Olivia“And now,” the DJ said over the speakers, “it’s time for the lovely couple’s first dance!”The wedding guests cheered and clapped as Nathan and I, our cheeks flushed red from a night of laughter and dancing, took each other’s hands and walked over to the dance floor. The fairy lights illuminated the space as the soft music began to play, and Nathan gently looped his arm around my waist, pulling me close.“Recognize this song?” he asked quietly with a grin as we swayed.It took me a moment, but I quickly realized what song it was. I remembered it clearly from when we were teenagers, right before I had left the pack.“Oh my god,” I whispered. “I do remember.”The memories were as clear as day: it was an old classic rock song, and we had become obsessed with it when we were teenagers. I could still remember stealing my dad’s record and putting it on while he was at work. We would dance in the living room until we were out of breath and laughing so hard we would collapse onto the c
Olivia“Oh my god. It’s… It’s snowing!”Nathan’s gaze followed mine, and a soft gasp escaped his lips. “Come with me,” he suddenly said, grabbing my hand and pulling me along after him. I had to pick up the hem of my dress to keep myself from tripping, and I laughed as I followed.“Where are we going?” I asked, out of breath.“Outside, of course,” Nathan said as we bolted down the stairs and back toward the banquet hall, where our friends were still waiting for us at the table.“That was quick,” Angela said, looking up as we approached. The twins were knocked out cold in their stroller, and she was gently pushing it back and forth to keep them comfortable.Nathan and I, out of breath from our mad dash, quickly blurted out almost in unison, “It’s snowing!”Our friends’ eyes widened. Together, we made our way to the large door that led to the backyard of the Council building, and stepped out into the snow. Already, a fresh blanket had covered the green grass. The world felt more still a
OliviaI couldn’t help but laugh as I stumbled back into the banquet hall, my friends close behind, all of us out of breath from our impromptu snowball fight.The snowflakes clung to our clothes, and my cheeks felt rosy from the cold. Even though my dress got a little damp from the snow, I was no worse for wear. It seemed as though the night really had taken a magical turn, and I couldn’t have asked for a better wedding.As we entered the banquet hall, the sight that greeted us was a bit unexpected. Many of the guests had already departed, leaving behind a few stragglers who were still enjoying the remnants of the celebration.I didn’t blame them, though; it was late, after all. Layla’s son and our twins were nestled peacefully in their strollers, fast asleep. I turned to Nathan, offering him a smile.“I think we should get Aurora and Elliot home to their cribs,” I said. “Otherwise we’re going to have a very rough morning tomorrow.”Nathan nodded, and I could see that he was stifling
OliviaI walked into the Council building with a sigh of relief, the brisk winter air still nipping at my cheeks as I pushed open the large wooden door. The morning sun streamed through the windows, casting a warm glow over the reception area. It was a familiar sight, one I had grown accustomed to in the past few weeks.It had been three weeks since the magical wedding, and everyone in town seemed to still be talking about it. I couldn’t blame them; I hadn’t stopped thinking about it, either, although being Nathan’s wife on paper still felt fresh and a little strange.Nathan was waiting for me in his office. He looked up from behind his desk when I entered, and shot me a tired but affectionate smile. The twins, who had been staying with him at work every Friday and Saturday while I apprenticed at the bakery, were playing with blocks in their playpen.“Hey,” I said, walking over to plant a kiss on his temple. His desk was scattered with papers, and it was obvious that he was somehow ev
OliviaIt was only a few days after I had promised to make the pamphlet for Nathan, and it was time for my first interview. My first stop was the local florist, Blossom’s Bouquets, which was actually where I had intended on purchasing my wedding bouquet before the official wedding was canceled.I stepped into the shop, and almost immediately, the scent of fresh flowers enveloped me. Despite the cold weather outside, the inside of the florist’s shop was always warm and a little humid, the perfect environment for plants.Long vines hung from pots stacked on tall shelves, large potted plants lined the walls, and there were flower displays aplenty. I always liked coming here for fresh flowers for the villa, which was why I chose this business as my first stop out of many around town. I knew the owner well, and I figured that it would be a good ice-breaker to get started on my work.“Good morning, Olivia!” greeted Mrs. Williams, the owner of the shop. She was a petite older woman with a pe
OliviaOver the next week, I found myself spending my days—when I wasn’t busy with the twins—running around town, interviewing the owners of the various businesses. It was fulfilling work, and I found myself enjoying it far more than I ever expected.Most days, I would get the twins ready in the morning, often bringing them with me in their stroller as I made my rounds.However, everyone fawned over the twins everywhere I went, and I often found myself navigating questions about the new pregnancy. It seemed as though my personal life was becoming a bit of a public spectacle now that I was the ‘official’ Luna, but I did my best to ward off the probing questions and just focus on my work.And besides, I couldn’t be mad about people being curious; because, after all, it was their curiosity that would hopefully make this pamphlet a success. Word of mouth was of the utmost importance, and with my newfound status, I was certain that this pamphlet would have a positive impact on our local bu
NathanI woke up with a start, my neck stiff from spending yet another night sleeping at my desk.As my eyes came into focus, I cursed under my breath; the clock on the wall read just past seven in the morning, which only meant one thing.I was going to be late for my meeting.Olivia’s words from last night still echoed in my mind, a reminder of the guilt that had been gnawing at me. I knew I had been neglecting my duties as a father and a husband, but the weight of my responsibilities as Alpha was a constant pressure.That was why, after Olivia had come to bed, I had slipped out of the bedroom to work in my office until the first light of dawn had begun spreading its blue tendrils across the horizon.I had only intended on working for an hour or so just to get ahead on some things, but one hour had turned into four. And then, before I knew it, I had been slumping over at my desk and nodding off. I fell asleep there for a meager three hours before the discomfort woke me, which was a g
OliviaNathan slept in his office that night. When I heard him quietly climb out of the bed around midnight, I had thought that he was just going to the bathroom or to get a glass of water. But he never returned, and it wasn’t until I woke up in the morning and saw that he still wasn’t in bed, that I realized he had spent the night working in his office once again.He didn’t even take the time to eat breakfast, and all I could do was watch, my heart sinking, as Nathan rushed out of the house, coffee in hand.And in his haste, he accidentally sloshed some of it right onto Aurora’s head, causing her face to twist up in confusion and discomfort.“Seriously? Nathan!” I called after him, but he was already out the door, oblivious to the mess he had made.Quickly, I grabbed a towel, gently wiping the coffee off Aurora. Thankfully, it wasn’t too hot, although her tears were beginning to flow already. “It’s okay, sweetheart,” I soothed, as she looked up at me with wide, surprised eyes. “Daddy
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.