Ex-Heir and Her Alpha

ONE “Keep reading, Athena.” Alpha James gestured to his daughter, his voice laced with sadness. “...The Nightshade Pack hereby surrenders to the Silver Moon Pack, as of today. Renouncing all claims to our territory.” Athena paused, her brows furrowing and her jaw clenching in anger. “We also submit our titles, including those of Alpha…and Alpha heir…” She choked on her words, swallowing hard as she fought back tears. “Father.” She called, holding up the paperwork, “what is the meaning of this?!” She snapped, throwing it across the dimly lit study, causing the sheets to scatter on the floor. “Why would you draft a treaty? We’ve fought so hard till this moment and suddenly…you just want to give up?!” Her eyes clouded with tears. “I know it's difficult, my dear.”Alpha James replied, his voice solemn. “But we don’t have a choice. It's either this, or risk total destruction of our pack. Think of the innocent people that would would suffer.” “But still!” She paced, the moonlight casting

For the next couple of weeks, Travon completely avoided Athena, seeing her only at important events and even then, he ignored her. She felt unwelcome, with only her staff being the only ones who showed her a bit of warmth. Most times, she would see Travon chatting and laughing with Aria and from all Athena had heard, the pair had literally grown up together. One afternoon, Athena was walking the gardens, when she spotted Travon and Aria, strolling at the right wing of the garden. As usual, the duo had smiles plastered on their faces, seeing them, a pang of jealousy pricked her heart. Just then, Aria's eyes met hers, and a smirk spread across her face. In a swift move, she linked her arm with Travon's, her eyes never leaving Athena's face. It was a subtle yet provocative gesture, meant to spite her. Travon, seemingly oblivious to the Athena’s presence, smiled and asked Aria, “Hey, what's with the sudden arm-linking?” Aria's smile grew wider, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Oh, c'

“Enough!” Travon suddenly yelled, his voice echoing through the room. The only sound that followed was Athena's stifled sobs. “That's enough, Athena,” he repeated, his voice softening as he stepped closer to her. All she could do was pound her fists against his chest, but he stood firm, his wolf and entire being unable to stop her. Finally, he found the courage to grasp her hands mid-air, and in a swift motion, he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. “You're shaking,” he whispered, his breath warm against her ear. “Eat something. If you're going to hit me harder than this, then you need your strength.” He released her, his thumbs wiping away her tears. Athena's eyes met his, and they just stared at each other. The air suddenly became charged with an unspoken connection, a spark of chemistry that neither of them could ignore, but then, her gaze suddenly darkened as she took a step backwards, and her expression changed from soft to fierce. “How dare you!” she exclaimed, he

FIVE YEARS LATER “I’d like to know the purpose of this meeting, Elder Thorne.” Travon said, his voice firm, but laced with a hint of annoyance. He was seated at the head of the council table, flanked by three elders, his mother and William Steele. The air was thick with tension, but it was the usual atmosphere of their meetings ever since Athena’s death. Elder Thorne cleared his throat, his eyes locking on to Travon’s as he began. “Alpha Travon, as you know, it’s been five years since the Luna's passing. The pack is growing restless, and your lack of a mate is becoming a concern. So we called this meeting today to propose a way out.” “...Well then, proceed.” Travon said, his tone curt and expression neutral. “We’ve been deliberating among ourselves and we came to a conclusion that you should be married to Aria, the Beta’s daughter.” Travon’s gaze narrowed, his jaw clenched. “I don’t see why this is necessary. Aria is like a sibling to me.” Elder Cedric chimed in, his voice enthus

Travon’s eyes locked on the mystery woman as she revealed her face, the strong scent of wildflowers and mild salty ocean hitting him like a wave. Aria’s voice trailed off, her eyes narrowing as she followed his gaze. “Athena?” He whispered, his voice barely audible over the sudden commotion in the hall. At the mention of her name, Athena’s lips curled into a sly smile, while her eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief. The female elders rushed, surrounding her, but she didn’t resist as they led her away. Diana's eyes widened in shock, her hand flying to her mouth. But as she took in Athena's confident stance, a small smile played on her lips. She seemed pleased by the sudden turn of events. William, on the other hand, turned pale as death, his eyes fixed on Athena, his face frozen in a mixture of fear and rage. He took a step back as his composure momentarily shattered. But as the Elders led Athena away, he regained his footing. As the elders escorted her out, she threw one last gla