Chapter 50

*Athena POV*
All around me is darkness. There is not a shred of light and no way out of this hell. There are voices, but they too quiet to hear what they are saying. Voices of my past. Voices that have come back to haunt me.
I can pick out my father’s voice, Aiden’s, and even Celeste’s. They grow a little louder but still remain gentle whispers. I can hear when we were children, running through the forest playing games. Hearing father telling me how proud he was when I won the pack tournament. Aiden fighting a guy who touched my ass in high school. I can even pick out mothers lullabies she used to sing.
Then suddenly, loud screams fill my ears. They are screams of torment and brokenness. They are my screams. I cover my ears, but it doesn’t help. They don’t muffle the awful sound. Then his voice invades my ears.
“You, will be mine. You, will bring me my brothers head. Be my queen.” The voice belonging to a man I so very much want to kill. The man who scarred my mind and body. The one who took something that can never be given back.
Then pain shoots through my body. A phantom pain of all that he’s done to me. I can even still feel his hands on me.
I scream for help, but nothing comes out. I’m completely helpless and defenseless. No one will save me.
“Athena.” A new voice pierces the darkness. I uncover my ears and look around. I still cannot see beyond my own nose. “Wake the hell up!”
Then the void shatters around me and blinding light fills my vision. The voices are gone and now I’m flying.
I wake up to someone shaking me and sightly yelling.
“No! Don’t touch me!” I struggle and yell.
“Angel, wake up its just a dream!” He yells and tries to keep me still.
I finally come to my senses and feel myself on a bed and Silas’s large hands on my shoulders. His eyes are frantic with fright and looking for conformation that I’ve come to my senses. Tears stream down my face in pure relief that I’m no longer there. My body is covered in sweat and my hands are trembling.
Choked sobs escape my lips and he pulls me close to him. I cry into his chest and hold onto him like he is my lifeline. It felt like I went through that hell all over again.
“I got you angel. I wont let anything happen to you again.” He whispers and holds on tight. “You are safe.”
We stay like this for a while. When my trembles finally calm down, a quiet knock sounds at the door. It creaks open and Freya pokes her head in.
“Is she ok? I heard her from down the hall.” She comes in and closes the door.
“Yea, just a bad dream.” He explains for me.
She comes up to the bed and places a gentle hand on my shoulder. I open my eyes and see she is holding two vials with a clear liquid and a creamy liquid in them.
“I was able to make this up to get rid the wolfsbane. If you drink it now, your wolf should be back by morning. This other one is a contraceptive. Just in case.” She says and holds out the vials to me with a nervous look.
I snatch them, quickly uncork one, and force the bitter liquid down my throat. I desperately need to hear Blanche again. I need my other half back. I don’t feel whole without her. I also can’t fathom the idea of being pregnant with his offspring. The thought twists my gut into nots.
I drain the other vial and I give them back and take a deep cleansing breath. I wipe my face with my shirt and give my mate an apologetic look for gross crying on him.
“I’m sorry, for that.” I say and point as his tear-soaked shirt.
“Never apologize for something like that angel.” He lightly caresses my cheek and I lean into it.
“I wanted to ask since I saw you last. When did this happen?” Freya asks and points at the sapphire mark on my forehead.
“When we were on the road. I’m able to call upon my wings in human form now. When Silas showed me how, this appeared with it. I was hoping you would have an idea what it is.” I explain.
“No, other than his packs mark I’ve never seen your pack with it. If I’m remembering correctly Silas, your mark comes from the original wolf line, correct?” she asks.
“Correct.”
“There are no other lines of werewolves other than that line that is recorded. Meaning there shouldn’t be a separate line of pure wolves. So why would she have the genes that seem like one?” Freya ponders. “When this mess with the rogues quiet down, we should take a trip to the werewolf monastery in Greece. That would be our best bet to finding out.”
The werewolf monastery consists of chosen elders from all the packs that study and research to find out all the secrets the goddess has to offer. They’re the ones who found out the significance of the white wolf, why each clan is special, why my mates mark is special. Obviously, there are still secrets of White wolf to be discovered. I nod and she continues.
“Also, I think I may have an idea how to get rid of that.” She points at the hideous mark on my chest. “From what I gathered, he needed the bloodmoon because the artificial bond alone is weak. I think to completely get rid it of you simply need to replace it.”
“Replace it?” I ask and tilt my head curiously. I look at Silas who’s eyes have widened.
“I mean, have your true fated mate replace it. It should overpower whatever voodoo that stupid witch conjured up.” She sighs. “I should have waited till the morning to tell you. You’ve barely slept over an hour. Get some sleep sweet girl. I just wanted to give you that for the wolfsbane. Do you need something to help you sleep?”
“No ill be ok. Thanks Freya.” She smiles and pats my hand. She head out of the room and closes the door behind her leaving us with our thoughts. I let my self fall back onto the bed and rest my eyes to think. Silas also lies back down and remains quiet for a while.
“We don’t have to If you’re not ready. I wont let Damon get near you again.” He says and looks me deep in the eyes. Like he’s looking for hesitation. Even though I feel hesitant about taking another mark, but there is another part of me that has never wanted something more. He has proved to be nothing like his father or his brother. He also proved how dedicated he is to earning my trust and even my love.
Plus, I would give anything to feel completely safe again. If I took his mark that would seize Damon’s chance to get ahold of me again. I need his mark.
“No, we should do it. I want to be able to feel safe again. The only way for that to happen is to be yours completely.” I say sincerely. “Plus, I wanted nothing more than to have physical proof of my connection to you.”
His lips turn up into a sweet smile and leans in. He kisses my lips softly and moves me closer to him. He doesn’t deepen it so he won’t overwhelm me. But I can feel the love and admiration in.
Our lips part after moments that feel like forever and I snuggle up to him.
“Get some sleep angel. We’ll talk about it in the morning.” He whispers and lightly kisses me on the forehead. Maybe I’m not as broken as I thought I was.