Chapter 284
(Olivia’s POV)
“Ethan Stone, stop mentioning Lily, you really don’t deserve it!” I pressed my hand against my heart, feeling as though Lily’s
Memory Crystal was there, aching beneath my skin.
My wolf whimpered with grief inside me. How sad would my sweet pup be if she heard the father she loved so much repeatedly
defending the murderer who killed her?
My emerald eyes flashed with a mixture of pain and fury as my wolf bristled at the Alpha’s continued defense of Victoria. The audacity of this man to stand in my home and lecture me about what Lily would want when he couldn’t even be bothered to
attend her birthday before she died.
“You have no right to speak about what would make Lily sad,” I hissed, my voice trembling with barely contained rage. “Where were you when she needed you? When she begged for her father to come see her on her birthday?”
Ethan’s amber eyes darkened, his jaw clenching at my words. His wolf’s energy pulsed in response, powerful and dominating as
always.
“I was handling pack business,” he replied stiffly, the excuse sounding hollow even to his own ears.
“Pack business,” I repeated with a bitter laugh. “Is that what you call taking Emma to Enchanted Kingdom Theme Park while our daughter lay dying?”
The memory of Lily’s tearful face as she watched the social media posts of Ethan and Emma at the amusement park she had begged to visit tore at my heart anew. My wolf howled with renewed grief.
“Get out,” I demanded, unable to bear his presence a moment longer. “Get out of my home!”
My wolf snarled beneath my skin, hackles raised in rejection of his scent in my territory. This cottage was my sanctuary, the one place where I could grieve for Lily without Victoria’s shadow looming over me.
Ethan’s amber eyes hardened as he took a step toward me. “Olivia, you need to understand that I will always protect Victoria,”
His words were like a silver dagger to my heart, further fueling my anger and despair. Of course he would. He always had, even at the expense of his own daughter.
“You disgust both me and Lily,” I spat, my voice trembling with the force of my emotions.
The turmoil inside me caused my entire body to shake uncontrollably, my wolf thrashing with shared grief. The pain of losing Lily, combined with Ethan’s betrayal and Victoria’s continued existence, was almost too much to bear.
Ethan, his Alpha instincts responding to my distress despite our estrangement, reached out to comfort me. His large hand moved toward my shoulder, his scent shifting to project calming pheromones
“Don’t touch me!” I shouted, jerking away from his touch as if it burned. “Get out!”
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My emerald eyes glowed with the intensity of my rejection, my wolf’s power flaring in defense of our territory. I might not be an
Alpha, but in this moment, my rage gave me strength.
Ethan observed my distress, his face etched with concern. For a moment, I thought he might force the issue, might use his Alpha
command to make me listen. Instead, he sighed deeply and turned toward the door.
“This isn’t over, Olivia,” he said quietly before stepping outside.
(Ethan’s POV)
I closed the door to Olivia’s cottage behind me, the sound of her ragged breathing still echoing in my ears. My wolf whined with
distress, urging me to go back, to comfort our mate despite her rejection.
I ignored its pleas, walking to my Midnight Maybach parked nearby. Leaning against the cool metal, I pulled out my phone and
dialed a familiar number.
James Knight answered on the third ring, his voice wary. “Ethan?”
“James,” I acknowledged, my voice tight with concern. “I need you to check on Olivia.”
There was a pause on the other end of the line. “What happened?”
I ran a hand through my hair, my wolf still agitated beneath my skin. “We had a disagreement. She’s… upset.”
“A disagreement,” James repeated flatly. “About Victoria?”
My i
jaw clenched at his tone. James had never approved of my relationship with Victoria, had always been firmly in Olivia’s
- er. But he was also one of the few people Olivia would allow near her when she was in this state.
“Just check on her,” I said, my Alpha authority seeping into my voice. “She shouldn’t be alone right now.”
James sighed heavily. “I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
“Thank you,” I said, ending the call.
I glanced back at Olivia’s cottage, my wolf urging me to return, to make things right. But I knew my presence would only upset her further. For now, at least, I had to give her space.
Starting my car, I drove away from Maple Grove, my thoughts in turmoil. How had things gone so wrong between us? When had
Olivia’s sweet smile turned to bitter hatred?
The answer, of course, was Lily. Our daughter’s death had created a chasm between us that seemed impossible to bridge.
(James’s POV)
I found Olivia collapsed against the wall of her cottage, tears streaming down her face. Her normally composed features were
twisted with grief, her emerald eyes swimming with unshed tears.
My wolf rose protectively beneath my skin, its russet–brown energy surging at the sight of her distress. I rushed to her side,
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kneeling beside her trembling form.
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“Liv,” I murmured, wrapping my arms around her shoulders. My scent enveloped her with familiar comfort, the friendship we’d
shared since childhood creating a bond that even pack politics couldn’t break.
Seeing the worry in my eyes, Olivia broke down completely. Her silent tears turned to heart–wrenching sobs as she leaned into
my embrace, her body shaking with the force of her grief.
“He defended her again,” she whispered between sobs. “After everything Victoria’s done, he still chooses her over Lily’s
memory.”
My wolf growled softly at the mention of Victoria Frost. I had never trusted the she–wolf, had seen through her sweet exterior to the manipulative creature beneath long before Olivia had.
“Come on,” I said gently, helping her to her feet. “Let’s get you inside.”
I guided her into the cottage, my protective instincts in full force as I settled her on the couch. Her scent was a mixture of grief, rage, and exhaustion that made my wolf whine with concern.
“I’ll get you some water,” I offered, moving to the kitchen.
As I filled a glass with warm water, my phone buzzed in my pocket. Pulling it out, I saw a text from Ethan Stone.
“Is she alright?” the message read.
I typed a curt reply: “She’s fine.”
Another message came through immediately: “If she needs anything, call me.”
I ignored this, slipping the phone back into my pocket. Ethan Stone had lost the right to concern when he chose Victoria over his own daughter and mate.
Returning to the living room, I offered Olivia the warm water, watching as she took small sips. Her hands were still trembling.
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