**Athena POV**
“What? Why would anything happen?” she queries, her brow knitted in bewilderment. The sweet, innocent girl has no clue about the storm brewing beneath the surface, and for that, I’m grateful. Her ignorance signifies that the Red Runner pack treats its members with far more kindness than I’ve ever experienced here. But then again, I’ve spent countless summers there and know all too well how they operate. I remain silent, despite her persistent tugging on my arm, her eagerness to pry open my thoughts as we navigate the dimly lit hallway.
The teacher halts at the entrance to the gym, his expression hardened and unyielding. I knew this moment would come. ‘Let’s just f*ck them up!’ Ares growls in my mind, sensing the impending chaos as clearly as I do. ‘We can’t do that, you know it. We’ll survive this. They’re not even that formidable, and you know that too,’ I counter, trying to keep Ares grounded. She falls silent, but I can feel her simmering anger bubbling beneath the surface with each step we take. I’ve already made peace with my fate; this isn’t my first encounter with such brutality. The moment I felt her wrist bruise under my grip, I knew this day would come. It’s become a grim routine for me. Or so I thought, until I step into the gym.
‘They’re really going for the kill this time,’ I inform Ares as I scan the room. As expected, a battle ring has been hastily set up in the center, but this time, there’s more at stake. Not only are the two s**t stains in the ring, looking all too eager for a fight, but I also spot the silver whip in #1’s grasp. Oh, sh*t. Silver is like kryptonite to a wolf. This will hurt and leave scars that will last a lifetime. Until now, their previous assaults had healed quickly, leaving no marks. But this time, I won’t be so fortunate.
“ATHENA BROOKS. STEP INTO THE RING FOR YOUR SPARRING SESSION,” #2 bellows, his voice echoing ominously in the vast space. For a fleeting moment, I contemplate bolting from this hellhole. But quitting isn’t in my nature. No, I’ve never been one to back down. All jokes aside, I must endure this punishment. If I don’t, they’ll hit me harder where it truly hurts.
“Ath, you don’t have to do this! I can take you back to Red Runner; you know Maxim will take you in,” Millie pleads desperately. But the truth is, I don’t believe that. Alphas seldom welcome members from other packs unless it’s to claim their mate. My mother is entrenched in this pack, and I’m trapped here.
“It’s alright, Mills. I’m used to this. Think of it as good training,” I say, trying to reassure her despite the dread gnawing at my insides.
“THIS IS NOT TRAINING! This is two alphas against one girl, armed with f*cking SILVER WEAPONS! Ath, please…”
“It’s okay, Mills. Don’t intervene,” I insist, my voice firm as I make my way toward the ring. I can hear her frantic cries behind me, and when I glance back, I see her being held back by four men. She’s thrashing against their grip, her screams echoing in the gym. I can’t help but find a twisted amusement in the fact that it takes four of them to restrain one girl. That’s just who Millie is.
As I step into the ring, an odd sense of calm washes over me. There’s nothing they can do to break my spirit. I just need to withstand this for one more year. But when a fist connects squarely with my jaw a moment later, I waver for a second. They rarely lay hands on me directly; they prefer to send their underlings to do their dirty work. They always claim it’s because they don’t want to catch any diseases from me. I guess today, they deemed it worth the risk.
Blow after blow rains down on my face and torso, each strike fueled by their ferocity and hatred. One of the rats in front of me kicks me hard in the abdomen, sending me crashing to the ground. I can feel my face swelling, the pain radiating through me. I close my eyes, bracing myself for Ares to surge forward any moment now.
“FIGHT BACK, ATHENA!” Millie screams, her voice laced with panic. She doesn’t understand. If I retaliate, things will spiral out of control. I could handle the pain if it were just me, but they’ve threatened my mom and dad before—not with physical harm, but with the threat of removing my dad from his position. That would crush them both. And now, Millie has become a target they can use against me. The little f*cks have me exactly where they want me—cornered, and they know it.
Another brutal blow connects with my face, and I hear a sickening crunch. I wince but refuse to give them the satisfaction of hearing me scream. I’ve never screamed, and I never will. I would rather die than let them have that victory over me. A hard kick to my chest knocks the breath from my lungs, leaving me gasping for air. Damn it. Who knew these cowards could actually throw a punch? I roll onto all fours, a position that helps me breathe more easily.
As I struggle to regain my breath, I hear Millie’s voice ringing out again, but then something sharp tears through my clothes and skin, ripping into my back. ‘Let me out, Athena!’ Ares roars, her fury palpable. ‘I will rip them apart!’ More deep, agonizing slashes follow, and I wonder how long they plan to keep this up. They’ve done everything to me before, including waterboarding, but it has never been this bloody. The cool air hits the gashes on my back, providing little relief. They will heal, but the pain is excruciating.
Just when I think I might endure this onslaught forever, I hear the crack of the whip slicing through the air. A moment later, I feel the lash strike my back. Surprisingly, it doesn’t hurt as much as the knife cuts. I should be screaming in agony, but instead, I feel a strange sense of detachment. With each lash, the whip digs deeper into my already wounded flesh, splattering blood around me. At one point, I can’t help but wonder how much blood I have left in my body. I’m starting to feel dizzy.
“WHY WON’T THIS b***h SCREAM?!?! SCREAM, YOU FAT F*CK!” s**t stain #1 yells, his frustration boiling over, but I remain silent. As I’ve said before, I would rather drop dead than give them that satisfaction. And I mean it.
“Jake, Jer, stop! She’s about to die, man! Millie will report you to the council, and you’ll lose your titles!” Bedbug Benji’s voice quakes with panic, and an eerie silence falls over the room. Despite the dizziness closing in on me, I can sense the healing beginning to take effect, which is odd considering they’ve used silver.
“F*ck, he’s right,” I hear them whisper among themselves, their panic palpable. And who would I be if I didn’t seize this opportunity? 3… 2… 1… action.
I drop to the ground, laying as lifeless as possible, keeping my body still. I even manage to slow my breathing, praying no one will check for signs of life. Guilt gnaws at me when I hear Millie scream again. I hadn’t considered how deeply this would affect her. ‘She will understand,’ I tell myself.
“THAT’S ENOUGH! NURSE!” our history teacher bellows, and I hear hurried footsteps approaching. I hadn’t even realized he was still here. It’s scandalous that teachers allow this to happen, knowing their jobs are on the line. Only when I lie on the ground, pretending to be lifeless, does he finally intervene. Too little, too late, amigo.
**Two Hours Later**
“It’s so strange… She has healed almost completely already. When she came in, I… I wasn’t sure she would make it,” I overhear the nurse whispering in the hallway. I can’t discern to whom she’s speaking.
“Huh…” responds another voice, a male, I can tell.
“It’s almost like she has her wolf already, Alpha.” Oh, crap. The Alpha is here. He certainly isn’t here to wish me well.
“That can’t be. The girl isn’t of age yet. And she isn’t strong enough.”
“What if she has a special wolf?”
