Chapter 0105

Athena

Dominic's voice hadn't echoed in my mind since we returned to Silver Creek.

Hearing it now sent an icy tremor down my spine.

My body shook involuntarily.

His words had always been instruments of fear.

"You hear them?" Alpha Alexander asked softly.

I nodded.

"Alp—" I stopped when he raised an eyebrow.

"Equals," he murmured. "You can't keep addressing everyone as Alpha or Beta anymore." His lips curved into a slight smile. "You've surpassed that. You're an Alpha now."

"D... Alexander," I stammered.

It felt strange and wrong to say his name without the title.

"Nyx is blocking them out. But Dominic broke through. They're coming."

I turned back toward the body consumed by flames.

The bones were nearly bare.

A dark thought crept into my mind—doing the same to Dominic and Victoria.

I wanted them to feel every ounce of pain I had endured.

Burning them alive seemed fitting.

I wasn’t that timid girl anymore.

Alexander was listening to my thoughts, as he always did when I grew quiet.

His hand caught mine.

His fingers interlaced with mine, locking us together.

He leaned close. "As much as I want to take you right now, we need to go prepare."

He seemed drawn to this new, darker side of me.

Alexander pulled me swiftly through the forest.

His eyes scanned constantly, ensuring we avoided danger.

We broke through the trees into the main pack area.

Theodore was striding toward us.

His arms swung forcefully at his sides.

"Julian broke his back in two places. He'll be down for the rest of the day," he told Alexander as he halted.

His deep green eyes flickered toward me.

Did he know?

"Two places?" Alexander confirmed.

Theodore nodded.

His usual bun was undone, dark hair framing his face, making him look fierce.

"He'll be out for a while."

His gaze dropped to our joined hands.

"What's happening? Did you handle the body?"

Alexander nodded.

"They're coming. We don't know when, but it's imminent. Julian was right."

Theodore's green eyes fixed on me.

"You've accepted, haven't you? That's how you know they're coming."

I nodded slowly.

He didn't sound pleased. It felt almost like an accusation.

"What's wrong, Theodore?" Alexander questioned.

"Nothing. I'm just surprised, that's all."

"Surprised?"

"After everything that's happened, I didn't expect... this." He frowned. "I didn't expect it to happen."

'He's hiding something,' Nyx murmured.

I agreed. His shifting eyes gave him away.

"Just tell us!" Alexander snapped, losing patience.

Theodore sighed.

"The reason I came to find you before we were called to the forest... I managed to uncover more about the one who died during her third binding."

"And?"

"Maybe we should discuss this inside."

"Here is fine," Alexander snapped, annoyed by the delay.

Theodore glanced around, checking if we were alone.

I found myself doing the same.

His nervousness was contagious.

"They tried binding her after she became Alpha. That's what killed her. If they get their hands on you..."

"You think they'll bind me and it'll kill me?" I muttered.

'Nothing is ever simple, is it?' Nyx groaned.

Theodore let out a heavy sigh and nodded.

"That's not going to happen," Alexander stated, staring at Theodore. "Do you really think I'd let her out of my sight long enough for them to take her?"

Did he forget I left the house alone?

Or that Isabella and I went into the forest without him?

I kept my mouth shut. Now wasn't the time for stupid remarks.

"Well, no. It's just... There's talk about how foolish this Dominic is. What if it's an act? Caleb kept saying Dominic was stupid, that Victoria was pulling the strings. If you think about it, it's probably both of them. What if they want us to believe one is weaker than the other?"