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.
Olivia“Aha! I win!”Nathan threw his hands up in the air and laughed, high-fiving Levi and Cade. He had gotten all of his rings around the bottles, and the attendant was approaching him with a grin. Angela, Layla and I walked up to join the guys with smiles of our own.“Pick out a stuffed animal, Liv,” Nathan said, gesturing to the rack of prizes in front of us. “Whatever you want.”“How about something for the twins instead?” I said with a laugh. “I think they’d get more use out of it than me.”Nathan nodded, tapping his chin as he peered at the array of stuffed animals. Finally, he pointed to a small teddy bear and said, “I’ll take that one.”The attendant smirked and took the teddy bear down from the shelf, along with a second one that was right next to it. “Here,” he said, handing both to us. “For our Alpha. One for each twin, you know?”With a smile, Nathan took the toys from the attendant and stuck them into the stroller with the twins. Elliot and Aurora, their eyes wide, immed
OliviaAs we watched our friends hug tightly in front of the Christmas tree, I couldn’t resist snapping a few pictures.“They can thank me later,” I teased, taking several photos and slipping my phone back into my pocket. “But I still can’t believe you didn’t tell me.”“Olivia, name one time you didn’t tell Angela literally everything that’s on your mind,” Nathan chided.I blushed. “Okay. You’re right.”Either way, I couldn’t have been happier for my friends. As they pulled apart, Angela couldn’t seem to contain her excitement. She grabbed Levi’s hand and dragged him over to us, holding her hand out to show off her new ring.Layla and I couldn’t help but ogle at the beautiful ring, admiring its intricate design and delicate stone. “It’s gorgeous, Angela,” I said, leaning in. “He’s got good taste.”Cade and Nathan, on the other hand, couldn’t seem to resist teasing Levi as they clapped him on the back in congratulations. Nathan chuckled, shaking his head at Levi’s slightly bewildered e
Olivia“So it’s settled then,” Nathan said, his voice carrying across the crowded festival. “A surprise wedding tonight? In front of anyone?”I nodded excitedly. “I can’t wait,” I said softly with tears in my eyes.With the decision made to hold the wedding tonight, Levi, Cade, and Nathan quickly stepped into action. Levi grinned at Angela and Layla, excitement dancing in his eyes.“Alright, ladies,” he said, “Let’s split up. Nathan, Cade and I will inform the festival staff, set up the gazebo, arrange for music and photos, and make the announcement. Sound good?”Cade clapped Nathan on the shoulder, grinning from ear to ear. “And we’ll get this guy into a suit. We can’t have you wearing a flannel and jeans to your wedding, can we, Nathan?”Nathan nodded, his cheeks flushing a little red at Cade’s comment. “I’ve got my suit in my office at the Council building,” he said. “Don’t worry, Liv. Tonight will be perfect.”Without another word, the guys took off on their mission. As they heade
Olivia“Let’s get you into your dress, bride-to-be.”Angela didn’t need to tell me twice. With my cheeks flushed slightly pink, I took off my warm winter clothes and began to get into my dress. The silk felt cool against my skin, sending a shudder down my spine, but it was worth it for the beauty of the dress.The excitement in the room was palpable as Layla and Angela carefully buttoned up my wedding dress, making sure every detail was perfect. We took our time, quietly chatting about our excitement as we worked.“I hope the boys can be trusted,” Angela said with a smirk as she rolled her eyes. “You know how it can be when men try to organize things like this.”Her words made me chuckle. “I’m sure it’ll be fine,” I said. “And besides, like you guys said, it doesn’t matter—so long as Nathan and I can finally get married.”When they were finished buttoning up the back of the dress, Layla and Angela exchanged excited looks and a nod. “Time for the big reveal,” Angela said softly, placin
NathanThe festival was in full swing, and I could feel the excitement in the air as I set out to put together the wedding plans with Levi and Cade.The decision had been made: Olivia and I were going to get married tonight, surrounded by the magic of the festival and our entire pack. It was a crazy idea, but it somehow felt right. And I couldn’t be happier; and so, with a newfound sense of purpose, I started gathering the necessary pieces for our impromptu wedding.First on the list was the band. There was already a band playing for the festival; it was a local group that was popular in town, and they played beautifully. I approached them, quietly offering them a bigger paycheck in exchange for playing music for the ceremony, and they graciously accepted without batting an eye.With the music taken care of, next on the list was the photographer. Fortunately, the photographer who had done our photoshoot before was still milling around the festival with her camera. After a bit of haggl
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.