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Prologue

Athena’s POV

Beep… Beep… Beep…

Groaning I can’t help but slowly reach over to my side table and quickly smack the annoying alarm clock off as I begin blinking bleary eyes at it only to see it read 5:30 am in big bold red numbers which draws out another groan from me as I quickly push myself to get up and out of bed.

Once up I quickly head for my small size bathroom for a quick shower. Upon entering the room I slowly move to turn on the lights as my eyes try to adjust to the brightly lit room that made up my bathroom. The room itself was modest or at least it's what I tell myself when comparing it to all the other bathrooms that I've seen during my stay here at the Moon Walker Pack, my cousin's pack.

The room itself was carefully painted in soft colors such as whites and creams with hints of silver that almost sparkled like moon dust when the light reflected off of it just right. The tiles are another shade of white making the room feel light and airy.

Sighing I quickly head for the shower while removing my tank top and cotton shorts, the two things I normally sleep in while here, as I move to turn on the shower, adjusting the temperature to my liking before slowly entering and letting the water fall down and around my body as my mind wanders back to that uneventful day almost 10 years ago and the events leading me to here.

I was only 9 years old when it happened. I was enjoying a beautiful day with my family in Moon Valley when suddenly we were attacked by rogues, hundreds of them when they suddenly came out of nowhere and began attacking the whole pack. Many lost their lives that day including those of the royal family, the Alpha, Luna, Beta, Gamma and Delta. The only sole survivor left was me, their daughter and that was because my Father’s Beta, Beta Farkas had managed to hide me long enough before the rogues could scent me out.

Being 9 years old I didn’t exactly have my wolf yet so I wasn’t able to defend myself which led me into hiding as most wolves didn’t get theirs until the age of 16 or in some cases 14 providing that you were of higher status. But even then most wolves didn’t get them until they were 18 and even then the odds were only slight for most didn’t even get them then either.

I on the other hand had been blessed at the age of 14, that was the day I had gotten Artemis, my wolf. When Artemis appeared before me I was ecstatic, for being the daughter of an Alpha I couldn't help but be because I then knew that no matter what, I wouldn’t be lonely again.

‘Hello my sweet child’ purred Artemis as she slowly appeared before me. Gazing slightly, I couldn’t help but notice that she was absolutely beautiful, her fur pure as snow while glistening with tiny specks of silver that only danced along her body as if it was moon dust while her beautiful blue eyes which also seemed to be rimmed with specks of silver gazed back at me knowingly.

Suddenly I’m jolted from my thoughts at the sound of angry banging on my door. “YOU LITTLE BITCH! HURRY UP ALREADY” come the shouts of a voice I knew all too well which meant I had been the shower way longer than I should have been and hastily move to finish my shower making sure to wash and clean my hair as well as my body before moving to turn off the water.

Upon exiting the shower, I quickly make sure everything is off before reaching for my one and only towel as I move to dry myself off before wrapping it around my body, my long brown hair cascading down and around my back and shoulders as it laid there damply as I tried to brush out the tangles unaware that the person in general was still inside my room until it was too late and a hand reached out and slapped me across the face causing me to drop my brush to the floor and my hand to cover the stinging cheek.

“YOU UNGRATEFUL CHILD! IS THIS HOW YOU TREAT US AFTER EVERYTHING WE’VE DONE FOR YOU?? FOR BRINGING YOU INTO OUR HOME AFTER MY DEAR SWEET SISTER DIED ALONG WITH HER MATE?” snaps the voice as her hand moves to grab my hair painfully causing me to wince in pain.

Keeping my eyes low I knew better than to look as it would cause me even more problems if I did, even though I was born an Alpha I knew I couldn’t resist as this was not my pack and did not hold any title or rank making me lesser than an Omega as my family made sure to remind me every single day that I would never be anything more than that which earns me a growl from Artemis.

"We are not lesser than an Omega… We are an Alpha and they should be the ones to serve us’ growls Artemis from the depths of my mind glad that my family couldn’t hear her as I was never truly admitted into the pack of the Moon Walkers and that of my Aunts.

‘Artemis…’ I warn. ‘As much as I hate the way they treat us there all we have left, Aunt Leah and her mate gave us shelter when we were only 9. If it wasn’t for them we wouldn’t have survived and I wouldn’t have been able to meet you.’

‘....Still…. I don’t like how they treat you over their own children’ huffs Artemis before retreating to the far back corner of our mind, our space, a space where no one could hurt us or make us feel inferior.

“ARE YOU LISTENING” comes the shout of my Aunt once again as she stands directly in front of me and jolts me yet again from my thoughts.

“Um… I’m sorry” I mutter.

“I said you need to help Diana and Brian with the upcoming ball that is happening in less than three days” scolds Aunt Leah, her eyes calculating as if looking for something.

“Why me?” I ask. “They're old enough to find their mates and besides it's a Beta’s job and I’m not a Beta.” There I had said it, I had finally said the words I had been wanting to say for a while as it was true, I was not a Beta so I could not understand why it was my responsibility to help my cousins, Diana and Brian with the task of getting things decorated for the yearly Mating Ball. A ball that was held once a year at different packs just so wolves like myself could hopefully find their fated mate or if they could not, take on a chosen mate instead.

SLAP!

Cupping my face for a second time this morning I automatically felt the sting from her hand knowing there would be a mark as soon as I turned my blue eyes to meet her angry emerald color eyes.

“YOU BITCH! You will do as you're told or so help me I’ll have my son teach you a lesson you won’t forget” snarls Aunt Leah who knew Brian would love to cause me pain and misery even when I did nothing to deserve it. “NOW… do I make myself clear?”

“Yes… Aunty” I answered swiftly, knowing that she would keep her word if I didn’t comply, for Brian was my Aunt’s oldest son and the one who would become this pack’s next Beta as it had seemed I had become his favorite new toy when it came down to certain punishments and if it wasn’t him then they came from Diana, my Aunt’s youngest daughter who always made it her mission to make my life a living hell. And even then, some punishments came directly from my Uncle who didn’t have a problem giving them to me.

“Good girl” smirks Aunt Leah who finally moves to leave my room without so much as a glance my way as she slams my bedroom door closed allowing me to slip to the floor in defeat as I try not to cry.

‘It’s okay my sweet Athena… The Moon Goddess will help us’ whispers Artemis softly who was trying to console me at that moment.

‘Ya, like that’ll ever happen’ I scoff back to her as I remember back to my 18th birthday, the day I was able to find my mate for even though I had received my wolf at 14 I wasn’t able to find my mate until I was 18 just like most wolves only when I did I was in for a shock of my life when I realized who it was only to realize my life would be nothing but a living hell soon after.

Clutching at my towel I decide it’s best to get ready before someone else decided to show up at my door as I quickly move towards my closet to grab a simple yet pretty light blue top and a pair of light wash denim shorts before making my way for my dresser to grab a simple but elegant bra and panty before quickly throwing it all on me before slipping on a pair of black sandals.

Once dressed and making sure nothing was showing I quickly pulled my hair into a high top ponytail which gently revealed my neck and shoulders as well as my collar bone. Satisfied, I moved to exit the room only to come face to face with the one person I did not want to see, my cousin, Diana, the one who had managed to take everything from me including that of my mate.

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