Chapter 0295

"She believes it will improve her image." Athena responds without turning toward them. "To cast herself as the hero." "To appear deserving of the Alpha title." Alexander adds.

"I tried." Zoe murmurs. "I tried everything and..."

"This isn't on you." Caleb tells her. "Many attempted to guide her. We can't force help on those who refuse it."

"SILENCE!" Athena shrieks, and the room falls utterly still.

"Remove her from here!" Lucas commands sharply.

"I'll handle her!" I state firmly. "You remain here," I instruct Alexander, hoisting Athena over my shoulder and swiftly exiting the training hall.

"Release me, Zachary." Her fists pound against my lower back as I carry her across the grounds. I desperately hope she doesn't shift. Her Lycan form could shred my back in moments.

"Not until we're inside the house." I mutter, securing my grip around her legs to prevent kicking.

"Zachary!" Her voice is dangerously low. I set her down the instant we cross the threshold, slamming the door shut behind us. Her eyes are completely black as she glares at me.

"Move aside!"

"Athena," I grasp her face, forcing her to meet my gaze. "Don't release her. Remember your boys. They need you. They need their mother. You cannot let her win." She stares back, a faint ring of blue emerging around her pupils. "My babies need their mother." She whispers.

"Exactly. And Alexander needs you. The Lycans need you."

She presses her temples, eyes shutting tightly. When they reopen, her usual eye color has returned. "It's her, isn't it? She is my darkness."

"We think so." I've suspected this for a long time. Each person's darkness is unique, triggered by different things, but Athena's seemed to be her own Lycan spirit. Lucas was convinced. "Why did you tell her to be quiet?"

"She constantly accuses everyone of lying. Tells me to kill them. Warns me not to trust them. Sometimes she talks over what I'm trying to hear and..."

"The words just blend into a muffled noise?"

"Yes. It makes it impossible to hear anything else. How did you know that?"

"You were close." I've been discreetly monitoring her since we first realized she was nearing Rogue status. She occasionally discussed it or asked questions, but mostly I observed from afar. And until today, I'd never heard her yell at her Lycan.

She throws her hands up, stepping back from me. "How can I possibly lead Lycans as an Alpha when I can't even control my own mind?"

I can't believe I'm actually considering it. But that arrogant hunter knows infinitely more about Lycans than I do, especially the purebloods. I can't believe I'm contemplating asking for his assistance.

Athena is pacing the office when Lucas raps his knuckles against the open door.

"Where's Alexander?" I ask, glancing out into the large hall.

"Speaking with the other Lycans." He replies, but his focused frown is directed at the pacing Athena. "She's still very close to the surface."

"Why do you think I'm still stationed here?"

"Has she said anything?" He continues to watch her movements.

"She asked me if Nyx is her darkness. I confirmed it." He finally looks at me. "How do we address this? How do we prevent her Lycan from shattering her?" "We don't." He returns his gaze to tracking her pacing.

"Are you completely insane?"

"You're misunderstanding me, Rogue. Her soul is unlike any other I've encountered. Perhaps it's the bloodline, I'm still uncertain. But what I do know is that Athena is the sole person who can control her Lycan."

"I can hear you." Athena snaps.

"It wasn't meant to be a secret." Lucas smirks at her, and I intensely want to punch his face.

She stops directly in front of us. Hands on her hips, she drags her teeth over her bottom lip. "She doesn't control my abilities, does she?" "No." Lucas answers.

"But she only manifested when....." Her voice trails off, cheeks flushing. "And then everything else developed around the same time. The enhanced senses. The hearing."

"If that were true, and she controlled that aspect of you, every Wolf and Lycan would possess an inner spirit." He informs her.

"Right?!" She resumes pacing. "Can I bind her?"