Chapter 24: Conflict within

Lila’s POV

The early morning sun broke through the dense canopy of trees, casting warm, flickering patches of light over the small kitchen table where Olivia and I sat. The world outside was still quiet, and the silence between us was charged, thick with everything unsaid.

"You're sure he's… safe?" I asked, struggling to keep my voice steady.

Olivia’s fingers tightened around her coffee mug, her gaze drifting as she considered her answer. "Jaxon’s not a threat, Lila. I know what you're thinking, and it's not like that," she said, a bit defensively. Her tone softened when she saw my worried expression. "I wouldn't put us in danger. I… I trust him."

The weight in her voice made me pause. Olivia wasn’t one to make reckless choices; she was careful, thoughtful. But love—or whatever it was between her and Jaxon—could make even the best of us irrational. 

With everything going on. I told her about the supernatural world. It was all too much for her to take in but later she understands. 

"And you don’t think being around someone from Dominic’s pack is a danger in itself?" I pressed, my concern overriding any desire to be gentle. "Even if you trust him, Olivia, you’re close to the one person who’s been threatening us from the start.”

Her lips parted, a frustrated sigh escaping. "I don’t expect you to understand,” she muttered, looking away.

“Then help me understand, Liv,” I said, my voice softening. “Because right now, it feels like you’re putting yourself in harm’s way not just you but ours.”

She hesitated, and for a moment, I thought she’d change the subject. But then her shoulders slumped, and she looked back at me with a sadness that caught me off guard.

"Lila, I really dont know what Dominic’s capable of,” she whispered. “But Jaxon… he’s different. He doesn’t agree with Dominic’s plans. He’s been kept out of the inner circles, pushed to the fringes of the pack.” Her gaze met mine, pleading. “I don’t expect anyone to understand, but I can’t stop how I feel about him.”

I searched her eyes, the desperation there pulling at my heart. Love was strange like that. Even if you tried to turn it off, some bonds seemed to fight for survival no matter the cost. I didn’t like it. But she was my sister, and if she believed in this… maybe I needed to, too.

"I just want you safe,” I said quietly, leaning over to grab her hand. “Promise me you’ll be careful around him, that you’ll keep a safe distance from his pack.”

She squeezed my hand, giving me a slight nod. “I will. I promise.”

---

Later that afternoon, I was out in the forest near the training grounds, watching Ethan as he sparred with a few of the younger pack members. He moved with a quiet ferocity, his focus intense and unwavering as he guided each member with a mix of patience and skill. The past few days had put us all on edge, but training seemed to bring him some measure of peace.

I was about to call out to him when the shrill ring of my phone cut through the silence. I fished it out, recognizing Olivia’s number on the screen.

“Olivia? What’s up?” I asked, glancing back toward Ethan as he looked over at me, his brow furrowing slightly.

“Lila…” Her voice was barely above a whisper, breathless and frantic. “They found me.”

The blood drained from my face, and my stomach twisted in cold knots. “Olivia, where are you? Who found you?”

A sob echoed on the other end, muffled and shaky. “Dominic’s men. They were… watching me. Waiting.” 

My grip on the phone tightened, my voice shaking as I pressed on. “Where are they taking you? Do you know?”

She hesitated, the sounds of movement and shouts blending into the background. “I… I think it’s toward the old mill on the east side. I’m not sure. Lila, I don’t know what they want—”

Before I could respond, the line went dead. I stared at the screen, my heart racing.

“Lila?” Ethan’s voice brought me back, and I turned to see his concerned expression.

“It’s Olivia,” I managed, my voice barely a whisper. “Dominic’s men have her.”

Ethan’s face darkened, his jaw tightening as he assessed the situation. He didn’t waste any time. “Let’s go,” he said, signaling to a few nearby pack members. Within moments, we were all moving, sprinting through the trees toward the mill as the forest blurred around us.

---

The abandoned mill loomed ahead, its rusted metal walls cloaked in shadow, silent and foreboding. Ethan and I moved cautiously, our steps careful as we approached. I could hear faint voices coming from inside, and my heart pounded in my ears as we got closer.

Ethan held up a hand, signaling for the pack members to spread out and cover the exits. He glanced back at me, his eyes steely. “Stay close. We’ll get her out, but we can’t risk alerting them too soon.”

I nodded, swallowing the lump of fear that had lodged itself in my throat. Every instinct screamed at me to run in and grab Olivia, but Ethan’s calm presence kept me grounded. We moved together, slipping into the shadows of the mill as we crept toward the voices.

As we rounded a corner, I caught sight of Olivia. She was standing in the middle of the room, surrounded by three of Dominic’s men, her hands bound and her face streaked with dirt and tears. My heart ached at the sight of her, but relief flooded through me—she was alive.

Dominic’s men were talking in low voices, one of them occasionally casting glances out the grimy windows as if on the lookout for anyone approaching. I clenched my fists, anger surging through me. How dare they use my sister as leverage?

Ethan nudged me, his expression fierce but focused. He pointed to the man closest to Olivia, signaling for me to stay behind him. But as we moved to close in, one of the men caught sight of us. His eyes widened, and he shouted a warning.

“Get them!”

In an instant, the room erupted into chaos. Ethan lunged forward, his movements a blur as he engaged the first man. I rushed toward Olivia, my heart racing as I focused on getting her out of here.

“Lila!” she cried, relief and terror mingling in her voice as I reached her side.

“Hold still,” I said, working quickly to untie her hands. “We’re getting you out of here.”

As I freed her wrists, I felt a strong hand clamp down on my shoulder, yanking me back. I stumbled, turning to see one of Dominic’s men sneering down at me. Panic flared in my chest, but before I could react, Olivia threw herself at him, using every bit of strength she had.

“Run, Lila!” she shouted, her voice laced with desperation.

But I wasn’t going to leave her. Not now, not ever. I scrambled to my feet, throwing myself at the man, my fists connecting with his chest as I shoved him back. Ethan moved in a blur, dispatching the last of Dominic’s men with ruthless efficiency before joining us.

“Let’s go!” he shouted, pulling us both toward the exit.

We bolted out of the mill, my heart pounding as we raced through the forest. The sounds of pursuit echoed behind us, but we didn’t stop, didn’t slow down until we reached the safety of Silverwood’s borders. Finally, we collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath, the weight of everything settling over us.

Olivia leaned against me, her body shaking as she tried to catch her breath. “I… I didn’t think you’d find me,” she whispered, tears streaming down her face.

I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her close. “You’re safe now, Liv,” I said, my voice choked with relief. “We’re not letting anyone take you again.”

Ethan moved beside us, his expression tense. “We need to get back and warn the pack. Dominic’s not going to stop here.”

I nodded, casting a worried glance at Olivia. She looked exhausted, defeated, but there was a glimmer of determination in her eyes—a spark that told me she wouldn’t let Dominic win.

As we made our way back, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just the beginning. Dominic had shown his hand, and I knew he wouldn’t back down. But as long as we were together, as long as we had each other, I knew we could face whatever lay ahead.