#3.

Athena gathered the cups one by one, pouring coffee with practiced care, careful not to spill a single drop. Every movement had been drilled into her, quiet and invisible. The scent of roasted beans filled the air, but it did nothing to calm her nerves.

Alpha Lucas’s gaze followed her as she approached him. It wasn’t curious. It was sharp, weighing, as though he were searching for something wrong beneath her skin. Athena felt it press into her back, making her shoulders stiffen.

She bowed low, eyes cast to the floor, and placed the cup before him with both hands. Her pulse thundered in her ears as she straightened, but she did not look up. She never did.

Without pausing, she turned away and continued serving the rest of the breakfast. The pack had already gathered, voices overlapping in easy laughter and casual dominance. Athena moved among them like a nobody, placing plates down, refilling cups, retreating before anyone could bark an order twice.

Ava’s eyes met hers briefly. There was something soft there, pity, maybe but Athena looked away before it could settle. Pity hurt almost as much as cruelty.

She was acutely aware of Ryan.

She did not look at him, not even once, but she felt him all the same. His attention clung to her skin, heavy and unrelenting. It made her breath shallow and her steps quicker. Every instinct urged her to disappear, to fold into herself until there was nothing left to see.

She turned toward the exit of the hall, intent on retreating back into the kitchen, when a sharp voice cut through the noise.

“Hey, mutt.”

Athena froze.

Luna Becca stood from her seat, her lips curled in irritation. She flicked a folded piece of paper through the air. It struck Athena’s chest before fluttering to the floor.

“Take that,” the Luna said coldly. “And go get everything I listed.”

Athena bent immediately, picking up the paper with trembling fingers. She unfolded it, scanning the items quickly. Her throat tightened. She waited, standing there quietly, eyes lowered, hands clasped around the paper.

The silence stretched.

Luna Becca let out a sharp, humorless laugh. “Are you actually waiting for me to give you money?”

A few heads turned. A few chuckles followed.

“You’re really ungrateful, aren’t you?” the Luna continued, her voice rising. “We feed you. We clothe you. The least you can do is use your own salary to get what I need.”

Athena’s mouth opened, then closed. Her heart pounded painfully, but she said nothing. She never did. Speaking only made things worse.

“Go,” Luna Becca snapped. “Before I change my mind.”

Athena bowed again and turned away, her face burning as laughter followed her out. She kept her steps quick and silent, refusing to let herself run.

In the kitchen, she grabbed a basket and slipped out the back entrance without a word. The air outside was cooler, carrying the distant sounds of the pack grounds behind her. She adjusted the basket against her hip and began the long walk toward the market.

She couldn’t afford a cab. The cash she carried were few and precious, saved carefully over time. Spending extra would mean going hungry later.

Her feet moved steadily along the dirt path as she tried, once again to reach inward.

Please, she whispered silently.

She searched for her wolf, for even the faintest response. There was nothing. Just the same hollow quiet that had greeted her since the night before. Panic stirred in her chest, sharp and unwelcome.

Athena exhaled slowly and forced herself to keep going.

By the time the market square came into view, her legs ached and sweat clung lightly to her skin. She wove through the stalls, selecting each item on the list with careful precision, counting and recounting her money before every purchase.

As she moved, voices nearby caught her attention.

“…the cursed Lycan King,” one girl whispered, eyes bright with fear and excitement.

Athena slowed despite herself.

"The Lycan King is hunting again," one girl whispered, her eyes wide. "They say he’s looking for a breeder. Can you imagine? Being chosen for that?"

"I heard the same," another added, shivering. "I just hope whoever it is can actually survive him. Breeding an heir for a Lycan... it’s a death sentence for most."

Athena stiffened, her hand freezing over a pile of silk ribbons. The stories of the Cursed King were legendary, tales of a man who has a curse beast than any wolf, a dangerous beast that ruled the east territories with iron hand.

"They say he’s terrifying. Hideous, probably," the second girl continued. "Like a monster from the old tales."

"I don't think that's true," a third voice interrupted softly. "My cousin works in his pack. She said he’s the most attractive man she’s ever laid eyes on. But she also said his aura is so heavy with danger that people faint just being in the same hallway as him. It’s very terrifying.”

Athena’s fingers tightened around the basket handle. The words settled uneasily in her chest, stirring something she didn’t understand. She paid quickly and turned away, eager to put distance between herself and the gossip.

“You’re not from around here, are you?” one of the women called.

Athena paused and shook her head.

“Well,” another said, studying her face, “you’re very pretty.”

The words struck harder than any insult. Athena stiffened, unsure how to respond. Compliments were unfamiliar, uncomfortable.

“Thank you,” she murmured, barely audible, and hurried off before anything else could be said.

She chose a narrow path on the way back, a shortcut that would lead her home faster. The road was quiet, bordered by tall trees and overgrown brush. Her steps echoed softly as she walked.

The sudden roar of an engine shattered the silence.

Athena’s heart lurched. She turned, panic flooding her veins. A truck slowed behind her, its presence heavy and wrong. She darted toward the brush to hide but it was too late.

Hands grabbed her.

She screamed, the sound tearing from her throat as the basket slipped from her grasp and hit the ground. Groceries scattered across the dirt.

“Let me go!” she cried, thrashing weakly.

One of the men lunged forward, his hand snapping out like a viper. He caught the collar of her thin, worn shirt and yanked. The fabric gave way with a sickening rip, the front of her shirt tearing open to the waist.

Athena gasped, her hands flying up to cover herself but the man grabbed her wrists, pinning them to her sides.

"Look at that," the man with a missing front tooth hissed, leaning in close. His breath was foul that it made her stomach turn. "Pale, flawless skin. Not a mark on her. Ah, she’ll definitely make us some real money."

Athena thrashed, trying to kick out, but the second man grabbed her around the waist, lifting her off her feet.

"Bring her into the truck," the second one barked, glancing nervously at the treeline. "Let's get out of here. I want to see what Ramon says when he sees what we found."