Olivia's POVThe courtyard outside the hotel was serene, bathed in the amber glow of the setting sun. The gentle rustling of leaves and the distant hum of city life provided a calming backdrop as I waited with Lidia.Ethen came around the corner. His tall frame and confident stride made Lidia's cheeks turn a lovely shade of pink, and my heart swelled at the teenage blush painting her otherwise composed face."Ethan," she greeted him softly, her voice betraying just a hint of nervous excitement. "Lidia." He smiled and offered his arm. She took it, a delicate smile playing on her lips.They turned to leave, but Lidia paused and looked over her shoulder at me. "Thank you," she said, her gratitude evident in her eyes."You're welcome," I replied, my voice strong yet tender. Pride swelled in my chest, knowing she was finally following her heart. As they walked away, I couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment, mixed with a bit of wistfulness."Ethan," I called out just before they we
Alexander’s POV As Olivia walked away, the weight of my own words suffocated me, leaving an ache so deep it felt like it had lodged in my very soul. The sight of her retreating figure, strong yet fragile, tore at my heart. I wanted to reach out, to pull her back to me, but I had to let her go for now, at least. I couldn’t bear seeing her hurt and me being the course of it.Olivia still held a part of my heart, maybe even a bigger piece than Cassandra did, but I couldn’t be with her if I couldn’t give her my full heart. That wasn’t fair to her.The courtyard seemed to swallow her silhouette as she disappeared, leaving me alone amidst the fading echoes of our conversation. A gust of wind rustled the leaves overhead, the sound almost like a whisper of disapproval. I ran my fingers through my hair, frustration mounting. The situation with Olivia and Cassandra was a tangled mess, and I couldn't see a way out that didn't involve someone getting hurt. Before my thoughts could spiral further
Lidia’s POV The evening air felt different tonight, charged with a kind of tension I couldn’t quite pinpoint. As Ethan and I strolled back to my hotel, a sense of unease gnawed at my senses. Ethan walked beside me. The Beta’s aura was a mix of relaxed confidence and alertness, which was naturally comforting. I laughed at one of his jokes, the sound light and airy, masking the heaviness of my thoughts. “Thanks for dinner, Ethan. It was the distraction I needed,” I said, genuinely smiling at him. “Anything for you, Lidia,” he said, a smirk lifting the corner of his lips. “You deserve to unwind.” The conversation flowed easily between us until something caught my eye at the edge of the old, rundown hotel we were passing. A figure slipped out of the shadows, furtively glancing around to ensure they weren’t seen. My breath hitched as recognition hit me. The face was so familiar and yet so out of place. “Is that Cassandra?” I asked, stopping dead in my tracks as I pointed towards the
Olivia's povThere was no time for me to sit around and feel hurt or to worry about the fact that there was a chance that class was going to come after me to get me out of the picture for good. The events in the city had me rushing around every second of the day, and I had been spending a lot more time with Alpha Reed.Spending time with Alpha Reed kept my mind off Alexander, which was nice; he was nothing like Alexander. He was kind and caring and was very open about his feelings towards me, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t seem to feel completely content with him.I was sitting across from Alpha Reed in a cosy bistro, but my mind was somewhere else entirely. My eyes kept drifting toward the window, half expecting to see Alexander and Cassandra together again. It seemed like everywhere I went, he was there with her, and it only twisted the knife deeper into my heart. "And then, we could visit the... Olivia, are you even listening to me?" Alpha Reed’s voice cut through my t
I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the elegant red dress that clung to my form. Read is the favourite colour that I thought I had always looked good at, but it was also the colour that Alexander had always adored me. The memory was bittersweet, my heart aching even as the fabric shimmered in the faint light. My eyes drifted to the dark circles just barely concealed by makeup, a testament to the sleepless nights filled with worries and longing. Sighing, I turned away from the mirror, trying to push thoughts of him aside. As I descended the stairs, the familiar chatter of Lidia and the twins filled the air. Lidia caught sight of me first. Her eyes widened slightly, and she smiled. "You look beautiful, Olivia," she said.Lidia had offered to stay behind and watch the kids. She told everyone that she was tired and didn’t feel like going, but I knew that the real reason was that she didn’t want to see Alpha Derek again. Before I could respond, Reed walked in. His entrance command
The party was just like all the others—extravagant, impeccably decorated, and filled with faces that barely felt familiar despite their familiarity. Chatter and laughter echoed through the grand hall, but none of it penetrated the fog of annoyance that clouded my senses. I glanced around, spotting Alexander standing in a corner, his intense gaze firmly locked on me. The heat of his stare was almost palpable, sending shivers down my spine despite my rising irritation. It wasn't the first time Alexander's presence had unsettled me, but tonight, his insistent attention felt more oppressive than usual. I took a deep breath, willing myself to calm down. This was supposed to be a night of distraction, yet I found myself spiralling into a pit of rage with each passing second. "Are you alright, Olivia?" Reed's voice broke through my haze, his concern evident. I forced a smile, not wanting to betray the storm brewing inside. "Just need a moment. I'll be right back." Excusing myself, I wea
My heart pounded in my chest. I was running out of time, and I wasn’t going to reach him in time. Victor reached for the drink; everything slowed down as he did. I was still so far away, pushing against the throngs of partygoers who remained blissfully unaware of the looming threat. "Move! Out of my way!" I yelled, shoving people aside, my vision narrowing on Victor's hand, inching closer to that fatal drink. Aura snarled within me; the urgency and the desperation fuelled my movements. Victor's fingers curled around the glass. My breath caught in my throat. I propelled myself forward with everything I had, my body a blur of motion driven by sheer will. The room seemed to shrink, tunnel vision setting in. Aura's strength surged through me, waves of power bolstering my legs. Just as Victor brought the drink to his mouth, I dove at him, knocking it from his hand. The glass shattered against the marble floor, the content spilling into a harmless puddle. "What the hell, Olivia?" Victo
“Olivia, what are you doing?” a voice came from behind me. Alexander. His presence was always hard to ignore, especially now when everything inside me was writhing with rage. But I didn’t turn around.I dropped Cassandra to the ground, watching as she gasped for air, clutching her bruised neck. "Stand in my way again, and I will end you. Permanently." I walked past Alexander, feeling his intense gaze boring into the back of my skull."Olivia, wait," he called out, his voice tinged with urgency.I didn't acknowledge him, storming out of the building and into the street. The rain was pouring down in heavy sheets, soaking me to the bone within seconds, but I barely felt it. My mind was fixed on one thing: getting to Liam and Sarah, my twins, my heart."Olivia, please!" Alexander's voice boomed over the drumming of the rain.I continued to walk, each step pulling me further into the tempest. I needed the cold. I needed the pain to distract me from the chaos inside my heart.Out of nowhere