"Now what the hell is omegas?"
Xavier's gaze narrowed but his lips curved just enough to suggest something between irritation and intrigue. "You really don't know," he said slowly, almost to himself.
Athena folded her arms, still standing as far from him as the room allowed. "If it's another one of your wolfy titles, then no, I don't. And frankly speaking I don't care."
His eyes hardened but there was that same flicker. As though she were a puzzle he couldn't stop himself from wanting to solve. "Omegas are the lowest rank in the pack," he explained as he began to sound a little more stricter. "Servants, they answer to me. And to you… eventually."
Athena scoffed, rolling her eyes at him. "Not happening, I'm not becoming your bride. I'm not becoming anybody's Luna!"
A muscle in his jaw twitched but instead of snapping, he leaned in just enough for his voice to drop into a dangerous whisper. "Whether you accept it or not, you're mine, Athena Taylor. In my world, that makes you their Luna."
She felt the weight of that word again… Luna. It rang in her ears like a bell she didn't want to hear. "Yeah? Well in my world, that makes you their guy who kidnapped me and who saw me naked without permission."
Xavier's gaze darkened but there was a spark in them now… an unspoken admission that she had just done the impossible.
Made an Alpha feel offended.
For a long, taut moment, neither of them moved. Then he straightened himself and stepped back. "Get dressed properly," he said before walking out the door. "You will join me for breakfast for further instructions."
Am I really never getting out of this message?
___________________________
The omegas had fussed over Athena until she was wrapped in a long, flowing tunic of soft grey fabric, tight at the waist with a braided belt. It was comfortable enough but it wasn't her.
No matter how regal they tried to make her look, she still felt like a human playing dress up in someone else's strange fairytale.
When they led her downstairs, the scent of food hit her before her eyes found the dining hall. Wait! What's that delicious smell! The table was a feast with roasted meats, steaming breads, bowls of vibrant fruits and rich gravies.
Athena was about to grab a chair and sit when one of the omegas stopped her. "What? Why are you pulling me?"
The other omega whispered into her ear, "you can sit with the Alpha only when he tells you to."
What the heck! "You mean to say is, I fucking need my kidnapper's permission to eat?" She sighed frustratingly while glaring at him who was enjoying his bread way too much. "Great! Just great!"
Xavier didn't so much as glance at her but he noticed her eyes throwing daggers at him so, he just simply motioned towards a chair at his right. "Sit."
Ha! As if I needed your permission. She wanted to say out loud but didn't want to risk getting her food snatched away from her eyes.
Just when she was about to pick her bread after dropping into the seat, the omegas stopped her again. "What now?" Athena let out a frustrating grunt.
"You can't start eating unless…" The Omega cowardly looked down when her eyes met with Athena's furious ones, "...you know what I mean, right?"
A faint smirk appeared on Xavier's mouth and God forbid, Athena saw that. He's doing this on purpose. "Eat."
By now any normal person's appetite would have gone but that was all the invitation she needed. She immediately reached for the nearest platter, loading her plate without hesitation.
Fork in hand, she dived in, tearing into the warm bread and succulent meat as though she hadn't eaten in weeks. By the time she was halfway through her plate, she noticed the silence. Every pair of eyes was on her. Even Xavier had stopped eating to watch.
"What?" She said through a mouthful, wiping her lips with the back of her hand.
Athena heard, one of the omegas murmured something about "never seen a Luna eat like that," but Xavier cut in.
"We leave soon," He said flatly. "You'll come with me to my Kingdom. Think of it as another… City. A place you've never heard of. You'll blend in with the omegas and keep a low profile. Other wolves can't know you're human. This will help."
He slid a small vial across the table towards her. The glass glinted under the light, a faintly shimmering liquid inside.
Athena picked it up, brow curled into confusion. "A perfume?"
"A scent," Xavier said, his tone curt. "It will make you smell like a low ranking werewolf."
She burst out laughing, leaning back in her chair. "Oh, stop explaining to me already. I am not going anywhere with you. I don't care about you being Alpha and I'm certainly not your mate either!" Athena slaps the table in anger making the omegas gasp. "You're an animal and I'm a human. We humans keep animals as pets… You hear me? Pets!"
The room went deathly still.
Xavier's eyes darkened in fury until it was almost dangerous. His hands clenched at his sides, his chair creaking as he pushed back from the table. He took a step towards her, the air between them charged with fury.
Before he could speak, a hand clamped down on his shoulder. His Beta, right hand man, leaned in to speak in his ears slowly. "Calm down, Alpha. She's new to this."
The words seemed to just barely keep Xavier from snapping. His glare remained locked on Athena but he didn't move.
And just then…
"Who's new to what?"
The voice echoed from a distance but held a deep, rough sound; edged with curiosity.
Every head turned toward the front door, where a tall man leaned casually against the frame. His presence was magnetic, his dark eyes assessing the room with an almost predatory ease.
Xavier's jaw tightened in silent rage. "Kraven," he said sharply.
Kraven Thorne stepped inside, his gaze sweeping the table… and then landing on Athena.
The moment their eyes met, something electric passed between them for a second. Not recognition exactly, but a strange, undeniable pull.
Athena blinked, caught off guard. Who the hell is this man now? Wait… She suddenly straightened up. Could this man be another beast like Xavier? But why does this man have the same aura about him just like Xavier?
Kraven's lips curved into the faintest smirk. "Interesting," he murmured, more to himself than anyone else.
Xavier's voice cut through the thick air. "Why are you here, Kraven?"
Kraven tilted his head, strolling further into the dining hall like he owned the place. "Why am I here? Oh, I don't know… maybe because it's been three weeks since you bothered to return to the kingdom."
His tone was light but the sharp edge underneath wasn't lost on anyone.
Three weeks? Athena immediately turned to the omegas and gave them a questionable look. She mouthed 'What is he talking about?'
One of them mouthed back, 'You were out for about three weeks.'
Athena's eyes widened. Three weeks! I was unconscious for three weeks!
Kraven smiled… slow, sly and completely insincere. "I was worried my dear brother might be in trouble."
Xavier's jaw flexed. "I'm fine. Thanks for your undying concern."
Kraven's eyes, however, were no longer on his brother. They drifted to Athena, lingering in a way that made her shift in her seat. His gaze slid over her from head to toe before resting squarely on her face.
"And who…," he began, voice low and smooth, "is this gorgeous omega sitting at your table?"
Athena blinked, caught between bristling at the 'gorgeous' or the 'omega'.
Kraven's head tilted ever so slightly, then he caught the different scent flowing into the air. The smirk faded into something sharper. "But wait…" His eyes narrowed. "You smell… unusual."
The room seemed to hold its breath.
Kraven took a step closer, his stare locking onto hers. "Who are you?"