Chapter Four

Vanessa’s POV

How the hell could that tall sexy assed man be Athena’s mate, the power he held the strength and speed he used made me wonder who and what he was. She didn’t have a wolf so she sure as hell didn’t deserve a strong being like him, a human would have been more fitting. I waited for the dark handsome man to leave before kneeling on the ground next to Athena. Closing my eyes and clearing my mind just as grandfather had taught me, I held my hands over my sister’s unconscious body willing my magic into them as I held them over each wound the rouges gave her. I felt sick to my stomach at the sight of Athena, I had watched our pack warriors train along with countless challenges, but not once had I ever seen a beating as bad as this. There was blood everywhere, she had a stab wound to her abdomen, a slit that went from her knee to her ankle and two black swollen eyes. Had I not obtained the power to heal her she would have likely bled out before reaching the pack hospital, her wounds were very deep as I could see the bone in her leg. It didn’t take long for my power to heal her, yet she remained unconscious.

As I sat next to her the sound of screeching tyres came from outside with my mum and dad appearing in the doorway seconds later. I watched as they rushed to her side checking her over relief on their faces to see she was ok as they took in the scene around them, it honestly looked like something out of a murder scene. It shouldn’t have upset me, but it did, seeing them fuss over her the way they were when in reality what happened was her own fault. If Athena hadn’t been weak, hadn’t run away just because things got difficult then this wouldn’t have happened to her. She only had herself to blame and when she did finally wake up, I’d make sure I told her it to. The fact she ran away in the first place was another reason he didn’t deserve that man.

“Don’t tell them about her mate” Jewel spoke in my mind as she snarled at Athena through my eyes, for some reason she didn’t want that information getting out.

“Why not, they should know shouldn’t they”

“If you tell them then she will get the last laugh. She may not have a wolf or powers like us, but I could sense that man was strong. He had a powerful aura surrounding him. If they bond then she will become the next Moonlight Alpha and you can kiss any hopes of that title goodbye” Jewel was right, at the moment the alpha position belonged to me because I have my wolf, but if Athena was mated to someone more powerful then by right with or without a wolf, she was Alpha.

I decided to do what my wolf said and didn’t tell a soul about Athena having a mate, instead led everyone to believe I myself disarmed the three rogues which resulted in the safe return of my sister. My parents not seeing signs of anyone else around took me at my word as I told them my version of events. This only confirmed how powerful of a man he was, my mum having royal blood would have been able to catch his scent even if he had been concealing it yet she hadn’t sensed him. Things were quiet between Athena and I for a while after that night, I hated her more than ever knowing what I did, but I couldn’t tell anyone not even my friends otherwise I would risk jeopardising my position as trainee Alpha. That position is mine and I would do anything to ensure it stayed that way.

Two years later…

“Girls come on we have to go” my mum screamed up the stairs for the second time this morning. How had she not realised by now that the more she rushed me the slower I would go.

We were going to visit my grandfather at the Royal Kingdom for his annual masquerade ball. His wife Rita loved to throw parties however this was the only one that stuck which in turn was made a tradition. Mum said herself that once it came time for my grandfather to step down from his Alpha King position, and she takes his place as Queen that she would continue the very same tradition he and Rita had started.

“Fuck’s sake freak move” I growled at Athena as she made her way down the hallway towards the staircase. She was moping because she didn’t want to go, she didn’t want to leave Hector. I for one couldn’t wait to see the look on her face when she finds out they aren’t mates, I wanted to see her heart break to know that he had a mate out there somewhere and that by keeping him would be unfair to Hector and his mate.

Athena and I now had separate rooms, I needed space from her not just because I couldn’t stand to be in her air space but because I constantly had the urge to tease her over the mate she didn’t know was out there. As much as I wanted to ruin her happiness, I had to play the long game, to watch her shatter completely now that would be epic. I sighed as Athena finally stepped aside enabling me to get past her and down the stairs. She just looked to the floor pulling her sleeves further down her arms to cover her hands. She really was an idiot, mum and dad thought she was still taking her meds to help with her depression, but little did they know she wasn’t she hadn’t taken them for the last year. If she would have had them then yes, she probably would still be taking them but being the nasty bitch, she turned me into, I flushed them all. The way I saw it was that if by chance her mate found her again, he would see just how damaged she was and reject her, I just hoped no one else figured it out.

Athena’s POV

I didn’t want to go to the Kingdom let alone go to the ball, I wanted to stay here with Hector to bask in the warmth, love and security that he gave me. Cheesy as it may sound, he really did keep the darkness within me at bay. As much as I tried to push him away, he never left, he was always by my side trying to convince me I had lots to live for and not to let the dark win. When he asked me to go steady four months ago, I thought it was just because of where he found me passed out from overdosing and wanted to keep an eye on me, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. He didn’t pussy foot around me like my parents did, instead he tried to force me out and into the world I wanted nothing more than to fade away from. I thought him forcing me to live would make me recent him but in face it drew us closer, made me love him more. Due to neither of us having yet turned eighteen we wouldn’t know if we were fated to be together or not, so we decided it best to wait before having sex. Unlike my sister who dropped her knickers for any man that showed her attention, both Hector and I remained virgins. It’s not like we had long to wait for it was my birthday in three days’ time. I don’t know whether I’m excited or dreading that day, if Hector is indeed my mate then life will be good if not, well it doesn’t bare thinking about.

It was a long journey to the Royal Pack, Vanessa ignored me the entire time which was heaven, mum slept and dad, well between being on and off the phone just gave me quick glances here and there. He never knew how to talk to me though I guess that’s my fault for some days all I did was cry where others I screamed at everyone around me.

“So girls your Aunt Marie is going to take you dress shopping tomorrow, so please no fighting” dad just stared at Vanessa when he mentioned fighting, he knew if either of us were going to start it would most likely be her.

When we arrived, I waited in the car until everyone else was out, once they began to embrace each other I snuck away. I didn’t like being the centre of attention they all knew that yet expected me to just get over it as my mum constantly said, ‘it comes with being the Alphas daughter’. Each time we came to visit Rita and our grandfather we always stayed in the same rooms so there was no need for me to wait for anyone, I knew where I was going.

When I got to my room, I looked the door before flopping myself on the bed. I closed my eyes hoping that sleep would quickly engulf me, the sooner these next few days were over the better.

*******

“Aunt Marie what do you think of this one?” Vanessa was trying on her second dress, though both left nothing to the imagination. It was so low cut in the front that half her chest except for her nipples were on show, the slit ending at her navel.

“You are a Princess not a slapper. You need something more regal, here try this one” I couldn’t help but giggle at Aunt Marie’s words earning myself a growl from Vanessa, I could have sworn that her clothes were getting tighter and shorter as the days went by.

I however had already found my dress; it was a strapless dark purple ball gown with matching elbow length gloves and eye mask. I had scars that ran up both my arms from when I had my blackouts, those days were happening more often than not and so far, nobody had noticed them. That was how I planned on keeping it. When Vanessa finally came out of the changing room, I had to admit she looked good. Her dress looked similar to Cinderella’s. It was a royal blue that hung off the shoulders with a matching choker and mask, this had to be the most fabric Vanessa had worn in goddess only knows. Perhaps I’d be lucky, and she would be found by a man from a land faraway and he would take her with him just like in the film. If only but hey I can dream.