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
Olivia“Stay back, Olivia,” Nathan said, his voice stern and commanding. “I need to deal with this traitor.”Nathan’s words sent my instincts on edge. Inside of me, my wolf’s voice echoed clear and proud.“Don’t let these men kill each other,” she said. “It’s not worth it.”My wolf was right; this fight was silly. The real battle was over. I had found the artifacts, and with one command, I knew that I could make all of this stop. They were just fighting over feelings now.“Nathan,” I said, ignoring the heavy stares of Alvin’s men, “it’s not worth it. We can deal with him later. We have to get home.”“Oh, can you?” Alvin asked, cocking his head to the side. “Olivia, you know you don’t want him. Ever since we were kids, you always had a special connection with me.”“Alvin, whether you want to believe it or not, Nathan is my mate,” I said. “And look behind you! Our home—your home—is under attack!”At my words, I saw Alvin’s face freeze slightly. But he didn’t turn to look. Maybe he could
OliviaThe tension in the air was palpable as Nathan and I stood, facing each other in the silver moonlight, the echoes of our recent confrontation still ringing in our ears. All around us, small flames were beginning to engulf the forest—a consequence of Alvin’s sudden proclivity for fire magic.“Why did you stop me?” Nathan growled, his eyes blazing with a mixture of anger and frustration. “He deserves to pay for everything he’s done. I was so close to taking him down!”I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the decision I had just made. My heart was pounding, and I felt my wolf stirring restlessly within me. But looking into Nathan’s fierce eyes, I knew I couldn’t back down.“Nathan,” I began, my voice firm but gentle, “you and I both know it’s not in your heart to kill Alvin. He was our childhood friend. Our bond runs deeper than the recent rifts.”“That doesn’t change the fact that he’s a traitor now, and likely has been for a long time,” Nathan snapped.“He wasn't himself,”
OliviaThe journey to the villa felt as if it stretched on for hours, though in reality, it was probably a mere span of minutes.Every second was punctuated by the clash of claws against flesh, the howls of pain, and the scorching scent of fire that tickled the back of my throat. The menacing shadows of Ryan’s men seemed endless, but with Nathan by my side, and the newfound power surging through my veins, I felt unstoppable.“Olivia!” Nathan yelled, as he fended off two attackers. “Left!”I barely had time to process his warning before I felt the rush of air to my side. Instinctively, I swung around, my hand connecting with the jaw of a burly man who had been aiming for my throat.The force of my blow surprised me; he crumpled to the ground, unconscious.“I told you,” Nathan grinned, slashing at another opponent, “it’s never dull with you.”I smirked. “Let’s get to the villa. The kids need us.”Darting forward, I was almost overwhelmed by the strength of my new senses. The scents of f
OliviaThe aftermath of the battle lingered heavily in the villa.Scattered relics of our life lay in disarray, a stark contrast to the once orderly and warm environment.A sense of vulnerability hung in the air, a feeling I had never associated with our home before. The walls that had once been a canvas of shared memories now bore the scars of a brutal invasion.The sense of dread intensified as Nathan and I frantically tore through the villa.Every room, every hidden corner, seemed emptier than the last. The delicate scent of baby powder mingled with the acrid stench of destruction, an agonizing juxtaposition. Crumpled blankets, tiny shoes, and the muted colors of baby toys lay strewn around, adding to the chaos of our shattered sanctuary.“Nathan, what if…” My voice wavered, the weight of the reality of the situation beginning to bear down on me. “What if Ryan took them?”Nathan shot me a look, both fierce and reassuring. “We’ll turn every stone until we find them, Liv. They’re her
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.