Kiera POV
"Katherine." I spun to face her, steadying my breaths.
"I thought you were dead. It's a shame you somehow survived."
"Good to see you too." I turned from her, placing the necklaces around my neck, and walked as fast as I could out of town. I didn't have the strength to deal with her. Rage was bubbling inside me. Seeing her face and hearing her condescending voice, I knew I did truly want to kill her.
'She isn't family.' Athena spoke darkly, already ramping up for a fight.
'I know she doesn't care for us. I can't harm her, Athena. I owe our parents that much.'
'She dragged us into the stocks, humiliated you to all our pack, and I know she tried to have us killed more than once.'
'I know Athena, please just leave her be. No matter how vile she is, she is still my little sister.'
'She is not our family!' Athena said again.
I know it's true, but we grew up together, lived in the same house, and were raised by the same parents. Thinking of my mom and dad, I knew how disappointed they would be that we were at odds.
'They would only be disappointed in her, their little offspring of evil.' Athena tried to comfort me, but she didn't understand human emotions or our weird loyalty to family, even family that wasn't blood.
"Trying to escape so quickly. Do you have something to hide?" Katherine caught up to me just as I hit the open snow-covered land outside town. It was another ten minutes to the barracks, but I didn't want her to know where I was staying or my plans. She would probably sabotage them just because it was me planning them.
"Katherine, we are prisoners of the North, our pack completely dismantled and no Alpha to rule us. Why don't we just keep our distance from each other and try to survive?"
"You don't look like a prisoner. I don't know any of the people from the South that can wander freely into town." She crossed her arms and glared at me.
"That is true, Katherine. How is it that you are here?"
"I made a friend in high places, more than one actually. Who have you been manipulating to get these freedoms?"
"I'm not manipulating anyone. I'm not you." I turned from her and began walking towards the pack house. I bet she was acting as a best friend to Elizabeth. She probably even knows about the Alphas and me too. Katherine would swoop in on Elizabeth's broken heart, make her forget her sadness, and convince her to do her bidding.
"My big sister always thought she was so much better than me. I don't know how you survived, but next time, I'll make sure you're dead."
"Dead." I spun back around to meet her eye-to-eye. "You really do want me dead? I never bothered you, Katherine. Never got in your way or tried to hurt you."
"You took everything that was meant to be mine. My parents, my friends, even my future as a Luna." I could see the deep-rooted hatred in her eyes, all fueled by envy. She was the reason I never wanted to be a jealous person. It's does crazy things to your mind.
My eyebrows raised at her. "Luna? You wanted Jackson?" Seeing the look on her face when I spoke his name, I knew it was true. I laughed at her ridiculousness. "Well, I rejected him, so he is all yours now. You two would make a good pair." Athena growled at her; the mentioning of his name stirred up old memories I tried burying.
"He is worthless after what you did. My desires are set much higher now, and I won't have you ruining my life again. You got all the praise of my parents, the friendship of our Beta and Alpha, and you were too stupid to keep any of it. They are all dead now, and that is because of you."
Athena was struggling with me for control. She always hated this spoiled little brat, and she wasn't in the mood for her attitude or blame. "Watch your mouth, Katherine. Kiera can only hold me back so much when it comes to ripping your throat out." My black eyes met her hazel iris. Her wolf didn't dare challenge mine.
"Athena!" She spoke her name with pure fear. "How?" She shook her head at me.
"The silver was your idea? You thought it would rid me forever. You foolish child!" Athena roared out the last words.
My body trembled for control. A part of me didn't want to stop Athena, though; I wanted to let her take control and end this miserable creature that hurt me so many times.
"No, it was Jackson." She quickly said, voice shaking and fear enveloping her.
"Jackson? He is an idiot. He wouldn't have the balls to do it unless convinced he could succeed, and Amy, you already knew her well before she made herself known to our pack." My eyes squinted at her, rage building higher and higher and connections forming in my mind.
"Even the night the Green Forest pack attacked, you knew." I accused her. It was all so clear now.
"I don't know what you're talking about or who the Green Forest pack is." She began pleading, fear of her life ending clear in her face. Athena growled again, forcing Katherine to her knees. "You knew Amy's pack, and you knew her. You also planned for the second Lunas to be in the middle of the forest while the party was inside the pack house. You were the one who called me out to save them, then conveniently disappeared. Was that another failed plan of yours to have me killed? Removed permanently from your path?"
I leaned closer to Katherine, my canines elongating and hair sprouting red on my body as Athena almost took complete control.
A woman spoke from behind me, temporarily breaking my death stare at Katherine. "What do you think you are doing?"
Athena turned her head to Elizabeth. "I haven't found a reason to kill you, so don't give me one," I warned her.
Seeing the fear in Elizabeth's eyes made me push to take control of the blood lust Athena was feeling. She wouldn't back down, though. She wanted Katherine dead for all the wrongs she ever did to us.
"I'm sorry, Kiera. I swear I never meant for you to be harmed. I'm just a Delta and didn't have the same power as you." Katherine began crying on her knees. "Please, Elizabeth, don't let her kill me. I helped your Alphas take the South so we wouldn't be under this harsh treatment anymore."
"Don't worry, Katherine. The Alphas are on their way, and they won't tolerate this kind of bullying, no matter who Kiera is." Elizabeth gave me a cold look full of disappointment.
"Harsh treatment? Katherine deserves death for all her betrayals." My wolf strong in my words as I continued to fight for control.
"No, Kiera! I'll do better and train harder to be everything you wish of me. Please don't kill me. It's not my fault that Jackson betrayed you. I'm powerless to an Alpha. We can start over here and live more peacefully. Just give the North a chance, Kiera." Katherine began blabbering, but I knew she was just trying to paint me the villain and her the innocent victim now that we had an audience.
Athena was done with her and ripped through me, red hair covering my body and large paws hitting the grass.
"River! Hurry!" I heard Elizabeth scream. Athena snapped at her, and she backed up with her hand raised and a dagger gripped tightly.
"Kiera, you need to get your wolf under control. Katherine has done nothing wrong. We won't allow you to harm her for your mistakes!"
I stepped to Elizabeth, growling more darkly. Katherine already had her claws in her, twisted my past to make me some ungrateful Luna that blamed her pack for all that happened.
"I would heel you damn mutt." River had reached us, his eye black on me.
'They will all pay!' Athena demanded, and I knew somehow River heard me.
"You're the only one that will be punished, little wolf. You might be powerful, but not enough to overpower all three of us." River growled at me as Drake and Chase came to his side, each lending the other power to make them suffocating to be near.
"Cherie, what happened? I thought we talked about this." Now Chase looked disappointed at me. "Elizabeth is a trusted friend. You can't lash out on her like this."
I turned my head to Katherine and growled. I wasn't after Elizabeth; I was after that little weasel I called my sister.
"Please help us, Alphas. I don't know why she hates me so much. Kiera always blamed everyone else for her misfortune. I tried to help her, but I don't want to die." Katherine pleaded.
The Alphas looked at Katherine confused.
"It's true Alphas. Kiera was her Luna, and she is known to have punished those weaker than her."
Athena had enough of all the lies and lounged at Katherine. I would have sliced open her pretty little face if strong arms hadn't wrapped around my stomach.
"Calm down before we force you." River's voice was thick in my ear. "I told you, this won't be tolerated." His arms tightened around me, and I felt him forcing his submission over me.
Katherine held her face as she cried on the ground. "She needs to be locked up. She can't be trusted. We are in danger with her loose like this." She pleaded.
I thrashed in River's arms, growling Katherine's death. A small scratch on her face wasn't enough. She deserves to die for all her betrayals.
"River, she has to be locked away. I'm sorry, but we can't endanger our people. You saw how she almost killed this innocent girl. Katherine has been loyal to us and brought her people here in peace. We have to make an example of Kiera for the sake of peace with our people."
Athena calmed a moment in River's arms. I could feel how the three brothers combined did overpower my own. I could end up in chains again if I didn't handle this less violently.
"Did I ask for your opinion? Are you the Alpha?" River roared at Elizabeth. I didn't expect him to act that way, especially to her.
"No, Alpha, my apologies." Elizabeth bowed her head to him and fell silent.
"Take her to cool off, and then we will find a more appropriate way to handle her," River ordered his brothers. I started to thrash in his arms again. I wasn't some child to throw around or needed their discipline.
Chase stepped to me, but River pushed him away. "Not you! Drake, take her."
Chase looked at his brother, and I saw the coldness in his eyes. They were at odds with each other. Drake reached to grab me, and I snapped at his hand.
"You better be careful, Athena," Drake warned me. "You know I like a good challenge, especially one that involves overpowering you." He threatened with a teasing tone. I wiggled from River's embrace and shot straight to the forest. I wasn't being handled by any man, not ever again.