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
OliviaThe room was cloaked in an almost unbearable tension, the weight of my question hanging in the air between us. Nathan’s silence had become palpable, creating a chasm that neither of us seemed able to bridge.Just yesterday, he had confessed to loving me. But the way he said it was so quick, so passionate, and so short-lived that I wasn’t sure. I wanted a real confession. I wanted to hear him say it slowly and meaningfully.“Nathan?” I pressed gently, my voice quivering, needing, seeking an answer. “Do you truly love me?”His blue-green eyes, usually so clear and bright, were now clouded with uncertainty. He shifted his weight, and the room was silent save for the sound of our synchronized breathing. Finally, he looked into my eyes, holding my gaze with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine.“I have to put Elliot to bed,” he said, standing abruptly.“Nathan—” I began, but it was too late. Nathan was already gone, whisking Elliot down the hall. I could only sit there in sh
Olivia“Who could that be?” I asked, sitting up.“I don’t know. Hopefully just Clint or Levi,” Nathan said with a sigh. “But most likely the Elders, coming to try to kick us out again.”At the mention of the Elders, I felt my heart begin to race. “You won’t let them kick us out,” I whispered.Nathan offered me a gentle smile and leaned across the bed, squeezing my hand. “Of course not, Liv,” he said quietly. “I won’t let anything happen to our family or our home. You know that.”I nodded stiffly, swallowing.Suddenly, the knock came again. This time it was louder, audibly rattling the glass in the doorframe. I jumped up and ran over to the window to peer out, my eyes widening as I saw three unfamiliar black cars in the driveway.“I don’t think it’s the Elders,” I whispered, my heart pounding like a wardrum in my chest. “Or anyone we know, for that matter.”Nathan slowly came over to peer through the window. Upon seeing the car, his own eyes widened.The urgency in Nathan’s voice was u
Olivia“Prove it.”Nathan towered over Ryan, his very form exuding the energy of an Alpha who was protecting his pack. At that moment, I felt proud to have him by my side.Ryan’s cold sneer seemed to hang in the room like a shadow. Without uttering a word, he slowly lifted the hem of his shirt, revealing a network of raised, pink scars marring the pale skin of his abdomen.I involuntarily inhaled, my mind struggling to process the proof of his claims. On top of that, he produced a sheaf of papers from a folder, medical records and reports that detailed every injury, every surgery.“Believe me now?” Ryan’s voice was almost a whisper, the slight quiver in it revealing an unexpected vulnerability.My heart clenched. This was the man I once thought I loved, the biological father of my children, now standing broken before me, practically begging me for my son. I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sympathy. But even so, Elliot was mine, and he couldn’t just waltz in and lay claim to him.“I
OliviaThe door clicked shut, leaving Nathan, the twins, and I standing alone in the hallway. I watched in a state of numb shock as Ryan hobbled down the steps on his crutches, then climbed into one of the cars.They drove away, but the paper outlining Ryan’s intent to take Elliot from me still lingered on the floor where it had fluttered down, as though smirking at me.With a sigh, I turned. “That could have gone worse,” I murmured, more to myself than to anyone.Nathan stood rigidly at the entrance to the living room, the tension in his broad shoulders unmistakable even from where I stood. His normally calm blue eyes bore into me with a mix of anger and disbelief, and I felt a knot form in my stomach.“How could you?” His voice cut through the silence of the room, low and dripping with incredulity. “Letting Ryan, of all people, hold Elliot? What were you thinking, Olivia?”Each word was a knife, stabbing at the walls of defense I’d built up.“I weighed the risks, Nathan,” I shot bac
OliviaThe morning sun filtered through the cream curtains of the living room, creating warm pools of golden light on the floor.Throughout the day, the sounds of shuffling papers and soft murmurs came from the study, reminding me that Nathan was engrossed in his research. Hours passed, and with them, the sun began its descent, casting a mellow glow across the house.Dinnertime came and went. Nathan took his meal in his study, and still didn’t emerge after that.By the time the twins were asleep, I realized Nathan had been in his study for hours without a break, and so I decided to check on him. The silence emanating from the room concerned me a bit.Approaching the mahogany door, I gently knocked.“Nathan?”No answer. Slowly, I pushed the door open and peered inside.The sight that met my eyes was both endearing and heartbreaking. Nathan, with his strong frame and imposing stature, was slumped over the desk, fast asleep. His cheek was pressed against a pile of papers, and a stray pen
OliviaDawn painted the sky with hues of pinks and oranges as we approached the Council building, its towering gray stone walls adorned with banners that fluttered in the early morning breeze.The square outside the building, typically a tranquil space, was alive with an electric tension. Conversations, animated gestures, and whispers painted the scene with an atmosphere of anticipation.The crowd’s sheer volume was unprecedented. There had been a sea of supporters before when we held the first meeting at the villa, but there were even more now.Faces, young and old, from various walks of life and lineages, all had gathered. Some stared in curiosity, while others whispered among themselves, eyes darting to us and then back to their circles.I could feel my heart racing, the enormity of the situation weighing heavily on me. Nathan, sensing my discomfort, wrapped an arm around my waist, drawing me close.“We knew this wouldn’t be easy," he whispered, his warm breath caressing my ear. “B
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.