“Oh, really?” I asked, my mouth spitting fire at Nathan. “But you’re ready to invite your ex back to town?”There were several long moments of silence that hung heavily between us. The air was so thick and palpable you could cut it with a knife, and for a moment, I half expected Nathan to turn on his heel and storm off.“Olivia…” he began, his voice low. I could tell he was trying to keep the edge out of it.I tilted my chin up, tossing a lock of blonde hair over my shoulder in defiance. “Go on. Tell me it isn’t true. Enlighten me.”His jaw was set, a sign that he was trying to keep his emotions in check. “You act like I invited Layla back to the pack just for the heck of it,” he said quietly. “And it’s not true. You should know my intentions.”I raised an eyebrow, silently urging him to continue.“Look, she’s helping with the rebuilding of the library,” he explained with a soft sigh. “Her pack has copies of some invaluable documents they’re willing to donate. And I need her expertise
For a split second, I felt my heart stop. Nathan straightened, looking back at Layla.“How about that tour of the library?” he asked Layla, shooting me a momentary sideways glance as though trying to prove a point to me. “Like I promised.”Layla’s eyes shone with interest. “I thought we would go tomorrow,” she said, “but now is good, too. What do you say, Olivia?”I swallowed, nodding. “Sure.”As we walked toward the library, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of nostalgia.The library had been our sanctuary, a place where Nathan and I had spent countless hours reading when we were kids. Almost every weekend, we would head to the library and leave with a new stack of books to read.But now, the sight of its burnt sections and the ongoing construction was a tangible reminder of our vulnerability.Layla looked around, observing the expert builders that Nathan had hired hard at work. They were meticulously crafting, replicating the once magnificent wooden carvings and detailed masonry. It
“You are Aurora’s dad,” I whispered.Nathan watched me for a moment before speaking. “I’m not so sure anymore.”There was a silence between us, one heavy with regret. “I’m sorry,” I murmured. “And for the record, if Layla’s kid did somehow turn out to be yours, and if you wanted to be a part of his life, I’d support you. I meant what I said about being your Luna, standing by you.”Nathan’s face contorted, a mixture of surprise and skepticism. “Really? After everything?”“Yes,” I whispered, taking a deep breath. “Nathan, I am so, so sorry for what I said earlier. I shouldn’t have doubted your role in our twins’ lives. It was a horrible thing to say. You are their father, in every way that matters.”He took a step closer, eyes searching mine. “Do you have any idea how much that hurt? When you threw those words at me? It felt like a punch to the gut, especially knowing how much I love Aurora and Elliot.”I looked down, my guilt burning like acid. “I know, Nathan. I shouldn’t have said it
“Nathan!” I called after his fading form.I dashed after him, my shoes pounding loudly on the cobblestones. “Wait!” Tears blurred my vision, but the draw of his retreating figure guided me forward.He turned into a narrow alley, and seizing my chance, I cornered him. “Nathan!” I choked out, voice thick with emotion. “Don’t just walk away from me like that.”He spun around, the intensity of his gaze locking onto mine. The color of golden hour gave his face a warm glow like honey, but his eyes looked distance and full of angst.“Do you know what it’s like?” I said, a tear rolling down my cheek. “One minute you’re distant, and the next you’re stepping in to protect me. It’s like emotional whiplash, and I can’t handle it anymore.”He looked taken aback, perhaps not expecting such an outpouring. His lips quivered, searching for the right words, but I wasn’t done.“I miss you,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “I miss us. I miss feeling your presence next to me, the warmth, the laughter... e
The room seemed to spin as Layla’s confession hung in the air between us. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t even think straight. My eyes widened as I stared at her, desperately searching for some sign that this was a bad joke, a dream—anything but reality.But it was the truth. I could see it in Layla’s eyes.“He’s really Nathan’s?” I stuttered, grappling with the enormity of her revelation.Layla nodded, her eyes rimmed with red from crying. “I didn’t find out until recently. I thought he was Cade’s,” she said, referring to her bodyguard-turned-fiancé.“How did this happen, Layla? Nathan and I—”She cut me off with a wave of her hand, her face flushed with the stress of her confession. “I understand how complicated this sounds, but let me explain,” she said. “If you’ll hear me out, that is.”I paused for a moment, unsure if I wanted the truth. But finally, I decided that it was better this way. Perhaps Layla did have a good explanation, something that would prove that Nathan hadn’t someho
The sun wasn’t even fully up yet when I woke up to the sound of soft cooing coming from the baby monitor on my nightstand.Shaking off the haze of sleep, I stretched my arms and slid out of bed. The room was bathed in the soft light of morning, casting warm hues across the wooden floor.I padded down the hallway to the nursery, pushing open the door to find Aurora and Elliot awake in their cribs. Aurora was busy gnawing on her little fist, her eyes bright with curiosity, while Elliot was making happy gurgling noises as he kicked his chubby legs in the air.“Good morning, my little loves,” I cooed, reaching down to pick up Aurora first. I cradled her in my arms, feeling the warmth of her tiny body as I took a seat on the rocking chair to feed her.As I was bottle-feeding Aurora, I looked over to see Elliot happily playing with his stuffed animal. But then, suddenly, I noticed Elliot do something extraordinary.He rolled over onto his belly all by himself!A surge of excitement flowed t
I stepped out of the Council building, the air suddenly feeling too heavy to breathe properly. My feet seemed to move on their own accord, carrying me further and further away from the labyrinth of questions and revelations I had just left behind.“What do you think, Steel?” I asked my wolf, mentally conversing with the other side of me that was more than just instinct and raw power. He was a part of my soul, a partner in navigating the complexities of being both man and beast. And he always had something astute to say.The wolf grumbled in confusion and uncertainty. “It’s hard to say, Nathan. We know Layla speaks the truth, but it’s a hard truth to swallow. It could throw a wrench into your already complicated dynamic with Olivia and the twins.”“Yeah, no kidding.” I sighed aloud. My hands clenched into fists, my fingernails digging into my palms. The idea that I could be a biological father to another child, and Layla’s child at that, was a shock to my system.“If the child is ours,
Left alone in Nathan’s office, the air felt thick with unspoken words and lingering tension. Layla started to cry softly, her shoulders shaking with the weight of her vulnerability.“Olivia, I don't think Nathan wants to help me. What if he refuses to take the paternity test? What will I do then?” Layla's voice quivered, her eyes shining with unshed tears.I closed the distance between us, wrapping her in a comforting hug.“Listen,” I said. “Nathan will come around. He always does. He just needs some time to digest all this information. And honestly, if he doesn’t agree to take the test for whatever stupid reasons, I’ll personally drag him by the ear to the hospital.”Layla chuckled through her tears, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. “You would do that?”“I doubt it’ll come to that,” I reassured her, “but yes, I absolutely would.”Layla gave me a weak smile, her eyes still glistening. “Thank you, Olivia. I really appreciate your support.”“Of course,” I said, returning the s
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.