OliviaAfter dinner, Nathan and I were cleaning up in the kitchen while Edward retreated to his room. Elliot and Aurora were already fast asleep in their cribs, having gone down for the night like a light after their eventful day out.Nathan put the last dish in the dishwasher, then came over and wrapped his arms around me from behind while I wiped down the counter. “See, I told you it would all work out,” he whispered, his breath brushing across my neck.I looked up at him, smiling. “You really think this babysitting arrangement is a good idea?”“Absolutely. Edward will be great with the kids. You won’t regret it,” he said, his eyes meeting mine. There was an earnestness in his gaze that was comforting.“So, how’s it going with Edward as your advisor so far?” I asked, curious to know more about their working relationship. Maybe that would shed some light on Nathan’s current enthusiasm.“It’s good, really good actually,” Nathan said with a wide grin, leaning back against the counter.
OliviaThe sun spilled through the curtains as I stirred awake, feeling the weight of last night’s fright lift away with the morning glow. I chalked it up to my imagination running wild, a common symptom of sleep deprivation, perhaps.After a quick shower and getting dressed, I headed down the hall. Passing by Edward’s room, I saw the door was wide open. Edward was packing his suitcase, folding his clothes next to the bed.“Morning, Olivia,” he said, pausing to offer a warm smile.“Morning,” I replied, returning the smile, though a sense of strangeness tingled at the back of my mind. Edward’s eyes met mine for a moment longer than necessary before he returned to his packing.I descended the stairs, my thoughts pivoting back to the mysterious vibrations of the amulet last night. It had been a gift from Layla, a way to protect us from the witch’s magic. I had only felt it vibrate once before when the witch suddenly appeared, and yet recently, I had been feeling it a lot more.It was alm
NathanMy fork scraped the plate as I finished off the last bit of pancakes. Olivia was sitting across from me, flipping through a magazine and sipping her coffee.We were in my study, a room doubled as a secret hideaway when we didn’t feel like eating in the dining room. I liked spending the mornings in here with her; the sunlight streaming through the curtains and bouncing off of the mahogany desk made her hair look even more golden and vibrant.Just as I was about to ask Olivia if she wanted to go grocery shopping later, a knock on the door interrupted my thoughts. We both looked up to see Edward standing in the doorway.“Morning,” he greeted, a friendly yet reserved smile on his face.Olivia immediately stood up, pushing her chair back so abruptly it made a screeching sound. It was unlike her to be so on edge, and left me feeling puzzled. “Edward! Good morning. We have some pancakes in the kitchen. Let me get some for you.”“Thank you, Olivia, but I can grab them myself,” Edward r
OliviaIt seemed as though sleep was going to elude me again on the night that Edward announced he would be staying for one more day, but much to my surprise, I slipped away much more quickly than usual. In fact, before I knew it, I was lost in a world of dreams…I was walking down an empty street, the sidewalk bathed in the dim glow of old street lights. It had the eerie quiet of someplace abandoned, except I wasn’t alone. Ahead of me, I saw Edward, his tall frame unmistakable, hands buried deep in his pockets as he strolled along. Even in my dream, I felt an involuntary shiver; there was something off about this. His movements were stiff, and his head swiveled from left to right as though he was watching for something.Curiosity got the best of me, and I followed him. Every step he took seemed calculated, heavy with intent. I trailed a good distance behind, careful not to draw his attention. He finally stopped in front of a dilapidated house, its windows boarded up, an uninviting
NathanThe tea in our cups had barely cooled when Edward’s question cut through the comfortable silence. His curiosity took me by surprise. Me? Taking a break as Alpha? I wouldn’t dream of it, especially not now, when my pack needed me.“Edward, I can’t just let anyone take over as Alpha, even for just a few days,” I said, the firmness in my voice leaving no room for misinterpretation. “And besides, Olivia and I managed to squeeze in a small weekend vacation not long ago. I’m fine. I just need to get some better sleep, and then I’ll feel better. That’s all.”Edward’s eyes held mine, and he nodded slowly, almost thoughtfully, as if he was fully digesting his words—or maybe trying to come up with a viable response.“Of course, Nathan. Your dedication is what makes you a fine Alpha,” he said, but there was a subtle shift in his tone that suggested there was more he wanted to say.I looked at Edward for a few moments longer before I spoke again. “You really think you’d be able to fill in
OliviaThe house felt different without Edward’s presence; there was a stillness, a reclaimed sense of privacy that I was sorely missing. It was quiet—too quiet—and the absence of the subtle unease that had followed Edward like a shadow was both a relief and a cause for contemplation.I stood in the nursery, rocking back and forth, soothing Elliot who was being particularly fussy. Aurora, on the other hand, was staring at the mobile above her crib, her little hands reaching out towards the dancing figures.The amulet around my neck was still now, its previous vibrations a distant but nagging concern at the back of my mind.Just as I was considering whether to call Layla about the amulet’s strange behavior again, the twins’ whimpers escalated into full-blown cries.“Okay, okay,” I murmured, trying to divide my attention equally as I picked up Aurora, balancing Elliot on my hip. “Mommy’s here.”The twins’ cries were demanding, bouncing off the walls of the nursery and filling the space.
OliviaI stood there, a bit dazed, as Edward delivered Nathan’s message with a look in his eyes that just didn’t sit quite right with me. Nathan? Telling me to cancel an appointment without even speaking to me first? That wasn’t like him at all.“Are you sure he said that? It’s just... it’s not like him,” I managed.Edward gave me a look that I think was meant to be sympathetic but seemed more patronizing than anything. And maybe it was. “I know you’re upset, Olivia. But Nathan’s plate is extremely full. Running the pack is no small feat.”His words fuelled my fire a little bit. I wasn’t a novice when it came to these sorts of things. “Yes, I am aware. But this is important, too. It’s our relationship, Edward.”He held up his hands as if to placate me. “I understand. But right now, he can’t step away.”I sighed. “Alright,” I finally relented, not wanting to cause a scene in the middle of the Council building. “I’ll reschedule. Can you please tell him to block out his calendar next tim
Olivia“Lingerie? Angela, that’s the last thing on my mind right now,” I said, a laugh bursting forth from my mouth that sounded foreign even to me.Angela’s tone softened. “Liv, when was the last time you felt sexy?” she asked.I looked away, focusing on the rip in the knee of my jeans. “I felt sexy at Edward’s welcome banquet.”“Yeah, but that was for an event,” Angela insisted. “I mean, when did you last feel sexy on your own? In the bedroom?”I paused. Nathan and I had a good sex life, but maybe she was right; I didn’t really feel sexy. It was hard to focus on myself lately with everything going on, and the twins had been a handful now that they were getting a little older.“Liv,” Angela continued, sensing my trepidation, “it’s just an hour or two. Clint’s got the twins. You deserve this.”My defenses were crumbling, eroded by her words and the earnest look in her eyes. “I guess... an hour or two wouldn’t hurt.”“That’s the spirit!” Angela beamed, grabbing my hand and pulling me t
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.