Athena

Chapter 1.

Athena
C h a p t e r    O n e
[ COLTON CAINES ]

5 years ago. . .

"But, father, I have somewhere to be today," I protested for the hundredth time.

He looked at me with a hardened look, "I don't care what you have planned; this is a very important party therefore you have to be there. Colton, you're going to be an alpha one day, you can't run away from your responsibilities."

My father was a harsh man, but not an unfair, unloving man. He was a good father, though a strict one, but still a very good father. He was a loving man but when we did something wrong, he was firm in showing us the right path. Like any good parent.

"But father, I've already promised this person that I'll be there and stuff!" I protested.

He glared at me with his steely silver eyes, which I had inherited, and nearly snarled, "Do not argue on this with me Colton. I am warning you now: do not test my patience."

Now this was worrying. My father may have been harsh in some of his punishments but he had never acted like this before. His eyes were flickering from its metal silver to a pitch black, while his jaw was ticking with his fist clenched. Anxiety seemed to linger over him as he fidgeted slightly with his tie. Jaw clenched and fist tight, I could tell there was something wrong with him. There was something wrong.

I studied him from head to toe, noting his dishevelled black hair, which was normally slicked to the side to perfection, and his shirt, which now seemed crumpled. A dark blue tie hung loosely from his neck, a change from his normally immaculate appearance. Father had always dressed looking like he was about to have tea with the Queen. His appearance had always been pristine and extremely smart, yet right now, he looked as though he had slept in these clothes and hadn't showered for days.

Knowing not to test his patience anymore, I reluctantly nodded, biting my tongue. "Yes father."

He nodded with his jaw still clenched, but didn't say anything.

"Is there something wrong, father?" I asked slowly and carefully as if treading on egg shells, not something I would normally sound like. "Did something happen?"

"No!" he answered almost too immediately. "No! There's nothing wrong!"

"Are you sure father?" I asked again.

"I said there was nothing wrong!" he snapped.

I wanted to say something; I wanted to persist that he gave me an answer: an honest answer. But wihtout muttering a single syllable, I began walking towards the door of his office with a curt nod. Before I exited the dull-white room though, I took one last glance at him, watching him as he rubbed his temple. Little did I know back then, what a huge mistake it would be to not try.

Once I reached my room, I got myself ready into a fitting tux, which surely would get the ladies drooling over me. Who am I kidding? The ladies, or sluts - whichever you found more fitting - drooled over me no matter what I was wearing. . . or wasn't wearing for that matter.

With my dark brown hair neatly combed back and looking smart in my black tux, I made my way downstairs, only to have someone bump into me.

"Dude, I knew your ego was big, but I didn't think it was big enough to completely blind you!" Christy teased, a glint that I knew all too well in her blue eyes.