Protected by Artemis (Gods and Beasts #3)

13. Cade

Chapter 13

Cade

C ade went over his mental checklist again as he adjusted the bag on his shoulder—bow, arrow, deer horns. He looked around, taking in the remnants of the ancient Temple of Artemis Amarynthia. Time had worn down the majestic columns, and stones lay scattered about, but the altar stood tall ahead of him, weathered but solid.

With a steady breath, he started toward the marble structure, ticking off the items he had brought. He had gone to great lengths to find everything he needed. The statue of Artemis, carefully chosen from the Parthenon Museum gift shop, rested in his bag. The honey cakes—thankfully, there was still a bakery in Athens that made them. Next on his list: wine, grilled lamb, and the final piece…the goat.

The rope in his hand tugged gently, reminding him of its presence. He glanced at the animal on the other end, which stared up at him with calm, indifferent eyes.

“Hope it doesn’t come down to it,” he muttered, giving it a reassuring pat.

When he reached the altar, he tied the rope loosely to one of the fallen columns. The goat had lain down and seemed entirely unfazed by the strange circumstances it found itself in. He took another deep breath and stood still for a moment, staring at the altar. This was it. If this didn’t work, he wasn’t sure what would.

He set his bag down and began to lay out the offerings, trying to steady his nerves. It had been weeks since he’d last seen Artemis. He needed her to hear him. This time, he was ready to show her just how far he was willing to go.

He had spent countless hours researching how to pray to her, sifting through books, scouring online forums, and even consulting mythology experts. He knew the stakes were high—this wasn’t just about some casual plea. This was about the woman he loved, the goddess he couldn’t be without.

Then, late one night, he stumbled upon a website describing how the ancient Greeks used to pray to their gods, specifically Artemis—the rituals, the offerings, and the specific places that held power. It felt like fate, a last glimmer of hope in the darkness that had settled around him since Artemis had walked out of his life.

It all pointed to one thing: he needed to pray at a place sacred to her. That’s how he found himself in Greece, standing in the ruins of the temple, surrounded by the remnants of a time long past. He had followed the ancient ways to the letter—gathering the honey cakes, wine, lamb, and the statue of Artemis herself.

This wasn’t just any prayer. This was his last chance to make things right. He knew he had to show her he was willing to go to the ends of the earth for her, and so here he was. Kneeling at an ancient altar, the woman he loved on his mind, his heart in his throat, ready to pour everything he had into one final act of devotion.

If this didn’t work, nothing would.

The full moon bathed the ancient altar in soft, silver light, casting long shadows across the ruins. He looked up at it. The Hunter’s Moon, a celestial event known to be sacred to Artemis, had been his sign. When he realized the timing of his journey would coincide with it, he knew it was meant to be.

He took a deep breath, his heart racing, and set everything out carefully. He couldn’t afford a single mistake. He took out the wine, poured a small amount onto the ground, and offered it to the gods. Then, he remembered he had to take a sip as part of the ritual. The air still felt the same—no sign, no shift.

His pulse quickened as he moved to the next step, pulling out the lamb and setting up the camping grill. The scent of grilled meat was said to be pleasing to the gods, a way to get their attention. As the lamb began to sizzle, he continued his prayer, voice low and fervent. “Artemis…I miss you. I need you. Please…”

Still, nothing. The quiet around him felt heavy, almost oppressive, and for the first time, a pang of anxiety shot through him. What if she wasn’t listening?

He stood and approached the goat tied to the column, its calm eyes reflecting the moonlight. The animal was peaceful, almost too serene, as if it understood what was coming. Cade felt a knot tighten in his chest as he gently led the goat to the altar.

With trembling hands, he unsheathed the knife, his heart pounding behind his ribcage. He didn’t want to do this—he hated the thought—but the ancient texts had been clear. A sacrifice could make all the difference.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered to the goat, then to Artemis, to himself. “I can’t live without you.”

The goat bleated softly, a gentle, almost comforting sound that made Cade hesitate. It felt like permission, a strange kind of peace in the animal’s eyes. He held the knife to its throat, taking a deep breath, preparing to do the one thing he wished he didn’t need to do.

But just as he started to move his hand, the blade suddenly disappeared from his grip.

“Stop!”

He looked up, startled, and there she was—Artemis, standing before him, her eyes blazing with frustration. The air around her shimmered with power.

“Don’t sacrifice that poor animal,” she exclaimed. “He didn’t do anything wrong.”

Cade froze, his heart leaping in his chest as relief and awe washed over him. She had come.

“I can’t believe you w—” she began, her voice a mixture of exasperation and disbelief, but before she could finish, Cade swept her into his arms.

The relief and overwhelming sense of need all hit him at once. She was here, and he couldn’t let this moment pass. If words had failed him before, maybe touch would succeed. He held her tightly, his face buried in the curve of her neck, inhaling the intoxicating scent of cypress and amaranth. His Artemis. At that moment, he felt like he was home.

His arms tightened around her, desperate to convey everything—his sorrow, his love, his apology. He was wordless, hoping she could feel what he couldn’t say.

Hands with divine power gripped his wrists, pulling his arms away from her. He tried to hold on, to keep her close, but she stepped back, her eyes full of emotion as she gently but firmly broke free from his grasp. “Cade, stop.”

“Please, Artemis,” he pleaded, his voice breaking. “It literally hurts to be without you. I love you so much. I just…I can’t.”

There was still a wall there, one he couldn’t push through no matter how much he wanted to. She stood still, but the pain in his voice made her flinch just slightly.

“Love doesn’t undo everything, Cade,” she replied, her words measured. “You think this pain you feel right now is enough to fix what you did? You can’t just say you love me and make it all better.”

His chest tightened at her words, the burden of it all crashing down on him. “I know. I know I messed up. I just—when I saw my wolf’s eyes glow, I freaked out. But now I realize…it was right. My wolf was right. I need you, Artemis. You’re my mate.”

She hesitated, her eyes locking with his. The intensity of his emotions was raw and undeniable, but her own walls remained. She had been hurt, and divine or not, that wound cut deep.

“I don’t want to be punished for your fears, Cade,” she said quietly. “You broke us apart because you couldn’t handle what we had. Now you want me back because you’re ready? What about me?”

“When I saw my eyes glow…” Cade paused, his voice low. “I made the worst decision of my life.”

She narrowed her eyes, folding her arms across her chest. “Your eyes were glowing because of your wolf?”

“Yeah,” he admitted. Then something clicked, and his brow furrowed. “Wait…how do you know about that?”

She gave him a measured look. “I saw Geri’s eyes. She told me about how your wolves’ eyes glow when they approve of a love interest.”

He blinked in surprise. “Geri told you that?”

She nodded slowly. “She was explaining it at girls’ night with Aphrodite. I thought…I thought maybe it was the same with you.”

He exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah…it is. My wolf approves of you. But I panicked. I freaked out because it was so real, so intense. I thought I wasn’t ready for it, but now I know”—he stepped toward her, his voice full of desperation—“I know I was wrong.”

She tilted her head, her gaze softening just a fraction. “And now you think you’re ready?”

“I don’t think,” he said, his eyes locking onto hers. “I know. I’m ready now. For you. For us.”

He moved toward her, the magnetic pull between them undeniable. He pressed his body gently against hers before falling to his knees, his heart racing as he wrapped his arms around her waist. This time, she didn’t pull away. She let him hold her.

He looked up at her. “Can I scent you?” he asked, his voice soft but laced with a deep need.

“What?”

He gathered her hands in his, holding them tightly. “Can I scent you?” he repeated, his eyes searching hers.

They stared at each other, and he could feel the weight of their shared memories hanging in the air between them. He knew she was seeing it too—the whirlwind of their time together. From their heated arguments about Geri’s wedding to the quiet, stolen moments in Turks and Caicos to the easy way they’d fallen into each other’s lives back in Alaska. It had been so brief, but it had shaken him to his core.

“Oh, Cade…” she breathed.

He kissed her hands gently, placing them on his shoulders as his lips traveled up. Slowly, deliberately, he pressed soft kisses along her neck, savoring the taste of her skin. Her familiar scent wrapped around him as he stood, looking down at her. Her breath hitched as their eyes locked, and the world seemed to fall away for a moment.

“Please, Artemis. Let me make it up to you. I’ll do anything—whatever it takes—as long as you’re back in my life. Just don’t shut me out.”

She looked at him, her expression unreadable, but her silence filled the space between them, heavy and suffocating.

“I need to be with you,” he continued, his eyes searching hers, pleading. “Even if you’re mad—even if you can’t forgive me right now—it’s better than not being beside you at all. I just need to be close to you.”

She stared at him, her breath shallow, her lips pressed into a thin line. He could feel her inner conflict and see the emotions playing behind her cool, steady gaze. He waited, every second feeling like an eternity, hoping she would give him another chance.

“Stupid wolf,” she whispered, but her touch was tender as her hands reached up to hold his face. “I can’t live without you either.”

He froze as her words washed over him, barely believing what he was hearing. Her gaze softened, the wall she had kept between them starting to crumble.

“I love you so much,” she said, her voice trembling with emotion.

A rush of relief, joy, and overwhelming love flooded Cade’s senses. Without thinking, he leaned forward, pressing his forehead against hers, his hands wrapping around her waist. He could feel her heart racing, mirroring his own.

“Artemis,” he whispered as her words settled deep in his soul. “You’re my mate,” he said, his voice low but steady. “You’re smart and beautiful, and you drive me absolutely crazy.”

He watched as her breath caught, her eyes widening, “Your eyes…”

It was his wolf—acknowledging what Cade had taken too long to admit.

“Yes,” he continued, holding her tighter. “My wolf knew. From the moment I scented you, from the first time we sniped at each other…and that kiss. He knew you were mine. I had to catch up and realize it too. But you’re so much more than just my chosen mate.” He gently took her hands, holding them between his. “You’ll be an amazing Alpha’s mate, Artemis. You’ll lead our pack, you’ll protect them, and I know you’ll be the best mom. You’re good at everything you do.”

Her face softened, but then he noticed the sadness flicker in her eyes, and she pulled back ever so slightly. “Oh, Cade…” she began, her voice thick with emotion. “There’s something you don’t understand.”

His stomach tightened as he looked at her. “What is it?”

She took a deep breath, her fingers trembling in his grasp. “The reason I’ve stayed a virgin for so long…” Her voice faltered, and Cade’s heart clenched, sensing the pain she was about to reveal. “It’s because The Fates told me that my children would be mortal. I couldn’t…I can’t bear the thought of watching my children die while I remain in this world, unchanged.”

The words hit him hard. He could see her anguish and the fear she’d carried for so long. Gently, he reached up and cupped her cheek, forcing her to look at him. “Artemis,” he said softly, his thumb brushing away a tear. “I can’t even imagine how that must feel. But you don’t have to face that alone. We would face it together every step of the way. I’ll be there with you, no matter what happens.”

“But Cade…would that really be enough?” Her voice cracked, raw with vulnerability. “To bring children into this world knowing I’d have to watch them grow old and die? I don’t know if I could survive that.”

“It would be enough,” he said, his voice firm, resolute. “Because we’d make every moment count. I can’t promise it won’t hurt, but I can promise that I’ll love them, and you, with everything I have. No matter how hard it gets, it would be worth it. I want that life with you, Artemis. I want everything, even the pain.”

Her head dropped for a moment as if weighed down by centuries of fear, but he wasn’t going to let her carry it alone anymore. “You don’t have to carry this burden alone,” he whispered. “Let me in.”

She shook her head as if wrestling with herself before finally looking up at him. “I’ve never allowed myself to believe I could have that kind of happiness,” she whispered. “I’ve always kept this wall up, telling myself it was better this way.

“How can we be mates when I’m immortal, and you’re not?” the sadness crept into her eyes again as she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. “I know you would never choose to become immortal and live in Olympus.”

His heart tightened at her words, a wave of fear washing over him. The thought of her rejecting their bond now, after everything, made his wolf howl in desperation. “Artemis…” he began.

“I can’t be immortal if we’re going to be together,” she said, her gaze locking onto his. Her eyes were fierce and determined, like she had just made up her mind about something monumental. He felt a lump form in his throat as she continued. “I’m going to give up being a goddess.”

His heart stopped. He stared at her in shock, not quite processing what she’d just said. “What? Artemis, you can’t?—”

But she wasn’t finished. “That’s the only way I can be with you,” she proclaimed, her voice steady. “And the only way we can have children. Mortal children. It’s perfect.”

Her eyes were bright with that same determined, wild look she got when she was focused on a hunt, her hunter’s face, and he knew at that moment that nothing he said could change her mind. It terrified him.

“Are you sure?” he asked, his voice barely steady. “How can you be so sure?”

“Because I want to be with you, Cade,” she said softly but with absolute certainty. “I want to have kids with you. I want a life with you. I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life.”

He stared at her, his emotions swirling in a storm of love, fear, and hope. He couldn’t imagine her giving up her immortality, her place as a goddess, just to be with him. But he also knew, deep down, that this was what she wanted, what she had decided. And when she made up her mind, there was no turning back.

He cupped her face in his hands, his thumb brushing her cheek as he searched her eyes. “You’d give up everything for us?” he rasped.

She nodded, her eyes filled with resolve. “Yes. For us. For our future.”

His heart swelled with awe and fear, but he knew he couldn’t argue with her. He pressed his forehead against hers, closing his eyes as he tried to hold back the flood of emotions. “I love you, Artemis,” he whispered, his voice thick with gratitude and love.

“I love you too,” she whispered back, and for the first time in a long time, Cade felt like everything would be okay.