Moonlit Vows Of Vengeance-Chapter 24: Why Me?

Athena’s pov

She scoffed. "You’ve kept me caged. And now you come to speak in riddles again?"

He didn’t answer her rage. Instead, he looked at her — truly looked. The firelight flickered against her face, casting shadows along the edges of her jaw, highlighting the storm behind her eyes.

"I offered you the truth once," he said softly. "You spat in my face. But you still haven’t asked why I let you live."

Athena’s jaw clenched. She turned away. "You said you wanted me to break."

"I still do," he said simply. "Because until you let go of what you think you know, you’ll never see what’s real."

He walked to the window, his hands clasped behind his back, eyes on the cold stretch of land below. "The Moon Goddess," he said, "might die soon."

Athena froze.

"She is greatly weakened," he continued, voice low and steady. "A shell of what she once was. Her divine presence? Fading. Her gifts? Barely tethered to this realm anymore. And your sacred order... your bonds, your ranks, the power you draw from her? All of it... decaying."

Athena swallowed. "You’re lying. The moon goddess is immortal. There’s no way she’s dying. You’re lying to me!"

He turned slowly, facing her. "There’s no reason for me to lie, Athena. You should have seen the signs by now. Maybe you just decided to ignore them."

She said nothing, but her eyes darted away, just for a breath.

He stepped closer. "The Alpha bond no longer anchors loyalty. Mates turn on each other. Packs fracture. Rebellions rise like wildfire. And all the while, your precious Moon Goddess remains silent. It wasn’t always like this before. I mean you should know best."

Athena whispered, "Then what’s keeping it all from collapsing? Since she’s greatly weakened and can’t use her powers anymore?"

He looked her dead in the eye. "Me."

The word dropped like a blade between them.

"My magic binds the balance," he said. "Every throne still standing. Every bond that hasn’t shattered. Every border that hasn’t been overrun by madness. It’s not divine grace holding this world together. It’s me."

She stared at him like she was seeing a stranger. "You expect me to believe you’re the saviour of our kind?"

"No," he replied. "I expect you to choose whether your people deserve a future."

Athena’s breath caught.

He moved to her slowly, power flickering at his fingertips like embers. "I didn’t take the throne for glory. I took it because I saw what would come if someone didn’t. The chaos, the bloodshed. The gods have turned away, Athena. The only thing that stands between your world and a second Dark Age is the monster they left behind."

Athena backed away a step. "Why are you telling me this? Why did you choose me to work for you?"

"Because," he said. "Because that’s what she wants."

He paused. "Stand with me. Work for me. For the future of all werewolves. I know of a way to heal the moon goddess completely, but I need you to get me the fragments that are scattered all around."

Athena’s hands balled into fists. "What’s in it for you? You’re not even a true werewolf. Why would you do all these for us?"

He shook his head. "Because of what she has promised me in return for my service to her."

She looked at him even more deeply, for the first time.

The King’s voice dropped lower, quieter. "The moon goddess grants the power of rebirth to werewolves that have lived a peaceful life worshipping her. But her powers don’t only apply to werewolves, they also apply to half-werewolves.... Hybrids."

He reached forward. "My wife was a hybrid unjustly killed, I want her to bring back my love to me. That’s all I asked for. So choose, Athena... Save your goddess, which in turn is saving your kingdom, or you can simply just rot in prison?" He said and brought out his hand.

Athena stared at the hand.

And said nothing.

He nodded once, pulling his hand back. "You don’t have to answer now. But know this — when the old world burns, you’ll either be standing with me... or be buried beneath the ash."

"The silence pressed in again, thick and suffocating. But Athena wasn’t done.

"Why me?" she asked suddenly, her voice sharp. The words cut through the air like a blade. "There are other Betas. Stronger. More loyal. Easier to control. Why come to me? It just makes no sense to me. Help me understand it. From the very beginning, I thought that my strength was what caught your fancy,, but now you’re... I just really, really don’t understand it all."

The King paused just as he reached the edge of the shadows near the door. He didn’t turn fully, just tilted his head enough that the firelight caught one side of his face, cold and unreadable.

"There are many wolves with strength," he said. "Plenty with blind loyalty. But that’s not what I need for this."

Athena frowned. "Then what do you need?"

He stepped closer again — not all the way, just near enough that his presence seemed to thicken the air.

"I need someone who sees the cracks before they split," he said. "Someone who disobeys when everyone else obeys too quickly. Someone who fights when they’re supposed to kneel."

She held his gaze, still defiant. "That’s not a compliment. That’s a warning."

"It’s both," he said quietly.

Athena clenched her jaw. "You still haven’t answered me. Why am I useful in all of this? Why drag me into all of these?"

He studied her, that unreadable grey gaze flickering over every inch of her.

Then, slowly, he said, " I’ve already told you why, but you simply didn’t listen properly to me. The reason why you’re here and why I’ve been trying to win your loyalty is simply because that’s what the moon goddess told me to. I’m simply following her orders. You can ask her why she chose you."