"Olivia, can we talk?" Allen asked as he entered the library. He looked nervous about something, which was strange for him as he had always been a confident man.I stood up from the table where I had been engrossed in a stack of books about healing people and walked toward him, trying to read the anxiety written across his face. "Of course," I said, concern weaving through my voice as I gestured for him to sit down.He hesitated for a moment, running a hand through his hair—a clear sign that something was troubling him. Finally, he cleared his throat. "I, um."My worry deepened. Allen rarely stumbled over his words unless something was genuinely troubling him. "Is everything okay? Is there something wrong with Victor?"Allen's eyes widened, and he quickly shook his head. "No, no, nothing's wrong with Victor. He's fine." He paused, shuffling his feet and averting his eyes. "I just, um, wanted to talk to you about us."A wave of relief washed over me, followed by a surge of curiosity. "
Allen had been avoiding me since telling me he was in love with me. Every time I saw him, he would look away. My heart ached for him, and a small part of me wished that I could give him what he wanted, but I couldn't. I couldn't force myself to feel the way he wanted me to, and even if I could, that wouldn't be fair to either of us.As I walked into the courtroom, the weight of the past few weeks seemed to press down on my shoulders even more heavily. I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself, but there was no calming the whirlwind inside me. My eyes scanned the room until they landed on Allen.The moment he noticed me, his eyes darted away, his head bowing as if the sight of me was too much for him to bear. It felt like a dagger to my heart, sharp and unforgiving. I knew the guilt of hurting him would never truly leave me. His confession of love had been unexpected, overwhelming. But more than that, it had left a rift between us that seemed impossible to bridge.Forcing myself to
Before anyone could say another word, Alexander stepped forward. “Rebecca was good at covering her tracks using people that she knew were too scared to talk or ones that she killed off without too many questions being asked.” he paused, his eyes locking on to Rebeccas, who until now had kept the same scared face but as alexander stared at her her face changed. “The maid you paid to help kill Cassandra, you also tried to poison her, but this young woman was lucky enough to survive.”A gasp echoed through the courtroom, all eyes darting towards Rebecca. She visibly stiffened, her gaze flickering between Alexander and the maid who had just entered the room. My eyes followed hers, landing on the young maid, whose presence seemed to intensify Rebecca's fear.The maid’s appearance was timid, but her eyes held a glimmer of defiance. She stepped forward, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. “It’s true,” she said, her voice shaking slightly but growing stronger with each word. “Rebecca pa
I took a seat outside and tried to steady my beating heart. The past few weeks had all been a lot for me to handle. As I sat there, I started to realise I hadn't healed from the trauma in my past; I had just pushed it down deep and prayed it would go away. But it was becoming apparent that I needed to heal. I needed closure for the things that had happened to me so I would be able to move forward with my life and be the strong person my children needed me to be.I heard the door creak open behind me and turned slightly to see Victor stepping out. His eyes immediately found mine, full of concern and warmth."Olivia, are you okay?" he asked softly, taking a step closer.I hesitated for a moment, gathering my thoughts. "I'm fine, Victor. I've just realised that I'm not healed from my past like I thought I was," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.He took another step closer. "You're strong, Olivia. You will get through this," he assured me, his voice steady and sure. "If there's
Alexander's povI left the room after deciding to send Rebecca back to my kingdom to meet her fate, one I already knew all too well. My steps felt heavy as I walked out of the courtroom and into the courtyard. The soft murmur of voices caught my attention, and my eyes automatically searched for Olivia. She was there, sitting on a bench, talking to Victor. My heart clenched at the sight of her, but it was the sight of Allen approaching that filled me with a burning jealousy. Despite the distance, I could almost feel the emotions between them. Their conversation seemed personal, loaded with weighty undertones. I wanted to step closer, to hear every word, but I knew I couldn't risk being caught. When Allen leaned in and kissed Olivia gently on the forehead, the tender gesture felt like a dagger through my heart. My fists clenched involuntarily, the tips of my knuckles turning white. I felt like I was on the outside looking into a world that used to be mine.Unable to endure any more, I t
Olivia’s povAfter coaxing the children to sleep, I stood up and took a long, silent breath. The evening had been draining, and my mind swirled with everything that had happened lately."Mummy, are you and Allen not going to be together anymore?" Sarah's small voice broke the silence, pulling me back to reality.I was shocked. Where had she heard this? "Why do you ask that, sweetheart?" I said, trying to keep my voice calm and soothing.She looked at me with big, innocent eyes. "I heard you and Allen talking, and you looked so sad."Liam stirred next to her, rubbing his eyes as he joined the conversation. "We love Allen, Mummy. Will he still visit us?"My heart ached. "Yes, darlings," I said, trying my best to sound reassuring, "No matter what happens between Allen and me, he will always be a part of your lives. He loves you very much."Sarah sniffled and slipped her tiny hand into mine. "Promise?" "I promise," I whispered, kissing their foreheads.Once they were finally asleep, I quie
I tossed and turned all night, sleep teasing me as the thought of our impending divorce felt both real and surreal. Dawn's early light started to seep through the curtains when I decided to get up. I made up my mind to face Allen again and discuss our next steps.Voices carried up from the kitchen, their tones hushed but earnest. My curiosity piqued, and I made my way downstairs to find Allen sitting at the table, a cup of steaming coffee in his hands.“Morning,” he said softly, managing a faint smile. His eyes betrayed the sleepless night he’d endured as well.“Morning,” I replied, taking a seat across from him. “I suppose we should talk about the trip?”“Yes,” he nodded, setting his cup down. “I think it would be good for the kids, and maybe it’ll give us some closure too."Closure. The word lingered in the air between us, heavy with unspoken emotions.“I’ve always wanted to visit that small town not far from here, right on the beach,” I said quietly, trying to shift the mood. The se
Alexanders povI had found nothing in the files of Cassandra's death. I don't know why I had even bothered; I had read them a million times before and never seen anything that stood out. The evidence, the witness and the logic all made sense. Sigh! I put down the documents and decided to leave these things behind. Maybe time would give me an answer one day. I made my way down the grand staircase, and as I got halfway down, Olivia's scent filled my nostrils. I looked up to see her standing by the door, a bag by her side. "Olivia," I began, taking the last few steps to reach her. "Alexander," she interrupted, her voice was peaceful and calm. "What are you doing here? " That was not a good sign, her peaceful expression let me feel she really decided to let her past go. It was obvious that I was the part of the past she gave up. That stung. I sighed, trying to collect my thoughts, feeling the walls closing in around me. "Olivia, I need to tell you something before I go." She looked
Olivia's POVThe tension in the room thickened as Cole spoke, his words carrying the weight of a disturbing revelation. "Two of our pack members were on their way here a few days ago with gifts for your victory celebration, but they never arrived. When we got word that they hadn’t made it, we sent out people to search for them." His voice faltered for a moment as if the next words weighed heavily on him. "What we found was not what we had hoped. One of them was dead, the other missing, and the carriage was gone."A chill ran down my spine. I couldn’t bear to hear this. The situation was growing more dire than I’d imagined."Two days ago, we found the carriage," Cole continued, his gaze hardening as he recalled the grim discovery. "It wasn’t far from here. And this morning, we found the other missing pack member."My heart pounded in my chest. "Where did you find him?" I asked, my voice almost whispering, desperate for any hope.Cole's gaze flickered to the others before he spoke again
Olivia's POVThe sun had barely risen, but the kingdom was already alive with energy. The grand celebration for our victory was being planned for that evening, and every pack was invited to join in the festivities. The air was thick with excitement and anticipation.I had just finished speaking with Ethan about his proposal to Lidia. His nerves were apparent, but I could see the sincerity in his eyes. He was nervous, but I knew he was ready. Before I walked away, I placed a gentle hand on his arm, offering him a reassuring smile."Don’t forget," I said softly, "when I say I’d like to thank my sister, that’s your cue."Ethan nodded, his expression shifting to one of determination. "I won’t forget. Everything will be perfect."I gave him a quick nod before heading toward Alexander’s office. As I walked through the corridors, I caught sight of the triplet alphas—Cole, Casper, and Carlson—along with their shared mate. They greeted me warmly, offering hugs and smiles."It’s good to see you
Olivia's POVThe ceremony had come to an end, and the officiant's voice rang out, full of warmth and joy. "You may now kiss your mate."For a long moment, Alexander and I stood there, neither of us moving. Our eyes met a deep, silent understanding passing between us. The world outside the two of us felt distant—almost irrelevant. It was as if time itself had paused, giving us this moment to just be, to finally breathe, to finally have each other completely.And then, as though it was inevitable, Alexander leaned in, his breath warm against my lips. His eyes never left mine, and in them, I saw everything I had ever hoped for—the love we'd both fought for, the bond that had only grown stronger over time.His lips were soft when they first touched mine, and I felt my heart flutter, a thousand emotions rushing through me. But then he deepened the kiss, his hand cupping the side of my face as he pulled me closer. I responded instantly, my fingers threading through his hair, holding him as
Olivia's POVMy heart raced as I took in the sight of the garden, the flowers a stunning blend of colours beneath the glowing moonlight. Every detail had been crafted with care, each petal, each whisper of the breeze, all speaking of the love that had brought us here. But none of it mattered more than the man standing before me.Adjusting the dress that flowed around me like liquid silk. Victor and Allen flanked me, both looking incredibly proud and supportive, but their presence felt like a blur, fading in comparison to the figure at the end of the aisle: Alexander.When my eyes met his, everything else melted away. The crowd, the world—everything faded until only he remained. There he was, waiting for me, his face a mixture of longing and awe. My heart swelled with emotions that couldn’t be put into words. No part of me felt nervous. Everything just felt right.For so long, I had fought the love that bloomed between us, but tonight, under the stars and in the presence of our family,
Alexander's POVI stood before the mirror, adjusting the pristine cuffs of my shirt, the faintest tremor of nervousness threatening to disrupt the calm exterior I fought so hard to maintain. My reflection stared back at me—sharp jawline, hair perfectly styled, the weight of responsibility etched in my gaze. But beyond the Alpha that I am, I saw the man who was about to marry the woman of his dreams for the second time, but this time, I would not take her for granted. I would treat her the way that I should have from the start.My chest tightened as I ran a hand over the collar of my suit. Everything was perfect. The flowers, the guests, the setting. But all I could focus on was the one thing that had eluded me for far too long—the realisation that this was the life I had always wanted yet failed to see for long, and I hated myself for that.A soft knock at the door drew my attention, and I turned to see Ethan standing in the doorway, his usual confidence absent, replaced by something
Olivia's povThe shop door chimed softly as we entered. The dressmaker, a kind older woman with an eye for detail and warmth to match, greeted us with a beaming smile. Bolts of exquisite fabrics lined the walls, their colours are vibrant, each one telling its own tale. I knew the one I held within my heart today—a tale of love, resilience, and hope.Lidia followed me closely, her earlier doubts seeming to melt away amid the excitement of the shop. "I’ve been waiting for this," she confessed softly, leaning closer as she took in the palatial display of elegant gowns. "Getting to see you in your wedding dress is like a dream."We approached the mirrored dais, where an array of wedding dresses awaited—each one a masterpiece of lace and silk and dreams sewn into reality. As I stepped upon the dais, emotions welled within me, teetering precariously on a tide of sentiment and expectation. I reached for a gown gently, fingers trailing over the delicate beadwork, feeling the promise imbued w
Olivia's povI knew Ethan was trying to muster his courage. His hands trembled slightly as he thumbed the edges of the box, cooling his earlier confidence. Finally, he opened the box, revealing a stunning ring. The large moonstone at its centre caught the light, casting an ethereal glow that seemed to shimmer with life."Olivia, this ring has been in my family for hundreds of years," Ethan said, his voice tinged with reverence and nerves. The raw honesty in his eyes touched me deeply.“It’s beautiful," I murmured, genuinely captivated by the artifact's majesty and the legacy it represented.Ethan went red-cheeked, the usual bravado he donned so effortlessly slipping away. "I was wondering if you would…" He paused, his words stumbling over one another like a landslide. I waited, offering him patience and a soft smile of reassurance.After a moment, he cleared his throat and started again. "I mean, I'm here to ask for Lidia's hand in marriage. I haven't seen Victor yet, but he'll under
alexanders povThe anticipation that pulsed through my veins was far stronger than any battle I'd waged, any beast I'd fought. Tonight was the night Olivia and I would affirm what we already knew in our hearts: that we were meant to be together. Our bond had withstood countless trials, and now it would be sealed under the moonlight with the people we loved.Despite the day’s beauty, echoes of concern lingered. Red flags flew in my mind every time I thought of Reed. His absence was like a splinter under my skin—a constant irritation that could not be ignored. But tonight was not about him. Tonight was about Olivia, about our family, and about the life we were building together.The palace was bustling with excitement. People flitted about, preparing for the evening’s festivities. I had instructed everyone to keep the atmosphere relaxed yet festive. Even though she opted for a simple ceremony, Olivia deserved a night filled with joy and laughter.Maneuvering through the busy rooms, I fi
**Olivia's POV**I took a breath, the pleasant scent of roses filling my nose. The garden was alive with nature's symphony, a perfect backdrop for what could be the most significant day of my life. Alexander had already set to arranging everything needed for our moonlit wedding. Tonight would be magic.I left the garden, excitement twirling within me as I ventured toward the dressmaker to see if she had anything that I could wear tonight with such short notice. I noticed there was no time for me to have something made, but I didn't care. The dress was not important; marrying my mate was the only thing that mattered. My footsteps echoed softly off the cobblestone path, each step a rhythmic countdown to becoming Alexander’s wife.As I approached, the gentle hum of early morning activity filled the air. People were setting up stalls for the evening's festival, laughter mingling with the scents of freshly baked goods. We hadn’t had a true celebration in so long; spirits were high, and eve