OliviaAs I walked away from Nathan, my mind was a whirlwind of emotions despite the festive atmosphere of the festival preparations.The idea of a courthouse wedding, while practical given our current circumstances, tore at my heart. I had always dreamt of a fairytale wedding, a huge celebration with all our friends and pack members gathered to witness our love.The courthouse felt like a compromise, like settling for less.Of course, there was the promise of a real wedding ceremony and reception after the courthouse marriage; but there was no telling exactly how long it could be until that actually happened.It would likely need to be after the baby was born, and we’d need at least a few months before we could take on a wedding. And then there was potty training the twins, which would happen around that time. Then there would be teething, and preschool, and the twins’ abilities beginning to show…And before we knew it, we would be having our wedding two, maybe even three years after
OliviaDespite my sadness over the cancellation of our highly-anticipated wedding, I awoke the next morning with a new sense of excitement in my chest.Today was my first day apprenticing at the bakery, and I couldn’t be more ecstatic.I popped up out of bed the moment my alarm went off and made my way to the bathroom, where I took a shower and began going over my schedule in my head. I was supposed to be at the bakery in an hour, which meant that I needed to get dressed and get the twins changed and fed before I left.Thankfully, it was a short walk to the bakery in our small town, but I still had a lot to think about. But this was what I signed up for—this was what I had wanted, and I was prepared to be a worker and a mother all at once.And so, as soon as I hopped out of the shower and put my robe on, I made my way to the nursery to see the twins already awake in their cribs and looking at me with their big blue eyes.I gently picked up Elliot, who had been babbling softly in his c
OliviaThe morning had been a whirlwind of excitement and happy moments. I had learned, laughed, and enjoyed myself even more than I ever thought I would. For a moment, it felt as though things were beginning to align; I was finally pursuing something that made me truly happy after all these years, and I was following my dreams.But then, just as I was walking out into the front area of the bakery to get something for James and Petunia, all of that changed.I was hardly out of the kitchen for a second before the blinding lights of cameras started flashing, and I was met with a barrage of voices that left me feeling bewildered.“Luna! Look over here!”Furrowing my brow, I followed the source of the voices and the flashing lights to see three reporters standing in front of the counter, their cameras poised to snap pictures. My eyes widened instantly; this had never happened to me before. What were they even doing here?“Um… Can I help you?” I asked, taking a cautious step forward.As if
OliviaAfter leaving the bakery, I made my way back home, my heart still heavy with the unpleasant encounter with the reporters. I couldn’t seem to stop myself from replaying their intrusive questions over and over again in my mind, and the unfairness of it all gnawed at me.As I entered our villa, I decided to send a text to Nathan to let him know what had happened. I figured that the pictures of me and some skewed story would wind up in the local tabloids sooner or later, and I preferred that he hear it from me rather than seeing it sitting on a convenience store rack.With a sigh, I made my way inside and kicked off my shoes, then made my way over to the couch and flopped down. It was a bit strange not needing to immediately rush into ‘mom’ mode the second I walked in the door.“Got ambushed by reporters today at the bakery,” I typed out as I leaned my head back on a pillow. “I had to leave early. If you see pictures of me online, that’s why…”I hit send on the text and shut my eye
OliviaWith the twins all bundled up in their cozy little outfits and all set in their stroller, Nathan and I set off for the festival. Levi and Angela, who showed up just as we were leaving the house, greeted us with waves and grins.“Oh my gosh!” Angela cooed as she saw Elliot and Aurora in their matching snowflake outfits—Elliot in a blue sweater with white snowflakes and Aurora in a white sweater with blue snowflakes. “Look at how cute you two look!”I couldn’t help but giggle a bit as I pushed the stroller toward them. “You like the outfits?” I asked. “They were a gift from Layla.”“She’s the sweetest,” Angela said, stooping down to boop Aurora and Elliot on their tiny button noses.Nathan and I exchanged warm glances. Layla had become a permanent fixture in our odd little family, along with her son and fiancee. In fact, they were supposed to be at the festival today.I couldn’t wait to see them; it had been a little over a month, and I always enjoyed Layla’s company—as well as g
OliviaAfter finishing up the photoshoot, Nathan and I walked away from James and Petunia’s booth to rejoin the group. Elliot and Aurora, thoroughly exhausted from their day of hard work, were already dozing off in their stroller.As we walked, Nathan leaned closer to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. He pressed a warm kiss against my temple, sending a shiver down my spine.“Thanks for doing that with me,” I said. “It felt a little silly at first, but I really do feel like it’s beneficial to use my status for good. The press is gonna follow us anyway, you know?”Nathan nodded. “Might as well make it work in everyone’s favor,” he said. “And by the way, Liv, you were glowing back there.”I blushed at his compliment. “Thank you,” I murmured softly, not expecting such a sweet and heartfelt compliment over something as simple as a quick photo opportunity.But then Nathan’s expression turned serious, and he stopped, looking straight into my eyes. “Liv,” he began, “I mean it. You’ve
OliviaAs we sat there in the cozy cafe, warming our cold bodies with the hot drinks and sharing a plate of pastries between the four of us, a crazy thought somehow managed to float through my mind.Maybe it was just the festive atmosphere or the feeling associated with the upcoming holidays, or maybe it was the feeling of Nathan’s arm around my shoulders as the twins dozed off in their stroller beside us.Either way, it was a crazy thought. Getting married tonight? It was totally insane, ridiculous, and utterly, completely impossible.Chalking it up to my pregnancy hormones flaring in combination with the sadness that still plagued my heart over the cancellation of our dream wedding, I decided to return my attention to the present moment.There would be no wedding tonight. It didn’t make any sense; I was just getting ahead of myself.Right?Returning my attention to the table, I found that Levi and Angela were engaged in a lively conversation, discussing their plans for the upcoming
OliviaI stood there in the middle of the lively festival, the weight of Angela’s suggestion still floating through the air like a tantalizing dream. The idea of getting married tonight, right here at the festival, seemed both thrilling and impossible.My heart raced with the thought, but practicality held me back.Admittedly, it had crossed my mind earlier when we were sitting in the cafe. But it had only been on my mind for a moment, and I had quickly chalked it up to the pregnancy hormones or the festive atmosphere or my broken heart.I had instantly told myself that it was silly and not a good idea, and yet now here I was, listening to my best friend come up with the exact same idea as though she had read my mind.Before I could respond to Angela’s proposal, the bustling sounds of the festival were interrupted by Layla and Cade’s return. They were practically bursting with excitement, their hands laden with shopping bags filled with trinkets and souvenirs from the festival stalls.
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.