C H A P T E R T E N
"Hello?" Athena called into the empty forest surrounding her. She could've sworn Jake was with her a second ago.
She released a shaky, nervous laugh. "Ha-ha Jake, very funny. Let's go. Stop hiding." Athena called out. A rustle in the bushes sounded. Athena got into a defence stance and stepped closer towards the bush. It rustled again and Dakota hopped out, making her jump and let out another shaky breath. "Jeez Koda, you frightened me half to death." She giggled quietly. He looked up at her and instead of the normal red-brown eyes that Athena was used to seeing on him, she saw a pair of piercing green ones.
The same pair that had been following her.
Athena blinked in surprise and took a quick step back just as Koda grew bigger and taller, growing larger and fiercer than anything she had ever seen. Towering over he like he was about to attack. He bared his teeth as the terrified girl continued to step back until her back hit a tree. He slowly prowled towards Athena, jowls frothing and leaking drool like a faulty faucet and ears pinned back against his head. Dakota let out a menacing growl followed by a quick snap of his teeth until he stood in front of her. Athena sunk to the floor in front of him, tears streaming down her face. That was it, that was the day Athena believed would be her last. Her father hated her, her mate didn't know she existed and Athena was going to be killed by her own hellhound. A slick sweat ran down Athena's spine as Koda leapt onto her.
"No!-"
"Athena! Wake up!" She jolted upright and smacked foreheads with Jake, who had grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking them.
"Okay, ow." Athena groaned as she rubbed the middle of her forehead.
"Goddess Athena, what the hell?" Jake groaned, sitting back on her bed with his eyes tightly shut.
Athena winced at his voice, a dull throb settling in.
"You frightened the fucking life out of me." He exaggerated, shifting his position so that he was sat at the side of Athena's bed. "You wouldn't wake up, I thought I might've had to pour cold water all over you. Actually, I wish I did now. Damn." He muttered, rubbing his head.
"Well," Athena said, sitting up further and leaning against the headboard, "Thanks for the wake-up call, I'll be down in a minute." She shooed him quickly off the bed and he moved off, sitting on the chair by the window instead.
"Um, actually, your Dad sent me up, he wanted to talk to you... About last night. Do you mind?"
"Actually, yes, I do mind. Call me petty, but I don't want to speak to him. At all." She finalised with a cross of her tan arms.
Jake shrugged his shoulders and stood up, "Well, fine. It's your choice. Now, hurry up your majesty, we leave at ten." He said as he left the room. Athena glanced at the clock on her dresser and her eyes widened.
9:27 am.
Oh shit! Athena thought, I only have thirty-three minutes to get ready? She panicked.
Athena made a beeline for the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her before stripping out of her nightwear and jumping into the shower. She washed her hair and body as fast as she could and switch the shower off, wrapping a towel around herself before opening the door and heading straight for the closet. She snatched up the outfit she had laid out last night and threw it on as quick as she could.
She was wearing a pair of high-waisted black jeans and a red and blue checkered shirt. The sleeves were rolled up to the elbows. Picking up her brown combat boots, she threw them at the door as she stepped out so that she wouldn't forget them and accidentally woke Koda up from his position on her chair, causing him to let out a little yelp. Athena headed over to her dresser and slipped a chunky brown bracelet onto her wrist. She sat down at her dresser and pulled her hair from its towel, running a comb through it to get the knots out as best as she could. She dried her hair so that it was only a little bit damp before putting it in a some up some down updo, with a few wisps dangling down and applying some mascara.
Looping a grey woollen scarf around her neck, Athena scooped Koda up and grabbed her boots at the door, running down the stairs and bypassing Ryan in the living room with his mate, Claire, telling her that he would be back soon and she shouldn't worry about him. Athena had to hold back her awe.
She entered the kitchen to see Jake leaning against the counter eating an apple whilst scrolling on his phone and her mother helping the staff make breakfast whilst brewing a coffee and pouring milk into a bowl of cereal for Athena's brother. Athena's father was sat opposite Kace at the table, listening to a story that he was telling. His eyes lifted from Kace as Athena entered, making eye contact for a split second before she looked over to Jake with Koda as he had stolen him from her arms as she walked in.
Athena could feel her mother watching her and she dropped her boots in the corner, walking over to the Queen and wrapping her arms around her mother's waist in a silent hug. She hugged Athena back and placed her arms around her daughter's shoulders, planting a loving kiss on top of her head. They pulled apart as Koda barked and Athena looked over to him as he continued to bark at Jake who was playing with him on the floor.
"He misses you, he wants to talk to you. Jake said you didn't want to talk to him. Why Athena?" Athena's mother whispered in her ear so that only they could hear.
"Because, Mom. I don't want to talk to him. I don't care if Dad misses me. He's not getting anything out of me until he comes to me upfront. Then I might consider talking to him." Athena told her, not giving time for her mother to respond before walking over to Jake and Koda, whilst pulling on her boots that she had picked back up on her way past.
"You look like you're having fun." Athena smiled, "You too Koda." She joked, laughing at the scowl that formed on Jake's face. Jake picked Koda back up and stood with him tucked in his arms, just as Ryan came in swinging his keys around his fingers and whistling to a tune on the radio.
"You ready to go?" Ryan asked, taking a stop in front of them.
Athena took a deep breath and smiled at him. "As I'll ever be."