I walk down at 5:00 am and sure enough Theo is there, waiting for me."morning love" he says, "morning to you too" I reply and we proceed to go to our spot, transform and run to the foot of the mountains and back. "Your wolf is beautiful; the fur is almost snow white" Theo tells me as we walk back to the house. It's now 07:00 and almost everyone in the pack was awake and bustling about, after all it's the pack breakfast today.

As soon as I get to my room, I hop into the shower and wash my hair. As I get out I feel an incoming connection, I open the link and let the person in. 

"Athena honey, I hope it's not too early, how are you? did you speak to Theo? How did he take it?" Mom bombards with her questions as usual. 

"I did mom, he is so great, I just...uhh...i didn't know he would take it so well. He's promised to protect me with his life mom. To be honest I don't think I could've asked for a better mate,'' I say and her laugh vibrates through the link. "I told you from the beginning Athena, he is a good man." 

"Thank you mom, I love you," I say and cut off the link.

I proceed to get ready and choose to wear a burgundy skinny fit jeans, and deep V-neck black top and pair it with some brown boots, I do a burgundy lipstick and pull my hair into a messy a bun as I walk down to the living room. Theo eyes me from up to down and I hear a low growl rumble from his chest. "Everything okay? "I ask as a mischievous smile plays on my lips; knowing that he is irritated with my top being too revealing. He just huffs and walks out of the door and I follow him.

 "You know you shouldn't be worried about these things, I've lived alone for almost 8 yrs and i know how to protect myself, besides if anyone even tries something like that, I'll gorge their eyes out." I say with confidence. "I'll decapitate them before they even think about harming you." He grits his teeth.

"Okay calm down, we are talking about a hypothetical situation here." I continue as I rub his arm invoking the mate bond and he instantly relaxes. "One of the perks of the mate bond" I say and give him a clever smile. "Smart girl" He says and I laugh in response.

We are soon joined by Charles who wolf whistles as he sees me. "Look at you, serving us looks every day, who are you going to impress out there Athena?" He says purposely trying to piss off Theo. "Well, who else but you Charles." I play along trying to get a reaction from Theo. "Ever since I laid my eyes on you, you're all i think about, all day, every day, every night Charles!" I cry out dramatically and he bursts into laughter. "Careful Athena, I smell something burning or should I say someone?" and wiggles his eyebrows. Theo looks at us disbelievingly and scoffs, "You two are like the older versions of Aiden and Nadia but with the same brain size as them."

"So you're saying you see your sister in Athena?" Charles questions Theo and I couldn't help myself as I snorted out a laugh and they both turn to me with wide eyes. "Did you just snort!" Charles said" sorry" I say as I hold a hand over my mouth. "It was cute" Theo states and I shoot him a grateful smile. "Of course you would say that, you're whipped." Charles declares and Theo glares at him causing him to shut up.

We soon get to the pack house which is filled to the brim, everyone parts their way for Theo and Charles as I lag behind, but a hand shoots out and he pulls me to his side, I look up to him and he gives me a smile. I start hearing whispers from the crowd like "who is she? Why is the Alpha keeping her close, "I'm told she's a special guest" one of them says. "Could she be the Alpha's current conquest?" And I freeze at the last remark. 'How could I not have thought of that before, of course Theo has been with other women and I start fidgeting and hyperventilating as my thoughts go on an overdrive. Suddenly I feel a calming sensation flow through my body and look down at our joined hands, I see Theo rubbing circles on the back of my hand invoking the mate bond to calm me down. A small smile appears on my face as we finally get to the dining hall. It is twice as big as the one back home. Then again this is the biggest pack in these regions we are talking about.

Theo lets go of my hand as he and Charles walk up to the high table and I find myself a space on one of the corner tables. As the pack hall starts filling up I catch Theo's' eye and he is looking at me apologetically, I send him a reassuring smile and he nods as people come up to talk to their Alpha and he averts his gaze from me. Just then I see a shadow loom over me. "Athena?" A voice asks and I look up. "Hazel, hi hows it going?" I ask. "It's good,I didn't see you for training the past two days so thought you'd left." She responds. "Oh I just got busy." I say with a wave of my hand. 

"So, uhh can we join you, everywhere else seems full." She asks as she looks around the hall. "Yeah sure, why not?" I reply and see her wave her hands frantically and soon enough a few people come over to the table. "Hey,guys this is Athena, she is a guest here." Athena these are my friends. Rachel ; who is a nurse at the pack hospital, she points to a girl with blonde hair. This is Cathy; she is a teacher at the pack school, she points at a brunette who has long wavy hair which she has tied into a tight bun. This is Devin; the pack doctor and Cathy's mate she points to a fairly short guy with striking black eyes and he smiles at me politely and finally this is Noah; head trainer and my mate she says proudly holding on to his arm as he kisses her cheek and we all 'awwww' simultaneously.

"Everyone this is Athena, the woman who figured out my weakness in an instant and handed my ass over to me in a fight." Hazel says casually and we all laugh.

Soon the breakfast starts being served and we start small conversations among ourselves, I tell them about my business and the girls all gush over it and I promise them some clothes from my line.

Suddenly Rachel speaks up, "oh oh, douche-bag alert." and she points to a certain direction as I see a guy about my age coming towards us while swaggering. "Careful Athena,seems like he is headed for you," Cathy warns.

The guy comes and sits on my opposite side, his back facing Theo. "What's up beautiful?" He says in fake deep voice and I try my best not to laugh. From the corner of my eye i see Theo stiffen in his place and I subtly shake my head; indicating that I'll handle this on my own.

"Sorry, you're talking to me?" I ask. "Why of course babe,do you see me looking at anyone else?" He asks cockily and I raise a questioning eyebrow. "I'm Caleb by the way," he introducing himself. "Athena" I respond. " whoaa like that Greek goddess! no wonder you look so heavenly." He comments and I hear Rachel and Hazel try but almost fail to hold in their laughter.

"Why are you here Caleb?" I ask him clearly bored of this conversation as I notice both Theo and Charles listening in.

"Well it's obvious isn't it? I'm flirting with you." He answers and gives me one of his well practiced smiles. I must say, dude's got confidence.

"Well Caleb, the way you flirt is just shameful." I say with no emotion on my face and all the color from his face drains as he realizes he just got owned.

"Serves him right", I hear one of the girls say from another table, "he always goes around making us feel uncomfortable." She adds.

"Hey Caleb," Cathy calls. "The trash gets picked out later today, make sure to be ready." She concludes and some of the girls laugh.

"You're gonna pay for his" he snarls at me and starts to walk away. "Can't wait," I respond and he shoots me a glare filled with hatred. 

"That was amazing, you certainly gave him what he deserved, he has been harassing the females for months now," Hazel says. "How comes no one has ever said or done anything?" I ask them. "Caleb's father is part of the council so he uses his dad's name to instill fear among the members, that's why no one says anything against him." Rachel answers.

"That's so wrong, how comes no one told Th...I mean your Alpha about this?" I'm sure he would have done something, because I hear that even the council fears him," I muse as I take a bite out of my cookie.

"That's true Athena, but Caleb blackmails the girls and that's why no one speaks about it so the Alpha has no idea." Noah says and I widen my eyes in anger. "This guy must be put down," I say furiously "I agree," Cathy says and the rest of the group nods in agreement too.

As we walk back towards the house, I muse silently over the events that just took place. Theo and Charles decide to steer clear of me as the wheels in my head turn. I look at both of them and say " you really had no idea this was happening in your pack?" and they both shake their heads. "It's disgusting really, how he treats women, if it were up to me I would've ripped him apart limb to limb and scattered his pieces all over the Atlantic Ocean." I say as I growl in frustration, "whoa there tiger calm down." Charles says. "Remind me never to piss you off in the future," and I shoot him a glare. " sorry sorry," he says as he raises his hands in surrender and steps away from me.

"Athena, love you need to calm down." Theo says, "you can't go around declaring your desires to kill people. Caleb is untouchable; his dad and the council have made sure of that." Theo says as he tries to bring some reasoning on the matter.

"Ohh that damn council, always causing problems for everyone. How I hate them, they are practically the reason I left 8 yrs ago." I grumble in annoyance not realizing that both men heard me. Very clearly might I add.

"What?" They both say in unison. "Care to repeat what you just said love?" Theo beseeches and I pretend not to hear him as I walk further ahead.

"Athena!" Charles calls, "we both heard you clearly, so it doesn't matter if you repeat it or not" He voices. "Why did you have to leave all those years ago and how is the council involved?" Theo implores. "It doesn't matter you guys, I'm back now. It's all in the past, I say. "It may be in the past, but your reaction clearly shows you are still miffed about it." Charles states.

By now we are already at the front door of the house and I walk in with the duo following me inside. Theo walks up to me and rubs my cheek with his thumb, "talk to us Athena, we are here to help you." He says calmly and I couldn't resist him. "We need to tell Charles first" I say and Theo nods knowing what i mean.

"Tell me what?" Charles inquires. "You might need to sit down for this," I tell him,and we all move to the living room and take a sit on the couches. I urge Theo to tell Charles. "Athena is an alpha female, Charles." Theo says lowly almost whispering. It takes Charles more than a minute to recover from his shocked state.

"Whha-aa-at-ttt" he wheezes out, "that's not possible" he says in disbelief "it is possible Charles and I'm a walking example of it," I say solemnly.

After Charles comes to terms with my status, I continue to tell them of how I overheard my parents talk about it and how the council could not know, otherwise they would have hunted me down and killed me, and that's why I chose to run away at the age of 16 and I blamed the council for ruining my life for at least 4 yrs until I decided to let go of it, but a part of me still wants them gone.

Theo and Charles both stay silent for a while until Theo speaks up, "now the council has another reason to fear me," He says and I see anger brewing in his eyes.

"I swear Athena, one day the council will pay and on that day it will be us against them ,with you by my side." He takes a hold of my hand and kisses my knuckles.

Charles takes a hold of my other hand tightly and says "you've grown on me in these few days and you're like a sister to me now Athena, I promise to protect you, come what may." He says and squeezes my hand in reassurance as a lone tear falls down my cheek.

As I prepare for bed that night, I walk to my window but I don't see the blue eyes. I breathe a sigh of relief and I'm about to turn back when I catch sight of them, chills run down my spine as I realize this person has been stalking me for the past 3 days and knows my sleeping schedule. I visibly shake as fear latches on to me and I shout, "Theo!" In a flash he is in my room, "What is it love? Are you hurt?" He says worriedly as he checks me for injuries.

"I'm fine" I whisper. 

"Then, what is it?" He questions and I point outside my window.