Olivia’s POV
I appeared in the old witch’s hut—the sa woman who once helped cast the spell that brought my mother out of her coma. The air inside was thick with smoke and the scent of herbs, just as I rembered. Luckily, she was there.
She sat cross-legged on the cold floor, her gray hair falling loosely over her shoulders, her eyes closed as she murmured an incantation under her breath. She must have sensed my presence, but she didn’t lift her head right away. Her fingers kept tracing glowing symbols across the dusty floor, her voice steady and deep, whispering in the ancient tongue.
I stood there for a mont, trying to catch my breath. My heart was pounding so hard it hurt.
When she finally spoke, her voice was calm, almost a whisper. "I was wondering how long it would take you to co."
I swallowed, my throat tight. "You knew I’d co?"
The old witch gave a faint smile without looking up. "A woman whose bond has been ripped apart never stays still for long."
Her words hit like a blade. My knees weakened, but I steadied myself. "I need your help," I said, my voice breaking. "I can’t lose him to death."
Now she lifted her head, her sharp eyes locking on mine. "You still feel his soul calling, don’t you?"
I nodded, my tears spilling again. "Please... I can still sense him—faintly. He’s alive, but he’s slipping away. Tell how to reach him. How to bring him back. Am I the special one? There’s sothing I can do, right?"
The witch studied for a long, silent mont. Then she sighed and rose slowly to her feet, her joints creaking.
"Child," she said quietly, "Lennox is not gone... not yet. His soul still clings to this realm, though his body sleeps beyond mortal ti."
My heart skipped. "You an he’ll wake up?"
She nodded once. "Yes. But not soon. It could take years—five... ten... maybe twenty. Ti moves differently for souls that wander between worlds."
My breath caught. "No," I whispered, shaking my head. "No, I can’t wait that long. There has to be another way. Sothing I can do now."
The witch’s lips curved faintly, almost pitying. "There is always a way," she said. "But it cos with a price."
"I don’t care about the price," I said quickly. "Tell ."
She moved closer, the floor creaking under her bare feet. "Every night, you must wound yourself," she said. "Just enough to draw a drop of blood. That drop you will feed him—place it on his tongue before dawn. I will perform a ritual at the sa hour, guiding your life force into his."
I swallowed hard, my chest tightening. "Will it work?"
The witch’s eyes smirked. "You are far more powerful than you realize, Olivia. You have not yet been stretched to your limits. The strength of a rubber band," she said, raising a wrinkled finger, "is known only when it’s pulled."
Her words sent a shiver down my spine.
"It will not take long," she continued. "If you do this faithfully, seven nights will be enough. By the seventh dawn, he will gain consciousness."
Those words from her relieved , but sothing in her voice made pause. "You said it cos with a price," I murmured. "What kind of price?"
The witch’s expression darkened. "That," she said softly, "I do not know. Each resurrection demands sothing different. A soul cannot return from the other side without paying for its passage."
I frowned. "You an he’ll be... changed?"
"Changed," she repeated, her eyes distant. "In ways we cannot predict. But he will live. His body will breathe, his eyes will open, his heart will beat again. The only thing I cannot promise... is that he will return the sa."
I felt my stomach twist. "What do you an?"
She looked straight at , her tone low and final. "He may not co back as the man you loved, Olivia. The bond between you is gone. What returns may rember you, but not feel you the sa way. Sothing will be taken away from him as the price in place of his life."
I clenched my fists, my throat burning. I thought of the words, but nothing could compare to the idea of never seeing Lennox open his eyes again.
"I don’t care what he becos," I whispered fiercely. "As long as he cos back to ... I’ll take him any way I can."
The witch watched quietly for a mont, then nodded once. "Then prepare yourself, child. Tomorrow, before the first moonrise... we begin."
Her words echoed in my chest like a heartbeat of hope, and for the first ti since all this happened, I was able to breathe.
I bowed slightly, my voice trembling. "Thank you... thank you."
The old witch gave a faint, knowing smile. "Don’t thank yet, child. Pray instead—that the price won’t be too cruel."
I nodded, and in a blink, I was gone.
When I opened my eyes again, I was back in Lennox’s room.
The air was heavy, thick with the scent of healing herbs. Louis and Levi were both there, standing near the window. They turned sharply when I appeared, shock flashing across their faces.
"Olivia—" Levi started, relief flooding his voice. "You’re back."
I didn’t answer him. I couldn’t. My heart was already moving toward the bed.
Lennox lay there, pale but peaceful. His chest rose and fell faintly beneath the sheets. His once-strong hands rested limply at his sides. My beautiful, stubborn, infuriatingly perfect Alpha looked nothing like the force of nature I knew. He looked... fragile.
My breath hitched.
I sat down beside him, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead with shaking fingers. "My sexy, handso man," I whispered, a small, broken smile tugging at my lips. "You still manage to look good even like this."
My thumb traced his cheek gently. His skin was warm, but there was no spark—no energy, no bond. Only stillness.
"Don’t worry," I whispered, leaning closer so my lips brushed his ear. "Soon, you’ll be back. I promise you that."
Behind , Levi’s voice broke through the silence. "Olivia... what did you do?"
I ignored him, keeping my eyes on Lennox. My hand lingered over his chest, feeling for that faint beat.
"Olivia," Louis said, his voice firr now. "Answer him. What did you do? Or what are you planning to do?"
I inhaled deeply, trying to steady the anger inside . "I’m doing what you couldn’t," I said softly, without looking at them. "I’m bringing him back."
Levi’s tone sharpened. "Olivia, whatever you’re thinking—"
"I’m not thinking," I cut him off, my voice low but steady. "I’m doing."
I turned then, my eyes locking on theirs. "You took his bond from . You silenced our bond. But you didn’t take my love. And that," I said, my voice trembling with fire, "is enough to bring him back."
The room went silent again.
Levi took a step forward, his expression unreadable. "Olivia... please. Don’t do sothing you’ll regret."
I looked back at Lennox, brushing my fingers along his jaw. "The only thing I regret," I whispered, "is not saving him sooner."
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