Chapter 2

Athena

Enzo stopped in his tracks the second his eyes landed on me.

He looked like he had a hell of a night. His dark coat was pristine, his jaw freshly shaved, and his hair combed neatly back.

Worst of all, he smelled faintly of expensive vanilla perfume, which was Bonnie’s signature scent.

His dark eyes swept over me, lingering on the oversized hoodie over my bandaged chest, my pale face, and the way I held my arm glued to my ribs.

For a fraction of a second, a flicker of confusion crossed his features. But just as quickly as it came, it vanished, replaced by his usual cold, disappointed scowl.

“What happened to you?” he asked with absolutely no warmth in his voice.

“I took a bad fall on patrol,” I lied, keeping my voice completely flat and emotionless.

If he didn’t care to believe me when I reached out to him, he didn’t need to know the truth now.

My cold attitude caught him off guard. Usually, I would have tried to explain myself or sought a single look of comfort from him, but today I offered nothing.

He opened his mouth to say something, but then he scoffed as his jaw tightened.

“You’re the Chief Warrior and Luna of this pack, Athena,” he scolded harshly. “Getting injured from a simple fall is embarrassing. You need to set a better example for our warriors.”

Embarrassing. The word stung, but I didn’t argue. I just stared at him, my throat dry, feeling completely drained.

He didn’t love me. He loved Bonnie. So anything he said didn’t matter to me.

“What are you doing here anyway?” I asked. “It’s certainly not for me.”

Enzo shifted uncomfortably, adjusting the lapels of his coat.

“I’m here to pick up sleeping herb medicine for Mother. Don’t forget we have dinner at her estate tonight. Make sure you take those pathetic bandages off before you come. You look awful.”

The words stung, but I showed no emotion, which seemed to annoy him even more.

“I understand,” I said softly, swallowing the bitter sadness in my throat.

He brushed past me without another word, his arm clipping my shoulder just hard enough to send a blinding spike of agony straight through my broken ribs. I gritted my teeth against the wall, waiting for the dark spots in my vision to clear.

My wolf would heal me soon, but for now, I had to take Holly’s advice and rest.

That evening, Enzo and I arrived at his mother Martha’s estate.

Taking off my medical wrap as Enzo demanded had been impossible. Even with my wolf’s enhanced healing, my ribs were shattered, so I had worn a thick, high-necked sweater to hide the tape.

The estate’s dining hall was warm, filled with the rich, comforting smell of lasagna, my favorite dish. Martha sat at the head of the table, offering me a sweet, gentle smile as we sat down.

“Eat up, Athena,” Martha said warmly, personally piling food onto my plate. “You work far too hard at the borders, dear.”

A faint, genuine warmth bloomed in my chest. Martha and my late parents had been close friends in their youth. Ever since my mother sacrificed her life for the pack and my father passed away, Martha was the closest thing to family I had left.

For years, I had held onto a quiet dream that Enzo and I could eventually overcome our bitterness and become the legendary warrior couple our parents were. But looking across the table at Enzo, who ate his meal in cold, stony silence, I realized just how foolish that dream really was.

“You look pale, Athena. Are you okay?” Martha asked, concern laced in her tone.

I caught Enzo’s annoyed look from the corner of my eye. Apparently I wasn’t hiding my weakness enough.

“Just tired,” I lied with a forced smile. Martha nodded with a smile of her own.

“Ensure to get some rest tonight, dear.”

I didn’t respond as I continued to eat in silence.

After dinner was cleared, Martha patted my hand affectionately.

“Athena, my head is aching terribly lately. Would you mind preparing that herb medicine for me? No one brews the sleeping mixture quite like you.”

“Of course,” I replied, giving her a small, respectful smile.

I carefully pushed myself up from the table, suppressing a gasp as my ribs throbbed, and went into the small adjoining kitchen. I gathered the dried roots, boiled the water, and poured the hot tea into a ceramic bowl.

As I lifted the tray to carry it back toward the dining room, hushed, tense voices through the cracked kitchen door made me pause.

“Why didn’t you return to the packhouse last night, Enzo?” Martha’s voice was strict, sharp, and accusing. “Were you with Bonnie again?”

“Are you spying on me now, Mother?” Enzo snapped back, his voice full of defensive frustration.

“I don’t need to spy to know you were celebrating her birthday until dawn!” Martha retorted coldly.

“Bonnie lost her wolf saving my life years ago!” Enzo argued passionately. “She was supposed to be my Luna before you forced me to cancel our engagement and marry Athena!”

“And I would do it ten times over!” Martha’s voice lost all its warmth, turning terrifyingly ruthless. “Listen to me, Enzo. You can entertain Bonnie as much as you want in secret. I do not care who you sleep with, as long as you make sure Athena give birth to an heir soon!”

I stood completely frozen in the dark doorway. Sickening horror flooded my veins.

“The Moonlit Pack needs a pureblood heir from fated mates,” Martha continued, each word slicing through my chest far deeper than any rogue claw ever could.

“Athena’s parents died for this pack, making her the perfect, obedient vessel for our bloodline. Once she gives you a strong heir, you can do whatever you want with her. I don't care. But until then, perform your duty as a husband and Alpha!”

My breath hitched in my throat. The warmth I had felt during dinner shattered into complete, unspeakable dread.

Martha didn’t view me as a daughter as I thought. I was nothing more than a breeder to her.

Tears spilled over my lashes, burning against my cheeks.

My hands trembled so violently that the bowl shattered on the ground, and the heated argument inside suddenly fell dead silent.