Chapter 5

SEBASTIAN

There was blood on the floor, and I wasn't sure whose blood it was.

As I strolled on the game trail leading to Athena's house, I couldn't help the nagging feeling in my gut.

My bond with her was telling me that she was in danger.

After Sienna's obviously faked outburst earlier today, I've had this nagging feeling in my gut that there was something wrong. It put me off so much that I couldn't concentrate on my work anymore and instead spent most of the time staring into space and checking on my phone for no reason.

The only constant was the thought of Athena.

Something was drawing me to her with a dire urgency.

She was in danger.

I was almost completely sure of it, but as I sat in my office, I was faced with a dilemma.

What do I do?

Saving Athena was bound to be known by someone at some point. It would probably even reach the media which would in turn blow things out of proportion.

I had taken the time to meticulously and painstakingly build up my reputation after my divorce with Athena broke it into shambles. It took me all five years to gain and surpass my former glory.

Do I really want to throw it all away because of the same woman?

The thought plagued me even as the nagging feeling that Athena was in danger haunted me.

I had tried to convince myself that she was powerful. She was by no means a weak werewolf.

She could defend herself against a threat if she had to.

What if there were more than one threat though?

That thought haunted me.

What would become of her?

What would they do to her?

I got up from my office and decided to stroll around the Pack as I couldn't think of anything else that could calm me down, but somehow, my legs brought me to the same trail I should be avoiding.

The trail that led to Athena's home.

I had given her a home within decent proximity to mine when she had disclosed that she just arrived in Dradesvow after five years. She resisted it at first but I gave her no room for arguments. I insisted that she took the home I chose for her as she would be working closely with me and Sienna as well.

Even though she hated me, I was still her Alpha. She was bound to obey.

I had often wondered if I made her stay close to me just because of the job or if I had wnated more than that.

I knew for a fact that I had missed her, I just didn't know if I should be doing that in the first place.

As I strolled the game trail, I caught the scent of the blood first before I even saw it.

I didn't know whose it was but the horrific realization that I was in fact right sent me sprinting down the trail before my brain could even realise it.

All I could think of was Athena.

I read a part of the trail where the trees were quite dense and I immediately recognised her scent as our mate bond led me towards her.

I reached the small clearing where Athena must have ran to before she was surrounded and the sight I saw made my blood boil.

She was bruised and battered.

She had been beaten up badly.

She wa surrounded by about six snarling werewolves who spotted injuries of their own.

I recognised this for what it was almost immediately.

An assassination.

It wasn't right that she was so battered though. An assassination needed to be clean and sometimes staged so that it can't be traced back to the source.

I would guess that these bastards were members of the Rogue Pack too.

As the name implies, they're a Pack of rogue werewolves. The worst of the bunch. They do all sorts of criminal activities and assasination seemed to be their most valuable product.

These guys were probably only battered because Athena was fighting back.

But, she was losing and she was losing terribly.

She was losing a lot of blood from her injuries as well.

She staggered as she tried to move but just before she fell, I was there, my hand under her torso as I kept her upright.

"You did good, Athena," I said calmly. "I'll take it from here."

The first of the rogues took the opportunity to attack. He was in front of me in a second, snarling as he attacked.

All he met was air as I was already behind him, turning my attention to his group instead. I would save him for last.

The first of the other werewolves didn't have the time to register what was happening as my free hand grabbed his neck and snapped it in one smooth motion. The others panicked at that sight but I didn't care. All I saw were dead men walking.

I went through their ranks like knife through butter, cutting them down before they could even say a word or try to run away. The one who attacked me took to his heels once he saw the carnage I unleashed but he was way too slow.

Even as I carried Athena in one hand, I was in front of him in a second.

"Who sent you?" I asked coldly, my eyes glowing ferociously.

The werewolf stared at me in shock for a few seconds before snarling again, and slit his own throat.

I stared at him indifferently as he bled to death.

This is one of the many reasons why I hate rogues. They hold absolutely no value to life, theirs or others.

With the last rogue dead, I carried Athena carefully back into her house.

She lived alone so I took her in by myself, undressed her and cleaned her up before treating her injuries and helping her into more comfortable clothes.

"I'm sorry, Athena," I said as I worked. "I'm sorry for everything I made you go through. I regret all of it."

She neither stirred nor groaned which meant she was still unconscious, and she would never hear this sincere apology of mine.

Once she was ready, I tucked her in bed and sat by her bed all night to watch over her.

I quickly lost myself in my thoughts and self loathing, and was staring at the ceiling when I felt her wake up.

I turned to her, keeping my face neutral.

"You're awake."

I was met with a cold stare in return.

"Why didn't you let me die, Sebastian Stone?"