Chapter 0005

Theodore

I pulled Xavi from the churning water, my heart hammering against my ribs. We were alive. For now.

His white fur was plastered to his lean frame as he scrambled into the dry, sheltered cove. He shook violently, sending a spray of salty ocean water over me before collapsing, his sides heaving.

I kept my eyes on the waves behind him. Something was shifting. The furious, intelligent chaos was fading, the water becoming… normal.

"Magic?" I whispered, searching the sky for any trace of cloud or energy. There was nothing.

The sea grew unnervingly calm just as a piercing scream tore through the air.

"What was that?"

I stepped back into the now-placid water, my gaze snapping upward. Indy was twisting in the air, a frantic silhouette against the sky.

'What is she doing?' Xavi's voice was a tired murmur in my mind.

"Falling," I answered flatly.

The sharp rocks below were vanishing, swallowed by water that rose smoothly to meet her. It was a deliberate cushion.

"Is this her?" I asked Xavi as he paddled closer.

He just stared, as bewildered as I was. 'I've never felt magic like this. Only the dark kind.'

Indy's body hit the surface with a tremendous splash. The water barely rippled. I swam out immediately, grabbing her limp form and dragging her back to the shallow rocks.

'Is she breathing?' Xavi asked, his worry palpable.

I checked her pulse. "Yes. She's in shock. Her mind shut down. I've seen it before when the body can't handle the trauma."

Two more splashes sounded. Brax and Orion were swimming toward us, their faces grim.

"Amelia?" I asked as Brax immediately went to Indy.

"That bitch pushed her!" Brax's voice was pure venom.

"Thalia?" I was confused. She hadn't been there.

"Amelia!" Brax spat the name. "Indy somehow calmed the sea. Amelia lost it. Shoved her over the edge and screamed 'Witch'."

Brax lifted Indy carefully and carried her deeper into the cove, Orion following. This spot was safe for the moment, but it was a temporary reprieve. When the ocean's rage returned, we'd be trapped.

"She can command earth and water?" I muttered, mostly to myself.

"I don't fucking know!" Brax snapped, his patience gone.

"What about Amelia? We can't just leave her up there to die."

"I think leading us to that bedroom was always the plan," Brax growled, gently brushing wet hair from Indy's unconscious face.

I opened my mouth to argue, but he cut me off with a sharp shake of his head. "Her soul…" He frowned, a deep sadness in his eyes. "It's the most damaged thing I've ever felt."

"Worse than Athena's?" I remembered his fascination with her fractured spirit.

"Athena's was different. Cracks that healed over time as she accepted her Lycan. That's rare. Amelia's…" He glanced up at the cliffs. "Hers is shattered. Full of holes. Held together by the thinnest threads. She isn't who she used to be. She shouldn't even be alive with a soul that broken."

"You think Thalia's controlling her?"

He kicked off his waterlogged boots. "You said the bitch walked away when she couldn't hurt you. I think she knew Amelia would lead us into a trap." He passed Indy's care to Orion.

"You couldn't have mentioned this sooner?" I asked, frustration bubbling up.

"When they're that broken, there's barely anything left to read. I can't be the only one who didn't trust her." His gaze swept over all of us.

'He's saying she's beyond saving. That she's going to die.' Xavi's voice was quiet in my mind.

'Do you believe that? She has Harrison blood. Athena always found a way back.'

'From what you've told me, Athena has a family now. People who love her. Amelia hasn't had that in years. And I've never felt Brax's certainty like this before.'

"You think we should abandon her?" The words felt wrong.

"Do you really think we're getting back inside that death trap?" Brax's tone shifted back to its usual sarcasm, a defense mechanism.

She was a prisoner. A victim. She didn't deserve to be left to Thalia.

'You tried to help her,' Xavi reminded me. 'Some things are beyond our control.'

It still felt like a betrayal. I could only hope she found her own way out.

As night fell, we took turns. One watched the sea, another slept, someone always stayed with Indy. Exhaustion weighed on everyone. The cove was our only sanctuary.

A low groan broke the quiet. Indy was stirring. She shot upright, panic in her eyes as she scanned the darkness. "I'm alive?" Her hands patted her own body, disbelieving. She groaned again.

"Yes," I said, moving closer so I wouldn't wake the others. "How do you feel? Do you remember what happened?"

"She pushed me!" Her eyes darted around, looking for the others. "Where is she?"

"She didn't jump."

Her brows furrowed. "Is she dead?"

"We don't know. Brax thinks it was all part of Thalia's plan. The more I think about it, the more I believe he's right."

"Like mind control? Thalia does that to people."

"Possibly."

"Then we have to help her." She pleaded with me. "That's what we do. We help people."

I managed a small smile. This was the woman who didn't want Brax to slaughter an entire pack under a spell. Now she wanted to save the person who betrayed us. She had no malice in her.

"Right now, we can't help anyone. But you can help us get out of here. We reach Obsidian Howl, we make a plan."

She let out a disbelieving snort. "Theodore, we're trapped by an ocean. A sentient ocean that wants to smash us into pieces."

"You stopped it. You calmed the waves. They slowed to catch you."

She snorted again, slapping a hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh. "No. I can't do that. If I could control water, don't you think I would have stopped the river from sweeping us away?"

"You didn't know you could shatter rock until you did it."

"You're a Hunter. Shouldn't you be trying to stop me from doing things like this?"

Athena

“I… don’t know what Wolfsbane Toxin is?” I whispered.

His expression darkened. “Your brother claimed you understood plant differences.”

“I…” Words failed me. My memory felt fractured, incomplete.

“Wolfsbane Toxin is Wolfsbane nourished by our blood. Its leaves develop a crimson tint. It’s not common knowledge—especially not for a child. Your brother’s story has inconsistencies.”

“Oh.”

“I will uncover the truth, Athena.” His crimson eyes narrowed intensely. “Whoever did this will pay for your suffering.” He perched on his desk edge, studying me. “Right now, that infection needs immediate attention.”

I stayed silent, grappling with his revelation. Why had my brother never suspected foul play?

“Come. I’ll show you our bedroom. Clean up before we visit the pack physician.”

I froze. Did he say our bedroom? As in, shared space? The implication sank in—as his contract bride, he likely expected unrestricted access. A cold shudder raced down my spine.

I glanced up, finding his gaze fixed on me. He stood by the open door, waiting. Adjusting my dress for coverage, I stepped into the deserted hallway.

As we walked, Alpha Alexander briefly identified rooms, but his focus remained on reaching the bedroom.

His chamber was expansive, dominated by massive windows like the rest of the estate. The bed sat against the wall, encircled by sheer drapes tied to bedposts.

Most startling was the open bathroom layout—only the toilet had separate enclosure. Zero privacy. He seemed unconcerned.

I jumped at the warmth of his breath near my skin. “You have nothing to fear.”

Though I couldn’t scent him, he’d detect my emotional shifts.

He crossed to the shower, turning it on. Steam fogged the glass within seconds. Fear coiled inside me. His expectations remained unspoken.

“Hey.” His calloused fingers lifted my chin. “It’s just us. For now, shower undisturbed.”

He retrieved his phone, set a timer, and placed it on the nightstand. “Ten minutes. I’ll return with clothes. Wait in a towel. Understood?”

His stare demanded response. I nodded. A ten-minute shower? At home, I was lucky to get one minute in cold water.

At the door, he paused, hand on the knob. “I wish you’d speak more, Athena.”

He left, and I dashed to the shower like this was a dream. Maybe it was. Maybe I’d wake in that basement.

The soaps and shampoos smelled divine. My hair had never felt cleaner. Hot water stung my stomach wound, but I didn’t care—it was worth it.

A throat cleared in the room. I froze, grateful for the concealing steam.

“Athena, finished? The alarm rang five minutes ago.” Alpha Alexander’s voice echoed.

I’d been so lost in the shower’s freedom, I’d missed both the alarm and his return.

“Coming,” I muttered, shutting off the water and wrapping a towel around myself.

Exiting, I noticed my torn dress, underwear, and sandals were gone. Alpha Alexander sat on the bed, holding folded clothes and sneakers.

“It’s temporary—no one here has your petite frame.” He offered a navy sweatsuit. “Underwear arrives tomorrow.”

He watched, eyebrow raised, as I pulled on the joggers and sweatshirt before ditching the towel. Perhaps he expected women to flaunt themselves for his power. I wasn’t one of them.

“Let’s go.” He stood, and this time I followed. Instinct warned that neglecting this wound would sour his mood.

The pack doctor was young, unlike my pack’s aging, territorial physician.

She smiled as we entered, re-securing her dark bun. “Isabella, this is Athena.” Alpha Alexander introduced me with a grin.

I kept my eyes down as Isabella remarked, “Alpha Alexander, what’s the issue besides her unusual scent?”

It didn’t sound malicious—more curious.

“She’ll explain when she finds her voice.”

“I have a wound,” I whispered.

“And you’re not healing?” Isabella sounded puzzled.

“I don’t have my Wolf.” I hated admitting it—a constant reminder I didn’t belong.

“Her Wolf was bound in childhood,” Alpha Alexander stated. “That’s why her scent is off. Her Wolf is trapped, waiting release.”

My eyes shot up, meeting his gaze. I’d always believed my Wolf was gone—not imprisoned.

Isabella’s dark eyes lingered on me. “Wow, okay.” She took my hand. “Let’s examine that wound.”

She led me to a room, had me lie down, and asked to see the injury.

Lifting my sweatshirt just enough, her eyes widened. Fury flickered as she noted the infection and surrounding bruises.

Her fingers probed gently. “How long ago?”

“A few days,” I mumbled, though timing blurred. Beatings merged into endless pain. Unbruised days were rare.

Isabella shook her head. “This is over a week old. Infection set in days ago.”

“Athena, tell the truth,” Alpha Alexander ordered.

“I don’t know.”

“ATHENA!” His voice vibrated through me. I shut my eyes, fearing anger—always a prelude to punishment and pain.

“I swear, I don’t know. The beatings… they blend. I’m never without bruises.”

Silence followed. I was too scared to open my eyes. Dominic had threatened endlessly—exposure meant worse suffering. Now, here I was, in another pack’s hospital, truth spilling.

“Heal her!” Alpha Alexander shouted after an eternity. He stormed out, phone in hand.

“Forgive my brother. His temper flares over injustices.” Isabella murmured, inspecting my wound.

“Your brother?” I whispered, opening my eyes.

“Ah, he told you. Guess he omitted that Julian is our brother too?”

I shook my head. Julian must’ve been at my brother’s house.

She chuckled. “Julian is our brother’s Gamma.”

“Gamma?” I didn’t know the term.

“Yes. Alpha Alexander has mixed feelings about me working here. Wants family representation but acknowledges my skills.” She grabbed a cream jar. “Apply this thrice daily. Should clear the infection. If no improvement in two days, return. My brother waits outside.”

“Thanks,” I mumbled, taking the jar. I couldn’t read the label—I’d never learned.

She nodded as I hurried out. Alpha Alexander was on his phone, snapping at someone. He hung up upon seeing me, demanding Isabella’s instructions.

“Cream, three times daily.” I showed him the jar; he took it.

“Good, come.” He strode off, and I struggled to keep pace. We returned to his office.

“Show me,” he ordered, uncapping the jar.

Resistance was futile—his tone echoed when he’d torn my dress earlier.

Slowly lifting my sweatshirt, he knelt before me. His hands were warm as he applied the cool cream. “Don’t lie to me, Athena. Ever. If you can’t remember, say so. Clear? I won’t decipher half-truths.”

“Okay.” I focused on his touch—one hand steadying my lower back, the other tending my wound. This was the first gentle contact I’d had from a man—not violence.

“Breathe,” he commanded, rising. “I won’t harm you.”

Given my past, belief felt impossible. His actions, his words—they felt surreal.