Matthew’s POVI stood there, frozen, as my family cried in front of me. Athena was in my arms, calling me “Daddy” for the first time in over two decades. Ravonna held onto my shirt tightly, and Clara… my Clara was sobbing like her whole heart had split open.I wanted to be strong for them. I tried but watching them cry broke me.It had been so hard pretending all these years. Hiding the truth every time I looked into Athena’s eyes. Pretending I didn’t want to wrap my arms around my girls. Pretending I didn’t ache every time Clara walked past me and didn’t know I was hers.But now the truth was out and even though I finally felt free, I also felt the sharp sting of everything I had lost.I remembered Twenty-four years ago the day that destroyed my life and everything ended for me.It had been a quiet morning. The sun rose softly over the pack lands and guards returned from night patrols. I was heading toward the Alpha's quarters with a sealed report when I saw something strange by the
Athena’s POVI knew it was time to ask Matt the question that had been in my chest for days. Ever since I found that photo in Matt’s house, I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it.We were walking back after training, the sun was low and I felt sweaty and sticky. Matt looked tired like there was something on his mind too.“Matt,” I said quietly, tugging on his wrist to stop him. “I have something to talk to you about.”He turned to face me, his brows pulling together. “What is it?”I reached into the pocket of my jacket and pulled out my phone. My fingers trembled just a little as I opened the photo gallery and showed him the picture I took.It was a photo of me and my dad. I was maybe four years old in it. He was holding me and smiling up at me like I was the best thing in the world. It wasn’t just any picture. It was our last picture together before he died.“I saw this,” I said softly, watching his face, “in one of your books when I was at your house. I didn’t mean to snoop, I
Hudson’s POVI was elated; my little gang had grown way bigger than I had ever imagined. Just a few months ago, it was only me, Roman, and Zeke. Now I have over a dozen boys loyal and hungry for power like me.My father had not once since I became Omega changed his mind or come to see how I fared he abandoned me completely. I laughed after I decided on what to do. If I couldn’t be Alpha… then I’d be something greater. I’d be king of the underground for now and when I got powerful I'd attack him.I was done with omega duties. I no longer cleaned; ran errands or did stupid patrols in the rain; I had boys for that now. They covered for me, pretended I was where I was supposed to be, while we moved quietly through the pack stealing, and building something powerful.We stole money, gold and weapons. Little by little, I was taking everything that mattered.We were like shadows. Fast and ruthless and no one caught us.All the money I had stolen was hidden safely. I kept it in a small aba
Athena’s POVI stepped out of Matt’s house, my head spinning. The sun was still out but my heart beat fast as I closed the door behind me and walked down the steps slowly. I didn’t understand what I had just seen.Matt had never talked about my dad and I had never thought to ask because I couldn’t remember him from when I was little.“Why does he have our photo?” I whispered to myself. “How does he even know my dad?”I pulled out my phone, ready to call him and ask straight up but just as I unlocked it, my phone buzzed, and Ravonna’s name popped up.“Ugh,” I muttered. I wasn’t in the mood to talk. “Hello, Ravonna,” I said, walking back toward the pack house, my thoughts still a tangled mess.“Guess what!” Ravonna screamed in my ear.I winced and pulled the phone away from my face. “What?” I asked, half smiling.“Mom and Matt are serious now! He asked her out!”I stopped walking. “Wait, what?” I asked, laughing.“Yes!” Ravonna shouted again. “He really asked her to be his girlfriend bu
Athena’s POVI decided to follow the principle of keeping your friends close and your enemies closer. Maybe Chloe coming to live in the pack house wasn’t such a bad thing after all. If she was going to be here, it was better she stayed close to me than wandering around looking for Travis.At least this way, I could keep an eye on her. And maybe… just maybe, I could use her closeness to learn something useful.I woke up early that morning, stretched in bed, and reached for my robe. A small smile played on my lips. Today felt like the perfect day to try something new. I walked out into the hallway and gently knocked on Chloe’s door. There was no answer for a few seconds, then I heard her sleepy voice."Yes?"“It’s me,” I said lightly. “Wake up, let’s go to the gym together.”The door opened a little, and Chloe stood there in a soft nightgown. Her hair was messy, and she blinked at me like I was crazy.“The gym?” she asked, yawning. “Athena, I’m in my forties. I don’t go to the gym at th
Athena’s POVI was actually shocked by Travis’s decision. He brought Chloe to the East Wing.It was where only high-ranking wolves stayed. Not even some Betas were allowed to live there. But Chloe? Chloe, his ex-wife? She got a room in the East Wing?I stood there, my arms folded as I watched Travis come out of the room he gave her.“Did you have to give her a room here?” I asked, my voice quiet but firm.Travis looked at me. “Where else should I have put her?”“What about letting her stay in the village with the others?” I said. “That’s where she lived before, right? Why does she have to be here, in our space?”Travis let out a tired sigh and ran a hand through his hair. “Athena, I didn’t bring her here to cause problems.”“Then what do you call this?” I asked. “Because it sure feels like a problem.”“She was beaten up,” Travis said. His voice was heavy now. “Some of the villagers saw her, and they dragged her. She was bruised and bloody. They still hate her for how she left the pack