Chapter 0044

Alexander's Drama

"Who?" Isabella sputtered.

"Our prisoner." I had given her some information, but not all of it. I might have neglected to tell her exactly what he was.

"Right. And why does Athena need to meet him?"

"Because he claims to be Athena's brother." My mate stood completely still, frozen in time. She hadn't wanted to meet him, and I didn't blame her. But now, he might be the only one who could answer questions about herself. "Athena?"

"No." She shook her head at me. "No, I... I don't want to. You said... you said it was up to me."

"I did. But now I think it will be beneficial. I can't prepare you."

"Prepare me for what?"

"For your first shift."

Her mouth dropped open.

'She has somehow forgotten that part of being unbound,' Titan mumbled.

"It will happen, Athena. You won't be able to stop it. The least I can do is make sure you are prepared."

She looked pained. Instead of lowering her eyes, she stared up at the ceiling as she shook her head.

Her thoughts were just jumbled words that made no sense. She couldn't even form complete sentences. Except for one glaring statement. 'He did this!'

She blamed me.

"Isabella, leave!" I ordered.

Hearing my tone, she didn't question me. She hurried out the door, slamming it shut behind her. Leaving me alone with my mate.

I took a seat. I stared at my newly marked mate as she fought with her own thoughts.

'She blames us?' Titan sighed. 'We only claimed her.'

'And that's the problem. Claiming her unbound her, after she just told me she wanted to stay bound.'

"You blame me?" I asked after a few moments.

Her blue eyes left the ceiling, settling on me. Her fingers went directly to the mark on her neck. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes.

"You think that I made you a 'monster'?"

She still didn't speak to me.

"Have you ever considered there might be more to why you were bound? I believe that Dominic did it because he feared what you would be capable of."

"I'm... I'm not an Alpha." She shook her head again. "You keep trying to make this out to be a good thing. But if it's true, and... and you really believe that's why Dominic had me bound, then tell me how bad of a monster could I be?"

I walked around the desk and cupped her face. I let her feel our connection, hoping it would be enough to calm her overthinking mind. She leaned into me, closing her eyes. I felt her fear. A fear of the unknown.

Linking Sebastian, I asked him to bring Caleb to my office. If I couldn't get Athena to go to him, then I would have to bring him to her.

After a few minutes of watching Athena internally beat herself up, Sebastian shoved Caleb through the door.

"Ah, Alpha Alexander." Caleb looked back over his shoulder at Sebastian. "You could have at least told me this was where we were going. There was no need to be all mysterious about it."

He turned to look at Athena. "It's been so long."

Athena didn't answer. She sat in the chair in the corner of the room in complete silence. She may not be physically saying anything horrible, but she was definitely thinking it.

"You don't know who I am, do you?" Caleb asked her.

Athena silently shook her head.

"Can you sense her?" I demanded.

"Yes." Caleb muttered without taking his eyes off of her. "And I see you have claimed her. Finally caved to your feelings?"

I saw how Athena pulled her knees to her chest. She yanked her shirt collar up around her neck, hiding my mark. She felt exposed.

"I assume you haven't brought me here so your Beta can have his way with me." He shot Sebastian a suggestive wink.

'Does this guy ever stop talking?' Titan muttered. 'He is just like Julian!'

Sebastian smacked Caleb across the back of the head, telling him to sit.