007 — HIS OUTRAGEOUS DEMANDS

ATHENA

The audience has gone silent. I can literally feel the spark of tension and excitement in the air. 

While I'm still trembling with anger and shock, someone — a lady — suddenly asks;

"Are they a couple? They look so good together."

Bile rises in my throat when I hear those words. And the fact that the rest of the audience seems to agree with her makes it even worse.

I scurry away from Hector like my skin is on fire, trying to fix my horrified expression.

"Hector, I worked too hard to get this fashion show up and running." I say through gritted teeth. "Don't do anything to ruin it."

To my absolute horror, he comes closer and presses his powerful, muscled front against my back. The heat that radiates off his body seeps into my bones, making my wolf curl in surprise delight. 

He's the enemy. He abandoned you. He's caused the death of your son, I chant in my head over and over as I step further away from him. 

"What the hell are you doing? Stay away from me." I mutter.

"I'm not doing anything wrong." The rich, dark timbre of his voice filters into my ear. "I thought you were giving a speech."

I tamp down my rage and look up to find the audience staring at me expectantly.

I step forward immediately and clear my throat;

"Um… I apologise for that delay, ladies and gentlemen. Like I said, this is Mr… Hector Kensington and we look forward to working with him on more projects in the future." 

I almost choke when I say those words. Lies. All lies.

"Unfortunately, I have an important matter to handle so I cannot stay any longer than necessary. However, thank you very much for coming out to grace my occasion once again and have a wonderful day."

I barely hear the sounds of applause that follows me off the stage. My skin is itching to just… disappear from Hector's vicinity. 

"Athena, where are you going?" Jasmine asks worriedly as I hurry past her. 

"Air. I need some air." 

I don't wait for her response. I don't even wait to see if anyone is following me. I just walk out of the hall and keep walking until I arrive at the entertainment centre's private parking lot. 

There are no cars and no other person here besides me. I can finally think clearly.

Or so I thought. 

Two seconds after I lean against the railing to catch my breath, my wolf picks up movements a few steps away from the parking lot.

I don't know why, but the hairs at the back of my neck suddenly rise and my shoulders stiffen with tension. 

My eyes narrow as I stand upright, preparing to face any threats.

Just a few seconds later, the threats arrive in the form of strange men dressed all in black — black suits, black shirts and slacks, black tinted glasses... 

A soundless siren goes off in my brain. I can tell that these men are dangerous, and worse still, they're werewolves. Which means they'll be more difficult to kill. 

I expect them to attack me immediately, but to my absolute surprise, they simply surround the perimeter of the parking lot and firmly fold their arms behind their backs, effectively blocking all my means of escape.

It's like I'm watching a cliché mafia movie in slow motion. 

"Who are you?!" I ask loudly. "Why are you here? Who sent you?!"

They don't reply. Infact, they totally ignore me.

"Am I surrounded by deaf and dumb guards?" I whisper to myself.

"Trust me, these guards are not deaf nor dumb in the slightest. They work for me."

That voice. I would do anything to kill the owner of that voice with my bare hands. 

I spin on my heels so fast, my brain feels dizzy… and come face-to-face with him again. Hector Kensington.

Rage burns in my bloodstream as he comes close until he's standing just a few feet away from me.

"Wonderful fashion show." He says softly. "I must say that you…"

"What do you want, Hector?" I snap, folding my arms. "There's no need for all these chit chats. Say what you came here for and get it over with. I have better things to do."

His eyes darken with an emotion I know all too well. Annoyance. And I honestly do not give a shit.

In the past, I always felt like Hector did me a favour by choosing to be with me instead of all the hot, pure-blooded Lunas of the NightHunters pack. I was always careful not to get him angry or upset. I very badly wanted to be a good girl for him. 

But not anymore. That Athena died a horrible death when he betrayed my trust three years ago.

"Athena…" he says, lifting his right hand in my direction.

"Don't you dare touch me!" I screech, taking a step back. "Keep your hands to yourself, Mr. Hector, or I swear to the goddess…"

"What will you do?" He interrupts, coming even closer. 

I don't want to appear like a scared little puppy so I stand my ground, hoping he won't come any closer. 

Well, my hope goes crashing down when Hector keeps coming until we're almost nose-to-nose.

The delicious, manly scent of his cologne invades my senses, making it almost difficult to think straight.

I raise my head and those sharp blue eyes hold me captive.

"What do you want, Hector? Why did you help with my fashion show? How did you find me? I don't have anything to give you…"

"And why do you think that specifically chose you?" He growls. "What if I just asked my secretary to choose some random business owner? What if I was just feeling generous?"

My lips tighten in anger. 

"Don't try to make me look stupid, Hector. I know you. You don't engage in random, stupid games. 

You know what you were doing and my question is; why?

I thought you wanted me out of your life. You literally stood there and watched while your mother…!"

Because I still can feel the excruciating pain of that betrayal years later, because I can feel my throat tightening with the hint of tears, I clamp my mouth shut and breathe in deeply.

"So you haven't forgotten what happened three years ago?" He whispers, lowering his head so he can look into my eyes. 

"I thought you'd put it past you by now…"

I snap my head upwards and give him an incredulous look, all my anger finally bubbling to the surface.

"Put it past me? I lost a child that night because of you! All because of you! I will never, ever forget what you did to me."

I expect him to say something in response, but his jaw tightens and a strange, shadowy look crosses his eyes when I mention our dead child.

"And my children?" He asks suddenly. "Where are they? How are they?"

Oh, goddess. I can't believe my ears.

"Are you bloody kidding me right now?" I scoff. "Your children?"

This time, I take another step closer to him and point my fingers in his face.

"Read my lips very, very carefully, Mr. Kensington. Those children will never, ever be yours ever again. You abandoned us, remember? You chose my own cousin over the lives of those children.

Or have you forgotten that you called me a whore? Why are you so certain that they're your children now?"

To my utmost shock, instead of backing down like I expect him to, Hector wraps one strong arm around my waist and slams me against the brick wall of his chest, knocking the wind right out of me.

He lowers his head until his lips brush my ear and my traitorous body trembles with awareness.

"You have no idea what really happened three years ago. I had concrete reasons for all of my actions."

I finally snap back to my senses.

 I cannot afford to let this man entice me into his trap once again. Once bitten, twice shy.

"Let me go." I growl, struggling against him. "Release me right now!" 

"I thought you wanted to be close to me, princess. I'm only giving you what you want."

"Call me that name again and watch me spit on your face." I threaten. "Go on. I dare you."

Hector holds my gaze for a long time and I'm sure he must see the seriousness in my eyes because he shakes his head.

"I'm sorry but I have a business meeting coming up shortly. I don't want to go in smelling like your saliva."

"Then fucking let me go!"

"No." He deadpans. "Not until you let me see my children."

"That will be over my dead body. If that's the reason you came here, you can leave. It will never happen."

"That's not the only reason I'm here. But it's part of it."

I pause. "Then why are you here?"

He pins me in place with his eyes.

"I want you back, Athena. I want you to come back with me to the NightHunters Pack. Preferably today."

For a moment, I freeze, not sure I've heard right.

"What did you say?" I whisper. 

"You heard me, princess." He mutters, picking a strand of hair off my face. "I want you to come back with me."

I lower my head, suddenly consumed with raw, dark rage. It's been a full year since I was attacked with such mind numbing anger. 

After I left the NightHunters pack, I had many violent episodes due to uncontrollable rage and I even had to see a therapist at some point.

I fought so hard to keep that part of myself hidden, but right now, I cannot seem to control it. 

My rage slowly simmers to the surface and soon enough, I'm trembling.

"Athena, are you okay?" Hector asks, his voice tinged with worry.

I hate the hint of concern in his voice. I hate the feel of his hands on my body. Even now, three years later, I still hate this man for everything he did to me.

"Let go of me right now." I say as calmly as I can.

"Athena…"

"Let go!!" I scream this time. 

Shocked at my sudden outburst, he releases me immediately. 

"You have a lot of nerve to come back here and make demands from a woman you rejected and humiliated. You've got a butt load of nerves! 

Now, I'm going to say this for the first and the last time. I want you to disappear from my life, Hector. Go back to whatever hole you crawled out from and don't ever let me set eyes on you again. Do you fucking understand me?"

To my greatest surprise, he takes a step backwards.

"I'll leave you for now, Athena. But I'll be back. And I hope you're ready to battle because I'm not giving up until you and our children come back home with me. 

My name is Hector Kensington, and I always get what I want…"