Artemis POV

Apollo and I talked for a while until it was time for me to meet with Aaron's mom at the hospital.

As I tried to leave Apollo refused to let go of my leg unless I took him with me. Saying if I kicked him in the face it would be like kicking myself in the face and weirdly enough that made complete sense to me. 

So I gave in.

Once we entered the hospital we found Ella and the girls there. At first, I thought Ella was there due to her pregnancy but once I saw Hazel crying beside her, Apollo and I quickly approached.

"Oh, Artemis I'm so glad you're here! I would have come to the packhouse to get you but they said you would be arriving soon and the girls refused to be touched by any of the other nurses!" Ella began to ramble.

"Hey hey just calm down okay? She's here now so just take some deep breaths with me then you can tell us what happened. Alright?" Apollo asked with his hands now on her shoulders.

Apollo began to calm her down while I crouched down to see the girls they didn't seem to notice we were there yet.

"Hey, there pretty ladies. Do you mind if I see what hurts?" I asked pointing at the bloody knee Hazel's small hands covered.

"Miss.Arty! Hazel got hurt and then I-" I hushed Raven as she began to choke on her sobs.

"It's okay Sweetie I'm gonna make her feel better so don't worry," I said offering her a smile.

Hazel moved her hand slowly allowing me to see her swollen and bloody knee.

I was quick to cover the wound with my hands so neither of the girls could see then I began to heal it.

It was a small fracture but it had to have come from a heavy impact on a rough surface.

I could see that Apollo was able to calm Ella down and was now working to soothe Raven's tears.

I smiled seeing the little girl sniffle into Apollo's neck as he hummed to her softly.

Looking back at Hazel her tears had stopped now only worry was displayed on her face as she looked at her sister and Ella. I could tell she along with the other two were tired so I decided to set them up in a room before sending them home.

"Alright let's let you guys rest some before going home okay?" I asked looking at Hazel and Ella receiving a nod from both.

I pick up Hazel and let her snuggle into my neck before finding an empty room for them.

"Alright, Ella you think you can tell us what happened now?" I asked after settling the now sleeping girls in a bed in the room.

Ella took a deep breath before speaking.

"Well, this morning I was experiencing the worse morning sickness I've had during my pregnancy. Nancy was out again and the girls wanted to help out. I told them that I would be fine. They left me in the bathroom and only moments later I heard a scream from the kitchen. At that moment any discomfort I was feeling left and I rushed to see what happened. Only for my nausea to return when I saw Hazel-l on the floor bleeding." She said tears well up in her eyes. She ran one of her hands through her curls the other never leaving her stomach.

"She had been trying to make me something so I could feel better and- gosh I'm gonna be a terrible mother!" She exclaimed before breaking down.

"Hey don't say that. You got the girls here, didn't you? You were there for them when they needed you and look " I said pointing to the sleeping girls.

"They're okay. So don't be so hard on yourself. You're gonna be a great mother because even though you only meet these girls a little while ago I can tell you care dearly about them. " I said rubbing her shoulder.

"Thank you guys so much!" She exclaimed as she pulled the two of us in by our waist.

"No problem Sugarplum," Apollo said ruffling her hair.

I cringed.

"Sugarplum? Really Apollo?"

"What! Ella's the sugar and her baby's the plum. Come on that's adorable!" He exclaimed.

"Sometimes I wonder how you come up with this stuff," I said shaking my head.

I heard Ella's laughs below us as her grip tightened on our waist.

"I'm really glad I met you two. Honestly, you've made me smile more these last few weeks than I have the past year! So really thank you. Never change okay?" She said looking up at us.

I laughed and patted the top of her head.

"I'll try not to as for Apollo he can't change. He's hardwired to be the way he is. You see he's actually a robot that stole my face and took interest in the male body." I said seriously.

Apollo hit my shoulder making me giggle.

"I told you to stop telling people that after that article!"

The memory made me laugh even harder.

"Article?" Ella asked curiously.

"This Goofus tells all reporters that try and ask her questions about me that I'm a robot and crap. Anyway one summer on tour some dumb small-town journalists actually believed her and wrote an article about it!" Apollo exclaimed.

"Hey! How was I supposed to know that idiot was actually gonna write about that? I say that to all reporters so they'll leave me alone and no one ever wrote about it before." I said with a shrug.

"Hmm maybe the fact that he was an idiot should have rung some bells," he said rolling his eyes.

I huffed.

"Well, maybe I should have been telling the media that you're actually really mean!" I said sticking my tongue out at him.

Apollo was about to say something turd-like before we both heard Ellas laughs below us.

"You guys are too much you know?" She said through laughs.

Apollo and I looked up at each other and smiled.

"Alright, we'll let you rest for a little while. We'll come back in about an hour and walk you guys home." I said patting the top of her head.

After agreeing Apollo and I made our way out of the room and headed for Mrs. Mary's room already fifteen minutes late for our session.

Upon opening the door I began to apologize to the older woman laying on the bed.

"Save your apologies. It's quite obvious that you're not taking my treatment very seriously. I've made little to no progress this last month with your so call sessions! I can see now that you just wanted to impress my son offering to help his crippled mother. I see the way he looks at you you're supposed to be his mate right? Well, I can assure you he deserves better than some wannabe doctor that gives false hope!" She exclaimed.

I stood there processing everything she said. It wasn't like she was completely wrong.

She was making little to no progress but that wasn't my fault her legs are eighty percent healed it's up to her to actually move them. I can heal her to one-hundred percent but it doesn't matter if she's mentally weak.

I would be lying if I said it didn't hurt hearing someone else say what I already knew about Aaron and I. It hurt, even more, hearing it from his own mother.

From the start, all I wanted to do was help Aaron, and even more when I saw his mother. That look in her eyes reminded me so much of myself when I was younger that I wanted to be the one to help ease her pain.

Her outburst was flawed.

"Ms. Mary I understand your frustration-" I began only to be cut off.

"How the hell would you understand? Being helpless? Having everyone stare at you with pity like your some damaged goods! I can't do anything I used to I can barely function around my own family! So don't speak as if you know my pain." She said bitterly.

I chuckled feeling my nails go deeper into my palms. Apollo grabbed my hand gently.

Taking a deep breath I spoke.

"With all due respect Mrs. Mary, you don't know me either. I know I'm far from what your son deserves if I'm being honest I've been told that my whole life. But this has nothing to do with him and I, this is about getting you better so you can rekindle your relationship with your family. Your legs are more than enough healed for you to at least walk. It's your insecurities that are holding you back from taking the next steps." I said calmly.

She looked away from me and at her legs.

"Listen today I will be finishing your healing. Afterward, your legs will be completely healed. Then on to physical therapy full time. Do you think you can handle that? Because right now your family and your pack are just looking at a shell of the woman they used to know. If you can't do it for them do it for yourself, for your wolf. Can you honestly say that your okay living the way you are?" I asked walking closer to her.

I could see her lip tremble as she tried to stop the cry from leaving her lips.

I moved to sit on the bed and put my hand on her knee.

I wasn't surprised when she completely broke down in tears but I was shocked when she pulled me towards her for a hug.

It was awkward at least for me. I felt Apollo come closer worried knowing how I rarely liked to be touched but I put my hand up to stop him.

I rubbed her back for a bit until she calmed down though it took a while it sounded like she hadn't cried for a while like she had been bottling all of her emotions up until this moment.

When she finally pulled away from me she looked me in the eyes as if she was trying to figure me out and just couldn't.

"I-I'm sorry..." She said quietly.

I gave her a small smile.

"It's fine Mrs.Mary we all need to let it out at some point." She wiping the tears from her cheeks.

She nodded her head softly.

"And when will you?" She asked me curiously.

"I'm sorry?" I asked confused.

"My son, I can tell he likes you very much so what's stopping you from taking your next steps?"

I cleared my throat before speaking.

"It's complicated. Anyway, we'll just finish your healing today and start your physical therapy tomorrow okay?" I said changing the subject quickly.

She simply nodded her head before laying down.

Apollo had stepped out of the room some time ago to calm down Mr.Celest so I was quick to finish her healing.

"Alright, you're all set. Your mate is outside waiting for you. I think you should try talking to him about what's been on your mind." I said as I helped her sit up.

"I could say the same thing to you too dear." She said as her husband came into the room.

Who the hell gave the quietest people balls today?!

We said our goodbyes to Aaron's parents and began walking back to Ella's room.

"You need to breathe before you blow a fuse," Apollo mumbled as we walked.

"I am breathing," I said sternly.

"No your not. You're overthinking and getting pissed off hear everyone tell you what to do and making accusations about you and us all day." He said grabbing my hand.

"I don't care what they think," I said looking away from him.

"I know," he said pulling me into a hug. "Copy my breathing alright?"

He said making me close my eyes in his chest.

We counting to thirty and I was calm.

"Okay now let's go get the girls."

We walked into the room to see the girls on Ella's bed playing with her hair.

"Aw man, I can't believe my favorite stylist found a new customer!" Apollo whined making the girls lookup.

They quickly ran over to Apollo when he started to fake cry into his hands.

"Oh no don't cry, Apollo! We can still do your hair too!" Raven said hugging his leg.

"You promise?" He asked peaking from behind his hands.

"We pinky promise!" Hazel exclaimed holding out her pinky, Raven copying.

"Aw, you two are so sweet!" Apollo gushed picking the two of them up and spinning them around.

I just chuckled and rolled my eyes.

Walking over to Ella I could see her holding her stomach and smiling at the three.

I sat down on the bed.

"Hey, how are you feeling?"

"I'm good the little one is just kicking like crazy though." She said rubbing her stomach.

"Understandable...Look I'm gonna have you and the girls stay at the packhouse with us. I just want to prevent something like this from happening again." I explained.

Ella looked down.

"I just don't want to be a burden, you've already done so much for me!" She said sadly.

"Oh please Ella. You would be doing me a favor, I wouldn't be able to sleep knowing that you and the girls aren't being taken care of properly. I thought setting you guys up with Ms.Nancy was a good idea but it seems like she has other priorities." I said honesty.

"I-" Ella began.

"Just say yes SugarPlum. She won't take no for an answer and she really won't be able to sleep, which will be annoying for all of us." Apollo said from behind us.

She chuckled.

"Alright." She agreed.

"Yay, how would you guys like to sleepover at our house for a little while?" Apollo asked the girls.

They seemed especially excited. We made our way out of the hospital and to their little cottage. Upon arriving we helped the girls pack some clothes and the few toys they had. On our way out we bumped into Ms.Nancy, she looked confused. Stopping in front of the door I told Apollo to make his way to the packhouse with the girls and I would talk to her.

I looked straight at the older woman in front of me. She began to ramble about one thing or the other. Honestly, I stopped listening instead I took in her attire and scent.

Her hair was in a messy bun and she looked as if she hadn't had any sleep in days. She wore simple blue jeans, a sweater, and a black coat. I noticed how the knees of her jeans were wet most likely from the wet soil outside. Her black boots had wet leaves on the sides and scuff marks. Moving up to her hands they were shaking maybe from nerves or the cold perhaps both but I didn't look over the dirt-caked up in her nail beds.

Lastly, she smelled like oil and rubber.

I decided to smile and nod before interrupting whatever bullshit she was spewing from her chapped lips.

"The girls will be staying with us," I said looking to see her reaction.

Her eyes twitched as if she had to fight down the urge to glare.

"Why? They like it here with me, I'm the only one they're comfortable around. I'm from their pack!" She exclaimed.

I cocked my head to the right.

"And yet you're never here?" I asked confused.

I noticed her hand crumple into a fist.

"I just told you I was getting their presents and helping around the pack." She said sternly.

"Oh and that takes all night?" I asked.

She bit her lip.

"Listen I understand if having two kids and a pregnant woman to care for may be hard and I'm sorry for throwing that load on you. You've obviously taken in duties around the pack and are busy so we'll take care of them" I said turning to walk out the door.

"You can't do this! You're not even Luna!" She exclaimed grabbing my wrist firmly.

The quiet people today. I swear.

"If you want to be able to use that hand again, I suggest you remove it from my wrist," I said sternly.

She quickly let go.

"This conversation is over," I said walking out slamming the door.

I quickly made my way to the packhouse with a hundred questions running through my head.

She's up to something I don't know what though. Why'd she offer to take care of the girls? Did she think we wouldn't notice that she wasn't there? Did she have something to do with the attack on her previous pack? It would make sense. She was always around the Alpha and Luna, they trusted her. The pack trusted her. We need to question the survivors of that pack about what exactly happened that day.

Before I knew it I was already taking off my shoes at the front door of the Packhouse.

"Hey Art what did she say?" Apollo asked coming down the stairs.

"The crazy old lady put her hands on me!" I fumed.

"What?! Where?" He asked rushing down the stairs.

"She just grabbed my wrist and started talking about how I can't do this and how I'm not Luna and shit," I said as Apollo examined me.

"I noticed she smelled like rubber when I passed by what do you think?"

"I think Aaron should have her followed," I said as I walked to the kitchen.

I looked through the fridge and turned to Apollo.

"You making lunch?" I asked.

"No why can't you?"

"I don't feel like it," I said closing the fridge.

"I guess we're not eating then." He said following me to the couch.

We both flopped down on the couch.

"You think Athena will bring us back food?" Apollo asked.

"Depends on her mood."

"True." He sighed.

"Wanna watch a telenovela and making up stories about what's going on?" Apollo asked.

I shrugged.

"I'm down."

After three telenovelas passed we came out with six cheating scandals, five baby mommas, two murders, and one widow that totally killed her husband.

It was entertaining and hilarious. At some parts, Apollo and I would just end up rolling off the couch laughing.

Soon enough Athena and Serena came home and thankfully with food!

Apollo and I ended up sharing half of our food with each other because a lot of the time some of the food he gets I want too.

I grabbed a fruit cup from the fridge for Aaron and figured I could just share the rest of my food with him too.

Taking everything to his office I knocked on the door and waited for him to give the okay.

Opening the door I found him at his desk squinting at his computer screen. He looked up quickly and gave me a bright smile.

"Hey, there Dimples!" I said walking towards his desk.

"Hi there Snowflake! How are you?"

"I'm good just looking for someone to have lunch with," I said looking around his office.

"Oh look I found someone!" I said pointing at him.

He chuckled.

I held out my hand and he took it as he stood up from his desk.

I walked him over to the bay window and sat down.

"Oh, the bay window today? What else do we have in store?"

"Well, we have here half of a burger, two chicken tenders, French fries, a fruit cup, and two bottles of water!" I said with jazz hands.

"Wow sounds like a feast!"

"Only the best for you!" I said poking one of his dimples.

He chuckled grabbing a fry.

We talked about each other's day as we ate. He told me about his talk with the Royal pack along with the surrounding packs in the area. And I told him about Ella and the girl's situation. He agreed to have one of his best trackers follow her for the next couple of days.

"Hey, I'm sorry about this morning Dawn was completely out of line. I talked to her earlier about it and she should leave you alone." He said sincerely.

I chuckled.

Why was he apologizing? It was far from his fault. I would blame the slippery fork before even placing him in the running.

I placed my hand on his knee and looked up at him.

"Listen you have nothing to apologize for. If anything I should be apologizing to you..." I said tightening my grip on his knee.

"I-I haven't been fair to you and I think it's time for me to tell you the truth."

He was silent just waiting for me to continue, but in my mind, I was having an endless battle with myself. I know he deserves to know the truth, it was only right. I couldn't be selfish anymore it isn't fair to Aaron or his pack.

"I can't be your ma-" I began only for the door to swing open.

As soon as the door opened I felt like I could breathe again only for my airways to close again when I caught glimpse of Serena's panicked face.

"Artemis it's Apollo!" Before she even finished her sentence I was rushing towards the door.

Apollo was on the couch eyes rolled back and his body shaking as if he was having a seizure.

It had to be a vision that his brain is having trouble processing. I quickly kneeled in front of him and grabbed his hand.

I felt my body jolt. When I opened my eyes there was smoke everywhere.

I looked to my side and saw Apollo still holding my hand.

"Apollo, what is this? Where are we?" I asked as he looked out into the distance.

He didn't say anything and just pointed up.

Crows circled the sky and in the distance, I could see the outline of a castle.

I pulled Apollo with me towards the castle, we only walked a few steps before I tripped on something. Apollo grabbed my waist to stop me from falling.

"Shit Artemis that's a body," Apollo mumbled.

When I looked down, sure enough, it was the body of a woman, her stomach seemed to have been torn out.

Looking up from her body I looked at the field as the smoke seemed to be clearing away. It was littered with bodies and weapons some in wolves others were in armor or dresses fitting for a witch.

All dead.

I swallowed the bile that rose in my throat.

I tugged on Apollo's hand and we began running towards the castle ahead jumping over bodies but I looked at every single face trying to see if I recognized any of them.

We could see the gates that surrounded the castle in our reach. I went to open it when a force flew us back. My ears were ringing, my vision blurred but I could see the castle crumbling before me.

I looked to my side as I squeezed Apollo's hand he wasn't facing me.

I tried calling out his name but he wouldn't turn around. My voice sounded muffled. I forced myself up and began to shake him but he wouldn't open his eyes.

I heard someone laugh in the distance and then my name was called. I looked to where I heard the voice in the direction of the castle only to see a figure walking towards me. I couldn't make out who it was due to the smoke and my vision being blurred.

I didn't know what to do and Apollo wouldn't wake up.

I pulled Apollo's body into my chest and backed us away from the figure that kept laughing.

I screamed for them to stay away as tears ran down my face. I screamed for Apollo to wake up, that I needed him but he stayed limp in my arms.

Thunder boomed and lightning struck the ground in front of the figure and once it did I felt my body jolt again.

I opened my eyes to see Athena and Aaron in front of me with worried looks.

"Apollo!" I yelled looking over only to find him awake being comforted by Serena trying to slow his breathing down.

My hand reached for my chest feeling my beating heart slowly calm down.

"What the hell did you two see?" Athena asked helping me up from the floor.

She sat me down on the other side of Apollo and my hand quickly found his, making his breathing go back to normal.

"War," I said rubbing my eyes.

"War? Okay, where? What was happening?" Athena asked.

"I don't know. This vision was different, all we could see was a battlefield covered with bodies of wolves, those in armor, and witches. It was foggy but we could see a castle in the distance." Apollo mumbled.

I decided to fill in the rest.

"We made our way to the castle but once we reached the gates there was an explosion. Apollo was knocked out I-I didn't know what to do. He was just laying there and-" I said as i saw images of the memory.

"Hey I'm right here and I'm fine," Apollo said pulling me in for a hug.

"Okay well what else happened?" Athena asked impatiently.

"Okay umm, there was a figure coming out of the smoke from the castle. I just kept hearing their muffled laughs and I could've sworn they called my name." I said questioning my memory.

"Your name huh? Anything else?" She asked.

I shook my head.

"No, they just kept coming closer so I tried to get Apollo and I away. And then lightning struck in front of them and I was back here." I explained.

Athena began to think it through. She stood up and began to pace the room.

"Was it your lightning or future you's lightning?" She asked.

"How the hell would I know?? I guess it could have been either of ours I was in a state of panic and wanted the person the stay away."

She began biting the nail of her thumb.

"It had to be future you. You said they were saying your name. But you didn't see your future self. Then maybe future you was behind the person trying to stop them." She guessed almost to herself.

"Shit okay final question. Did the armors on the bodies you saw look like this?" She said materializing something.

When the armor appeared it matched exactly with the ones from the vision.

"Yeah, each one had that emblem on it!" Apollo exclaimed pointing at the wolf and crescent moon emblem that was on the bosom of the armor.

"So we were there?" Aaron questioned from beside me.

"Yeah but something must have happened to make the battle move to the castle and something big." She said making the armor disappear again.

"Why something big?" Ezra asked.

"Because they're too close to checkmate. Listen I'll say it like this if you take the Queen you have the power. If you have the power you have control of the King. The king being all of the Werewolf kind that is. For them to reach the castle they had to get past everyone the bishops, the pawns, the knights. If they reached the castle we did something wrong." She explained.

Everyone processed the information but it only lead to more questions arising.

"Now this leaves us with a multitude of questions and theories. Like, do the rouges come here at all, or do they head straight to the Royal pack? What did we do wrong? How do we end up at the castle? And when does this all go down?" Athena questioned.

She let out a sigh before speaking again.

"Look the only thing we know is the information that was given and that's fine because that's how all wars were won. They didn't have someone to see the future of the attack, no, we just got lucky." She said winking at Apollo.

"Right now all we can do is move forward with the information we know! We need to contact our allies and if need be gather more. We need to send out scouts to find either traces or hopefully the Rogue hideout. We were close the other night but they killed their own people and tried to kill ours just to keep their hideout a secret. So right now we can assume they've switched locations by now. But that's fine because maybe Apollo can draw a vision from the area they were in. Look these next few days before Christmas are crucial. We need to get our strategies together along with our people. I wouldn't be surprised if they attacked Christmas, I mean it's something I would do. No one wants to work on Christmas and that includes soldiers and Alphas." She said looking at Aaron.

It was quiet as we all turned and looked at Aaron. For some reason, my worries were put at ease when I saw only confidence on his face.

"Trust me. We'll be ready." Aaron said seriously.

"Than let's win us a war," Athena said with a smirk.

Authors Note

Hey Loves! I hope all of you are having a wonderful holiday season! I apologize for taking so long to update I had finals. But the good news is that I'm on break now until January yay!

What did y'all think of the chapter?

Thoughts on Aaron's mom?

How about Nancy?

Who else is ready for Artemis to tell Aaron the truth??

Thank you for reading! Olympian Blood is less than 10 reads away from reaching 2k reads!! I honestly can't believe it and I couldn't have done it without you guys so thank you so much!

Any requests for the 2k special? Drawings? Bonus chapter/scenes? Let me know in the comments!

Much Love!
-Niya