The moment my eyes opened, I could see the first light streaming through the bedroom curtains. The golden rays cut through the shadows of the room, exposing the tangled mess of sheets and the reality that the lovely evening I spent with Kayden had officially come to an end. I stayed perfectly still, my heart hammering a slow, heavy rhythm against my ribs. I could still feel the phantom pressure of his hands on my hips and the haunting echo of his voice promising to consume my every thought. His arm was still draped over me, pressing my back firmly into his chest.
I could feel the steady rise and fall of his chest as he was still very much asleep while holding me close to himself. His arm was like a protective weight—an anchor I wasn't quite ready to cast off. I closed my eyes for one more second, inhaling the lingering scent of sandalwood and forest rain that clung to his skin, trying to etch every sensation into my mind. I wished for time to just stop, to let the sun freeze at the horizon, so I could stay in this moment forever.
Memories and the sensations of last night surfaced in my mind as I lay there, vivid and raw. I could practically feel the phantom pressure of his hands on my hips and the haunting echo of his voice promising to consume my every thought. Somehow, despite the blackouts that followed our bouts of overwhelming ecstasy, we had managed to wake in the small, dark hours of the night. Each time, the pull was too strong to resist, allowing us to continue indulging in one another at least two more times before exhaustion finally won. Now, the silence of the morning felt heavy with the ghost of those hours—the whispered vows, the frantic touches, and the way our souls had seemed to knit together in the dark.
Unfortunately, no matter how much I wished for time to stop, life just seemed to keep moving on, indifferent to the breaking of my heart. The light outside continued its steady pursuit, rising higher in the sky and forcing the sunlight in the room to grow even brighter, even bolder. It spilled across the floor and climbed the side of the bed, a golden tide that threatened to wash away the last of the moonlight. The warmth on my skin should have been comforting, but instead, it felt like a warning. Every inch the light gained was an inch closer to the moment I would have to peel myself away from the heat of his body and face the cold edge of duty.
I took a deep, reluctant breath, the air already feeling thinner without the heat of his skin against mine. With agonizing slowness, I gripped Kayden's wrist and began to move his arm from my waist. It felt like lifting a mountain; the dead weight of his limb was a testament to how deeply he had finally fallen into sleep after the night's exhaustion. I carefully untangled myself, sliding toward the edge of the mattress until the cool air of the room rushed in to fill the space where his body had been. The contrast was a physical ache.
I glanced back at him, my breath hitching in my throat as I worried my sudden departure might have snapped the thread of his sleep. But the room remained still. I breathed a silent sigh of relief as I watched the steady, deep rhythm of his breathing. My heart ached with a sharp, localized pain as I looked at him. In the golden morning light, his expression was peaceful and unguarded, still submerged in the depths of a heavy slumber. I had a sudden urge to reach out and brush a stray lock of hair from his forehead, but I forced my hands to remain at my sides.
I moved stealthily to the far side of the bed, reaching for the bag and clothes I'd stashed in preparation for the swift exit I knew I'd have to make. I changed into my clothes with practiced, silent movements, my fingers fumbling slightly as I fumbled with the fastenings. Every few seconds, my gaze snapped back to Kayden, my heart leaping into my throat at the slightest rustle of the sheets. I dressed with trembling hands, my eyes constantly darting back to him, terrified that a rustle of fabric or the frantic thud of my own heartbeat would rouse him. Mercifully, as I watched the broad line of his back, his breathing never faltered—retaining the steady, heavy rhythm of a man completely at peace.
Standing there, fully dressed and ready for the world outside, I felt like a ghost in my own life. The heat of the night was still trapped in my skin—a secret, dying ember—but the cold weight of my gear reminded me of what I had to do to protect the man lying there and the lives of everyone in this pack. I knew it would be too easy to stay; my heart was screaming for it, a raw and desperate sound in the silence of my mind. But I knew neither of us would forgive the cost of my hesitation. Kayden would be crushed every time he watched one of his people fall, and I couldn't bear to be the reason for that hollow look in his eyes.
I took one last, shuddering breath, memorizing the silhouette of the man I was leaving behind. I etched the way the sunlight caught the edges of his hair and the heavy, relaxed curve of his shoulder into my soul. Finally, I forced my feet to move. With every step toward the door, a crushing weight settled against my chest, threatening to break my ribs. I reached for the door handle, my fingers cold and steady now. I didn't look back. I couldn't. I simply turned the latch and stepped out of the light, disappearing into the shadows of my duty.
*
My eyes snapped open the second I heard the click of the door shutting. I had been lying on the bed, keeping my breathing steady and my muscles slack as I pretended to be asleep. I had woken the moment I heard the light patter of her feet as she walked to the other side of the bed. I stayed paralyzed, listening to the rustle of fabric as she changed and the frantic, shallow rhythm of her breath. Every second was an exercise in agony. My body was wired to move, to stop her, to close the distance she was so carefully creating.
Now that she was gone, the room felt cavernous. I sat up slowly, the cold morning air biting at my bare skin where her heat had been only minutes ago. I looked at the door, the sound of that final click still echoing in my ears like a gunshot. The moment my feet touched the ground, I quickly picked up my pants from the floor, shoving my legs into them with a rough, impatient energy. I didn't bother to waste any more time searching for my shirt; the air was cold, but the fire under my skin was hotter. I walked out of the room shirtless, driven by a desperate, pulling need to see her silhouette one last time.
I knew she wouldn't have had enough time to truly disappear yet. I could still catch her. I could reach out, pin her to the stone hallway, and force her to stay—force her to choose me over the mission. But as I reached the door, the memory of her "shuddering breath" stopped me cold. No matter how much my wolf roared for her, pacing behind my ribs with bared teeth, I wouldn't break the woman I loved just to keep her. Besides, we both knew she had tied my hands the moment she invoked the Alpha favor I'd given her when we first met. To go against it now would be to go against my own word, my own soul, and the very law that held this pack together.
To avoid the temptation I knew lay just beneath the surface of my mind and body, I forced myself to walk to my office. I didn't even glance at my desk; I knew it was buried under stacks of papers, a mountain of paperwork that felt entirely meaningless now. I crossed the room with heavy strides and stopped before the three large windows overlooking the front of the house. Despite the early hour, the brightness was muted; the sun struggled to pierce through the heavy, darkened clouds that had begun to choke the sky. A light layer of snow was already starting to gather on the ground, a white shroud settling over the world as the clouds continued to release their frozen burden.
I watched as the front door opened below, the heavy wood swinging wide to reveal my mate as she emerged into the biting air. I watched as she turned back to glance at the door, and I watched her lips move as if saying something before turning and taking the porch steps before stepping onto the ground below. Before she had a chance to continue forward, a blur of motion erupted from the house. Mia launched herself from the open doorway, her blonde hair fluttering behind her like a banner. She barreled down the stairs with a desperate, reckless speed, throwing herself at Artemis and wrapping her arms around my mate in a crushing hug. I saw Artemis stumble, caught completely off guard by the physical impact of Mia's love.
I could see the soft smile that claimed my mate's lips as she yielded to the embrace, wrapping her arms around Mia and hugging her back. Then Luca emerged, filling the doorway. Despite the biting cold and the snow beginning to dust the porch, he was dressed only in baseball shorts and a thin t-shirt. His dark brown hair was a mess, sticking up in sleep-muddled peaks. It was clear they had scrambled out of bed the moment they realized she was moving—Luca likely following Mia's frantic lead so she could say her goodbyes.
When Ari pulled back from the hug, I watched her lips move as she whispered something to Mia. Mia nodded her head quickly, her shoulders shaking slightly as if she were fighting back a sob. From my vantage point, I couldn't see Mia's face, only the back of her blonde head, but the weight of the moment was unmistakable. Then, my mate and Luca locked eyes.
The air between them seemed to still, even as the snow fell faster. Luca gave a slight, courteous nod—a sharp movement filled with a silent sign of respect that only one warrior can give another. It was an acknowledgment of her strength, her choice, and the burden she was taking on for all of them. Artemis reciprocated with a small, satisfied smile. Just as Mia turned back to look at her mate, Luca immediately held his hand out toward her. It was a silent command, an invitation to return to the safety of the hearth. The moment their fingers connected, she climbed the stairs back toward him. As soon as her feet touched the final step, Luca pulled her into his side, wrapping his arm protectively around her waist.
From my window, the ache in my chest sharpened into a jagged blade. I wanted to be down there. I wanted to be the one pulling my mate back from the brink of the world, tucking her head under my chin and shielding her from the storm. But instead, I remained a ghost behind a pane of glass, watching as the gap between Artemis and the life she loved grew wider with every passing second. Standing at the bottom of those steps, she appeared as a lone, fragile figure against the gathering white. I could see the way she looked at them—at the simple, unburdened love Luca and Mia shared—and the softness of her affection was plain even from this distance.
Suddenly, Ari's gaze drifted upward, traveling over the stone and timber of the house until it settled on my window. I caught a glimpse of those vast, mystic blue eyes—a color that seemed to hold the very sky and the sea within them. My breath hitched, trapped in the back of my throat, as a sudden, treacherous pang of hope flooded my heart, twisting like a dagger in my chest. I froze, my eyes locking onto hers through the cold pane of glass. For one heartbeat, I was certain our eyes had met. But if she saw me, she gave no sign. Her face remained a mask of marble, unyielding and unreadable against the falling snow. There was no softening of her jaw, no flicker of hesitation in her gaze. She simply looked at the window as if she were looking at a memory, and then she began to turn away.
I watched as she adjusted the strap of her bag, her posture shifting as she moved from "Ari" back into the "Soldier." The softness in her eyes began to glaze over with a familiar, icy focus—the look of a woman who had already traveled miles ahead in her mind, past the boundaries of my lands and into the teeth of the enemy. She didn't look back a second time. With a fluid, purposeful stride, she stepped away from the porch and toward the tree line. Her boots sank into the fresh snow, but she didn't stumble. Each step was a deliberate severance.
I watched her fading figure as she reached the treeline, the boundary where our groomed lands bled into the ancient, untamed forest of our territory. The moment she reached the first thicket of pines, she ducked behind the massive trunk of an ancient oak. A heartbeat later, she reemerged. She was no longer the woman in an elegant, thick, and puffy winter coat; she was the white tiger, a magnificent and lethal specter of the North. She held her bag firmly in her powerful jaws, her head held high. Her snowy fur was so pristine, so perfectly matched to the falling flakes, that she was barely a ripple in the landscape.
She didn't pause to scent the air or look back at the house one last time. With a powerful, rhythmic bound, she vanished into the deep timber. The snow was coming down heavier now, a white veil descending between us, turning her silhouette into a ghost, then a smudge, and then—nothing. The snow continued to fall, indifferent and relentless, beginning to fill the heavy paw prints she had left behind. The forest swallowed her whole.
I waited for the bond to snap, for some great cosmic roar to signal she was gone, but there was only the silence of my office and the cold glass against my forehead. My breath fogged the glass as I watched the flakes fall. The world was turning white, falling silent and cold, a perfect mirror to the hollow chill spreading through my chest. Somewhere out there, she was a ghost moving through the storm, and the snow was already working to erase every trace that she had ever belonged to me.
I felt something harden in my chest as a cold resolve settled over me, an idea finally solidifying in the wreckage of my thoughts. I leaned away from the window, watching the fog from my breath slowly vanish from the glass. Before I could second-guess the madness of it, I spoke into the hollow silence, my voice deadpan and devoid of the heat that had filled it only hours ago. "Athena, are you there?"
The air in the room shifted instantly. The density changed, a presence materializing behind me like the sudden, sharp flicker of a flame coming to life in a dark draft. I didn't bother to turn around; I kept my gaze fixed on the white, empty treeline, refusing to give her the satisfaction of my full attention. Behind me, her voice drifted through the office—smooth, ancient, and insufferably condescending. "Yes, my child. I am here."
"Is there anything I can do to become stronger? After Zander's kidnapping attempt, I know the truth—I am nowhere near his or Artemis's level. I need to know how to bridge that gap. I need to know how to surpass him." When she remained silent, I felt the frustration boil over. I shoved my fingers through my hair, my voice cracking with the weight of my own inadequacy. "I'm the Alpha. I'm supposed to be the shield for this pack, yet I'm hardly qualified to protect myself, let alone a territory on the brink of war. My mate is out there in the cold because I wasn't strong enough to keep her or anyone else safe here." I turned to face her finally, my gaze burning with a desperate, new light. "I will pay any price. I will endure any ritual. Tell me what I must do to become what they need me to be. I won't lose her again because I was too weak to hold the line."
I watched as a slow, pleased smile etched across her lips. It wasn't a kind look; it was the look of a craftsman finding a particularly sharp blade. "I am surprised by you, Kayden," she purred, her eyes shimmering with a light that made the shadows in the office retreat. "For someone who, just a few days ago, wanted to deny my existence—despite all the proof staring him in the face—you certainly found your faith quickly once you were left alone in the dark. To hear you call for me now is... quite amusing, actually."
Despite knowing this woman was a goddess on a level that rivaled the Moon Goddess herself, and despite our limited history, I could sense the game she was playing. She was a being of ancient, terrifying power, someone to be handled with the utmost caution—yet, for some reason, the fear wouldn't take hold. Her little show of divine mockery didn't faze me in the slightest as I crossed my arms over my bare chest, leaning my weight back as I arched an eyebrow. "Are you saying the great strategist Athena had no idea any of this was going to happen?" I countered, my voice dry. "Especially after all your talk about glimpsing the threads of the future? If you're so amused by my 'sudden faith,' maybe you aren't looking at the map as closely as you claim."
A twinkle of genuine amusement sparked to life behind her eyes, and the corner of her lips curved into a wicked smirk. She chuckled slightly as she leaned back, casually resting against the corner of my desk, ignoring the stacks of paper that cluttered the top of it. She looked perfectly at home in the middle of my chaos, her radiant presence making the rest of the room look dull and faded. "I never said that I didn't expect this to happen," she said, her voice smooth as aged wine. "In fact, I've been waiting for this moment exactly. Otherwise, showing myself to you all those days ago would have been for naught."
My jaw tightened at her admission. "So you are saying that you planned everything that has happened so far?" As the words left my mouth, I could feel the tendons in my hands straining as they curled into tight fists at my sides. She merely arched an eyebrow, regarding me with an expression of practiced boredom. "Dear, sweet Kayden, please don't be so naive," she sighed, the sound light and patronizing. "I am a strategist, not a novelist. All of this would have unfolded with or without my interference. The threads of your destiny were already tangled; I merely chose which ones to pull to ensure you didn't end up strangled by them."
She slid further onto the desk, moving with a lethargic grace that felt distinctly predatory. She settled fully onto the polished wood, crossing one leg over the other in a single, fluid motion that openly mocked the rigid, frozen stance I was holding. "We both know that even after everything that happened the day we met, you wanted nothing to do with me. Given the chance, you would have preferred to pretend I didn't exist, just so you could cling to the fantasy that the beliefs you were raised on weren't, in fact, a lie." She leaned forward slightly, her eyes locking onto mine. "That is why I orchestrated the delay. I ensured you had a few days of silence—time to let that knowledge fester until you were ready to come to me when the time was right."
My jaw coiled as I pinched the bridge of my nose, a low groan escaping me. The weight of her games was becoming more exhausting than the grief itself. I took a slow, deliberate breath, and when I exhaled, I dropped my hand and opened my eyes. Her violet gaze had intensified, the iris glowing with a rhythmic pulse that seemed to expand and contract in the room's low lighting. She looked like she was carved from starlight and shadows. "So," I said, my voice dropping an octave, steady and cold. "Do you have something that can actually help, or are you doing this just to waste my time?"
Athena didn't flinch at the disrespect. Instead, her smirk widened, blooming into an expression of dark, unadulterated amusement. With her legs still crossed, she shifted her weight, planting her elbow on her knee and resting her chin in her palm as she leaned toward me. The movement was slow, deliberate, and dangerously close, bringing with it a scent like a summer storm in an ancient grove—olive wood and sharp citrus, softened by a hint of lavender. "I never do anything that would be considered a waste of time, Kayden," she purred, her violet eyes locking onto his. "That would be a cruelty to myself, and I simply can't be bothered with self-inflicted boredom."
She leaned back on the desk, bracing herself with her hands on either side. The movement caused the heavy, dark purple fabric of her toga to shift, riding higher to expose the intricate brown leather of her strappy sandals. She wore black leather armor that seemed to drink in the low light of the office, making the royal purple of her garment pop with a violent intensity. "With that said, you are right," she stated, her voice as sharp as the edge of a shield. "As of this moment, you are no match for Zander or his army of tigers. You are a candle trying to stand against a hurricane."
I felt the frustration boil over again, hot and jagged in my throat. My hand shot to my head, fingers raking through my hair as I turned to pace. "I know that already! I don't need a lecture on my own damn failings, I need—" Athena's hand snapped up. It wasn't a violent movement, but it carried the weight of a mountain. The air in the room suddenly went still, and the words died in my throat as if she'd plucked them right out of the air. "I understand your frustrations," she said, her voice dropping to a calm, terrifying level that cut through my frustration instantly like a blade cutting through silk. "But the moment you let it consume you is the moment you have truly lost. Your mate understood that better than anyone."
She rose gracefully from her perch, standing to her full height before stepping into my personal space. "Your instincts to come to me were right," she said, her voice a silk-wrapped blade. She reached out, tapping my shoulder lightly. She moved past me toward the windows, her silhouette cutting a sharp, dark line against the falling white veil outside. "I wouldn't be here if success were impossible. I don't invest in anyone I believe stands no chance of winning." I felt the crushing weight in my chest ease, if only slightly. I turned to face her, watching as she leaned her back against the glass. "So, you're saying there is a way. I can become strong enough to defeat Zanders."
She crossed her arms over her chest as she looked me up and down with amusement sparkling in her violet eyes. "Oh, there is a way. But it is a path of extreme peril, Kayden, with no guarantee that it will end in your favor. If you go through with it, you risk more than just your life. You could be lost for all eternity—never to see your mate, your pack, or any of those you hold dear ever again." She paused, letting the silence of the falling snow outside fill the room, before her voice dropped to a low, conspiratorial hum. "But... if you were to succeed? Then, without a doubt, you would stand on equal footing with Zanders. And if you play your cards just right, you might even find yourself looking down at him from a height he can't even fathom."
The image of Zanders—the man who was the reason my mate had left and gone into the freezing dark—kneeling at my feet sent a jolt of cold, sharp electricity through my veins. My hands clenched at my sides, my knuckles white, as I tilted my chin upward. The hesitation was gone, burned away by a singular, desperate focus. "What do I need to do?" A smile curved across her lips as she said, "I knew there was a reason that I liked you. No hesitation whatsoever."
Still leaning against the glass with her arms crossed over her chest, she turned her head to watch the snow. "If you truly intend to surpass Zander, you will require a power equal to—or greater than—his own. Unfortunately for you, Zander's strength was bestowed by none other than Zeus himself. And the only way counter that power is to convince another god who is on equal footing or stronger than Zeus to bestow you with some of their powers." My eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "But didn't you confirm my mate's theory? I already have the Goddess Nyx's power flowing through me. Isn't she technically stronger than Zeus? If that's the case, why am I not even on par with him?"
"Nyx is indeed older and deeper than the lightning of Zeus," she conceded, her voice shimmering with a strange, dark reverence. Then, the boredom returned, settling over her features like a mask. "Just like you, Zander is a composite of many gifts. He wouldn't have been born a tiger shifter otherwise," she spoke slowly, with the agonizing patience one might use to explain a simple concept to a child. "Every element—his birth as a tiger, the lightning of Zeus, and the various other blessings he has collected—intertwines to create a singular, devastating strength. Which is why, despite all the many blessings you possess, you are still no match for him or your beloved mate."
I closed my eyes, clenched my jaw, and inhaled deeply, trying to steady my hammering heart and force the anger to the back of my mind. As I released the breath, I looked up, immediately meeting her gaze. "Tell me what I need to do then, and I will do it. I refuse to let him or the other tigers win. I will protect my pack and my mate no matter the cost." Her eyebrow arched as a smile spread across her lips. "If you truly wish to beat him, then you are going to have to do something that seems impossible—something that goes against your once-strong wolfish beliefs. Are you sure you can handle that?" I crossed my arms over my bare chest and mirrored her expression, raising an eyebrow of my own. "Technically, the fact that I am talking with you right now should be against my beliefs. Seeing as, according to our lore, you shouldn't even exist." She smirked, and with an amused chuckle, she said, "Touché."
She suddenly straightened from the window pane, letting her arms fall to her sides for the first time since she'd arrived there. "If you are serious, Kayden, then the only way to truly win is to descend. You must travel into the Underworld," she stated, her voice devoid of its usual mockery. " You will have to convince Hades to bestow his power upon you. Only one of Zeus's brothers has the strength to rival the power he has gifted to Zander." I felt my eyebrows shoot toward my hairline, shock and confusion colliding in my chest. The shock hit me almost like a physical blow. "The Underworld? And how, exactly, do you expect me to travel to the realm of the dead?!"
"Based on the legends I heard growing up," I said, my voice dropping to a low, gravelly tone, "there are only two ways into that realm. One involves dying. The other involves a pilgrimage to a forgotten corner of the world to find a gate whose location is a secret kept by the gods. Even if it were close by, I don't have the luxury of time. The tigers are coming, Athena. I can't chase fairytales while my people prepare for a slaughter." She arched an eyebrow, her violet eyes flashing with a cold, piercing light. "You are right. There are limited paths to the Underworld, and you have correctly identified them both." She took a slow step toward me, the air in the room suddenly feeling thin, as if the shadows themselves were holding their breath. "And since we have no time for pilgrimages, Kayden, your only option is the first one. To reach Hades, you will unfortunately have to die."
I crossed my arms over my chest, a hot bloom of anger spreading through my veins. "And how exactly does that help my pack—or me, for that matter? I can't protect anyone if I'm six feet under." Athena smirked, tilting her head as she regarded me with that infuriatingly calm gaze. "You wouldn't actually be dead. Think of it as a suspension. What I intend to do is place your body in a state of stasis—a deep, metabolic freeze that mirrors the signature of death perfectly." She casually brushed a strand of golden-bronze hair from her shoulder, her tone shifting to one of mild inconvenience. "Though, I must admit, this would be a great deal easier if you were a simple mortal instead of the animal shifter you are." She shrugged, a gesture so nonchalant it made my skin crawl, and walked toward my desk. I was forced to pivot to keep her in my sight. "But... we will just have to work with the cards we've been dealt, won't we?"
I sighed, my fingers ruffling through my hair in a fit of sharp frustration. "What exactly do you mean by that?" She moved with a casual, liquid grace, settling onto the edge of my desk and turning to face me. She crossed one of her long legs over the other, her expression one of mild, academic annoyance. "It's quite simple, actually. Your average mortal doesn't have all those pesky supernatural quirks. Your animal side is the reason you have those abilities—including that innate instinct to heal at a ridiculous pace that no human could ever achieve." She tilted her head, watching me with a touch of pity. "Your wolf would continue to try to 'fix' you, fighting the stasis every step of the way. He won't let you die. Which is exactly what makes this so much more difficult."
I crossed my arms over my chest, arching an eyebrow in a mix of genuine curiosity and growing unease. "Then how exactly do you plan to manage this?" Her lips twitched, a flash of amusement sparking in her eyes—gone so quickly I almost thought I'd imagined it. She shifted, bracing her elbow on her crossed knee and resting her chin in her palm. She watched me with a single raised eyebrow, the silence stretching between us. "I said it makes it difficult, Kayden," she noted. "I never said it was impossible," she added, her tone steady. My eyebrows knit together, a dozen questions flooding my mind at once. Just as I opened my mouth to demand an explanation, she spoke again, her voice cutting through my thoughts and stopping me in my tracks.
"To go through with this," she continued, "we would have to temporarily separate you from your wolf. We need to ensure he doesn't spend the entire trip trying to 'fix' your heartbeat." I snapped my hand up, my pulse thundering. "Hold up. You're talking about killing my wolf. If that's the plan, the answer is no. Are you insane? I can't protect my pack if I'm just a man." She rolled her eyes, her hand cutting through the air to silence the rest of my rant. "I have no intention of killing your wolf, Kayden. Now, before you lose what's left of your mind, could you please remain quiet long enough for me to finish a sentence without interrupting me every five seconds?" I raked my fingers through my hair, frustration flaring hot under my skin. She just sat there, staring at me with a bored, expectant gaze—waiting to see if I was done. A low groan of defeat slipped past my lips as I finally went still.
She waited another heartbeat, ensuring I was completely subdued, before nodding in approval. "It's less about killing or severing, and more about sedation. I plan to force your wolf into a state mimicking a medically induced coma—tucked away in the furthest reaches of your subconscious, where he cannot interfere with your body's physical state." Her eyes locked onto mine, her voice dropping to a cool, steady hum. "Only once he is silenced can we safely place you into stasis." I felt the knot of unease in my chest loosen, but I didn't drop my guard. I crossed my arms and arched an eyebrow. "What's the catch?" Her eyes widened in a flicker of genuine shock; she clearly hadn't expected me to be so blunt. Before she could recover, I pressed on. "Whenever someone makes a death-ritual sound as simple as a nap, there's a catch. What is it?"
A small, pleased smile spread across her lips. "I like it when you think for yourself, Kayden. You're finally acting like a true Alpha," she purred, looking thoroughly satisfied. Then, the warmth vanished. She straightened, no longer resting her head on her chin, her casual posture replaced by a cold, regal stillness. Her expression hardened into something cold and ancient. The shift in her aura hit me like a physical blow, the air in the room suddenly feeling heavy and thin. Her violet eyes locked onto mine, and I knew then that whatever came next, I wasn't going to like it. "You are correct. This is no simple feat, and it is incredibly dangerous," she said, her voice dropping an octave. "Once I place your body in stasis, the clock starts. Your cells will be suspended, but your soul can only be separated from your flesh for so long before the tether snaps. You will have exactly three days. If you do not return to your body by the third day, your brain will cease to function. Your heart will wither, and you will be permanently dead."
"Three days!" I shouted, the words tumbling out before I could stop them."Three days! How do you expect me to navigate the Underworld and find a god in three days? That's impossible! It's an entire realm, I don't even know where—"She cut off my rambling with a single raised hand. "You are right. You could never do what needs to be done in three days." My eyebrows knit together, my eyes narrowing with skepticism. "Then what—" She leveled a look at me—the kind of look a mother gives a misbehaving child, silently asking if the tantrum was finally over. My mouth clamped shut instantly, her earlier warning about interruptions ringing in my ears.
She waited, ensuring the silence held, before nodding. "It is because I know three days wouldn't be enough. While you are in that state, I would have to watch over you constantly, pouring my magic into your body without rest. Even with my magic acting as a shield against the rot of death, you will have a week—at most—before the tether becomes too frayed to mend. After seven days, even my power won't be enough to pull you back from the clutches of death." I nodded slowly. "I understand."
I pinched the bridge of my nose, closing my eyes to let the information settle. She didn't rush me, allowing the silence to fill the room as I weighed the life of my pack against the possibility of my own death looming over me if I went through with it. I took a deep breath, and when I opened my eyes, they locked onto hers. She was studying me, her violet gaze expectant, waiting for the moment I either broke or stepped up. Without a hint of hesitation, I said, "Alright. I'll do it. Tell me what I need to do."
Her lips curved into a pleased smile as she practically pounced off the desk. "Luckily for you, there is little you need to prepare. I, on the other hand, have preparations to secure." She began a slow, predatory circle around my desk, pausing to catch my eye with that same chillingly serious expression. "I would highly recommend you say your goodbyes to your loved ones... in case you are unsuccessful. Once you are certain you are ready, call upon me again, and I will come."
She reached the center of the room and turned, her expression turning lethal. "But a word of caution, Kayden. Once we begin, there is no turning back. Your body will be a hollow vessel—completely defenseless. If someone attacks you, I cannot stop to defend you. If my focus wavers for even a heartbeat, the ritual fails and you die. Secure your surroundings. Tell only those you would trust with your very life, or your soul won't have a body to return to."
My jaw clenched, anger flaring at the insinuation that my pack mates were untrustworthy, stung, but before I could snap back, she stiffened. Her eyes snapped to the window, her gaze turning sharp and distant, as if tracking something miles beyond the horizon. "The other tigers," she whispered, her voice shimmering with a dark intensity. "They have caught your mate's scent." My body went rigid. I spun toward the window, eyes scouring the treeline for a flash of fur or the shimmer of a prowling enemy, but I saw only shadows. "You should probably tell the other Alphas that they can prepare to leave now before they return."
"What do you see—" I started to ask, spinning back toward her, but the question died in my throat. She was gone. The air where she had stood was cold and still, leaving nothing behind but a fading scent that lingered like a ghost. My chest tightened, a suffocating mix of worry for my mate and a flare of white-hot anger at Athena's sudden disappearance. She had dropped a bomb on my life and vanished before I could even ask if my mate was in immediate danger. Gritting my teeth, pinched the bridge of my nose and forced my mind-link open to Mia and Luca. I instructed them to start preparing the other Alphas staying with us to leave and to inform them that it is safe for them to leave now.
I stayed there for a long moment, my eyes fixed on the dark line of the forest, searching for a sign of her—for a glimpse of the woman who held my heart, now being hunted by tigers. My heart was hammering a rhythm of pure dread as I offered a silent, desperate prayer for her to be safe out while she is out there on her own. I finally managed to pry myself away from the window with a sigh, the silence of the office feeling heavier than it ever had before. Today is going to be a long day, I thought. And if Athena was right, it could very well be my last if I were unlucky.
*
*
My fingers raked through my hair in sharp frustration as I glared at Luca. He was staring at me as if I'd grown a second head—or lost the one I had. An irritated groan rumbled deep in my chest. "Luca! I don't care if you believe me or not. I just need you to do exactly as I say and keep your mouth shut while you do it." From the corner of my eye, I saw Mia chewing nervously on her bottom lip. She was likely holding her breath, terrified I was about to reveal her secret—her connection to the Gods and the fact that would eventually force her to leave us. Part of me wanted to lay it all out, but I didn't have the right to break his heart, and I certainly didn't want to be the architect of the misery that would follow that revelation. I rubbed slow circles into my temples, a wave of pure exhaustion hitting me. I'd purposely held off on this conversation because I knew Luca would be a headache.
After my conversation with Athena and seeing the other Alphas safely off the territory, I'd mind-linked Luca and Mia, giving them their orders before I went to face my family. I hadn't gone deep into the details—I didn't have the luxury of time. My father had been my saving grace. Even though the skepticism was etched into every line of his face, he understood the urgency. He'd cut off my mother's and sisters' rising questions with a single, heavy look. He had asked only one thing: "Is this something you believe you must truly do?"
The moment he asked, I didn't hesitate. I gave him a single, firm nod. "Yes. For the future of this pack and the safety of my mate, this is the only way I can become strong enough to protect everyone." I'll never forget the look of pride that crossed my father's face. He nodded back, a slow smile gracing his lips. "Then you can count on us to hold the line in your absence." No one questioned me after that. They offered their support in the form of hugs and quiet wishes of luck. But before I could slip out the door, my mother grabbed my arm, her eyes fierce. She warned me that I'd better return safe and sound—mostly because she had no intention of letting my father go back to being Alpha. He was supposed to be enjoying his retirement, she joked, not stressing over work that belonged to me.
A ghost of a smile touched my lips at the memory. It was those moments of normalcy that made the weight of the coming week bearable. Back in my office, I finished a letter to my brother, Asher. He had left for the palace days ago, cutting his vacation short to convince the acting King Zane and the high commanders to send reinforcements. Since the journey takes several days, I knew he would still be on the road. By the time this reached him, I would already be under Athena's spell. I kept the personal details brief but ensured the battle plans were meticulous. I just had to pray he could convince the King and his armies to help us against their forces—and that they would arrive in time.
I had just sealed the letter when Luca and Mia burst into my office. The timing was impeccable—and frustrating. I immediately handed the parchment to Luca, charging him to get it to the royal palace and my brother with all possible haste. He didn't move. Instead, he gripped the letter, his eyes boring into mine as he practically demanded to know what was going on. I didn't have the energy to play games. I met his gaze, the silence in the room suddenly heavy. I didn't lie. I told him about Athena, the stasis, and the sedation of my wolf. I told him I had to descend into the Underworld and somehow convince Hades to lend me some of his power, no matter the price I'd have to pay for a ghost of a chance to protect the pack and finally take Zander down.
"I'm just saying," Luca's voice broke the heavy silence, sharp and thick with disbelief. "As your Beta and your best friend... I need you to know just how insane you sound right now." My eyes snapped open, a warning glare fixed on him before I shifted my gaze to Mia. The moment our eyes locked, I felt a different kind of pressure. Her eyes were wide, brimming with a silent, frantic pleading. She was begging me—without saying a word—to keep her secret buried, no matter how much that truth might help Luca understand. A fresh wave of frustration tightened my chest. It was a hell of a position to be in: Luca thought I was losing my mind, and I couldn't even defend my sanity without destroying Mia's life in the process.
My jaw clenched before I released a long, irritated breath, my gaze still fixed on Mia. I ignored Luca's skepticism entirely, focusing on her instead. "Did you both take care of the tasks I gave you earlier?" I asked, my voice flat and final. A flicker of relief softened Mia's panicked expression, her shoulders dropping an inch as she realized her secret was safe for now. She nodded quickly. "Yes. Everything has been taken care of." "Good," I said, pushing back from my desk. I stood up, the chair scraping harshly against the floor. "Then let's go."
Mia's eyes widened in surprise for a fraction of a second, but as I rounded the desk and headed for the door, she didn't hesitate. She straightened her posture, falling into step behind me with practiced discipline. Luca, however, remained frozen for a heartbeat longer, the shock written across his face before he scrambled out of his seat to catch up. He looked like he wanted to keep arguing, but the sheer momentum of my stride told him the window for talking had officially slammed shut.
We walked in silence, the air in the hallway thick with the things we weren't saying. Finally, we reached our destination: the weapons and war room. Deep in the heart of the estate, the room was a windowless, reinforced sanctuary. It was a massive circular chamber, and as we stepped inside, the hum of the air conditioning circulated a crisp, cool breeze that made the space feel strangely bright and airy despite being underground. Above us, the ceiling arched into a vast dome, making the room feel like a cathedral of steel. The walls were a cold, uncompromising steel-gray, lined with an arsenal of weapons that shimmered under the artificial light. Very few people even knew this place existed, let alone how to breach its defenses. It was, without question, the most secure vault in my territory.
I scanned the floor. They had followed my instructions perfectly. A simple bed had been placed in the far curve of the room, away from the heavy blast door. Beside it stood the single chair I'd requested. The room was immaculate, the scent of antiseptic mixing with the faint, metallic tang of the weapons on the walls. New safety mechanisms had already been integrated into the door's locking system—I could see the faint pulse of the scanners Mia had installed. I nodded, a sense of grim satisfaction settling over me. Once again, Mia had outdone herself; her meticulous care and attention to detail had transformed this war room into the only place on earth where my defenseless body might actually stand a chance.
I glanced over my shoulder, locking eyes with Mia. "Excellent job, Mia. I couldn't have done better myself, even with a month to prepare." A small, pleased smile graced her lips. "Thank you for the praise, Alpha. I'm glad it meets your standards despite the rush." Before I could say another word, a sharp, cynical scoff echoed through the dome. I turned to find Luca staring at Mia with pure disbelief. "Please don't tell me you're falling for this crap, too," he snapped.
Mia turned to her mate, her expression softening into one of pity. She let out a long, weary sigh. "Luca, I know it's hard to wrap your head around, but I promise you... he is telling the truth." He rolled his eyes, crossing his arms tightly over his chest. "I think you've both been spending way too much time around Artemis. Now you're starting to believe in fairy tales about Greek Gods? We all know the Moon Goddess is the only one who watches over us. Don't tell me I need to have you both committed. We don't have time for a pack-wide mental breakdown."
I pinched the bridge of my nose as a flashback hit me—a vivid reminder of my own explosive reaction when Athena first appeared in my office, shattering the convictions I'd held since childhood. I felt a sudden pang of guilt for everyone, especially my mate, who'd had to endure my initial denial. I knew there was nothing I could say to bridge the gap for him. Belief isn't something you can argue into someone; it has to be shattered by the truth. I felt a flicker of pity for Mia—she was the one who would have to manage Luca's fallout while I was gone, and I didn't have a single second left to hold his hand. I let out a long, heavy sigh, accepting the inevitable. I looked at the center of the domed room, my voice steady but resonant. "Athena," I called out, my voice echoing off the steel walls before bouncing back to us in the sudden silence. "Where are you?"
The moment her name left my lips, the air didn't just chill—it vibrated. A low hum thrummed in my bones, and I saw Luca glancing around, his confusion deepening as the atmosphere turned electric. Maybe I was just becoming attuned to her, but I could feel exactly where she was going to appear before the first spark hit the air. I turned toward the heavy steel blast door we had just walked through. Above the threshold, a shimmering distortion of gold and purple flakes began to ripple, swirling into a thin, luminous veil that caught the light like crushed gemstones. Then, Athena stepped through. The flakes of light cascaded around her like a dying star, making her golden-tan skin and bronze armor glow with a blinding, divine radiance for a split second.
She settled against the door, leaning back with an effortless, predatory grace as she crossed her arms over her chest. Her violet eyes swept the circular room—lingering on the bed, the chair, and finally landing on a stunned and speechless Luca. She arched a single, elegant eyebrow before her gaze flicked back to me, a knowing smirk playing on her lips. "I'm surprised you allowed him to tag along. Aren't you afraid I might let slip something he isn't quite ready to hear?" Next to me, I felt Mia instantly stiffen. Her breath hitched, her body turning into a pillar of salt as she stared at the Goddess. I didn't need to look at her to know she was terrified Athena would spill the truth about her origins right then and there.
I glanced over at Luca. The expression on his face was almost comical; he looked like his brain had literally short-circuited. He stood frozen, mouth hanging slightly open, eyes darting from the reinforced steel door to the warrior-woman leaning against it as if he expected her to vanish as quickly as she'd appeared. He was trapped in a violent cycle of confusion and denial, his mind struggling to reject the impossibility his eyes were forced to accept. The skepticism he'd worn like armor only moments ago hadn't just cracked—it had shattered into a thousand useless pieces. Seeing the glazed look in his eyes, I was reasonably sure he was in such deep shock that Athena's cryptic comment about Mia hadn't even registered. For now, at least, the secret was safe simply because Luca's brain didn't have the capacity to hold it.
I sighed, casting one last look at Luca before turning my focus back to Athena. "As you've mentioned before... he wouldn't believe a word out of my mouth unless he saw the truth with his own eyes." The corner of her lip curved upward in a sharp, knowing smirk. She straightened from the door, her movements fluid and dangerously graceful, and gave a careless shrug. "It's a common flaw among your kind, unfortunately," she said, her voice carrying a weight that seemed to vibrate against the steel walls. "Your convictions are drilled so deep that you've lost the ability to fathom anything existing beyond the narrow world you've been shown."
The second those words left her mouth, the spell on Luca finally broke. He snapped out of his trance, his chest heaving as he stepped towards her. "Look here, lady," he growled, his voice rough and defensive. "I don't know who you are, or how the hell you bypassed our defenses to get in here. But I will not stand here and let you speak poorly of our ways or disrespect our Moon Goddess. At least not in front of me, you won't." Athena didn't flinch. She didn't even stiffen. Instead, her eyebrow arched higher, a small, dangerous smile playing across her lips. She looked at him with the kind of clinical curiosity one might afford a particularly bold insect. She didn't look offended; she looked delighted that the "little wolf" had finally found his voice.
"How cute," she mused, her eyes lingering on Luca just long enough to see his eyebrows knit together in utter confusion. He blinked, his mouth opening and closing like his brain had hit a physical wall. It was as if he'd been geared up for a battle of wills, only to be slapped with a compliment he didn't want. Before his brain could even begin to process the insult, Athena dismissed him entirely, discarding her playfulness like a mask as she turned to me. "Anyway," she said, her voice dropping into a cold, clinical register. "Did you finish everything you needed to take care of?" It happened so fast I felt genuine whiplash, my own thoughts stumbling for a heartbeat. I hesitated for a fraction of a second, just long enough to see a flash of exasperation cross her features.
I forced myself to focus, giving her a firm, decisive nod. "Yes," I said, my voice finally finding its steady Alpha edge. "Everything has been taken care of." She nodded her head, "Good. Then there is nothing to stop us." She arched a brow, her gaze deepening into a piercing, violet burn. "Unless, of course, you've changed your mind?"I rolled my neck, cracking the tension out of my spine as I prepared for the unknown. I met her glowing eyes without a hint of hesitation. "No," I said, the word ringing with finality. "I haven't changed my mind. I'm ready when you are."
A pleased smile curved her lips. "Good. Then shall we?" With a swift, fluid motion, she bypassed the three of us and headed toward the bed. I turned to follow, but Luca's hand clamped onto my forearm, stopping me mid-stride. His eyes were wide, darting between the goddess and me with frantic urgency. "You can't seriously believe this bullshit, Kayden," he hissed, his voice cracking with urgency. I let out a slow breath and firmly pried his hand off my arm. "Luca, I know exactly how insane this sounds. I was standing right where you are, a few days ago, buried in the same denial. But if there is even a fraction of a chance that this will protect our pack—that it will save my mate..." I closed my eyes, inhaling deeply, letting the silence of the room settle into my bones. When I exhaled, my eyes snapped open, hard and unyielding. "Then I won't hesitate. Not for a second. No matter the cost."
As the words left my mouth, Luca took a staggering step back, shock flickering across his features as the sheer weight of my resolve finally hit him. "Good," Athena's voice sliced through the silence, dripping with dry impatience. "Now that we've settled the theatrics, can we stop staring at one another like lovers and get this over with?" The comment was so absurdly timed that it felt like a cold splash of water. I felt the heat of a flush creep up my neck, half from irritation and half from the sheer audacity of her tone. Luca bristled, his face flushing with a mix of offense and confusion. Athena didn't wait for an answer; she simply gestured toward the bed with a flick of her wrist, her violet eyes glowing with a renewed, business-like intensity.
I didn't say another word. I crossed the floor, my boots echoing against the steel. I walked to the center of the bed and stopped, standing directly across from where she waited by the chair. I crossed my arms over my chest, meeting her violet gaze and raising an expectant eyebrow. "So, what now?" Athena's expression went flat. She let out a long, exasperated sigh as if my very existence was a minor inconvenience to her schedule; she was forced to endure. Without a word, she held up a small, clear glass vial. Inside, a silvery-green liquid swirled with a life of its own, shimmering with a metallic luster that seemed to glow even in the bright light of the war room. It looked thick, like liquid mercury mixed with crushed hemlock.
"I will need you to drink the entire contents of this vial," she said, her voice dropping into a professional, almost clinical tone as if she were offering me a glass of water. Before I could even process the instruction, Luca exploded. "What the hell is even in that thing?!" He stepped forward, his eyes darting between the glowing liquid and Athena's calm face. "How can you expect him to just down a random chemical because you told him to?" Athena didn't even turn her head fully to acknowledge him. She simply cut her eyes in his direction, her expression shifting into one of profound boredom. She let out a slow, dramatic roll of her eyes, exhaling a sigh that made it clear his very reasonable question was an unfathomable waste of her immortal time.
"It isn't a 'chemical,' little wolf," Athena said, her voice like silk over stone. She held the vial up, watching the light catch the swirling silver-green depths. "It's a specialized tonic of my own design. You won't find another bottle like it in your world; I am the only one who holds the recipe." She paused, muttering something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like, "except maybe Hecate," before waving her hand as if dismissing the thought. "But that's not important right now." She shrugged, her casual tone clashing violently with the deadliness of her words. "Anyway, this vial contains two very important ingredients. They just so happen to be poppies and aconite—also known as wolfsbane."
My eyes widened, the shock hitting me like a physical blow. Before I could find the breath to protest, she pressed on, her voice cutting through my rising panic. "The aconite will sever the connection to your wolf, keeping him sedated enough that he cannot interfere with your body's transition or attempt to heal you," she explained with terrifying, clinical detachment. "The poppies are there to temper the transition—to ensure the state of stasis and death you're about to enter feels no more violent than falling asleep. Mixed with a few more... preservatives... your mind and body will remain intact, even while you are, for all intents and purposes, dead." I opened my mouth to respond, but she cut me off again. Her business-like tone vanished, replaced by a sharp, commanding edge. "But just before you drink the contents of this vial, I'm going to need you to do something first." She paused, her gaze dropping to the space on the bed between us before snapping back to mine with a heavy, suffocating intensity.
"Situate yourself on the bed first," she warned, her eyes tracking my movements with surgical coldness. "Whether you lie down or sit, make sure you're comfortable. Once you drink this, it acts fast; I have no intention of peeling your crumpled body off the floor, and I doubt your friends would find the task any more appealing than I would." I rolled my eyes, reaching for the vial, but she jerked her hand back with lightning speed, pulling it just out of my reach. I snapped my gaze to hers, met by that deadpan, serious mask she wore when the games were over.
When she spoke, the playful lilt was gone, replaced by a voice as cold and heavy as the steel walls around us. "A word of caution: Once you drink this, there is no turning back. No matter how much you wish to. No matter how agonizing the path becomes, you must see it through to the end. There is no 'giving up' once you are in Hades's domain." I didn't blink. I reached over the bed, my fingers closing around the bottle's round base while she held it by the neck with two delicate fingers. The moment I gripped it, she let go. She watched me with a skeptical tilt to her head, her expression suggesting she was still waiting for my resolve to shatter.
I squared my jaw, holding her violet stare with a look that told her exactly what she could do with her doubts. "I have no intention of backing out," I growled. "I never did. Can you stop acting like I'm going to run away the second things get difficult?" Her lip quirked into a pleased, knowing smirk—the look of someone who had baited a trap and watched the prey walk right into it. She gave a mocking, performative bow. "Very well." With a sweep of her hand toward the pillows, she stepped back. "Then by all means, Alpha. Get comfortable."
I let out a final, heavy sigh and followed her lead, sitting on the edge of the mattress. As I settled in, I cast a final glance toward my friends. Luca was still a statue of disbelief, his mouth gaping slightly as he watched me. He looked like he was watching a man walk into his own funeral. Mia, on the other hand, was a portrait of quiet anxiety. She gnawed nervously on her lower lip, her eyes shining with a sympathetic understanding that told me she knew exactly why I had to do this. I swung my legs onto the bed, centering myself with my legs stretched out so that when the darkness inevitably hit, I'd fall back into the prepared softness of the pillows rather than onto the cold floor.
Then, I turned my attention back to the vial. The vial felt unnaturally heavy in my palm, a cold weight that seemed to pulse in time with my own racing heart. I stared at the silvery-green liquid, its beckoning glow promising either salvation or an endless void. My fingers moved to the top of the vial, ready to rip it open and get this over with—but before I could break the seal, a hand shot out. Athena's fingers clamped over mine, pinning my hand to the glass. I snapped my eyes up to hers, shock and a flare of hot annoyance surging through me. "What the hell is it now?!" I growled, the sound vibrating deep in my chest.
She raised a single, elegant eyebrow, fixing me with the kind of stare a teacher gives a particularly loud, misbehaving child. "It's sweet that you're so resolved," she said, her voice dry. "But unless you already know your way around the Underworld and exactly how to navigate to Hades's throne room, there are a few things we should probably go over first." My jaw clenched, a groan escaping my throat. All the bravado I'd spent the last few minutes building up seemed to hiss out of me like air from a deflating balloon. I let out a jagged sigh. "I see your point. Please... proceed." I caught her lip twitching upward, her eyes dancing with suppressed amusement. She was clearly enjoying my irritation way too much.
She coughed, a poor attempt to mask her amusement, and pursed her lips tightly to banish the lingering smirk before she spoke. "One thing you must understand about the Underworld," she began, her tone shifting into that of a seasoned traveler. "Time flows differently there. Without the sun to rise or fall, you will have no compass for the passing days. Seconds may feel like hours, or years might pass in the blink of an eye. Down there, time is a suggestion, not a law." A knot of cold dread tightened in the pit of my stomach. Before I could demand an explanation or ask how I was supposed to survive a week in a timeless abyss, she reached into the folds of her toga.
She pulled out a watch dangling by a worn leather strap. As she held it up level with my eyes, I realized how wrong it was. The face was a hollow circle of smooth, white porcelain behind clear glass—no numbers, no ticking hands, nothing but a blank, sterile surface. At the very bottom, where the six should have been, sat a small, empty square box. raised a confused eyebrow, my irritation flaring back up. "What the hell is that supposed to be? A broken prop?" She ignored my jab entirely. Reaching out, she snagged my arm with surprising strength and yanked it toward her, briskly fastening the leather strap around my wrist.
The "watch" felt unnaturally heavy, the porcelain face cool against my skin. Only when the buckle was secure did she release me and meet my eyes. "This will help you navigate the Underworld and keep track of your days while you are there," she explained. I stared down at the blank, sterile circle on my wrist, feeling entirely unconvinced. "I highly doubt this hunk of junk is doing anything of the sort. Whoever sold you this pulled a fast one on you, Athena. You've obviously been tricked—I'd seriously look into getting your money back." She rolled her eyes with an irritated sigh, the kind of look one gives a child who hasn't yet learned that the world is round. "You will come to understand it all in due time," she muttered, dismissing my sarcasm with a flick of her fingers. Before I could offer another quip, her expression shifted back to that razor-sharp seriousness.
"Now, this next part is extremely important," she said, her voice dropping to a low, commanding hum. "Listen well, because I won't repeat myself." I felt my muscles lock, my spine going rigid as I sat with a military straightness. She didn't look at me; instead, her gaze dropped to her own shoulder. Before I could track the movement, her hand reached up and gripped the golden, coin-like emblem fastened to the silk of her toga. With a sharp, decisive tug, she tore the emblem clean from the cloth. There was no sound of ripping fabric, no frayed threads left behind—it was as if the gold had simply decided to detach itself from her reality. My eyes widened, but before I could voice my confusion, she snatched my hand. I didn't even have time to flinch before she pressed the cold, heavy medallion into my palm and forced my fingers closed over it. The metal was unnaturally cold against my skin, a dead weight in my warm hand.
I instinctively jerked my arm back, but her iron-like grip didn't falter in the slightest. She held me pinned with effortless strength, ensuring I couldn't move an inch. Just as I was about to shout at her to let go—to ask her what the hell she thought she was doing—I was silenced by the expression she wore. It was a mask of such deadly, ancient seriousness that a sudden chill raced up my spine, freezing the words in my throat. My mouth snapped shut. "It would be wise of you to keep that medallion safe and on you at all times, for without you will never be able to reach Hades's throne room, let alone meet him." Only then did she release me, leaning back in her chair with a fluid, predatory grace. The moment I was free, I pulled my hand back, tucking it close to my chest. My fingers curled tightly around the cold gold, my knuckles white.
"The moment you arrive in the Underworld, you will find yourself surrounded by millions of other souls who have died. Each of them will have a variety of emotions, and you might even find yourself confused, but you mustn't allow any of that to distract you. You must remember what you are there for and stay on track. It is easy to lose yourself and your memories while you are down there." I felt my eyebrows knit together in confusion "How could I-" Athena raised her hand, stopping midsentence. "You will understand it all in due time." My jaw clenched in anger at her vague words as they were really starting to get on my nerves.
"You will want to ignore the chaos and keep walking," she continued, her voice gaining a rhythmic, hypnotic quality. "Eventually, you will reach the river where souls are ferried to their final destinations. If you hear the ferryman calling your name, ignore it. Even if you feel your very essence being pulled toward the sound, do not stop. Keep walking." I pinched the bridge of my nose, a headache beginning to thrum behind my eyes. Most of what she was saying sounded like cryptic gibberish. It felt like she was overcomplicating a simple journey, treating common sense like divine revelation.
"And what direction should I be walking in, exactly?" I asked, my voice tight with suppressed frustration. Her gaze flicked down to the blank, porcelain face of the watch on my wrist, lingering there for a heartbeat before meeting my eyes again. "You will know when the time comes." A muscle in my jaw jumped. The anger surged again—that familiar, hot frustration at her maddening vagueness. She was clearly implying that this hunk of junk was going to magically guide me, but before I could call her out on the absurdity of it, she cut me off. "You must then find the only true Ferryman," she stated, ignoring my irritation. "Just as the legends say, there is only one who can carry you across to the gates of Hades." I let out a jagged sigh, my hand tightening around the vial. "And how, exactly, am I supposed to find this one particular ferryman?"
A cold, knowing smile curved her lips, a grin that set my nerves on edge as her violet eyes pulsed with a sudden, blinding radiance. "That is the easiest part," she said. "He is always alone, without a single soul near him. He looks nothing like the others, yet he is identical to the legends you were taught in school. Finding him is simple. It is what comes after that that will be the true trial of your tale." I rubbed slow circles into my temples, the pressure behind my eyes building with every word she spoke. "Once you find him," she continued, "you will need to convince him to take you across the River Styx for an audience with Hades." I let out a jagged sigh, my head throbbing. "And how do I convince a legendary ferryman to do me a favor? I doubt a 'please' will cut it."
Athena pointed a slender finger at my closed hand. "Just as in life, Kayden, nothing is free. He will only ferry you across if you pay the toll. Luckily for you, I have given you the only currency he recognizes. Nothing else has value down there." I glanced down at the golden medallion. The weight of it felt different now—no longer just a piece of metal, but a lifeline. I clenched it tight, my knuckles turning white, as I made a silent promise to the Moon Goddess and to my mate: I would not lose this. I would not fail.
After making that silent vow, I slipped the medallion into my pocket. I gave it a quick, firm pat, feeling the cold weight of the gold press against my leg—a grounding reminder of what was at stake. I looked up to find Athena watching me. She nodded, a rare flash of genuine approval crossing her features. Emboldened by the gesture and the knowledge of the medallion's power, I leaned forward. "And once the ferryman agrees to take me?" I asked, my voice gaining a steady edge. "How do I convince Hades to lend us his power? What's the plan for the King of the Underworld?" I was poised to memorize every word of her plan, ready to learn the secret to swaying the King of the Dead. So, I was completely blindsided when she simply shrugged, leaning back with a look of casual indifference. "The rest," she said, her voice flat, "is up to you."
She chuckled—a dry, raspy sound that held zero comfort. "Hades is the most exclusive of my uncles. He does not 'negotiate' with the living, Kayden. He is the Host of Many, but he invites no one." She leaned forward, the light in her eyes dimming to a cold violet. "He is not cruel, but he is just. If you break the laws of his house, he will not shout or rage like Zeus. He will simply ensure you never leave. He hardly ever leaves his domain, and he hates to be disturbed by the frantic, messy business of those who still have a heartbeat." She sighed, a rare flash of pity crossing her face. "There is no script I can give you, Kayden. No magic words will guarantee you a victory."
She reached out, placing a hand on my shoulder. It was likely meant to be comforting, but her touch was as heavy and cold as a grave marker. "You are an intelligent man and the Alpha of your pack," she said firmly. "Use that wit of yours to gain his favor. I know you can do this, even if you don't believe it yet. If I didn't think you were capable, I never would have suggested this—let alone helped you and your mate. Remember that. It may be the only thing that gets you through the hardships ahead."
She then leaned back in her seat before clapping her hands together, forcing my worried thoughts to vanish as my eyes immediately snapped back to her. "Now, whenever you are ready, feel free to down the potion in your hands. You have everything you need now, along with all the items you will need to hopefully survive this whole ordeal." I had just started to open my mouth to speak, but was cut off by Luca, suddenly shouting, "You aren't seriously believing her words, are you?!" The moment I turned to look at him, he was shaking his head before his eyes met mine. "Seriously, Kayden. Enough is enough."
Luca took a step toward us, his voice cracking with a mixture of terror and frustration. "Every word out of her mouth sounds like nonsense and gibberish! You can't honestly be taking her seriously, right? Please tell me you're smarter than this, Kayden." I let out a long, jagged sigh. The weight of the world felt heavy on my shoulders, but the path was already chosen. "I'm sorry, Luca. You will understand everything soon enough." MI caught Mia's gaze. In the silence that followed, I gave her a pointed look. "You should talk to him. When there's a chance." She nodded, her expression solemn. "I will." Luca looked between us, his confusion warring with the growing panic in his eyes.
I didn't give him time to ask another question. I turned to both of them, my voice dropping into my Alpha register—the one that demanded absolute obedience. "Help my father look after the pack in my absence. And guard this room. Watch over my body; don't even let a rat disturb this space while I'm gone." Mia pressed her fist over her heart and bowed deeply. "Yes, Alpha."Luca's eyes widened, pure shock and fear etching into his features as he realized what I was about to do. He lunged toward me, his hand outstretched to stop the inevitable. But I was faster.
The liquid was thick, bitter, and tasted like crushed earth and old copper. I ignored the foulness, forcing it down. Immediately, a violent cough racked my chest, the tonic burning like liquid ice as it settled. His face was a mask of sheer agony, his jaw unhinged as he screamed my name. I could see his lips moving, the veins in his neck straining with the force of his shouting, but his words reached me as nothing more than a dull, underwater muffle. It was like listening to someone scream through a mile of thick glass.
The warmth in the room vanished. My limbs suddenly felt as heavy as cast iron, sinking into the mattress as if the bed were made of quicksand. I tried to blink, to give Luca some sign that I was still there, but my eyelids were becoming shutters of lead. Beyond Luca's frantic form, I saw Athena. She hadn't moved. She stood like a marble statue against the blurred backdrop of the room, her violet eyes the only sharp thing left in my universe. She wasn't shouting. She wasn't crying. She was simply watching the light go out of me. Then, the silence didn't just muffle the world—it swallowed it.