Chapter 7 Mine to Punish

NERO'S POV

PREVIOUS NIGHT

Zavier sat across from me in his living room. The house that once filled with voices and laughter was now only gloomy. My heart ached knowing that some part of it was my fault.

It's been a few days since the wedding and Zavier and I haven't had much time to talk like I hoped we would.

My father has now pulled me into more of the pack's affairs. In his words, he said it was time for me to take over most of the deals like I wasn't already doing so. I was already running things and doing the heavy work while he focused on the paper side of things.

Zavier cleared his throat as he stared at me. "I expected you to come sooner." He said his voice having some kind of accusation in it.

"Pack work, Dad insisted." I said curtly.

"Or you were enjoying your time with your new bride forgetting the promise you made to me and my sister." He said the accusation sounding more obvious now.

"It was your job to get rid of her. You insisted you were going to be the one to do it, what happened?" I asked averting my eyes from the coffee table I had been staring at completely changing the topic.

"Your mother happened." He grimaced.

My brows raised and arched in confusion as I stared at him waiting for an answer.

"I had everything ready to go. Luna decided to stay close to her. From the moment Athena woke up to the time she got dress, your mother stayed glued to her. And the one time she finally left her side, I approached the door but the guard didn't let him in even though I told him I had a message for Athena from you. He insisted I tell him what it was instead and that no one was allowed inside Athena's room. I considered climbing through her window but taking her away from that height was near impossible."

Zavier shook his head like he had missed a great opportunity. And I knew exactly how it felt.

When I saw her walk down the aisle, shock and confusion surged through me and the only thing I could do was stare at her. Doing that did a good job of taking my mind off everything. When she continued to walk for a moment it was just us in the room. Everything else didn't matter and I was so tempted to smile and gush at her beauty.

The truth is, Athena isn't an ugly girl. My heart just never wanted her till date. And when I met Zara for the first time, it was as though we were taken to the times the moon goddess gave every wolf a mate. Zara was my mate and I was hers.

"I wasn't cozying up to Athena. I had just been busy with work with my father." I said to him.

I let myself drown in the bottle of whiskey he kept on the table. I just wanted something to numb down the feeling I had. I wanted to feel something else entirely.

By the time I left his place, I was drunk but I managed to make it to the palace.

PRESENT TIME

I woke up with a banging headache and a knock on the door, more like banging. I groaned out of bed and walked to it ready to give Athena a piece of my mind. I realised I locked it but that shouldn't have given her a reason to bang on the door like that.

I froze in my spot when I saw my mother's furious eyes.

"Shit!" I murmured. Athena was hiding behind her as she berated me.

Once she was gone and Athena was in the room, I noticed how shaky her body was. I stared at the gown she was wearing. It was nothing sexy yet I was captivated by it. It fell freely against her body like something my mother wears but I was curious to know how she looked underneath it.

I controlled the urge to walk up to her and claim her and make her do her duties like a wife should. What snapped me out of my daze were two things; first Zavier's voice making me promise I would get justice for Zara and my mother barging into the room.

"Athena, do get dressed and meet me downstairs alright. I want you to go somewhere with Me." she said with a sweet smile on her face. When our eyes met, she glared at me before walking out.

I rolled my eyes and headed back to bed because of my throbbing headache. I wondered where my mother was taking her but at the same time I didn't want to know.

When Athena appeared from the bathroom I groaned internally. Hating her was going to be tougher than I thought it would be.

"Fucking hell." I muttered under my breath. Her hair draped down her back creating images in my mind that I didn't want seeping in.

She didn't spare me glance as she walked out of the room.

I lay on my back and decided to go freshen up and get ready for the day as well. My father and I had a meeting and I couldn't afford to miss it.

I took a sip of my drink as an Alpha of a small pack walked into the throne room. My father and I were seated on a small rounded table where a few council men were.

As the Alpha spoke, he raised a request that left me gritting my teeth in utter rage.

"I know for a fact that you know that my son is already married. He cannot and will not take another mate." My father said shutting every idea the Alpha had.

"We all know she is not who your son wanted to be with. If given the chance my daughter can be a better mate and bride than his current. Didn't she murder your girlfriend at the games? Will you really be able to live with a murderer for the rest of your lives?" the Alpha whose name I had no clue of said, his eyes trained on me.

Perhaps he loved how riled I got from his words because then he smirked for what? I don't know.

"You will show respect to the Prince and his mate!" my father ordered causing him to bow but the smirk on his face remained.

"It's alright father." I said dismissing the man. The way he referred to Athena as a murderer didn't sit well with me. Only Zavier and I were allowed to call her that or even make her pay. And with Zara gone, I had no desire to be with another woman for any reason. Sure I sometimes found myself checking Athena out but she's my wife and I had every right to do so.

"If that is all you came to ask, then I'm sure you know what the answer is. I do not wish to take in any other mate for any reason. Your daughter can wait for the mating games like everyone else and participate." I said harshly, my voice spitting out the most poisonous of venoms.

I could feel my father's gaze on me but pretended as if I didn't know he was staring.

"You really need to let Zara go son, do not take the words he said to heart." He said his voice calm.

"Zara was my world, there's no way I can ever let go of her." I muttered standing to my feet. The meeting was done and I headed back to my room.

I felt my blood boil as I entered slamming the door; reminded that I was in a loveless marriage with the woman who made me loose the love of my life.

I paced around the room waiting for Athena to show up. I wanted to make her feel some type of pain so that she knows just exactly what she took away from me.