Chapter 0064

Athena

Victoria glares at him. “You don’t want that.”

Marcus looks confused. He was the only one in the room who didn’t know what I was. What Victoria and I both were.

I had no clue what Beta Sebastian was trying to accomplish. She would show everyone my true form. She would reveal the monster I am.

Victoria’s eyes lock on me. It hit me then—she didn’t know. She had no idea that Alpha Alexander’s mark had shattered my binding.

That’s why she hesitated.

Everything Caleb said about keeping it hidden from me started to make sense. They didn’t want me to discover the truth.

“I’ll come willingly,” she mutters.

“Good,” Beta Sebastian and Marcus say at the same time.

“Marcus, I’m taking Athena with me. Clean this mess up. If word gets out, we’ll have even bigger problems.”

He nods, grabbing hold of Victoria. The smell of iron is still heavy in the air, but I can’t locate the source.

“She killed the shop assistant,” Beta Sebastian whispers to me, as if reading my thoughts. “What you smell is a lot of blood.”

Victoria giggles as Beta Sebastian pushes her forward. The van is parked at the end of the alley, away from the busy main street.

She gets in without resistance. Something feels off.

Beta Sebastian slams the doors shut, locking her inside.

“Come on, you can ride up front with me.”

“Something’s… something’s wrong.”

He raises an eyebrow and scans the area. “What do you mean?”

I look up and down the alley, trying to understand the dread coiling in my gut. Beta Sebastian follows my gaze. “There’s no one else here.”

“Are you… sure?” My stomach twists into knots. Victoria didn’t try to hit me—a first for her. “They never leave the pack without each other.”

“What are you talking about? Victoria was alone when she tried to poison us.”

“At the packhouse, yes. But when they left, it was always together.”

Caleb had fallen from a tree. I glance up at the rooftops. Nothing.

The bookshop door swings open. Dominic drags Marcus by his hair along the ground toward us.

“I’ll trade him for my mate,” he growls, his eyes locking on me.

Beta Sebastian’s hand tightens around my wrist, pulling me to his side. “Is he even alive?”

“Barely. But if you take him now, he might recover.”

“Why?” I whisper, staring at the blood trail behind them.

He sneers at my question and turns back to Beta Sebastian. “You have a decision to make. I suggest you make it fast.”

“Get in the van, Athena.” Beta Sebastian doesn’t look at me.

I obey, hearing Dominic mutter about me actually following orders. I want to say something but hesitate before opening the door.

“Van!” Beta Sebastian shouts.

Reluctantly, I climb in and shut the door, wishing I had more courage.

The van rocks slightly. Moments later, Beta Sebastian gets in with a sigh.

“Did you hand her over?” I ask quietly.

“I had to. We don’t abandon our own.”

“And Marcus… is he alive?”

“Yes. Just barely.”

“I’m sorry. This is… my fault.”

“No, you don’t need to apologize. None of us expected Dominic to be here. Alexander thought it would be too public for him, especially in a neutral zone.”

“Why did you come?” I ask as moans echo from the back.

“Why do you think?”

I wasn’t sure whether to feel relieved or irritated. But if he hadn’t shown up when he did, this might have ended differently. I might not be returning to Alpha Alexander.

Beta Sebastian stays silent for the rest of the drive, only confirming that Isabella already knows what happened.

Alpha Alexander is waiting at the packhouse when we arrive. He waits for me to get out, then grabs my face, forcing me to look at him.

“Are you hurt?” he demands.

“No.”

“Don’t lie to me, Athena.”

“She… she didn’t touch me.”

He pulls me against his chest, his arms locking around me. “I should have trusted my instincts not to let you go.”

“You said… it was up to me.”

“It was. I should have known better with both of them still roaming free.”

“I don’t think she knew,” I mumble into his chest.

“What do you mean?”

“Beta Sebastian challenged her to shift. She looked at me. I don’t think she knew your mark broke my binding.”

“She should have scented you. Or maybe she was confused. It’s been a long time since you were first bound. Maybe she mistook your scent for Marcus’s.”

“Make sure Marcus gets medical attention too,” he calls to Beta Sebastian. “Isabella won’t be back for a while, but there will be someone else at the hospital.”