Pawn Luna for My Three Alphas

Break This Engagement

Athena's POV:

I glanced up at Sebastian, feeling grateful, but there was no warmth in his gaze―only the neverending darkness. It seemed as if he reserved that look for everyone, keeping a perpetual distance between himself and the world.

Before I could say a word, a voice as sharp as a knife cut through.

"Who told you to save her?" Damon demanded, his eyes blazing with a mixture of fury and disdain. The mere sight of him now made me stiffen.

'Arrogant jerk!' 

Sebastian steadied me on my feet. His voice, however, was colder than ice.

"She could have died," He said curtly.

Damon's lips curled into a cruel smile, "As if I care." His gaze shifted to me as he came closer to me, "Always playing the victim, aren't you?" 

Instinctively, I backed away, but it didn't matter. Damon's hand shot out, clamping firmly around my neck. I gasped, my hands grabbing his as I struggled to break free. 

But Damon's hold didn't waver. "Is this how you plan to play with me?" His voice dripped with menace, and his eyes flickered with a dangerous, deep brown hue. 

Damon's grip tightened, his thumb pressing hard against my throat as if he wanted to crush it entirely. All I could do was gasp, my vision starting to blur as panic seized my heart.

'Damn it!'

Damon was a demon. No girl deserves to be treated like this, not even me, no matter what happened in the past. If I was not so desperate, I'd have hit him right then and there. 

My hands weakly clawed against his, struggling to break free.

'But am I even strong enough to stop him?'

Just as the world began to blur around me, I heard a familiar voice. 

"Brother! Don't do that!"

Zion firmly grabbed Damon's hand, urging him to let go, "Don't forget Athena is my friend. You're going too far!" 

Meanwhile, Sebastian remained aloof, leaning casually against the railing, his cold eyes watching me as if he wished for my demise. 

"Damon!" Zion repeated furiously.

With a low growl, Damon finally released his grip, and I collapsed to the floor, gasping and coughing as I desperately pulled air into my lungs. 

"Are you okay?"

Zion worriedly knelt beside me, rubbing my back in soothing circles before leading me away from his overbearing brothers.

We walked in silence until we reached a secluded corner of the corridor. My legs gave out, and I sank to my knees, still struggling to process everything that had just happened.

"Why are you doing this?" Zion's voice broke the silence, full of confusion and disappointment. I turned my head, meeting his gaze. 

He looked hurt, a look I never expected to see from him. "You're my close friend, Athena. I never imagined you'd propose something like this. Do you even understand what you're asking from us?"

'I understand enough.' 

But I couldn't tell him the truth. There were so many uncertainties. Where could I even begin?

Worse, Veliciah had her eyes everywhere. She would surely snitch me to father again if she found out my true intentions.

"This is what Godmother wanted," I said quietly, holding Zion's gaze. "She said I had to marry all three of you to prevent something terrible happening to our packs."

Zion shook his head, "This sudden demand for marriage is frustrating. I've always seen you as a friend, someone I care about, and it feels strange to hear this from you out of the blue."

Zion's kindness and respect for me made it harder for me to stay strong. Out of the three brothers, he was the one who saw me as human, not as a failure.

I wish I didn't have to lie to him.

"Have any of you asked your father to break this engagement?" I asked quietly.

Zion hesitated, then shook his head, "It's… complicated. But it would be best if you just stay away from now."

I bit my lips, my fingers curling into a tight fist. It was clear none of the brothers wanted this marriage, so why haven't they tried to break the engagement?

"Well, don't come near Damon. He has an ill temper," Zion said with a deep sigh, and with that, he walked away.

I closed my eyes for a moment, shaking off the memory of Damon's hands around me. It still caused a shiver to run down my spine. Perhaps it would be best to ignore Damon and wait for him to finally speak with his father.

It was lunch time soon.

I went to the cafeteria alone, took my tray, and sat at an isolated table far away from the other students. 

I was used to being an outcast. No one wanted to befriend me, and being an omega only made it worse.

But just as I picked up the spoon, someone slammed their hand on the table.

I looked up and saw a group of five girls standing before me, led by Sylvia Woods, Damon's girlfriend.

Trying to avoid trouble, I stood up, tray in hand, ready to leave. But one of the girls quickly stepped in front of me, blocking my path.

"We didn't say you could leave, Omega," Sylvia sneered, crossing her arms and glaring at me.

"I have class in ten minutes," I replied, but just as I tried to walk away, one of the girls grabbed my arm, her nails digging into my skin. I winced at the pain but masked it, unwilling to show my weakness.

"Don't you think you owe me an apology?" Sylvia's voice was laced with venom. "Get on your knees and promise you'll stay away from Damon."

The cafeteria fell silent. I could feel every pair of eyes in the room on me. Why now? Why did this have to happen in front of everyone?

I opened my mouth to respond, but my gaze shifted when I saw the three Toler brothers enter the canteen. After a moment's hesitation, I lowered my gaze and attempted to walk away.

But Sylvia wasn't done. She stuck out her foot just as I passed. I could've dodged it, but I let myself stumble, crashing to the ground. 

The tray flew out of my hands, food scattering across the floor. The clattering echoed through the hall, drawing all attention to me. I winced, holding onto my arm as if I had felt a serious fall.

"How pathetic," Sylvia chuckled, gripping a fistful of my hair and yanking my head back painfully as I let out a pained cry, "Damon is mine. Got it?" she hissed, her eyes blazing. "Now, say sorry."

I clenched my jaw tight, refusing to break down.

This was happening just like before. Memories, cold and suffocating, returned to my mind. The first time Sylvia hit me was when I accidentally looked at Damon for a moment too long.

Now, she slapped me hard, and my cheek stung as the sound echoed through the now-silent hall. Everyone was watching, but no one moved. No one dared to intervene—after all, Sylvia was the daughter of the Alpha of the Dark Forest Pack, and her strength far outweighed mine.

No one had said a single thing either when she last raised her hand on me. I suffered grave wounds that never fully healed, and when I retaliated, she twisted the narrative―playing the victim instead.

Sylvia remained in the hospital for three months, and everyone started whispering about how I had driven her there. It was strange. They never had faith in my strength, but it took so little for all of them to believe I had malice.

This was also the time when Damon started becoming insufferable. 

He was too fiercely protective, and believing Sylvia's lies, Damon decided to make my life worse.

Sylvia did not hit me after that incident, at least not when Damon could be around. 

"What a loser!" Sylvia laughed, raising her hand to strike me again. But just then, someone grabbed her arm, stopping her mid-swing. 

"Enough!" Damon growled while peering into my eyes. I wonder if he shouted at Sylvia or me.