Chapter 5

Athena

Tyler looked nervous, and when he did, that meant he was hiding something from me.

I took another threatening step toward him, ensuring that he felt my intimidation.

“Tyler,” I growled. “Tell me what you know.”

“I want to, Luna,” Tyler said, lowering his head nervously. “But Alpha Enzo—”

“Alpha Enzo is currently busy keeping Bonnie company,” I interrupted, my voice dropping an octave. “I don’t need his permission to do my job. Where is Beta Rudolf right now?”

Tyler swallowed hard, looking around before stepping closer. “Every Friday afternoon, Rudolf goes to the private hunting ground near the eastern cliff. He… he uses it to interrogate and torture rogues or traitors before executing them.”

Shock hit me like a splash of ice water. A private torture ground? As Chief Warrior, all executions and interrogations were supposed to pass through my office. The fact that Enzo allowed Rudolf to conduct such ruthless, unsanctioned butcheries right under our noses was sickening.

“Stay here and gather a squad of heavy guards,” I ordered Tyler, turning on my heel. “Bring them to the eastern ridge immediately.”

I drove my truck straight to the eastern perimeter, my hands gripping the steering wheel so tight my knuckles turned white.

The hunting ground was hidden behind a thick wall of trees behind iron gates. The moment I pulled up, horrifying, gut-wrenching shrieks echoed from inside.

I stepped out of the truck and marched toward the entrance. Two Beta guards immediately stepped into my path, raising their spears.

“This is Beta family property, Luna,” one of them said gruffly. “No one enters without Lord Rudolf’s personal clearance.”

“I am the Luna and the Chief Warrior of this pack,” I growled, taking a lethal step forward. “Get out of my way before I break your legs!”

Before they could react, Tyler arrived with a small patrol unit. He immediately stepped up, seizing both guards by their collars and forcing them back. “Clear the way for Luna Athena!” Tyler barked.

I didn’t wait. I kicked the iron doors open and strode inside.

The stench of blood and burnt fur hit me instantly. In the center of the muddy courtyard, a rogue wolf was chained to a post, covered in cuts and blood. Standing over him was Rudolf Graham, his sleeves rolled up, casually flicking a leather whip soaked in wolfsbane.

“Rudolf!” I roared, my voice echoing across the courtyard.

Rudolf stopped mid-swing and turned around. His face was cold and devoid of any remorse. He had the audacity to look annoyed.

“Luna Athena,” he said smoothly, wiping the blood off his hands. “What brings you to my private grounds?”

I reached into my pocket, pulled out the plastic evidence bag containing the Beta signet ring, and hurled it at his feet.

“That was recovered from the rogue commander who ambushed me at the northern border,” I said, my voice dangerously low. “Care to explain why your personal family ring was found at the scene of an attempted assassination on your Luna?”

Rudolf glanced down at the ring, then looked back up at me. He didn’t flinch. He didn’t panic.

“A lost ring proves nothing,” Rudolf sneered, letting out a dry, mocking laugh. “Though I must admit… those useless rogues really disappointed me. They couldn’t even finish off a battered, weak woman.”

My blood ran cold at his confession. “You hired them.”

“Of course I did,” Rudolf spat, dropping all pretense. “You stole my daughter’s position! Bonnie was supposed to be Luna! She was supposed to rule this pack alongside Enzo! You forced your way into their lives, using your dead parents’ legacy to steal what belonged to her!”

He raised the wolfsbane whip, his face twisting into something almost crazy. “You should have died the moment you stepped onto these grounds alone!”

Rudolf lunged at me, swinging the heavy whip straight for my neck.

I ducked beneath the strike, the wind of the whip whistling past my ear. But my fractured ribs screamed in agony, slowing me down. Rudolf took advantage of my stagger, slamming his heavy elbow directly into my side.

A sickening crack echoed through my chest as another rib snapped. Blinding pain exploded behind my eyes, forcing a ragged scream from my throat as I dropped to one knee.

“Pathetic!” Rudolf laughed, stepping in to kick me in the stomach. “This is supposed to be our Chief Warrior?”

I gritted my teeth through the blinding white pain. I wasn’t going to let him take me down, even if my body screamed in pain.

I grabbed his boot mid-air, and with a sharp twist of my torso, I threw him off balance and caused him to crash hard onto the muddy ground.

I didn’t give him a chance to recover. Fueled by pure warrior instinct and raw fury, I drove my knee hard into his chest, pinning him down. Rudolf thrashed beneath me, reaching for his dagger, but I slammed my hand down onto his wrist, forcing the blade from his grip.

I wrapped both of my hands around his throat, squeezing with every ounce of strength left in my body. Rudolf choked, his eyes bulging as his hands clawed uselessly at my arms.

“This is for selling out your pack,” I snarled, tightening my grip until his windpipe groaned under the pressure.

“Athena, stop!”

A booming Alpha voice shattered the air. The force hit me like a physical wall, freezing my muscles.

I looked up, breathing heavily as blood dripped from my lip.

Enzo stood at the iron gates, his face dark with fury. Right beside him was Bonnie, clutching his arm with tears streaming down her pale face. Behind them stood Tyler, staring at the ground, utterly unable to meet my eyes.

Tyler hadn’t gone for my backup because of Enzo’s appearance.

“Father!” Bonnie shrieked, running forward and collapsing beside us. “Athena, please! Stop! Don’t kill him! Spare my father!”

Enzo strode over, his jaw tight as he forcefully grabbed my shoulder and yanked me off Rudolf. Rudolf gasped for air, coughing violently as Bonnie held him.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Athena?!” Enzo barked, glaring down at me with pure anger. “Attempting to murder a pack elder?!”

I stood on unsteady legs as my chest heaved, every broken rib screaming in pain.

“He schemed with rogues to ambush me at the border, Enzo!” I spat, my voice shaking with raw fury. “Your Beta tried to have your Luna murdered!”

I waited for shock or outrage to cross his face. Any emotion at all.

But nothing.

Enzo just stood there with his eyes completely dark and cold. He didn’t look surprised by the Beta ring lying in the mud, and he certainly didn’t look shocked by my words.

“You knew, didn’t you?” I spat, every word dripping with fury. “You knew Rudolf sent those rogues to kill me?”

I glared into my husband’s cold eyes, anxiously waiting for his answer.