Rise of Athena

Chapter 12

Alex headed to her bed chambers with a bounce in his steps and a grin that probably made him look like a fool but he didn't care, after doing lifting and carrying and being sent on errands since Athena had not wanted him to neglect his footman duties on her account.

He often wishes he had chosen a different guise, butler perhaps, or anything that didn't involve him getting dirty and having body pains and of course, he still had Athena to seduce. But all that mattered now was she had sent for him. She wanted to see him.

He knew a stranger had been here when he entered the hallway leading to Athena's chambers but paid it no mind. No sooner than he opened the door to her chambers was he engulfed by the stranger's scent, and male scent. He passed through her receiving room previous euphoria now gone, he opened the door to her bedroom and saw a man too well dressed to be a servant. Upon sighting his murderous look, said man instinctively pulled Athena closer to him placing his hands on her midriff.

Alexander saw red.

"Step away from her."

"You're a servant." The man looked surprised at his menacing tone.

He inwardly groaned. It was hard to keep up the pretense, then he turned to Athena.

"Athena tell him to leave."

"You are quite audacious." The man said again and Alexander glared.

"That's enough," Athena said detaching his hand from her form. "Damien Buchanan is a friend of mine and I'll tolerate no disrespect toward him. Damien forgives the bad manners of my footman he's new here."

"It's forgotten. He's bold... and protective of you."

He extended a hand and Alexander would have gladly let his hand hang there except he saw the warning look Athena gave him.

"You sent for me Athena." He tried to ignore Damien.

"You call her by name?"

Damien arched a brow.

"I'm not just a footman, I'm here on behalf of the blue moon pack's Alpha, and I'm her mate."

He hissed.

"Leave us."

Athena said.

"Not a chance in hell."

Came Alexander's reply.

"Not you."

She spoke again.

And Damien dutifully bowed and exited the room and her chambers.

"What was he doing here."

"It is not your place to ask just as it is not your place to speak so abominably to people above your status. You must seek him out and apologize. "

"I might be a servant but even I have my pride."

"I didn't ask."

"He had his hands on you! And you let him."

"I have decided you apologize to him. Don't question my decision."

"I have decided too. If you had a reason to summon me say it now before I leave."

"Remember your place."

"My place? My place is by your side dammit!"

"I am your King. Do not question my decision. "

She countered, temper and voice rising.

"And what if I do?"

"I can very easily end you."

"Nothing's stopping you."

He exhaled and went closer to her hating that Damien's scent was on her.

"Athena, I hate fighting you. Come light come darkness, come pain come joy, it's you. I do not fear death, I only loathe it because it has the power to part us, my whole being aches whenever you're away from me every second I wait to be with you is a thousand years worth of pain, and I am jealous of clothes you wear, bed you sleep and even the ground you walk upon, so imagine my agony when I saw him hold you. I could barely stop myself from detaching his head from his miserable body and then burning those filthy hands he touched you with. I couldn't control myself and it upset you, for that only am I sorry."

When she said nothing he turned to leave.

"Wait."

She called out.

And he turned back around his face full of hope.

"I am meeting with the council members. As acting Alpha of your pack, you're to be present in such meetings."

So she was going to make it hard for him.

"If I am to fulfill my obligations I'll need a more comfortable accommodation and be relieved of my duties as a servant."

He said in a neutral tone.

"I'll see to it."

"Good. Allow me a few moments to put myself to rights."

"Of course."

He bowed before her and left the premises.

She heaved a sigh and looked at the ring and cursed that it was making her want to reach out and embrace him. An area she had little experience with.

Give her an army to fight, thorns to walk upon, or even the devil to face and she'd deal with it. But these irritating little zings going on in her system? She hadn't an ounce of idea what to do.

And what she was feeling was too much. Far too much. She needed the blasted ring off. Having learned their lesson from the previous meeting that Athena was a fierce and no-nonsense ruler they all bowed as she entered the hall with Alex in tow. The act which was supposed to be an act of respect was mostly poorly concealed fear.

She lowered herself onto the royal seat with Alex standing by her side.

"Rise."

And they all did in perfect harmony, it was as though they feared if they were not in complete order they would lose their heads one by one, a fear which considering Athena was their Alpha was completely understandable.

"I have decided."

Everyone was tense as they waited for who among them would be given the position of assistant to the Alpha.

"Damien Buchanan." She said and Alex clenched his teeth. A murmur rose among the council members.

"May I with your permission say a few words." One of them stepped forward.

"Speak."

"I'm afraid my king that you are mistaken, none of us go by the name you have mentioned. "

"I'm not mistaken, and yet none of you are named Damien Buchanan."

No sooner than she had finished her sentence did the said Damien walk in.

"I said I was going to select a person to as an assistant, I didn't say it was from you lot." She motioned to the beta to come from his chair.

"Dethrone them."

"Jaguar subdivision of council of Antarti pack, by order of Alpha Cassandra dethroned. The power vested in you... is no more." He ripped off the badge on him and he immediately fell to his knees. Athena stood and faced Damien who got on his knees before her.

"Damien Buchanan enthroned as my right-hand man for as long as we both shall live. Rise and stand aside me."

As if it wasn't bad enough that she kept fighting him off, now he has to deal with that nuisance constantly around her. He thought of the way Damien was everywhere she was and nearly snarled. He had been moved from his narrow room to a grand guest chamber and he was no longer a footman.

This was in some ways worse because when Athena didn't need him he was usually occupied with carrying, pushing, or some other strenuous activity but now all the free time he had was spent t thinking about Damien. What exactly was their relationship? He couldn't bear it if they were lovers.

He really would kill someone.