OliviaThe room had seemingly been silent for a while before I walked in.Nathan’s blue-green eyes, normally full of warmth and joy, were now shadowed with a troubled glint. The faint glow from the setting sun poured through the windows, casting a soft amber hue that added to the heavy ambiance.“Nathan?” I asked, my voice quivering slightly as the past two days’ events whirled around in my mind, filling me with an automatic sense of dread. “What’s wrong?”Nathan said nothing, but as I set foot into our living room, my attention was immediately drawn to a piece of paper clutched in his hand. I knew from the weight of the look in his eyes that it held news—and not the good kind.“Nathan?” I called, my voice echoing a hint of apprehension. He looked up, eyes not entirely focusing on me, lost deep in his thoughts.“Olivia,” he whispered, his voice rough, almost broken. “You need to sit down.”Without waiting for a response, he gestured to the chair opposite him. The ticking of the wall c
OliviaThe weight of the room bore down on me, pressing against my chest, making it difficult to breathe. It was as though the walls were absorbing the tensions, the fears, the unspoken resentments of our conversation, and reflecting them back onto us.The dimly lit room was only brightened by the soft, flickering candlelight, causing the shadows to dance in a macabre ballet, resonating with my pounding heart.“Nathan,” my voice was strained, trying to convey the disbelief, the hurt. “You can’t seriously mean that.”He ran a hand through his disheveled hair, sighing deeply, his every gesture screaming of conflict.“Olivia, believe me when I say I don't want to even think about giving up Elliot. Every fiber of my being rebels against the very idea, but we may have to face the reality if we can’t find any other solution.”His words were like a dagger, each syllable cutting deep. “Reality?” I echoed, bitterness creeping into my voice. “Our reality or the reality Meredith and the Elders a
NathanThe Council chamber was a place I had visited countless times, but today, the air inside felt heavier, the weight of a thousand decisions and conflicts pressing down on me. The walls seemed to whisper the tales of meetings past, of verdicts made and lives changed forever.Entering the dimly lit chamber, the prominent figures of the Elders met my gaze. Each face told a story—a story of wisdom, of experience, and today, perhaps, a story of judgment.“We convene today on matters of grave importance,” Elder Amara began, her wise and yet sharp eyes locked onto mine. “Nathan, this issue cannot be ignored any longer. Have you made your decision? Will you hand the child over?”“I never intended to ignore it,” I replied, trying to keep my voice level. “But the solution isn’t as simple as giving up a child, my child.”Elder Enoch nodded slowly. “These are not normal circumstances, Alpha Nathan. The death of the Ancient Wolf is not just another hiccup in our history. It’s a dark prophecy
OliviaThe muted glow of a solitary lamp flickered, casting shadows that danced across the walls of our cozy living room. At the heart of the room sat Nathan, his brow furrowed in deep concentration.Various sheets of paper lay scattered around him, evidence of multiple unsuccessful attempts to draft a letter. With each crumpled draft, he grew increasingly agitated.The pen in his hand trembled with every stroke, and with a frustrated sigh, he set it down, rubbing the bridge of his nose. I watched from the doorway, sensing the weight of responsibility pressing down on him.As his shoulders hunched, I could see the mantle of the Alpha, a title he wore both with pride and with the inherent burdens that accompanied it. I tiptoed into the kitchen, deciding to brew some calming chamomile tea to soothe his frayed nerves.The aroma of the tea filled the room, acting as a gentle, olfactory balm. I approached him, setting the cup in front of him.“You’re pushing yourself too hard,” I whispered
OliviaThe stillness that had settled in the room was unsettling, like the foreboding calm before a storm. As the Elders' receding footsteps echoed in my ears, I clutched the eviction notice, its presence an icy reminder of the cruel reality that was unfolding. The paper felt like a traitor in my hands; lifeless yet filled with the weight of our ancestors' history.Nathan and I were locked in a gaze, our emotions threatening to spill. His face was a canvas of a myriad of emotions – anguish, resolve, fear, and defiance. The room, once filled with warmth and love, now felt cold and alien.“Pack your bags, Olivia,” Nathan’s voice sliced through the air, as sharp as a winter wind. His tone, devoid of its usual warmth, sent shivers down my spine.“What?” I stammered, unable to comprehend the gravity of his words. “Just like that?”“Yes,” he said, turning and heading back inside. “Just like that. And make it quick; we don’t have much time.”My eyes were so wide I thought they might fall out
OliviaThe charged air between Nathan and me seemed to shimmer as I processed his three words—I love you. The atmosphere felt heavy, almost suffocating, and the silence that enveloped us was both poignant and paralyzing.It was clear, however, that Nathan hadn't intended to let that particular revelation slip out. Suddenly, the weight of his confession seemed to crash down on him. The vulnerability that had been in his eyes was now replaced with a stormy turbulence, as he pulled away abruptly.“I—” he started, but then seemed to think better of it. The furrow of his brows deepened, and without another word, he spun around and stormed away, leaving me in a whirlwind of emotions.“Nathan, wait!” I cried, but he didn’t stop.As he reached the door, he paused, taking a deep breath before turning to face me. “Pack your bags, Liv. Enough for a couple of weeks at least. I'll see what I can mend during that time. I’ll find us a place to stay, temporarily.” And with that, he left, slamming the
OliviaNathan and I stood in the driveway with Angela, the warm morning sun casting elongated shadows on the ground. As I stood there in shock, taking in what was happening, a distant murmur caught my attention.We both turned simultaneously, our eyes widening in surprise. From the horizon, what seemed like a sea of people was advancing towards the villa. Their numbers, impressive and unexpected, appeared to surge like a tidal wave, a moving entity of unity and purpose.Beside us, Angela’s lips curled into a knowing grin.“You see that?” she said, her eyes twinkling with mischief and pride. “Those are the voices that the Elders have tried to silence for so long. They’re tired of the stoic and traditional rule, tired of having no say in things. They want a new era, an era of democracy for the pack.”The gravity of the situation dawned on me. These were not just individuals. They were a collective, a group bound by a common purpose and determination to see change.As the crowd drew near
OliviaThe villa’s master bedroom was a sanctuary, with its high ceilings, wooden beams, and the soft glow from the fireplace casting dancing shadows on the walls.The moonlight streamed in through the large windows, bathing the room in an ethereal light. Here, amidst the opulence of our surroundings, the weight of reality pressed down on both of us.I sat on the edge of the bed, my fingers playing with the embroidered patterns on the duvet. The silence was thick, palpable. Nathan was across the room, staring into the flames, lost in thought with Elliot sleeping in his arms. The orange and red hues of the fire reflected in his eyes, giving them a haunting intensity.Earlier, the meeting with the townspeople had ended on a hopeful note. Now that it was dark, however, I felt more trepidation than anything.Nathan let out a long sigh, his gaze unfocused as he looked past the walls of the bedroom, lost in some distant memory. I tilted my head, curious about the sudden nostalgia in his eye
OliviaI gripped the edges of the podium, my knuckles whitening from the strain as I stared out over the sea of faces. All eyes were trained squarely on me, awaiting my words. But I was frozen.A tremor of nausea wormed its way up my throat as I stared out at them. What was I thinking—how could I have ever agreed to this? Speaking to crowds had never been my forte; that was Nathan’s arena, not mine. I was just the woman behind the scenes, the young mom who had never gone to college, the one who had been handed her job by her husband…Suddenly, a flicker of motion off to the side caught my eye—Nathan, standing just at the edge of the stage with his arms folded across his chest. Even from this distance, I could feel the weight of his steady gaze, that piercing Alpha stare that always seemed to see straight into the depths of my soul.He must have sensed my faltering because, slowly, deliberately, he offered me the faintest of smiles and a single, reassuring nod.And just like that, the
Olivia I looped my arm through Nathan’s as we stepped down from the podium, the applause from the crowd and the flashing of cameras having finally subsided after what felt like an eternity. “It’s over,” Nathan beamed, giving my arm a squeeze. “That wasn’t so bad.” I couldn’t help but grin back at him. “No, it wasn’t. You were great up there.” And he really had been great; the press conference had been an overwhelming success—any lingering doubts or trepidation we had harbored before had been utterly blown away by the sheer force of the crowd’s enthusiastic response. For so long, it had felt like we were fighting this battle alone, like the victims who had suffered under Dan’s horrific operation were little more than nameless, faceless casualties. But today, we had finally given them a voice. Their stories had reached the masses, had resonated and struck a chord with everyone who watched. Nathan had handled all of the questions that were thrown his way with poise and ease
OliviaI rapped my knuckles lightly on the door to Nathan’s office. A moment later, his voice called out, “Come in.”Stepping into the room, I placed my hands on my hips upon seeing the scene in front of me: Nathan was standing in front of the mirror, his shirt still untucked and his tie loosened. His desk was a mess of papers and folders, and it was clear that he had been checking over his notes last-minute before the press conference.
OliviaI wiped a bead of sweat from my brow, slowly turning to survey the progress that had been made in the park. The banners we had hung were a bold purple color, signifying our support of the women who had been affected by the trafficking ring.I couldn’t help but smile a bit as I looked at our progress. With the press conference today, followed by a festival to help raise funds for the shelter we were building, the park was bustling with activity as our pack members worked hard
NathanI leaned back in my chair with a weary sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose in a futile attempt to stave off the encroaching headache. Spread out on my desk was an array of file folders, legal pads scrawled with notes, and printed transcripts—a minefield of information that would need to be carefully navigated on the day of the upcoming press conference.It had been two weeks since Dan and Montgomery’s bodies were found in the confinement pit, and it had been a dizzyin
OliviaMy hands shook uncontrollably as I stepped up to the edge of the pit, clutching the metal grating until my knuckles turned white. A thick, cloying stench wafted up from the darkness below—the unmistakable reek of death and decay.Despite the waves of nausea already roiling in my gut, I leaned forward for a closer look.
OliviaThe air coming through the open windows smelled like the fresh sea breeze as we made our way from room to room, touring every nook and cranny of the newly completed cottage. It was perfect—cozy and quaint, while still boasting all the modern amenities one could want. But more than that, it was a sanctuary, a haven.A fresh start.
OliviaThe sound of power tools outside streamed in through the window while I folded the laundry, a distant backdrop to my swirling thoughts. I had grown used to the sound, and actually kind of enjoyed it. It was a reminder that life went on, that our family was growing.It had been a couple of weeks since I had made the decision to take a temporary leave from work in order to really focus on my family—on rebuilding that long-severed bond with my mother—and I was glad I did.
NathanI couldn’t stop the rage from simmering just beneath the surface as I made my way through the darkened forest toward the confinement pit. No one knew I was here—I was coming under the cover of night, my hair and face concealed by a hood.But I had to come. I couldn’t stop thinking about Dan and Montgomery, and I needed to see them.