OliviaThe echoing stillness of the mines wrapped around me like a shroud.The dim, unsteady light of my flashlight barely pierced the inky blackness, making the pathways and corridors seem to stretch on endlessly. Every turn and crevice I passed held memories of my father’s soot-covered face, and I was constantly haunted by the phantom specter of a past long gone.“Dad?” I murmured under my breath as I navigated a particularly treacherous bend. My mind wandered back to the stories he had told me when I was little about these mines, the legends and the tales of treasures and horrors that lay beneath the surface.But those stories had never prepared me for this.Then, my ears pricked up. There it was again, that faint, ethereal voice, distant yet so familiar.“Olivia…”My heart raced. That voice was familiar, too familiar. My dad had been dead for years, but I swore that it sounded just like him. And in this deep, dark space, my mind jumped at the chance to have a friendly voice callin
NathanThe blazing fires painted the horizon in deep hues of orange and crimson, as if the very sun itself had descended upon our town.We were on the outskirts, looking at the devastation from a distance. A black plume of smoke stretched skyward, punctuating the serene azure of the night sky with its blackened gloom.Behind us lay the dense forest, with its tall trees and thick underbrush, a stark contrast to the burning town. Before us, chaos reigned, and Olivia was still not emerging from the mouth of the mines.“The twins,” I whispered, the haunting thought of their safety slicing through my mind like a shard of glass. “And Clint.”Levi, standing beside me, looked as haunted as I felt. His eyes, usually calm and collected, bore a storm of emotions. Angela, with her ever-present fighter's spirit, seemed ready to dive headfirst into the firestorm to pull out our friends.“Damn it!” Angela hissed, her gaze scanning the town, looking for any signs of life amidst the destruction. "Oliv
OliviaThe echo of my own footfalls seemed magnified in the otherwise silent darkness of the mine. The solitary beam from my lantern danced around, casting long, eerie shadows on the jagged walls. Every small sound I made seemed to bounce back at me, filling the tunnel with whispers.Suddenly, I stopped. There it was again—a voice, soft and distant, calling out my name. The strangest thing about it was its familiarity, sending a shiver down my spine. I tried to rationalize it away, blaming the mine’s acoustics for playing tricks on my mind.Whipping around, I swung the flashlight around the room and saw that there was nothing there. Just another trick of the mines, my ears playing pranks on me. I shook my head, dropping the cut end of the rope from my hand.The diamond was up ahead; all I had to do now was grab it, and then find my way out. Maybe by then I would have my wolf senses, and I could easily backtrack to the entrance once more. I was certain that it would be that simple.Tak
NathanThe sun was shining, casting long shadows on the playground of Oceanside Elementary School. My small five-year-old self stood paralyzed at the edge of the playground, heart pounding. The sudden reality of kindergarten was overwhelming, and I had never felt more alone.All around, children were laughing, playing, and forming little groups. Everywhere I looked, alliances were being made, bonds formed. And I, with my clumsily knotted shoelaces and oversized backpack, felt like an intruder in this bustling microcosm.Attempting to mask my anxiety, I approached a game of tag, hoping to join in. But the cruel laughter that greeted my attempts at participation sent me retreating to the shadows. Another try at the sandbox ended with the same result. Each rejection felt like a dagger to my young heart.As I meandered aimlessly, wondering if the entire year would be this desolate, a sudden voice broke through my gloom. “Hey! Hey, you!”I turned to find a small girl with golden hair ca
OliviaDust clouded my vision and the cavernous echo of the collapsing tunnel rang in my ears.My body reacted faster than my mind, scrambling back on instinct alone, away from the silhouette that had lied to me and pretended to be my father. But with each attempt to steady myself, the unstable ground beneath me shook, knocking me to the cold, rough floor.“Dad?” My voice, trembling and hoarse, was barely audible even to my own ears amidst the chaos.He stood there, eerily still, unaffected by the shaking earth or the deafening roar. The walls rumbled, amplifying the haunting atmosphere of the sealed room. Debris continued to fall like a curtain, sealing us away from the outside world.The weight of our isolation bore down on me, making it harder to breathe.“Help me!” I pleaded, reaching out a trembling hand, desperately hoping that somewhere inside this monstrosity, my father’s spirit still lingered. I remembered hearing tales of the miners’ spirits staying trapped here in the mines
OliviaI squared my shoulders, a renewed sense of purpose and determination burning in my core.“No,” I said firmly. “I will not agree to your monstrous deal.”The witch cocked her head to the side, a hint of genuine surprise flashing across her eyes. “You would risk everything over this?”“Do you still think my mother was foolish?” I asked, holding the witch's gaze. “You told me that she had the choice to take a deal with one of your kind to cure her cancer. She refused, and she died. You said that she was naive, foolish even. But I don’t think so. She was wise. She knew the dangers of tangling with your kind, the impossible costs, the unbearable sacrifices.”The witch’s face twisted in anger. “Your mother’s choices are of no consequence to me,” she spat.But I saw through her. My words had hit a nerve, and it made her volatile, unpredictable.“You think you can sway me with threats and promises, but you forget one thing,” I continued. “We wolves value our freedom, our families, our
Olivia“I’ll do it,” I whispered, feeling a tear roll down my cheek. “The diamond in exchange for Aurora.”The witch smirked. “Good girl,” she said, extending the diamond toward me.Swallowing the lump in my throat, I reached out for the shining diamond in the witch’s hand. But before my fingers grazed it, I paused, looking up at her warily. “You’ll keep your promise,” I said. “I won’t let you take Aurora before she’s three years old.”The witch’s eyes gleamed in the dim blue light cast from the flashlight, but much to my surprise, she nodded. “Of course. Three years. No more, no less.”It pained me to make this agreement. But my wolf, when her voice had broken through the spell for a few moments, had been right; we could remedy this within that time frame. I was sure of it. And right now, all that mattered was saving my kids, my friends, my pack, and Nathan.I needed to become the Ancient Wolf. I needed that power to do all of those things. Nathan would be furious with me, but it had
NathanThe summer of our third year as best friends was one of those idyllic times that seemed to stretch on forever, every day a new adventure waiting to be had. Olivia, with her endless imagination and powerful personality, was often the little leader of our escapades. Her honey golden hair would always sway as she ran, her laughter filling the woods where we played. Alvin and I were always by her side, content to be part of the fantasies she conjured up.That day, the sun bathed the forest clearing in a warm, golden hue. We were in the midst of one of our favorite games: Queens & Knights. As always, Olivia was the queen, regal in her makeshift crown made of intertwined daisies. She would make decrees, command her subjects—imaginary friends, mostly—and bask in the glow of her fictitious royalty.I stood by her side, her loyal knight, draped in an old curtain that served as my armor. My wooden sword, crafted by Olivia’s father, hung by my side. It was my pride and joy. Alvin was
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.