most heart-breaking thing I had ever seen. For some reason Zara’s death didn’t hurt as much as seeing Athena beg me not to have her taken away. But it was something that had to be done. Only after her disappearance would my Zara have peace and me be finally able to forgive her.She had fear unlike anything I had ever seen but so was the hate written in them. But what did I expect from someone I had allowed myself to hate?I
ATHENA’S POV“You’re a pretty little thing and I cannot wait until we get to the base to have you.”I was more than furious but I knew better than to say anything. I didn’t want to have them pin me to the floor on the dirt like Zavier did. The thought of him even thinking to try something like that made me shiver with disgust. Imagine my reaction now when I know that these men were far from clean. I gagged.We have been walking for some time now and I was getting tired. They however didn’t look like they were going to stop walking any time soon. It was something about making sure that Nero and Zavier kept their end of the deal and the rogue leader, who I now know as Fred, didn’t want to take any chances.“I’m quite tempted to make everyone stop just so that I can enjoy you here and now. But don’t worry, I’m a patient man and I can wait.”He was walking too close to me, touching my arms a few times. He was tempted to take me and I was tempted to kill him right there and then.“Calm dow
ATHENA’S POVRelief, that’s all I felt whilst floating in the water. Nothing about it was calm, if anything I should be watching out for water falls but here I was, glad that no only were my hands free, I was away from the rogues.I stayed in the water for what seemed like hours until I saw from afar something that caught my attention – The pack, the Palace.A smile broke on my face, no wonder I didn’t feel like stepping out of the water, I must have felt connected to it somehow. It could have also been because I didn’t want to risk being followed by them.Realising the river must have been connected to the one in the pack, I said a silent prayer to the moon goddess for looking out for me. This was the first time things were turning in my favor and it was a good feeling to see it happen.The sun had set a while ago and it was already dark, I wondered how long I had been in the water. I spotted a branch and while the river flowed I grabbed onto it before pulling myself out of the water
NERO’S POVI couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw her. A sense of relief flowed through my body and I could feel my tensed muscles relax and my worry gone.She’s alive. She’s fucking alive. I could hug her right now, that’s what I thought before snapping myself out of it.But she stared at me with such contempt in her eyes and I never thought a day would come where Athena’s eyes would hold a single trace of grudge for me. And I didn’t know why it hurt hearing her say that she hated me with the most poisonous venom her voice could carry.Did I finally push her to that point?I watched as she left in a hurry, I wanted to know if she was okay and how she made it home alive. Did she make a different kind of deal with the Rogue leader?I stood outside her door and from here, I could hear soft sobs and I knew she was crying. The sound could barely be heard but my wolf was sure she was in tears. I felt somewhat guilty knowing I was the reason she was in tears but I needed to know what happene
ATHENA’S POVIt’s been a few days since the rogue incident and Nero eating me up like the food he craved. To him it was some sort of punishment and it was, but it was humiliating knowing that he could control my body like that. What’s worse was not being able to stop it even with the anger fuelling my body.I repulsed every thought of him that crossed my mind and I hated most the stupid butterflies that erupted when those thoughts came. He was making my life miserable but why couldn’t he just leave my mind alone?So for anytime I was about to leave my room, I made sure to steer clear from places he was and locked my room whenever I was in it.I got dressed and went downstairs for breakfast, I knew it was time for me to stop hiding in my room and making excuses instead of joining them at the table. I had shown Nero how strong I was and how I wasn’t going to let him put me down easily. But as I sat and waited for them, my heart thumped knowing he was going to be at the table as well.I