I woke up to the feeling of warmth wrapped around me. Strong arms caged me in from both sides, their heat seeping into my skin, making me feel safe. My head was still rested against Levi's solid chest, his slow, steady heartbeat a soothing rhythm in my ear. One of his arms was draped protectively around my waist, holding me close. Behind me, Lennox's body was pressed against my back, his arm snugly around my middle, his breath fanning the back of my neck in slow, even puffs. And at the foot of the bed, my legs still rested across Louis' lap. At some point in the night, he must have stopped massaging me, but his hands still lay on my calves, his touch gentle and absentminded—as if even in his sleep, he didn't want to let go.
For a long moment, I stayed still, my eyes half-closed, letting the feeling sink in. Surrounded. Protected. Loved. A small smile tugged at my lips despite the heaviness still in my chest. But after a while, a different discomfort hit me. My bladder protested painfully, and I shifted slightly, trying not to wake anyone. Unfortunately, the movement was enough to make Levi stir.
His arm tightened around me just a second, and his sleepy voice rumbled above my head. "Olivia? You okay?"
I bit my lip, embarrassed. "I'm… pressed," I murmured.
He blinked at me for a moment before understanding clicked in his expression. He chuckled softly and loosened his hold. "Go before you explode."
I carefully slipped out of the warm tangle of limbs, feeling Lennox shift behind me in his sleep but not wake. Louis mumbled something incoherent and turned his head, his hand sliding off my leg. Padding quietly across the room, I slipped into the bathroom and closed the door behind me.
I sat on the toilet, sighing in relief, but then—
That voice… it wasn't my wolf. My wolf's tone was familiar, threaded into my very soul. But this… this was deeper. Older. It slithered into my mind like silk and steel combined.
My pulse spiked. "Who—"
"You've been feeling it, haven't you?" The voice was calm, feminine, and coldly confident.
My mouth went dry. "You're… not my wolf."
A low, almost amused hum echoed in my mind. "No. I am not. But I know you, Olivia… more than you know yourself. I have been in existence for over five hundred years."
Her voice was low, yet carried an authority that made my wolf whimper deep inside me. "I have been in the bodies of five generations before you. And now… I am inside you."
My fingers clenched against my knees. "Inside me? What do you mean?" I whispered, my voice trembling.
"I mean, Olivia," she purred, "you and I… we are bound. My blood runs through your veins."
My stomach tightened. "So… you're saying you've been there all along?"
"Oh yes," she said softly, almost mockingly. "Since the moment you were born. Watching. Waiting. Guiding you when I could."
I swallowed hard. "And who exactly are you?"
A low, amused chuckle filled my mind. "The special ability in you… that is me..."
The air in the bathroom suddenly felt thinner, harder to breathe. "I don't need you… I have the voice of my wolf already," I spat.
She scoffed. "You have no choice, Olivia… I'm here to stay. To direct and to guide you."
My throat went dry. "And if I don't want your direction?"
Her reply came like a threat. "Then you will lose everything you love. One by one."
My frown deepened. "Are you threatening me?" I asked, already getting annoyed.
She scoffed. "You think this is a threat? No, little one… it's a warning."
I clenched my fists, my patience running out. "A warning for what?"
Her voice shifted, becoming sharper, laced with annoyance. "It seems you'll be just like Hailee. Stubborn. Defiant. Reckless."
A cold shiver ran down my spine. "And what happened to Hailee?"
Her tone dropped into something darker. "Her disobedience cost her many things. All because she thought she knew better than me."
I swallowed hard, my jaw tightening. "So you're saying if I don't obey you, I'll end up like her?"
"I'm saying," she purred, "you should not make her mistake."
I exhaled slowly, glaring at the tiled wall. "Fine," I said tightly. "What exactly is your so-called direction?"
The answer came without hesitation. "First, you must marry Lord Frederick."
It hit me like a punch to the gut. "What?!" I almost laughed in disbelief. "Hell no!" The words tore out of me before I could stop them, sharp and loud enough to bounce off the bathroom walls.
The moment the words left my lips, I felt a shift outside. Within seconds, a light knock sounded on the door.
"Olivia?" Levi's deep, concerned voice came from the other side. "Why are you yelling? What's going on in there?"
My breath caught. My heart was pounding. And in my mind, the strange voice groaned.
"We had a deal with Lord Frederick, and you need to abide by it."
I gritted my teeth. "There was no we in that deal," I hissed under my breath. "And I'm not—"
"Enough." Her voice cut through me like a whip. "I've said what must be said. You will think on it. When you are ready to listen… call me. I will come."
Before I could reply, her presence and voice vanished.
The bathroom was suddenly too quiet. I exhaled shakily, running a hand over my face, trying to steady my heartbeat before stepping out.
When I opened the door, all three of them were standing there. Levi was closest, his brows knitted in deep worry. Lennox stood a little behind him, his sharp eyes scanning me like he could read my soul. Louis leaned against the wall, but his usual teasing smirk was nowhere to be found.
"What happened?" Levi's voice was soft but firm. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ NovєlFіre.net
"Yeah," Lennox added, his gaze narrowing. "We heard you yell."
Louis tilted his head, studying me closely. "You look pale, Olivia."
I forced a small, strained smile, keeping my tone relaxed. "It's nothing. I was just having a little disagreement with my wolf."
Levi's frown deepened, but he didn't push, at least not yet. "You sure?"
"Yes," I lied smoothly, stepping past them toward the bed. "I'm fine. Really."