-Athena-

The drive to Crimson pack was fairly quiet. I, for one was really glad for that. Ethan tried to make small talk, but I guess after a few tries he realized I was in no mood to talk and so he left me alone.  However, he kept on glancing at me every now and then and kept on asking me if I was okay.

Of course I was.........not.

''Ena, you okay?'' he asks for the umpteenth time as soon as we arrive at the border and get out of the car.

''Yes Ethan, I'm fine. I've told you already. Now come on, we're almost home.''

''Yeah, but somehow, I don't believe you. Is there something going on between you and Theo? He seemed, umm, I don't know, distant today?''

''Everything is fine Ethan; you don't need to worry.''

''You're sure, right? I mean there was some tension in the air back there,'' he cocks his head in my direction and studies me. ''Have you guys, umm you know, I mean now that you're back together, I'm guessing you've already.... you know what I'm talking about right?''

''Ohhh, I'm so glad we've reached home,'' I run to the house and drop one of my bags on the porch while Ethan follows me and puts down the other two.

''Athena come on, stop being childish. Why didn't you stay at Crescent pack with him? Did he do something to you? Do I need to break some bones?'' He cracks his knuckles in an intimidating manner.

''Chill, brother, chill. He hasn't done anything wrong. I just,'' I release a breath. ''I just wanted to stay here for a while.'' How do I tell him? How do I tell anyone, that I'm scared to face the pack I had abandoned? They'll all think I'm a coward. And that's the last thing I want.

He was about to say something more when the front door flung open. ''Do you two want to get in or would you rather freeze out here?''

''Hey Michelle,'' I wave at her.

''Welcome home Athena,'' she smiles at me, then immediately drops it. ''Get your asses inside the house now, both of you!''

''Geez, what's up with her?''

''That's Michelle for you.'' Ethan replies as he grabs my bags and walks in. I follow him inside, expecting my mom to be waiting for us, but there is no sign of her.

''It's almost midnight Athena, she was tired, so I sent her to bed,'' Michelle tells me as soon as she realizes who I'm looking for.

I nod in response and watch as Ethan walks up to her and kisses her lightly on the lips. She smiles widely and lays her head on the crook of his neck. She fit perfectly with him. Like the way a puzzle piece would. From where I stood, I could see the mark on her neck, courtesy of my brother. I shake my head furiously before my thoughts go on a completely different tangent. Trust me, no sister wants to picture that.

''Is something wrong?'' Ethan, who finally found time to notice I was the awkward audience to their little PDA, asks me.

''No, nothing at all,'' I try to fake a smile as best as I could. And believe me I delivered. Neither of them seemed to notice and just nodded then started making their way up to their room.

''Oh Athena?'' Michelle turns to face me.

''Hmm?'' I cross my arms behind me awkwardly and look at her.

''Your room's done. Don't you want to rest?''

Rest. Yes of course I want to rest. Rest my fist, on Theo freaking Argents face. How dare he not force me to stay back? What harm would it have caused him to open his damn mouth and just say, 'Athena, stay.' How hard is that?

My jaw ticked, each and every nerve in my body is telling me to march over to Crescent pack, grab Theo by the collar and ki- no, no, punch, yes, punch, not kiss. Seriously though, what's wrong with me?

''Athena, Athena, why are you still standing here? Go to your room.'' I notice Ethan eyeing me suspiciously.

''What? Yes, yes of course. I grab the bag with my clothes in it and rush past them up the stairs.

''Is it me or is she behaving a tad bit weirder than usual?'' I hear Michelle whisper to Ethan. She thinks I cannot hear her, but boy, does she have it wrong.

''I think her and Theo are fighting,'' Ethan replies. ''You know, they never used to fight before but after the whole memory incident, things between them have changed.''

''For the better or worse?''

''Only time can tell, babe. I guess we have to wait until tomorrow to find out. I really hope Selene's not as evil as her sister.''

Those were the last words I heard before the door to their room clicked shut and their voices were nothing but muffled whispers and...... moans?

Oh wait, I don't think they're talking anymore.

I quickly grab my baby blue shorts and matching cami and run to the adjoining bathroom in my room. Once I'm done I remove my IPad from the bag and go through my emails. I reply to a few, drafted a few more to send them to Nancy. I do a once over on everything and after a good fifteen minutes, of reassuring myself that my business will run even if I'm miles away from the office, I switch off my IPad.

Which brings me to my next train of thought. If I spent about a year here last year, how did I manage to run Nightshade? ''Oh no,no,no,no, don't go down that road''. I stop myself from thinking about last year, ''Nope.'' I do not wish to go into writhing pain caused by a spell induced headache. At least not today.

I look at clock and notice it's almost 01:00 am. I really need to sleep. Who knows what tomorrow will bring. I lay my head on the pillow and close my eyes, waiting for sleep to overcome me. But it didn't. I tried again and again, but I could not sleep at all.

I changed positions. No sleep.

I turned the pillow to the colder side. No sleep.

I cuddled the pillow. No sleep.

I popped one leg out from under my blanket. No sleep.

Arggghhh, what is a girl got to do to get some sleep? I stomp my hands on the bed in frustration.

''Oh moon goddess, I really, really want to sleep. Won't you help this child of yours?'' I walk up to my window and look up at the moon. No response. I mean of course, the moon can't talk can it? I'm not dumb.

But still, one can hope.

I was about to return back to my bed, when something caught my eye. I slid the window open. A breeze, even more colder than before blasted on my face making me shiver. ''Whoa,'' I rub my hands against my arms and try to focus on the small group of people by our border.

It was quite far yes, but my enhanced vision came in handy. There seems to be some kind of commotion between Crimson pack guards and Crescent pack guards.

I go over my stuff and manage to find a shawl. ''Ehh, this will do.''

I quietly make my way downstairs and slip out of the house. Once I was outside, I started jogging towards the guards. Halfway to where they were positioned, the cold started hitting me harder than before.

''Oh crap! I should've taken something thicker.''

The closer I got, the louder their voices got. One of them spotted me and tugged on his colleagues' arm.

''Hey, you! What are you doing out here? Go back!'' The first guy shouts at me. I guess they hadn't realized that it was me yet.

''It's a girl,'' One of them says.

Oh very well spotted, boy. If only you could use your brains and enhanced senses to realize who I actually am.

''What does she think she is doing out in the night dressed like that?!'' Someone from Crescent pack says.

''Our females usually stay indoors at this time of the night. I wonder what she's doing out here. Hey you! Do you want to die in this cold? Why don't you go back!''

''And why don't you learn how to respect women and more importantly an Alpha,'' I say once I'm close enough for them to look at and hear me. The look on their faces were priceless to say the least. I wish I had my phone with me. I'd have loved to capture their reactions.

''A-a-alpha, alpha Athena,'' One of them stutters and bows. He actually bowed. I almost laughed. Almost, but I managed to keep up the bitch face.

''What is happening here?''

''Nothing, alpha, we were just, we were just talking,'' the guard from Crescent says.

''Really?'' I cross my arms to look intimidating, but more so to keep myself warm from the cold that is now biting my into skin.

''Y-yes y-yes really,'' the other guard replies.

''Aren't you all supposed to be on patrol?''

The six men exchange nervous glances.

''If I'm not wrong,'' I continue when none of them answer me. ''Four of you are not supposed to be here.''

Before either of them could say anything. A deep voice resonates from the other side of the border. ''What is going on here?''

Oh damn, Oh damn, Oh damn.

''A-alpha Theo?'' One of guards from Crescent pack stares at him in fear.

Theo's huge form comes into light and for a moment there, I lost my ability to breath. Sweatpants! He is in freaking sweatpants, yet he still manages to look hot and intimidating. How does he do that?

My breath hitches when our gazes meet. His eyes roam all over my body taking in my attire, or lack thereof. A shiver runs down my spine and this time, it's not from the cold but from the intensity of his burning gaze on me. The six guards try to look everywhere else but at us. One of them even started kicking pebbles between his feet. It was that action that caught my eye.

''Ahemm....'' I clear my throat and break my gaze away from Theo's.

''Everyone get back to your positions,'' he orders them. The Crescent pack guards scramble on their feet and were metres away from us in a matter of seconds.

The Crimson pack guards however, stayed right there. I look between the three of them, waiting for anyone to move, but they stood still. Until it struck to me, Theo is not their alpha, why should they take orders from him?

''You guys too.'' I tell the three men. They immediately disperse, leaving me and Theo standing on opposite sides of the border, facing each other.

''I should.....umm....I should go,'' I murmur and start walking back towards Ethan's house.

''You couldn't sleep.'' I hear his husky voice from behind which makes me stop in my tracks.

''Ohhh you're talking to me now!'' I whirl back. ''Or wait, is there someone else here?'' I pretend to look around, my shawl somehow slipped from my back and fell to the ground without me realizing.

''Athena,'' he says. No, not says, because his voice is something between and whisper and a growl. A growl which made me shiver and once again not from the cold. Unholy thoughts begin to form in my head just from hearing him growl out my name like that.

Oh, moon goddess, help me. I need to stay in control, not lose it.

''What? Huh, What?'' I take two steps forwards after composing myself. Two more and I will have crossed the border to Crescent Pack. ''About an hour ago you were not even looking at me, leave alone talking to me. And now you come and stand here and say my name like that.''

''Like what?'' he pockets his hands and cocks his head. His gaze rakes over my body once again, that's when I realized my shawl had fallen.

The cold breeze blows over the pack lands and my shawl is blown across the border into Crescent pack land. Ahh damn it, there goes my flimsy protection. Theo strides over to where it lay and picks it up.

''Give it back.'' I stretch my hand out.

He takes a few steps back. ''Come and get it.''

I click my tongue in annoyance and shake my head. ''I'm not in the mood for games Theo. Give me back my shawl so I can go sleep.''

''You really think this shawl can make you sleep, love?'' He bundles it up in his hand and smells it. ''Have you ever wondered what your scent smells like to me, how it drives me crazy?''

I don't answer him. In fact, I couldn't answer him. All I could do was stare at him, because I couldn't trust myself right now. If he keeps on looking at me like that, I don't know what I'll say, much less do.So, I kept quiet and focused my gaze on the trees around us.

Where is a distraction when you need one. More importantly, where is Charles? He has a knack of always interrupting us. I could really use his help right about now.

''Wildflowers and berries, with a subtle hint of passion fruit. I could drown in it and still be alive.'' 

My gaze snaps towards Theo as soon as he says that. His voice held a tone of reverence, like his life depended on my scent. Did he really mean that?

''Theo?'' I hear a squeak. No, wait. That was me, I squeaked. I clear my throat and call his name out again. 

''Theo?''

''Yes, love?''

''You couldn't sleep either, right?''

''How could I when you were not there with me,'' he simply says.

Of course!!! I resisted the urge to face palm myself. That's why I couldn't sleep either. My body wanted, no, needed him. My mind, my heart, my soul needed him. He was my safe haven, my comfort, my home.

I don't know what it was, call it lust or love, but in the next moment, I had crossed the border and latched myself onto him. I grabbed his face in my hands and kissed him fervently. He responded with equal passion and deepened the kiss.

''Why...did... you...not...stop...me?'' I ask him in between kisses.

''Shhhh, don't talk,'' he murmurs and pulls me closer to him.

''Excuse me?'' I break the kiss, but keep my hold on his face. ''Did you just shush me! That is so wrong! I'm not some stray cat!'' I slap his chest. ''You cannot shush me, how dare you, you- mmphh.....'' my words get cut short as he latches his lips onto mine once again.

''Let's get you home,'' he says in his husky voice as he lifts me in his arms.

''Which home?'' I ask him.

''The real one.''

The walk to the 'real home' was fairly short or maybe it was long, who knows? Definitely not me, since I was busy tracing Theo's perfectly chiseled face with my eyes. ''You shaved?'' I graze my finger over his cheek once he sets me down on the porch of his huge house. No wait, our huge house.

''Yeah, you don't like?''

''I preferred the bearded look,'' I shrug and walk in after him. I didn't hear his reply as I set my eyes on the living room. Holy shit!!! I used to freaking live here?

Dang it! Now I really want my memory back.

''Theo, I-''

I was cut off once again as he put his arms around me and kisses me. I respond with the same fiery passion, our lips perfectly in sync. His hands find my behind and he lifts me off the ground again. I wrap my legs around him, while his hands make their way into my hair.

With some miraculous speed and incredible talent, he makes his way up the stairs without breaking the kiss. We approach a large mahogany door which I'm guessing is his...no...our room. He kicks it open with his leg and we stumble inside. Luckily, he manages to maintain his balance.

I unwrap my legs from around his waist and he puts me down. My hands immediately find the hem of his t-shirt and quickly pull it over his head. My hands travel down from his chest up to the waistband of his sweats.

''Athena, are you sure?'' he asks once he realizes I'm not stopping.

''I've never been so sure. I want this, I want you. I love you,'' I whisper.

''And I you.''

''Prove it,'' I smirk at him playfully.

And he did. Multiple times that night.

I was the first one to get up the next morning, Theo's large hands were enclosed around me like a cocoon. I lift my head up from his bare chest and slowly try to pry his fingers from around me. I quietly slip out of the bed, wrapping the sheet around my bare body and tip toe to the bathroom.

I found a spare toothbrush in one of the drawers and cleaned my teeth before jumping in the shower. Thoughts of last night filter into my brain, my fingers subconsciously graze my lips. ''Oh my,'' I breathe out as a shiver runs through my spine.

Since I didn't have any clothes here apart from my satin pyjamas which lay in pieces on the bedroom floor. Rest in peace pyjamas. ''This will do,'' I mutter and put on a bathrobe.

I walk out to the bedroom and notice Theo's still form. ''Seriously, you're still asleep!''

''It's your fault that I overslept, love. You wore me out,'' I hear his groggy, husky voice as he sits up on the bed.

''Did I now?'' I quirk an eyebrow.

''Indeed.''

He rubs his eyes sleepily and yawns. Aww, isn't he cute? Well not right now. I pick up my slipper and throw it at his head. The slipper meets its mark and I hear a small thud before it falls on the bed.

''Oww, what was that for?'' He looks up at me with wide eyes. ''Did I do something wrong last night?''

''What, no! Last night was great. In fact, it was more than great, but that's not the point!''

''Then what is? What did I do?'' he looks at me innocently.

''Oh you don't know,'' I cross my arms around my chest.

''Yes, Athena. I really don't.''

I start taking menacing steps towards him.

One. ''Never.''

Two. ''Ever.''

Three. ''Shut me out.''

Four. ''Again.''

I stop at the foot of the bed and climb onto it. ''If you don't like something I do, you tell me, okay?'' I straddle him and put a hand on his chest. ''Okay?''

''Is this about the whole thing about me not-''

''Yes! Yes Theo, it's exactly that. If you didn't want me to go to Crimson pack, why didn't you say so?''

He doesn't say anything but I could read the confusion in his eyes. The look he was giving me read, I-thought- you-didn't-want-to stay.

''One word. You only had to say one word, one syllable and I wouldn't have crossed the damn border.'' I lean my forehead against his and whisper. ''You know what word it was?'' I trail my finger down his chest. His breath hitches and he clasps his hand around my wrist tight before I could go any further.

''Stay.'' He whispers back.

''Good. So you do know your basic English.'' I try to free my hand from his but his grasp on it was tight. Too tight. If it were someone else, I would have bashed their skull for this, but this was not someone else, this was the man I love and instead of feeling resentment, I was feeling hot and bothered.

Theo sniffs the air and locks his gaze with mine. His eyes are dark, almost black filled with what I could only describe as lust. ''Seems like last night wasn't enough for you.''

His husky voice sends pleasurable shivers down my spine. ''Let go,'' I surprise myself by keeping my voice steady.

''Never again.'' He breathes out and in a second his lips are on mine. I kiss him back with passion, the both of us fighting for dominance. His hand travels up to the belt on my robe and he was about to untie it when the front door crashes open.

''You better be ready man; the others are on their way!'' I here Charles' voice from downstairs.

Ohh, now he's found the time to interrupt us. 

The events that followed were all a blur and I found myself being unceremoniously thrown off the bed. ''Ouch!'' I land with a thud on the floor.

''Sorry, love'' he apologizes quickly and runs into the shower.

''Is that Athena?'' I hear a soft voice outside our room.

The bedroom door swings open, and Charles saunters in, followed closely by his mate. ''Well, well, well look what we have here!''

''Oh shut up,'' I grumble as I attempt to grab the bed to get up, but luck was not on my side and I ended up grasping the bed sheet, which slid across the bed and onto the floor, me with it.

''Mmppph!!''

''Ohh, how the mighty have fallen,'' I hear Charles' smug voice.

''I prefer if you'd help me instead of passing on useless comments,'' I call out from the under the pile of sheet.

''Would you look at that!'' he gasps dramatically. ''The might alpha female is asking for help! I thought you prefer handling things on your own. What is it that you say, ahh yes, 'I am a strong independent woman, who can hold her own.' He mimics me.

''That's not what I sound like!!'' I yell in outrage.

Just then Theo appears from the walk in closet buttoning up his white shirt. ''Athena, what are you still doing down there?''

''Building sand castles! What do you think?'' I snap at him.

''Come on, get up.''

''It's okay, I got it.'' I roll the bed-sheet into a bundle and throw it on the bed and stand up.

''I rest my case,'' Charles says and gives me his infamous 'I'm judging you' look.

''Oh shut it!''

Turning to my mate who looks like he is having the best morning of his life, I nudge him in shoulders. ''I need clothes.''

''What? Oh yeah,'' he looks down at my bathrobe. '' I think there are some clothes back there on your side of the closet. You left them behind when you left.''

I felt a pang of guilt in my chest when he said that. ''Theo, I-'' I've been feeling guilty a lot lately, something needs to be done about that.

''I know. It's okay, we're together now, that's what matters.''

I kiss him softly on the cheek, ignoring the beta pair who are watching us intently and walk into the humongous closet.

''Seriously! I knew there was a reason I left these behind!'' I look at the countable clothes, if that's what you'd call them, scattered around in the shelves. There was a soft pink shirt that was missing majority of its buttons so that was out. Next was a grey t-shirt that had seen better days. ''I couldn't possibly wear this.'' I grumble.

''Oh would you look at that, my flip flop!'' I pick the lone slipper and look at it. ''Now where is your partner?'' I look around the closet but don't see it. ''This one looks to be in good condition, why did I not take it?'' I unfolded the pair of mickey mouse leggings and put them on. ''Ohh, that's why.'' Looking into the full length mirror, I noticed the horizontal tear on my right thigh. ''Hmm, not bad, although I wonder where it came from.''

''Love, are you done?'' Theo walks in and breaks my chain of thought.

''Almost. I need a shirt.''

Without even glancing at my closet to empty shelves, he removes a white shirt from his side and hands it to me. ''This won't fit Theo.''

''You're the fashion expert, make it fit. And please hurry, we're late already.''

I put on the shirt and which by the way, smelt like him. ''Oh goddess,'' I take in his scent. ''Ughh, it's like drug.''

Without wasting more time, I put on Theo's shirt. As suspected it was a tad bit big for me. So I grabbed both ends of the shirt and knotted them together tightly around my torso. ''Hmm, good enough.''

''Ready. Come on, let's go.'' I walk down the stairs and shout to the other three who are huddled around the kitchen counter. They all snap their heads in my direction at once. They had this look on their face, the kind that seemed like they did not want to me listening to whatever it was they were whispering about.

''Is something wrong?''

''Nothing at all, Athena. Come on, let's get going,'' Mila speaks up first, takes my arm in hers and we walk out of the house.

''So uhh, I know you're the fashion expert here, but even I feel that that tear on your pants is a bit too extreme.'' Charles points to my thigh.

''Must you always criticize me, every single time?''

''Of course yes, I live to criticize you,'' he walks up to my left and pokes my cheek.

''Hmm, makes me wonder how you survived when I was gone.''

''You have no idea,'' I hear him mumble.

''Hey, I'm back now. And....'' I take in a deep breath, ''Even though I don't remember our fun times from before, I'm sure we can make more. Besides, this time I'm not going anywhere,'' I pat his back but my gaze travels to Theo, who is surprisingly, already looking at me. His lips curve upwards and he gives me a charming smile as we make our way to the cell where Selene is detained.

''Ahh about time the lot of you arrived!'' I hear a deep voice ring over the pack lands just a few meters away from us. It was quite early in the morning; the birds were chirping; pack members were slowly waking up. Luckily it wasn't as cold as last night,  however, a light breeze did blow every now and then.

As we join the rest of the group who are gathered by the cell, my gaze travels from person to person. Ethan and Michelle I knew of course. Next to Michelle was her brother Sean. Goddess, he has grown into a fine young man. I remember him from my childhood days when we used to meet at parties and played hide and seek. And now, he is an alpha and that too at such a young age. He is accompanied by a young female who smiles at me widely and waves.

''Who is that?'' I mind link Theo and wave back.

''That's Taylor, Shadow packs' beta.''

''Wow. A female beta. We are certainly moving forward.''

''That we are, and it's all thanks to you.''

''Me?'' I crinkle my forehead.

''Yes, you. Maybe Sean can tell you about it sometime.''

I didn't question him further on the matter and decided to concentrate on the one at hand.

''Athena, it's so great to finally have you back,'' Ashton Walker strides up to me and hugs me.

''Uhhh, yeah, ha ha, it's umm......it's good to be back,'' I hug him back awkwardly.

''How is, ummm,'' Oh crap, I forgot his mates name. ''Ummm...''

''Olivia?'' he laughs a deep laugh, the skin around his eyes crinkles and a dimple appears on his left cheek. ''She is fine, a bit too moody if you ask me, but pregnancy does that.'' He laughs again.

''Yeah, I can imagine,'' I smile in return.

''Honestly speaking,'' he lowers his voice, '' I can't wait for the baby to come, even though I love my wife, she can get a bit......crazy.''

''Hey, that's my sister okay,'' Mila slaps his upper arm.

''Yes but, you haven't lived with her when she is pregnant. She eats weird foods and has unrealistic cravings.''

''Don't worry big man,'' Theo chuckles and pats Ashton's back. ''It'll be over soon.''

''Easy for you to say. Wait when it's your turn. Give him hell, Athena.''

My cheeks flush red from embarrassment. I use my hair to hide the blush, but Theo notices it. He winks at me, which makes me blush even more. Kids! I mean, I haven't given it much thought. Leave much; I haven't given it any thought. Does Theo even want kids? I mean, us as parents, noooooo.

More importantly, do I want kids? Yes? Maybe? I don't know.

''Okay then,'' Ashton loud booming voice, followed by a clap breaks me from my chain of thoughts. ''The witch was injected with enough blood-root to keep her down the whole night. One of the guards just told me she is starting to wake up.''

''Great. Athena and I are going in,'' Theo takes my hand in his. ''Ashton, Ethan you guys come to. The rest, stay out here and make sure all the borders are protected, keep your warriors ready. We don't know what she'll do, but we need to be prepared.''

''Ready, love?''

''I don't think no is the right answer?'' I look up at him.

''It isn't.''

I take in deep breath. ''Let's do this.''

***

There you have it! Hope you guys like it. Next chapter is Athena's meeting with Selene.

Any thoughts on why she has come here?

Let me know in the comments as usual.

-Jessica.S