ATHENA'S POV
The night grew colder as I left Nathan's house. The sky opened up and doused the earth with rain as if the heavens felt my misery and were crying with me. Icy drops assaulted my face, but my hot tears still burned my cheeks.A few guards patrolled the area and, out of embarrassment, I stuck to the woods to stay out of sight as I made my way back home. I couldn't wait to get there to burn the stupid skimpy outfit my now ex-best friend gave me. I couldn't believe she’d stab me in the back like this — All while making me feel guilty for not sleeping with Nate, too. Then to turn around and do him behind my back? I felt sick.Thunder sounded, rumbling loudly as the rain worsened. Flashes of lightning lit the path ahead, and the pack house came into view. But as soon as I saw it, an incredible uneasiness washed over me. I paused and hid behind a tree. Then I focused and saw my mother crouched in a defensive position. A burly man with a brown beard stood before her, and she gnashed and grunted, swiping her claws at him.“Mom,” I whispered.Her enhanced senses picked up my frail voice, and her head snapped toward the tree I was hiding behind. Without a word, I knew she wanted me to remain there. I scanned the area, looking for my father until I found him being held by six muscular werewolves with black eyes.“What is this, Cyrus?” my mother barked at the bearded man. “Let my husband go.”“This isn't personal, dollface. It’s political, and I'm afraid your time as luna has come to an end,” he stated coldly like he had not a care in the world. “Well, at least as Alpha Axel's luna. I’m giving you the chance to join me and become my luna. Once the new Alpha of the Moon Stone pack takes over, he won't need you. He’s already mated.”“New alpha?” my father asked, trying to shake off the rogues that held him down.“The ones who hired me to kill you. They’re going to give me land and wealth and make me an alpha of my own pack. They’re giving me and my rogues status… all for killing you two.” He chortled.My heart grew heavy. I couldn't believe someone would want to harm my parents.“Who hired you?” my father asked.“Like I'd tell you.” He turned to my mother. “Join me, Christina. Your beauty has no limits, and I've loved you for years now. Come and be my luna.” He stretched his hand out toward my mom.My father growled, and the earth shook from its intensity.“I’d rather die, you monster,” my mother spat.“I’ll just take your daughter as a prize, then. I hear she’s even more beautiful than you.” He licked his lips and my stomach heaved.My mother lunged at him, clawing him across the cheek. “You'll leave my daughter alone.”Cyrus let out a sinister shriek, backhanding my mother, sending her flying into the side of her parked car. Seconds later, dozens of our werewolves showed up to fight the rogues. My father must have mind-linked the warriors, telling them we were under attack.I clutched the tree trunk tighter, cursing myself, wishing I could shift too. I watched as my dad flung his captures off him with tremendous strength. With intense speed beyond my ability to track, my father removed the heads of the men who held him a moment before.My parents looked majestic as they snapped and ripped into rogues, all while commanding their wolves. They maintained amazing control of the situation.When Cyrus saw he was about to lose, he made a call. My father saw him backing away and grinned, making me feel like Dad had Cyrus right where he wanted him. “Leave while you still can, Cyrus,” my father warned. “Otherwise, your head will roll next.”Two figures in long coats with hoods covering their faces stepped out of the shadows, one holding a gun. My ears rang while he emptied bullets into my father’s chest. I clasped my hands over my mouth to silence my screams as I watched in horror.My mother howled, but before she could lunge, the other cloaked figure revealed a gun. He emptied his chamber into her. The other rogues quickly followed suit, breaking pack law and custom by pulling guns. They pointed them at our warriors, and I thought they’d shoot them all. But then one asked, “What about the daughter?”“We'll find her. A little birdie told me she can’t yet shift, so she's no threat,” Cyrus answered.Some of my pack’s strongest warriors fought but to no avail. Each ended up shot and killed. Cyrus spared the omegas and others who surrendered rather than fighting back.The cloaked figures leaned down next to my parents and whispered something, then disappeared back into the shadows. Cyrus and the others tormented my pack members as they led them away, leaving my parents to die in the mud.I kept to the perimeter and used the parked cars to conceal myself while I made my way to my parents. They lay facing each other with their hands joined. The rain had stopped, and the moon shone high and bright.“Mom, Dad,” I sniffled, my voice cracking as I knelt next to them.“Athena,” my mother gasped, blood running from her mouth. “Get out of here.”“No, Mom, I'm not leaving you. You'll heal, and we’ll fight and win our pack back,” I cried. Then I saw the silver.The bullets were silver.“No, please,” I begged. “Please get up, Dad. You have to get up. You can't leave me.” My world felt as though it was crashing down around me. My chest tightened so much, I could barely breathe.“You… have to go,” my father said. “NOW!” he commanded, using the last bit of alpha authority he had left.“Please,” my mother begged, struggling to sit up. “If Cyrus finds you, he'll kill you… or worse, make you his mate.”“Mom…” I said with concern at the blood flowing from her wounds as she moved.She waved me off, with her golden hair tangled and her pale skin becoming more ashen by the moment.“And you can't trust anyone,” my dad added with a grunt, as he struggled to sit up as well. “Not even members of our own pack.”For a split second, my face scrunched in confusion. But then I thought about it. Dad was right. Someone betrayed my parents and orchestrated their executions, and it seemed they’d done it with help from one of ours. Or maybe it was one of our own who had done it? Either way, who?My Mom sobbed as she brought her forehead against mine. “Stay strong, my girl, and remember, I love you.”Dad hugged us like he always did. “My beautiful girls. I love you two so much."“I love you both so much, too. You’re the best parents in the world, and I can't picture life without either of you. I feel I’ll die too if either of you leaves me.”Mom cried even harder, and Dad growled and held us as tightly as he could.After holding each other for a minute, my mother's grip loosened. She gasped against my ear as she took her last breath, then her body slumped. Dad tried to hold on for me but choked on his own blood as he fought to inhale. A moment later, his body went limp as well.Grief-stricken, I sat trembling, still clinging to both of them. It felt like I was in a nightmare I couldn't escape.But I had to escape, had to get out of there before Cyrus or the others found me. So I scurried back into the woods. Then I kicked off my pumps and let my toes dig in the mud as I sprinted away. At first, I thought about running to Nate's house and telling him what happened. But my parents said I should trust no one. And besides, how could I trust Nate after what he’d done with Lia?So I simply ran through the woods until my chest burned. I traveled for hours, stopping only to cry and catch my breath. Dawn approached as I came across a white-painted cottage with fire-red shutters. It sat in the middle of the forest, surrounded by a beautiful flower garden.My chest tightened as I struggled to breathe. Thoughts of anger and revenge possessed my mind, while my heart ached, knowing that I would never see my parents again. It didn't take long for exhaustion, hunger, and dehydration to take over my body. I tried to make it to the cottage but my head was spinning and dark spots filled my blurry vision. Soon my feet gave way and I collapsed to the ground.XAVIER'S POVI lay in a cave surrounded by a dozen beautiful, naked she-wolves. Each had pledged herself to me when I saved them from vampires who had used them as blood whores. The cave used to belong to the vampires, too, but I took it over after exterminating the bloodsuckers. I called it the Wolf’s Den, and it had become the place I went to blow off steam with the she-wolves—something that had been their idea.Initially, I’d refused their offer, happy just to provide them with comfort and protection. But after spending time with them, attachments developed and our sexual relationship began. I cared for each of them, too, but made it clear early on that I didn't want a luna because of circumstances of the heart. They understood and provided me with sex regardless.Though I never slept with just one or two. No, no. It was always a group endeavor. That was their rule—so I couldn't pick favorites. And who was I to complain when so many she-wolves made themselves so readily available?
XAVIER'S POVDawn approached and the faint sunlight cast soft shadows. It looked as though leaves danced serenely across the forest floor as I carried the girl to the cottage. She appeared to be floating on the edge of consciousness as her fingers brushed lightly over my dewy, naked skin. The movement was so gentle that I almost attributed it to the light breeze blowing through the trees.Her eyes opened wide and focused on me intently as I rushed to carry her through the cottage’s door. Her hair fell like waves pulling out to sea as I placed her to rest on Scarlet’s decrepit couch.The mud covering her face had dried and begun crumbling, revealing what appeared to be a beautiful face underneath. Exodus and I watched her closely and noted the sadness in her eyes. She appeared to be young, not quite a child, yet still too young to be an adult. I wondered when I had started seeing people like her as young. I was only twenty-eight for Moon Goddess' sake.Her beautiful silver-gray eyes, l
ATHENA'S POVXavier left, and the red-headed she-wolf stood in the sitting room across from me, watching me with her burning, scornful gaze. Her expression and obvious negative intentions toward me sent terror up my spine.“You’re lucky he found you first,” she said, then cackled in the most sinister manner.My insides churned, and my breathing became ragged.A gruesome grin spread across her face. “I would be having you for supper right about now,” she stated, obviously assuming I was human.I wished I had my wolf. With my alpha blood and my wolf, she would have been no threat to me. As it was, though, I was no match for her.Part of me thought I should have told Xavier what had happened. But I had to heed my parents' advice not to trust anyone, which was why I went along with the handsome wolf’s assumption that I was mute. I had to feel him out first.My tummy rumbled, and I swore if I didn't get something to eat, I would perish before the next sunrise.“The dumb girl is hungry?” Sc
ATHENA'S POVI 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 tu
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