Athena POV
I kept my body low, every muscle drawn tight as I watched the forest through narrowed eyes. The trees were quiet now, but I had heard them earlier, three, maybe four men crashing through the underbrush, weapons and heavy boots disturbing the soil. They weren’t hunting prey. They were hunting something.
And I knew exactly what.
I had masked my scent the moment the first twig snapped behind me. I’d used mud, crushed leaves, even the stale moss under the fallen log I had hidden beneath. I stayed still for what felt like a full hour, barely breathing, letting their footsteps fade until only the wind remained.
I could not be caught.
I must never be caught.
But the world had shifted overnight. I’d heard whispers, half formed rumors carried by and foolish wolves. A young woman ha
