My eyes were fixed on the wall clock as the second hand ticked past 7 PM. Right on time.
I emptied the glass of whiskey in my hand, the burn doing nothing to calm the storm raging inside me.
Wherever Olivia was—she was burning. My wolf knew it. Felt it. He growled and thrashed inside me, pacing, snarling. He wanted her. Needed her. Not just for the sake of the bond—but to ease her pain.
And still—I stayed rooted in my chair.
The air around me was thick with the scent of heat. Almost every she-wolf in the mansion had gone into heat tonight, and the ones who didn't have mates were locked away in the safe rooms just down the hall. But even with the air soaked in arousal and pheromones, my wolf didn't care.
None of them mattered.
The only scent I wanted—the only one I craved—was Olivia's. That sweet blend of nutmeg and honey that used to make my wolf go still and greedy. I was trying, desperately, to find even the faintest trace of it in the air.
Not even a whisper of her.
"Fucking hell," Lennox muttered, slamming his glass down on the table and standing up. He ran a hand through his hair, pacing the room like a caged animal. "She's out there. Alone. In heat. And we're just here—waiting."
Louis sat on the couch, his eyes glassy with worry, fingers clenching around the stem of his glass. He hadn't said much, but I could feel the storm building inside him. When he finally spoke, his voice cracked.
"What if he touches her?" Louis whispered. "What if she begs him because the heat is too much, and she can't help it?"
"No," I growled, standing up too. "Don't say that."
"I'm not saying it because I want to," Louis snapped. "I'm saying it because it's possible. She's strong, but heat… it takes over. And we're not there to protect her."
Lennox slammed his fist into the wall, cracking the plaster. "We should've found her already. How the hell did this even happen? How did someone just take her like that?"
None of us had an answer.
The silence after that was heavy. Painful.
We each poured another drink, but it didn't help. We were suffering, and we all knew it.
Then the door creaked open and Anita stepped inside, and the scent hit us immediately, strong, rich, unmistakably in heat.
Her cheeks flushed, her eyes glassy and pupils wide. Her breathing was shallow, chest rising and falling quickly. Her scent wrapped around the room like smoke, seductive and overwhelming. Any other time, it might have stirred something primal in us.
Not with Olivia missing.
"I… I can't stay in the safe wing," Anita said softly, taking a few steps into the room. Her voice shook, her hands already reaching up to the straps of her dress. "I'm in heat."
Lennox didn't even look at her. "We're not in the mood."
She hesitated, lips parting, but her fingers still slid the thin straps off her shoulders, letting the dress slip down her arms.
"You can have me," she said breathlessly, desperation lacing her words. "All of you. You always said I belonged to you. I wear your marks. You made me your concubine."
I turned my head sharply, my jaw clenched. "Put your dress back on."
She blinked, confused. "But you marked me. I'm yours."
"Not tonight," I said coldly. "Not when Olivia is missing."
Louis stood as well, his voice hoarse but firm. "We don't want you, Anita."
She gaped at us, visibly shaking now—whether from heat or rejection, I couldn't tell. "But I'm in heat. I'm in pain. I need you. You marked me—claimed me. You're supposed to help me through this!"
"No," I said, stepping back from her. "Not anymore. I can't touch you. Not when the only woman I want is out there, suffering. Not when my mate is missing."
She looked between us, hurt blooming across her face.
"You would leave me ?" she whispered.
Lennox finally turned to her, his expression hard. "You think we care about your heat when our mate could be dying? When another man could be touching what belongs to us?"
Anita's frown deepened. "What the hell!" she spat, her whole body trembling. "When did the three of you start caring about Olivia? I thought you hated her!" she snapped angrily.
I frowned but didn't say a word.
Anita quickly took off her dress, leaving her naked before us. I looked away, feeling guilty, just seeing her naked body felt like I was cheating on Olivia.
Before I could process what was happening, Anita moved over to Lennox and wrapped her arms around his neck, trying to kiss him. But Lennox pushed her away so forcefully that she landed on her ass on the tiled floor.
"I told you no!" he growled, the voice of his wolf mixing with his own, making it sound terrifying.
Anita gasped in pain but pushed herself up from the floor. She moved toward Louis, but before she could get close, Louis stopped her with a raised hand. "Don't come near me, Anita… I'm not myself… just leave," he warned. A warning Anita listened to.
Finally, she turned to me, her eyes brimming with tears. I felt a tiny bit of pity for her—she was in heat, and I knew exactly what she was going through. So I decided to help her.
"Anita," I said. "We understand. You're in heat. You need relief. That's nature. We get it."
She looked up at me with wide, teary eyes, like she was clinging to my voice, clinging to hope.
"And that's why… I'm giving you permission," I said. "You're free to go. You can find another male, any male. Let him help you."
She stared at me like I'd slapped her. "What?"
Louis nodded in agreement, his frown deepening. "He's right. Go find someone who wants you. Someone who can take care of you tonight."
"Anyone but us," Lennox added harshly. "We're not touching you."
Anita's breath hitched. "You're serious?"