ATHENA'S REVENGE: TAMING HER RUTHLESS ALPHA

Chapter 03

A groan left my lips. Pain.

That's all I felt. My entire being ached.

Even while being stuck in a world of darkness, I could still feel nothing but pain. It felt like I was dying all over again. I was within the shadows, trapped with my fears and regrets and a calm soothing female voice that stopped me from sinking deeper and deeper into the darkness. Her voice was like a magnet pulling me towards the surface, keeping me from plummeting into oblivion. I wondered who she was, and why she was consistently reaching out for me. Except for her voice I didn't hear much, she was my only source of comfort and even sometimes she would go away too, leaving with me the foreign feel of her touch on my skin. It was almost as if I relied on her presence to survive. Maybe that wasn't so far from the truth, I relied on her. I'd be forever lost in the darkness without her. She kept me going, gave me something to hold on to. Something to fuel my desire of exerting revenge on those responsible for my untimely demise.

"I am here my child,"

It was her, the voice in the darkness. She was back. She called out for me. I could feel her warmth around me, sending a chill all over my body.

Then I felt water droplets on my skin. It was from her who else would it be from? Was she... crying for me? Who was she and why did she seem to care so much about me?

"It is I, child, the moon goddess. I have taken pity on you hereby granting you what you desire the most. I will give you a chance to rewrite the wrong done to you, to live again, a chance of happiness, a chance to start over in this timeline, in a life quite different from yours. Is that what you desire?”

"Yes Goddess that is what I desire.” I spoke after what seemed like forever.

"Very well then, your wish is my command child. But I must remind you that every blessing you see, comes with a curse. Do you still wish to bear this burden?”

"I do.” I said, not hesitating a second. There was nothing to think about. This was a chance to live again, this was a chance to get back what was stolen from me. I was not about to let this once in a lifetime opportunity pass me by.

“Open your eyes my dear, the world awaits you." She said again, awakening a dormant part of my soul. Her words succeeded in dragging me out of my darkness, guiding me to a place I never thought existed. This was finally it, I was escaping my prison. With all my might I ran towards the bright light, afraid it might vanish into the shadows.

***

The first thing I saw when my eyes flew open was the plain white ceiling. Wincing, I tried to sit up straight to get a better view of my surroundings but I couldn't move. My body felt heavy, as if the weight of the world had rested on me. I made an effort to speak, but the only sound that left my lips was a faint moan.

Am alive! I'm really alive! The moon goddess–it was all real.

"Ohh thank the heavens! You're awake!" A soft voice squealed with delight. Someone was here, a young lady. Her face came into my view, and upon seeing me she smiled in happiness. Who could she be?

“Athena you’re really awake…b-but how's that possible you, after we found you in a pool of blood the doctor said you…fell into a coma…and that you may never wake…”

"W-who...are...you?" I surprised myself by speaking, my voice hoarse from being silent for too long. The woman's eyes widened in shock.

"It's me, Raven. Enough of your silly games, it won't save you from the heap of trouble you're in.”

“Huh?” I blinked.

"How could you even think of taking your life! I know you can be crazy sometimes but…attempting suicide is so messed up even for you.”

Suicide? What in the goddess’s name was she talking about? And who the hell was Athena? Am I in some sort of dreamscape?

“What if you actually died huh? Then what would've been our fate? Why do you have to be so selfish, Athena!” she frowned, addressing me with that name again—Athena. I opened my mouth to speak but was silenced by the sharp pain that ran down my spine and that's when I noticed the blade marks on my wrist. She wasn't spewing out nonsense afterall, I did try to end my life. But why?

"Shhh, don't say a word I'll go get the physician." Just as she was about to leave me all by myself I grabbed the hem of her dress with my fingers, holding her back with everything I've got.

"W-wait! Where am I?"

"Huh–?" The woman, whose face lit up a while ago was now staring at me like I've grown an extra head.

“You're in our pack, the Blackblood pack." Immediately she removed my fingers from her dress, and hurried to the door.

"Stay put, I'll get help!" She told me before fleeing to who knows where. Mustering the willpower to move, I groaned as I pushed myself off the bed, standing weakly on my feet. I felt like hardness of the wooden floor beneath my feet assuring me that this was real and not a dream. I fell to the floor when a sharp pain shot through my head and the memories of the tragic night I was killed came crashing into my head. I died, murdered by the rogues my mate hired. That part was clear enough. I also was granted another chance to live by the moon goddess. It all seemed like a bad nightmare, so unreal, yet the proof was my very own existence. I had been reborn. In almost an instant the door burst open, revealing a male figure with piercing gray eyes and brown hair who stared at me in shock and something else—anger. The middle aged man walked towards me, accompanied by a whole lot of people I didn't recognize. Raven was by my side before I had noticed her presence, she helped me to get up on my feet, just for me to be grabbed by the furious middle aged man. I didn't fail to realize that he had this powerful aura radiating off him, the kind you only find within alphas. s**t he was an alpha!

“You ungrateful brat!!" he bellowed, his face red with rage. "After everything I've done for you, how dare you go against my orders?" I stood before him, my eyes wide with confusion as he towered over me.

What in the goddess name could he be talking about? If anger had a face then I was staring right at it. I winced in pain as he tightened his grip on my arm.

"I took you in, gave you a family, a pack, a life that so many could only dream of," he spat, his voice venomous. "Yet you decide to repay my kindness with evil. I think you've clearly forgotten that I own you."

I knew this shouldn't get to me because I had no f*****g idea what he was talking about, but for some reason, it did. Maybe it was the way he looked at me, with such contempt and disdain. Or maybe it was the way he spoke to me, like I was nothing more than a possession. Whatever the reason was, I felt a lump form in my throat as I struggled to hold back tears. Why does it hurt to hear him say these words? These emotions, they aren't mine, they belong to her, Athena.

"Luther, go easy on the girl," a woman rushed behind the alpha in a bid to alleviate his anger. "She's not fully recovered."

Luther turned to face the woman. "Stay out of this, Hilda," he growled.

Hilda's eyes widened in fear, no doubt she knew just what he was capable of doing but she didn't back down. Instead, she took a step forward, her eyes locked on Luther. "Please," she said, her voice firm but gentle. "Do not do this. She's just a child."

“A child that needs to be taught a lesson,"

"She hasn't fully recovered, you know she's fragile!" Hilda fired.

Luther's jaw tightened, and he raised his hand to strike me. But then, he seemed to think better of it, and his hand dropped to his side. "You'll do as I say girl!" he spat at me. "You'll marry Alpha Damian tomorrow, whether you like it or not."

My eyes widened in horror. Marry Alpha Damian?

"You really think attempting to kill yourself would get me to change my mind?" he sneered. "Just remember that you brought this upon yourself when you helped Tanya flee. If only you had stopped her from escaping her fate, then you wouldn't be taking her place now, would you?”

“I’m sure the girl has seen the error of her ways,” Hilda uttered in my defense.

“It's far too late for that now. Fortunately for us, Alpha Damian has no idea who my daughter is, or what she looks like." he said, relieved.

"Don't forget, our lives depend on this alliance." With that, Luther turned and stormed out of the room with the trio that escorted him in, leaving me alone with Hilda and Raven. As soon as he was gone, Hilda rushed to my side, her eyes filled with tears. "Why Athena?" she broke down crying. "Why would you do such a thing?"

I blinked hard, wondering who she was to Athena.

“I thought I lost you." Her voice cracked as she cried some more. “Why isn't the physician here yet?"

"I sent a servant to fetch him, I'll go see what's taking them so long.“ Raven left, bowing her head to Hilda. It was damn obvious she was the Luna of the pack by the way Raven addressed her. I couldn't help but feel emotionally attached to her, I felt I could trust her wholeheartedly, like she was safe to be around. I could feel her motherly love towards Athena. She cared for her.

“Are you alright, do you feel pains anywhere?" She asked, taking my hand.

“Mom, I'm fine" I surprised myself by saying, my voice almost sounding like a whisper. I took my hand from hers confused about whatever I was feeling. Why did I say that?

"Mom? You called me mom?" By the looks of it I wasn't the only one shocked by my sudden words. I should just stop opening my darn mouth.

“I've waited a long time to hear you call me that, thank you Athena.” tears rolled down her cheeks as she wrapped her arms around me and it felt nice to be in her arms.

“Athena!" I broke free from Hilda's hug when a young man rushed into the room, his gray eyes scanning the room until they landed on me. My eyes narrowed at him, his neatly combed brown hair and chiseled features made him look like a copy of Alpha Luther, and I realized that they must be related.

"Athena, you're awake!" he exclaimed, staring at me like I was a ghost. "How...did you survive?"

"Athena you have no idea how worried Kristian had been–” Hilda started but was silenced by the man in the room.

"Mother, can we have the room?"

He turned to Hilda. Mother? He was the alpha’s and Luna's son.

"Alright, I'll be downstairs. If you need anything, send for me." Hilda directed to me, rising up from the bed and shutting the door behind her as she walked out leaving me alone with this unfamiliar stranger. He waited for a minute before turning his attention back to me. He sat down on my bedside, his eyes never leaving mine.

"I came running here as soon as I heard you had woken up," he said. "How are you feeling? The doctor said...he was certain you wouldn't survive the night. Do you feel dizzy, are you hurting,” He placed his palm on my forehead checking my temperature.

“I’m fine Kristian,” I tell him, slowly retracting from his touch. I didn't feel too comfortable with his hands on me.

“Yeah, maybe too fine," he said, staring at me like I was insane, like my existence was impossible.

“I’m just glad you didn't die,” he enveloped me with his arms. "I don't know how to live in a world without you my love.”

My love? Perhaps he and Athena were…

In an instant he pulled away from me and planted his lips on mine. My eyes widened in shock.

Shit! Athena was having an affair with the alpha's son.