Athena's POV
The border was tense when I arrived.
Silvermoon warriors lined the treeline, their postures rigid, hands resting casually—too casually—on the hilts of their weapons. They weren't stupid. They had heard the whispers, the stories about the Blood Moon Pack. About Jesse.
About me.
I stood at the head of them, my shoulders squared, my chin high. Dressed in my training gear—black leather pants, matching jacket, boots that crushed the dry leaves underfoot—I felt every inch the Beta they expected me to be.
Unshakable.
Untouchable.
A figure broke through the tree line first, tall, broad-shouldered, his aura immediately commanding. His golden eyes swept over the Silvermoon warriors, but when they landed on me—he froze.
Jesse.
It had been three years, but he hadn't changed.
Still powerful. Still magnetic in a way that made lesser wolves bow their heads instinctively.
But not me.
Not anymore.
If anything, he looked...tired. There were faint lines around his mouth now, a tightness to his jaw that hadn't been there before. His energy was heavier, like he carried the weight of something that never quite let him breathe.
I hoped it crushed him.
Behind him, a handful of his pack members trailed cautiously—Derek included, though he didn't meet my eyes.
Coward.
I stepped forward, my voice clear and sharp enough to slice through the thick, charged air.
"State your business, Blood Moon."
Jesse's lips pressed into a line. For a moment, he said nothing—just looked at me.
Really looked at me.
Not the girl who had once begged him for scraps of affection.
Not the broken thing he had left to rot.
But the woman who had survived him—and thrived.
His jaw ticked once. "We come seeking an audience with Alpha Joel."
I lifted a brow. "The Alpha doesn't grant audiences to uninvited visitors."
A few of the Silvermoon warriors smirked behind me, but I didn't take my eyes off Jesse.
He shifted his stance, clearly not used to being denied. "It's urgent."
"Is it?" I asked, my voice dripping with mock curiosity. "Because it wasn't urgent enough to send a proper request. Or an envoy. Or even a message."
Jesse's nostrils flared slightly. "Athena—"
"You address me as Beta Athena," I corrected smoothly, my tone a whip crack.
A flicker of something crossed his face—shock? Regret? He masked it quickly.
"Beta Athena," he said tightly. "This is important."
Important.
Everything was important to Jesse—except me.
I cocked my head, pretending to consider it.
Then shrugged. "Maybe I'll let Alpha Joel know...after our training drills this evening. Maybe tomorrow."
The warriors chuckled under their breath.
Humiliation flared in Jesse's golden eyes—but he swallowed it down.
Good. Let him taste what it felt like to be powerless.
Still, I knew Joel would want to be informed. We weren't savages like Blood Moon.
I gave a sharp nod to one of the scouts. "Inform the Alpha. Tell him Blood Moon is at the border—begging."
The scout took off without hesitation.
The silence that followed was heavy. Jesse's men shifted uncomfortably, but Jesse?
He never took his eyes off me.
Finally, he spoke again—his voice quieter now, almost cautious.
"You've changed," he said.
I let out a humorless laugh. "No, Jesse. I didn't change. I just stopped being someone you could destroy."
The air crackled between us.
For a moment, just a brief, stupid moment, I thought I saw pain flash across his face.
But I crushed the thought as quickly as it came.
He didn't get to hurt.
Not anymore.
Before he could say anything else, Alpha Joel's presence swept over the clearing like a storm.
Strong. Commanding. Dangerous.
The Silvermoon warriors straightened immediately as Joel approached, his icy blue eyes flickering over Jesse and his men with obvious disinterest.
Joel stopped beside me, his arm briefly brushing mine—a silent show of support.
"Beta Athena," he said, his voice a deep rumble. "Report."
I turned slightly toward him, my posture respectful but confident. "Blood Moon seeks an audience. They arrived without notice or permission."
Joel's eyes narrowed slightly, before turning his gaze on Jesse.
"You must be desperate," Joel said bluntly.
A muscle jumped in Jesse's jaw.
Joel smirked. "Follow at your own risk, Blood Moon. Step out of line, and my Beta will tear you apart before you can blink."
The warriors around us chuckled darkly.
Jesse said nothing.
He just nodded once.
As they followed us toward the heart of Silvermoon territory, I didn't look back.
I didn't need to.
I could feel Jesse's gaze burning into my back, filled with all the things he should have said years ago.
But it was too late.
He had made his choices.
And now, he would see exactly what he had thrown away.
Exactly what he could never have again.