Olivia POV
I ran through the woods, the cool evening air brushing against my skin as I raced between the towering trees. The crisp air brushed against my skin, providing the comfort and relief I had sought for the past few days. I continued racing, trying to clear my head. I ran and didn't realize when I crossed the border of our pack.
Feeling exhausted, I found a clean stream, and in my four-legged form, I strolled over to it, bent down, and began quenching my thirst. I was still drinking from the stream when I suddenly sensed a presence. It felt as if soone was watching . My ears perked up, and my body tensed. A low growl rumbled in my throat as I spun around, my sharp eyes scanning the woods. Soone was here. My instincts scread at to be on guard.
I howled in warning, ready to attack if necessary. The underbrush rustled, and within seconds, a large black wolf erged from the trees. My fur bristled as I assessed him—he was strong, his stance confident, but there was sothing oddly unsettling about him.
Then, right before my eyes, the wolf began to shift. Bones cracked and reshaped, fur receding to reveal smooth skin, and within monts, he stood before in his human form, naked.
My frown deepened when I noticed it was a man. He had a good physique, probably in his early thirties, with black jet hair, brown eyes, and a faint scar running down the left side of his jaw.
My wolf let out a low growl, ready to pounce, but the man simply lifted his hands in surrender, as if he had no intention of fighting.
"I an no harm," he said suddenly.
I furrowed my brow and studied him for a mont, then realized he had the tattoo of the Shadow Pack on his left arm. That was when I realized this man was from the Shadow Pack. But how did he get here? I looked around, and that's when I realized I had crossed the border of our pack and was now in Shadow Pack territory.
Shit! How long have I been running?
Suddenly, the sound of pounding paws against the earth filled my ears, and then the scent of Louis filled the air. Without been told, I knew it was Louis coming in his wolf form.
The naked stranger in front of , realizing Louis was coming, smirked at . "It seems you have company. I will see you so other ti, Luna Olivia."
Without another word, he shifted back into his wolf form, his sleek black fur blending into the darkness as he sprinted away.
Where I stood in my wolf form, I stared at him, watching him run farther until he was out of sight. I was confused, wondering how he knew , but I didn't have ti to dwell on that because Louis appeared out of the trees in his gigantic, wine-colored wolf form.
Louis skidded to a stop in front of , his massive, wine-colored wolf towering over . His eyes burned with anger and concern as he sniffed the air, his ears twitching.
"Olivia!" he growled, his deep voice laced with frustration as he shifted seamlessly into his human form. Just like the stranger, Louis didn't seem to care about his nakedness, his focus entirely on . "What the hell were you thinking, racing past our border?"
I didn't answer. I didn't want to. My mind was still replaying the mont with the strange wolf—the way he knew my na, the way he smirked like he had so sort of plan.
Louis took another deep breath, his expression darkening. "Soone was here," he muttered, his eyes narrowing as they swept the area. "Who was it?"
Again, I said nothing. Instead, I turned sharply and sprinted back toward our pack, my paws digging into the earth as I pushed forward. I didn't want to talk. I didn't want to explain myself.
"Olivia!" Louis barked behind , his voice full of authority, but I ignored him. I just needed to get away, to clear my mind.
I could hear Louis cursing before shifting back into his wolf form and chasing after . I knew he wouldn't let this go, but for now, I didn't care.
I continued racing down the woods until I got to where my clothes were. Slowing down, I shifted back into my human form, the cool evening air brushing against my bare skin. My breaths ca in short gasps as I reached for my clothes, quickly slipping on my shirt and leggings.
A sharp rustling in the underbrush made tense. I didn't have to turn around to know Louis was here. His presence was unmistakable, his scent thick in the air. I straightened just as he erged from the shadows, his brown eyes blazing with barely contained anger.
"You're not going to ignore this ti," he said, his voice dangerously low. His hands were clenched into fists at his sides, his chest rising and falling with deep, frustrated breaths.
I turned to face him, eting his intense gaze with a steady one of my own. "I don't feel like talking, Louis," I muttered, pulling my hair into a ssy ponytail.
Louis scoffed, stepping closer until there was barely any space between us. "That's not your choice, Olivia. You crossed the border into Shadow Pack territory. Do you have any idea how reckless that was?"
I exhaled sharply and folded my arms. "You should be happy about it… at least if I'm dead, you'll get to be with Anita—the woman you love—instead of being in a marriage with ," I spat.
In the blink of an eye, I was pinned against a tree, his hand wrapped around my throat. Not tight enough to choke , but enough to hold in place.
"You really wish to die, don't you?" he growled angrily, as if the thought of being dead was traumatizing him.
I swallowed hard, my hands gripping his wrist, but I didn't push him away. Instead, I t his gaze, refusing to back down. "What does it matter to you, Alpha Louis?" I whispered, my voice laced with defiance. "Wouldn't it be good news to you and your brothers if I were gone?" I spat.
Louis's frown deepened, and his hand around my neck tightened further.
"You have no right to die, you bitch," he growled, his voice low and dangerous. "You don't get to decide that—not unless my brothers and I say so."
His words sent a shiver down my spine, not out of fear, but sothing far more unsettling. I could feel the raw possessiveness in his touch, the way his fingers pressed against my skin—firm but not crushing. He was furious at the thought of dying.
A bitter laugh escaped . "Why does it matter, Louis?" I whispered, staring up at him, challenging him. "You don't want . You never did. If I were dead, you wouldn't have to deal with anymore. You and your brothers could finally be free of the mate bond. Isn't that what you want?"
Louis flinched, his eyes flashing with sothing dark and conflicted.
I leaned in, my breath warm against his face. "I should just let the Shadow Pack take ," I murmured, my voice dripping with provocation. "Maybe they'll finally put an end to this joke of a marriage. Maybe they'll—"
"Stop." His voice was strained, as if he were holding himself back.
But I didn't stop. I couldn't.
"Maybe I should have let that man in the woods take ," I continued, pushing him, testing him. "Maybe—"
Louis let out a snarl, his control snapping like a thread stretched too thin. In an instant, his grip on my throat tightened just enough to make my breath hitch, and before I could say another word—
His lips crashed against mine.
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