Athena’s POV
"Athena! Are you okay?" Ralph's voice echoed through the mind link, a comforting presence.
I found myself unable to reply as Bardulf's wolf hovered over me, its menacing snarl filling the air. His eye lingered on me for a moment, a mixture of emotions playing on his features, before he turned and walked away.
“Athena!” Ralph's concern persisted.
"I'm fine," I replied, the connection between us allowing him to sense the uproar of emotions. We were now mates, and the bond was undeniable.
“I just slipped and fell,” I offered, masking the true uneasiness beneath a simple falsehood.
“Where are you?”
"Taking a walk in the woods," I responded, masking the tension within.
“It's not safe.”
“What do you mean?”
“I'm coming to meet you,” Ralph declared with a protecti
