OliviaThe soft lapping of the water, the wind rustling the leaves, the distant chirps of birds—this place was magic.Nathan had set up a cozy area near the edge of the little pond by the cabin with blankets and soft cushions. He gently dipped Aurora’s toes into the cool water, the baby’s giggles echoing with delight.Elliot, on the other hand, wrinkled his nose, clearly unimpressed with the sensation.“Aurora seems to like it,” I remarked, laughing as Nathan tried to appease Elliot by bouncing him gently in his arms.“Well, at least one of them does,” Nathan chuckled, wiping away a droplet that had managed to find its way onto Elliot’s cheek.As evening descended upon us, Nathan took out a vintage gramophone, placing it on a nearby table. Soon, soft melodies filled the air.The soft strains of the gramophone filled the evening air, its melodic tones intertwining with the gentle sounds of nature. Nathan reached out, his fingers brushing mine, sending a familiar tingle down my spine.“
OliviaThe landscape of my vision was surreal, like the heart of a dream. Everything was tinged in an ethereal glow, and the boundaries of reality seemed to blur. Standing before me was a majestic figure—my wolf.With piercing eyes and an aura of power, she exuded an air of both familiarity and mystery.“You must lift the spell, Olivia,” she rumbled, her voice echoing through the space. Her gaze held mine with an intensity that was almost palpable. “Only then will you realize your destiny.”The words resonated within me, filling me with both dread and hope. But they also brought forth a thousand questions. “But… how?” I pleaded. “How do I lift the spell?”But even as I asked, the vision began to disintegrate. The ground beneath me became insubstantial, and the colors started to fade, blending into a monochromatic haze.My wolf’s form wavered, like a mirage on a hot day.She took a step closer, her voice strained, fighting against the encroaching void. “To find your way, you must find
OliviaThe gentle roar of the waterfall faded as we began our walk back to the cabin. The sun sat low in the sky, casting a golden hue over everything and bathing the forest in warm, soft light. It seemed like the woods themselves were holding their breath, waiting for the magic hour to fully descend.Nathan reached out, lacing his fingers through mine.His grip was firm, yet gentle—a constant reminder of his steadfast presence. The path was uneven, a mosaic of roots, rocks, and moss, but with Nathan by my side, I felt grounded, even invincible.As we approached a steeper part of the trail, Nathan’s free hand automatically went to my waist, steadying me. A particularly tricky section had rocks acting like nature’s staircase. Nathan went first, turning around to guide me down.“Give me your other hand,” he said. I did, and with his hands securely holding mine, I felt the reassuring pull of his strength as I navigated the uneven terrain.Every step I took, Nathan’s eyes never left mine,
OliviaThe wind howled outside, its mournful voice echoing through the dense trees that surrounded the cabin.Inside, the room was bathed in a dim, golden light from a single bedside lamp. The warm duvet wrapped around me felt like a thin shield, one that seemed increasingly insufficient against the unseen terrors lurking in the darkness.Every creak of the floorboards, every rustle of the leaves, made my heart skip a beat. I found myself holding my breath, straining to decipher if the noises were just nature’s whims or something more sinister.Beside me, Nathan lay still, his eyes trained on the ceiling.Every so often, he would turn to me, his gaze searching mine, trying to decipher the tumult of emotions I felt. I could sense his own anxiety, tightly reined in but palpable.“Do you think someone’s out there?” I whispered, clutching the sheets closer.He paused, considering. “It’s probably just the wind and animals. This place has always been filled with sounds at night.”Yet, despi
OliviaThe morning air was crisp and carried a hint of pine as we drove away from our brief hideaway, the villa nestled in nature’s embrace. Heading back to the bustling heart of the pack’s territory felt both comforting and nerve-wracking, especially after the recent events that had shaken our lives.“I need a coffee,” I muttered, my eyes scanning the passing scenery. “Stopping at that little cafe in town sounds good right about now.”Nathan chuckled. “The one with the raspberry scones you love?”I nodded enthusiastically. “Exactly that one!”As we approached the town, the familiar landscape of brick and stone buildings came into view. We parked in front of the quaint little coffee shop named ‘Moonlit Brew’.Its facade, adorned with hanging plants and vintage signage, gave it an old-world charm.We entered, immediately enveloped by the warm, rich aroma of freshly ground coffee. It was cozy inside, with wood-paneled walls lined with black and white photographs of the town from a bygon
OliviaThe weight of Ryan’s letter settled heavily between Nathan and me.The looming threat of losing Elliot clenched at my heart, and I could see the tension reflected in Nathan's eyes as well. The room was thick with a tension I wished we could banish, but reality was unyielding.After a few moments of heart-pounding silence, an idea sparked in my mind. Untimely, yes, but perhaps our only hope.“The witch,” I murmured, meeting Nathan’s gaze. “We should consult her. Tonight.”He immediately frowned, a mix of concern and doubt shadowing his features. “Tonight?” he asked. “You really want to do this now?”I nodded slowly, my heart pounding with anticipation. “It’s the only way,” I said. “Ryan has given us three days… three days to hand over our son, or else we’ll face war. But the witch can help us. She helped us with Alvin’s hand, and I think she’ll help us now. It can’t wait any longer.”Nathan was silent for a moment, pondering. Finally, with a firm nod, he pulled out his phone. “Y
OliviaI felt my stomach twist around itself. Or rather, I felt something twist around my stomach, writhing its way up around my heart.The serpent. Dread. A bad omen.“How… How did you know?” I asked.The witch chuckled, a sound like metal being raked over hot coals. Suddenly, the damp tea leaves stuck to the bottom of my cup were far too pungent, nauseating. I set the cup down with a clatter.“I knew all along,” she said, swirling her own unfinished tea in her cup. “When you came here to restore your friend’s hand, I knew. And I could sense it tonight; you’ve been waiting to ask. You’ve been… nervous.”She was right. Entirely right.The air was thick and cloying inside the witch’s hut, heavy with the scent of burning herbs and aged wood. Each shift in our seats made the floorboards creak. The house felt as though it was shuddering beneath our movements, as though it had gained legs and was carrying us away, deeper into the forest.The dim glow from the candles cast eerie shadows on
Olivia“Once you discover what your wolf truly is, the legacy she holds, you’ll realize the magnitude of what you’re giving up. You’ll want to pay the price, no matter how steep.”I stared at the witch, her dark eyes reflecting back the glow of the burning candles in the room. The atmosphere felt tense, almost electric, like the calm before a storm. Her words echoed in my ears, and a chill went down my spine.“You can’t possibly know what my wolf is capable of,” I said defiantly, my voice quaking. “You’re bluffing. Prove it.”A sly smile played at the corners of the witch’s thin lips. “Ah, dear Olivia, there’s so much more to you and your wolf than meets the eye. I knew it from the beginning; my scrying foretold your coming before you were even born. But, the true power? It’s hidden, slumbering, waiting for the right moment. Even I can’t tell you now.”I narrowed my eyes, feeling both curious and wary. “What do you mean? Scrying? Power? Why can’t you just tell me now?”The witch’s gaz
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.