ATHENA (She's a Goddess)

CHAPTER 7

ATHENA'S POV:

I stared at the man who stood in my room, and I felt very self conscious in the pink pajamas I wore. It was choked full of ruffles and lace and cat motifs all over it. Milena had gushed and gushed about how beautiful I looked, so feminine, she had said. And the color compliments my white hair too. I felt too shy to tell her the ruffles made me uncomfortable, so I just wore it.

Cody cleared his throat, his eyes focused on me. "How are you doing?" He asked.

I paused before I replied. The healer has recently left. She checked my injuries and asked if I was having any pains. I had a headache and I was still very tired. Mostly from all the unboxing I did with the twins.

"I'm okay," I said.

I gripped the hem of my pajamas shirt and stared at him. "A-and, how are you?"

He blinked, as if he didn't expect the question to come from me. "I'm fine, thank you. I came to check in on you."

I nodded. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Goodnight." He said and turned to leave.

"Wait." I called out. He paused and turned to face me.

"What is it?"

I swallowed a lump in my throat before I continued. “Please I want you to help me clearify something” I paused for a while trying to read his expression before I continue.

" Yes?"

“Pls can you explain to me what a mate bond is?".

He looked at me with furrowed brow.

He faced me fully. “Do you feel a mate bond?"

I shook my head. Nothing. I don't feel anything.

"Then there's no need to bother yourself about mate bonds." He said in a dismissive way.

With that man I could tell at glance if he was angry or not. When he was angry, I could prepare myself for whatever he decided to do to me.

But with Cody, it's like I'm staring at a blank wall. And that scares me. I can't tell what he's thinking, I can't tell how he'll act next. These questions about the mate bond and whatever, why is was the alpha asking me about it? And why is it so hard to get direct answers.?

"Athena?" A voice called outside my room. "I'm coming in,"

Before I could protest the door opened and a woman walked in. I recognize her, from when I was at the hospital room. She was the one who brought clothes and brought me food too. But I didn't catch her name.

She walked in, and her eyes fell on Cody first.

And I saw it.

I saw his expression shift from blankness to something else. I couldn't name that something else, but it caused my heart to beat hard. He smiled at her, and his eyes softened when he saw her. I looked at her, and my heart beat again.

What is going on?

"Victoria," He said, and he smiled at her. "What are you doing here?"

Victoria looked at me and turned to Cody. She mirrored his smile, "I came looking for Athena. I heard she was feeling better now."

They both looked at me. I shuddered and took a step back.

"I should be going to sleep now." I said. Something about this atmosphere was very uncomfortable for me. And I wanted to crawl under a blanket and cover myself.

"Have a goodnight then," Victoria said with a smile. But that smile didn't look good at all. She turned to Cody. "We should give Athena some time to rest, right?"

"Goodnight Athena" Cody said. He and Victoria walked out, talking in low tones that I couldn't hear.

I went to bed, and I did my best not to think about what had just happened.

Perhaps tomorrow I'll ask the twins about mate bonds and whatever.

****

The next morning, the twins invited me to their dining room for breakfast. They said they normally had breakfast with their brother, but today he was too busy to join them at the table.

I sat beside Milena, feeling uncomfortable with the amount of food laid out on the table. I looked down at my plate, I had gone for something simpler. Some toasted bread and eggs. I can't remember the last time I ate something like this, life in that cage took everything fancy from me.

"Athena?" Morrigan called. I looked up at her, her warm brown eyes were full of concern. "You don't like the food."

"No, I do."

"But you haven't taken a bite," Milena said.

I sighed softly and my shoulders slumped. My stomach is too unsettled for me to eat. I faced Milena. "How does the mate bond work?"

She blinked and her fork fell off her hand. "Mate bond?"

I nodded. She and Morrigan exchanged a glance.

"Well," Milena turned to me. She cleared her throat. "You find your mate, and then you feel the bond. And then you both live happily ever after."

Cody and I, happily ever after?

My stomach twisted in more butterflies.

"Is something wrong, did you find your mate?" Morrigan asked.

I sighed. "No." I'm not lying. I don't feel a mate bond. "If you don't feel the bond, then..."

"Then you're not mated to the person." Morrigan finished.

"Although there's not been instances of one sided mate bonds," Milena said. "It's always both ways. Unless something happens and you can't feel it yourself."

Like in this case where my wolf isn't with me? What if the mate bond is actually there and I'm just...

Cody is my mate?

I picked up my glass of water and drank half of it.

This is so stressful.

"You'll find your mate, if that's what you're worried about." Milena said. She flashed a bright smile and gave me a thumbs up. "Don't worry about it."

Everyone here just keeps telling me not to worry.

How can I not worry?

It's all I do. It's all I think about.

I can't stop worrying about everything.

How will my life go on from here on out? How am I going to do now?

I picked up a piece of toast and bit into it.

"Today we're going to headquarters." Milena said and took my hand. "Come with us,"

"You'll be safe with us," Morrigan added. "We can go with guards, I'm sure my brother will allow it."

Alpha Tristan must have told them.