Chapter 1
Athena Knight brushed out her long brown hair again, searching for other distractions to keep her busy. Her caramel eyes are not betraying her inner turmoil.
*You realize we might not meet him today, right?* Artemis, her inner wolf, spoke to her.
'I know, but what if we do? Will he love us or love being mated to Alpha's daughter?'
*Of course, for us! No one compares to us. We are awesome! We are beautiful inside and out. No one can fight like us. He would be a complete idiot to even think about rejecting us.* Artemis huffed out, annoyed by her human insecurities.
Athena wanted to find her mate, just not now. If she was honest with herself, she'd admit that she was scared. Not because she feared rejection, but she wanted him to love her for HER, not because of her rank.
Athena straightened her spine. 'You're right, Arty. He will love both of us. Besides, what are the chances that my mate is in our pack?'
*You believe he is, even if you try to keep it to yourself. You can't fool me. "Artemis snickered, but it came out as a weird, strangled cry that made Athena laugh out loud. *Come on, it's our eighteenth birthday, and everyone is waiting downstairs. We've avoided them long enough.*
With one last look at herself in the mirror, Athena steeled herself to walk down the staircase of the pack house. Her parents are there somewhere, Alpha Ryan and Luna Michelle. She loved her father, but their relationship has been strained for a while now.
She disagreed with several of his decisions about the pack and was vocal about it. Most of their arguments surrounded how he and the pack treated the females as second class citizens. He tried using his Alpha power to make her submit, but it never worked. Artemis told her it's because they are also an Alpha. To keep the peace, she let it go but continued to watch the situation.
Athena is treated well by everyone, but not because she was Alpha's daughter. She could take down every wolf in the pack. If her father allowed it, she would be the top warrior of the pack. The only wolf she hasn't beaten in a fight is her father. He refuses to spar with her, no matter how much she tries to provoke him.
Athena has a younger brother she adored, Nicholas, who is ten years old. The pressure weighed on Athena's shoulders because Artemis told her Neal, Nick's wolf, is not an alpha wolf. Artemis reassured Athena that their father had no idea. They were both very protective of Nick and Neal. It would be almost three more years until Nick shifted into a normal wolf. Until then, Nick was treated as the next in line.
Athena prayed to the Moon Goddess her mate was in another pack, and they wouldn't meet for years. She knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that when Neal showed himself, her father would name her mate as the next Alpha. Not her, her mate. A wolf who probably had no Alpha blood in his veins at all. Her only hope was not meeting her mate until after she turned twenty-two so she could convince her father to name her Alpha. Her rightful birthright. She refused to become Luna to a wolf with no Alpha blood. The exception would be if her mate was already the next Alpha in his pack. She would willingly combine their packs and be Luna then. She had a gut feeling her mate wasn't another Alpha.
The main floor was crowded with all the unmated male wolves in hopes of being her mate. The aroma of many wolves reminded her of being in high school. School starts at age four for her pack and the surrounding packs because eighteen werewolves can find their mate. Many mates are found in other packs, necessitating one of the couple to move. To make sure the young wolves finish school, they graduate at seventeen.
Athena breathed a sigh of relief when she didn't smell him. The teenage she-wolves were allowed to enter the house after Alpha Ryan realized her mate wasn't here.
The party was in full swing, people dancing, eating, and drinking, but Athena hadn't seen her best friend Charlotte yet.
'Do you sense her anywhere?' Athena asked Artemis.
*No, I can't reach Cora either. I have a bad feeling about this.*
'Me too, especially if you can't talk to her wolf.'
**Stan, I don't see or smell Charlotte. Is she still at home?** Athena mind-linked Charlotte's father.
**Athena? No, she left almost two hours ago. Happy birthday! Maybe she's outside, I heard the place is packed.**
**I'm pushing my way through the crowd. I'll let you know when I find her.**
*I don't like it. We need to find her quick.* Artemis said.
As Athena stepped outside, the most wonderful smell hit her senses. It was a combination of pine, mint, and vanilla. It was a strange mix, but it was intoxicating to the point that she didn't need Artemis jumping in her mind, screaming to know it was her mate.
"Hi baby," the voice sent chills down her spine before he came around the corner into the light spilling from the windows.
"Thomas?" The disbelief dripped from her voice.
"The one and only baby. Come give me a hug!" He opened his arms, but she eyed him warily. He was an average height male wolf at six feet one inch, lanky with dirty blond hair that always seemed to need a cut and brown eyes that always seemed cold and calculating.
Thomas Black, the beta's second son was twenty years old and a man whore. His elder brother Seth will take over as beta when her father retires in a few years. Thomas hasn't made a position for himself, he trains with the warriors but he lacks the brute strength to be a warrior.
Thomas had a reputation for fucking every female human who he went to school with, regardless of her age. Athena had she-wolf witnesses who told Alpha Ryan that Thomas sexually assaulted them, raping them of the virginity saved for their mate. Without concrete 'proof' her father dismissed the claims. By the time Athena had been alerted the rape happened, the she-wolf had healed, leaving only testimony.
'Did you know he was our mate?!'
*NO! What was the moon goddess thinking? He is not worthy of us!*
While communicating with her wolf, Athena didn't notice him getting closer until she felt the sparks on her arms where he touched her.
She was lost in the wonderful sensations flowing through her, and Artemis purred in contentment. Until a familiar scent hit her nose, causing her to push him away.
"Why do you smell like Charlotte?" She growled at him, at her height of five-nine she didn't have to look up much.
"What are you talking about?" His words spoken lightly with confusion didn't fool her.
She snarled at him, pushing him against the house, "Don't lie to me. What did you do?"
"Who is Charlotte?" He played dumb and she grabbed his throat.
*She's in the woods, Athena! She needs us NOW!* Artemis pushed forward and punched Thomas in the face, knocking him out, before turning towards the dark forest. Artemis finished shifting into her true form, a black wolf with hints of blue in the sun.
Artemis finally caught a faint trail of Charlotte's scent ten minutes into the search. She could sense Cora, but the other wolf wouldn't respond to Artemis' calls. Sounds of whimpering reached her sensitive hearing, and she followed the smell and sounds.
"OH my goddess Charlotte!" Athena shifted back to gather her friend in her arms.
Charlotte's blonde shoulder-length hair was a tangled mess, dirt, leaves, and twigs littered her normally glossy tresses. Her dress was torn away from her breasts, red scratches marring the porcelain skin. Athena could see bruises on Charlotte's wrists, neck, and legs.
Charlotte cried into Athena's shoulder, shaking with the force of her sobs. "I'm here now. You're safe. I'm sorry, Char. I'm so sorry." Athena's tears mixed with her friends, guilt pressing on her chest.
"You didn't do this, Athena," sniffed Charlotte, "you have nothing to feel guilty about."
"If I hadn't been hiding from everyone," she began.
"It's not your fault," Charlotte insisted again, but Athena knew it was. However, arguing about it now was pointless. Char needed help, not Athena's apologies.
Athena picked up Charlotte, carefully arranging the ripped dress to cover her butt and her front pressed against Athena to hide the exposed skin.
"Don't take me to Doc Howe," Charlotte whimpered.
Athena suppressed a growl, "I would never subject you to that incompetent ass. He's as egotistical as my father, I've tried to get Dad to replace him for two years. He treats the female pack members like shit. I'm taking you to the human hospital."