OliviaI hurried down the dimly lit hallway, my heels clicking rapidly against the polished floors as I made my way to the utility closet.My heart pounded relentlessly in my chest with a mixture of nerves and excitement at the thought of seeing Nathan again—really seeing him in a way I hadn’t been able to for far too long.
OliviaThe reporter’s question hung in the air, heavy and loaded. My mouth went dry as the camera flashes threatened to blind me, the microphones all but shoved in my face.“Is it true that you are getting a divorce?”Before I could formulate a response—not that I even had anything to say&mdash
OliviaThe barrage started innocently enough—a few phone calls here and there from unknown numbers, a few texts, a few social media comments. I would let the calls go to voicemail and never listen to the messages the callers left, not wanting to invite more intrusion into my life.But within a matter of days, the missed calls were only multiplying rapidly. Before I knew it, I was on the verge of calling my cell phone company to change my number.
NathanI settled onto the plush leather sofa in Dan’s lavish sitting room, my gaze automatically drifting to the floor-to-ceiling windows that showcased a breathtaking view of Dan’s bustling pack territory, its lights twinkling in the light of dusk.A glass of scotch swirled in my hand, and the flavor of a luxurious dinner still lingered on my tongue. But despite the luxury that was surrounding me, my skin crawled with discomfort.
OliviaI jolted awake to the sharp sound of knocking at the front door, and almost immediately, I reached for my phone. I felt a wave of panic bubble up inside of me; more reporters? But a glance at the clock revealed it was well past three in the morning—far too late for reporters.So, who on earth could that be at this ungodly hour?
OliviaTaking one last furtive glance over my shoulder to make sure we weren’t being watched by any prying eyes, I slipped into Nathan’s dimly lit office. Only once the door was clicked shut behind me did I finally let out the breath I had been holding.Today, we weren’t meeting in secret to feel one another’s bodies—no matter how much we were both craving it. No, today, we were meeting to discuss our next plans in the plot to take down Dan and the rest of t
Olivia“Ah, Nathan, Olivia. I was actually hoping to speak with both of you.”Nathan and I exchanged a nervous glance as Dan stood in front of us, that sickening smile on his face. I wondered how much he had heard of our conversation—hopefully none of it, but knowing Dan, I wouldn’t have put it past him to have eavesdropped.
NathanWhen I finally stepped into the parlor of Dan’s mansion, I was immediately met with a glass of whiskey being shoved into my hand. I managed a wry smile, taking the glass from Dan even though I knew I wasn’t going to drink it.“Youngling,” Dan said, gesturing to the two plush armchairs by the crackling fireplace. “Sit. We have much to discuss.”
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.