**Chapter 6**
**Athena POV**
“She’s just the daughter of the beta, a mere nurse. No Alpha blood runs through her veins. And a female, no less.” I can sense the disdain dripping from his words, and it stirs something primal within me, a fierce urge to retaliate. If only I could leave a little surprise on his front porch.
‘Count me in. Let’s do it,’ Ares chimes in, her enthusiasm a stark contrast to my current predicament.
Footsteps echo in the hallway, the unmistakable sound of someone approaching. The door handle rattles, and I know there’s no point in pretending to be unconscious anymore. They’re aware of my recovery; I can’t risk inciting the Alpha’s wrath. His punishments are rumored to be merciless, and I have no desire to test that theory.
“Athena. How are you feeling?” The Alpha’s voice is flat, almost disinterested. I want to retort that I’m feeling absolutely fantastic after his sons nearly beat me to death with silver, but I’ve learned the hard way that antagonizing the Alpha is a fool’s errand. If I thought his sons were vicious, I can only imagine where they inherited that cruelty.
“I’m fine, Alpha,” I reply, forcing the words out with a calmness I don’t feel.
“Ah, I see. Your injuries from your punishment don’t seem too severe, do they? I trust you’ve learned your lesson.”
What lesson? That I am meant to be the target of their violence, never the one to strike back?
‘LET ME SPEAK!’ Ares roars in my mind, but I hold her back. The temptation to confront him is overwhelming. I fantasize about the day when I will turn the tables on them, when I can finally teach them a lesson they won’t forget. It may take years, perhaps until my mother is no longer around, but I will seize that moment. Ares is special, and together we will rise against the Alpha.
For now, though, I simply nod in response, feeling the weight of my silence.
“Instruct the exchange student not to mention this to Alpha Menno,” he commands, and with that, he strides out of the room without awaiting my reply. It’s as if he believes there’s no chance I would dare to disobey him.
‘I would love to rip his head off,’ Ares growls, her anger simmering just beneath the surface.
‘You can be such a savage sometimes,’ I chuckle, finding a moment of levity amidst the chaos.
“Are you alright?” The nurse’s voice cuts through my thoughts, her brow furrowed with concern. She must think I’ve lost my mind, chuckling to myself after the brutal beating I just endured.
“Wonderful,” I reply, rolling my eyes as I rise from the patient’s chair. Only now do I catch a glimpse of the damage they inflicted on me. My clothes are drenched in blood, and the fabric on my back is torn to shreds. A wave of hatred washes over me, directed at them with every fiber of my being.
“You must promise me we will never allow this to happen again,” Ares insists, her tone calm but laced with an undercurrent of fury. I can feel her rage bubbling beneath the surface, and it’s more terrifying when she’s composed.
You know I can’t. What about Mom? And… Dad’s position?
“We’ll figure that out when the time comes. But I assure you, I will never let this slide again,” she vows, closing off our mind link and leaving me in solitude. It’s a new experience for her to shut me out, and it leaves a hollow feeling in my chest.
As I make my way toward the door, the nurse calls out to me, her voice laced with genuine concern. “You should take some time off, Athena. I’m worried about your well-being. And please, take some clean clothes so you don’t have to walk around in this.”
Her words linger in the air, and I hesitate, torn between her advice and my desire to see Millie.
“Just give me a shirt and a sweater, please. I’ll manage,” I insist, not wanting to delay any longer.
The nurse studies me for a moment, her expression still worried, before she heads to the spare clothes cabinet with a resigned sigh.
“What size do you wear?” she asks.
“XL or XXL,” I reply, and she gives me a puzzled look before retrieving the requested size.
“I only have a shirt, no sweaters in that size,” she informs me, handing over the garment.
I pull off my blood-soaked sweater and shirt, and for a fleeting moment, I’m struck by the sheer amount of blood staining my clothes. They really went too far this time. Crossing that invisible line of drawing blood was something they had never done before. Until now.
They could have ended my life. They might have, if Benji hadn’t intervened. A storm of emotions swirls within me—sadness, fury, and a sense of betrayal. I’ve never harmed anyone, not until today. I’ve endured their taunts, their bullying, all the torment they could muster, except for Jake and Jerry. But today, I crossed a threshold, just as they did.
Something within me shattered in that gym. I have never felt so weak and humiliated in my life.
I slide the shirt over my head but decide to put my shredded, bloodied sweater back on. I refuse to walk around in just a shirt. Let them see the consequences of their actions.
“Do you need help getting home?” the nurse asks, her voice gentle.
Home? I get to go home?! The thought sends a rush of relief through me. Had I known this would be my ticket out of this hellhole, I might have let them nearly beat me to death sooner.
“Athena?”
Suddenly, I feign a cough, putting on my best sad face. “I think so. I’m pretty shaken up. Maybe Millie could help me get home?”
“Of course, I’ll call her in,” the nurse replies, stepping out of the room. As soon as she leaves, I drop my act.
Goddess, I would rather be a rogue wolf than endure this. But the worst part is— I can’t abandon my mom. Her life would be unbearably lonely with just my dad. She would never admit it, but I suspect they’re struggling in their marriage. Dad is always away, and he has been for as long as I can remember. He eats and sleeps at home, and that’s about it. Even when he’s not working, he chooses to spend his time at the local bar or the pack house.
He insists it’s “normal” for him to do so, that he “deserves a break” after all his “hard work.” I’ll never understand that mentality. Why would anyone prefer to spend their free time at a bar instead of with family? When I was younger, I would go there, trying to bring him home. Want to know what he told me? He said to go home or he wouldn’t come home again. Charming, isn’t he?
“Ath!” Millie bursts into the room, rushing toward me and enveloping me in a warm embrace. “Oh my goddess, Ath, I was so worried!”
To my utter astonishment, she’s actually… crying? For me?
“Hey, hey, Mills! Shhh. It’s okay. I’m fine,” I try to comfort her, but it takes a while for her sobs to subside. She clings to me for a few moments until her cries fade into soft sniffles.
“Don’t ever do that to me again,” she scolds, pulling back to scrutinize my face.
“I wasn’t planning on it,” I chuckle lightly. “Now let’s get out of here. I’ve got a ‘get out of this hellhole’ free card today, and I was allowed to have someone escort me home.”
“Oh wow. I can’t believe they were that generous after nearly beating you to death,” Millie rolls her eyes as we make our way toward the door, stepping out of the nurse’s office.
“Well, the nurse was. If it were up to anyone from the Alpha bloodline, it would be a different story. The Alpha himself even graced me with his presence earlier.”
“Okay. What’s he planning to do to his sons?” she asks, curiosity piqued.
This time, I can’t help but burst into laughter. Thank the goddess the halls are empty.
“Anything ranging from a simple pat on the back to a fancy dinner or even a full-blown party.”
“WHAT?!”
“Yup.” I loop my arm through hers, shrugging my shoulders casually. “Honestly, Mills, I didn’t expect anything less. He’s just as much of an asshole as his sons.”
“But this isn’t right, Ath! I’m going to report th…”
“Please don’t!” I plead, desperation creeping into my voice. “My dad will lose his job, and Mom will lose the only stability she has left.” I rush out, suddenly realizing the implications of my words.
“But Ath…”
“Please, Millie. I’m begging you.”
She groans, frustration evident, and we continue our journey outside in silence. Thank the goddess it wasn’t recess, or we would have been seen. When we finally step outside, she warns me not to laugh about her car, and I’m confused at first. Why would I? I don’t have a vehicle of my own. I’d gladly ride home with her.
But then my gaze lands on it. “Holy mother…”
