Olivia’s POV
It was ten in the morning.
And I still hadn’t left my room.
After seeing that stranger outside my door earlier, my mind refused to settle. No matter how much I tried to push it away, his presence clung to . His scent. His build. The way my heart reacted when it had no right to.
It made no sense.
I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at nothing, my fingers digging into the fabric. I did not want to see him again. I did not want to feel that strange pull. I did not want questions I couldn’t answer.
So I made a decision.
I stood up and teleported.
The world shifted, and a second later, I was inside Levi’s room. Levi stood inside, pulling on his jacket, clearly getting ready to leave. He froze when he saw .
"Olivia?" he said. "What’s wrong?"
Anger rushed up so fast it shocked even .
"What is wrong?" I snapped, walking in. "You tell , Levi. Since when do I need a guard?"
He frowned. "You do need one."
"I don’t," I shot back. "I have never needed one."
Levi turned fully to face . "You are not okay."
That hurt more than I expected.
"I lost a man I love," I said sharply. "Of course I’m not okay. But that doesn’t an you get to make decisions about my life without telling ."
He crossed his arms. "You barely leave your room. You don’t eat properly. You don’t sleep. And you are the Luna. You are vulnerable."
I laughed bitterly. "Vulnerable? I could burn this entire mansion to ash if I wanted to."
"That’s exactly my point," he replied calmly. "You are unstable right now."
The word hit like a slap.
"You think I don’t notice?" he continued. "You teleport without warning. You disappear. If sothing happens to you—"
"Then what?" I cut in. "Then what, Levi? Another funeral?"
His jaw tightened.
I stepped closer. "And if I want to teleport, what then? Will your guard stop ?"
He hesitated. "You will teleport with him."
My eyes widened. "No."
"That’s how it will be," he said. "For now."
"No," I repeated, louder. "I don’t want him near ."
Levi sighed, rubbing his face. "Olivia—"
"I don’t like this," I said, my voice shaking now. "You keep making decisions without telling . Without involving Louis. We are all in this together. Lennox would never—"
"Don’t," Levi snapped.
Silence crashed between us.
I swallowed hard. "Lennox would never treat like I’m so fragile thing that needs to be watched."
Levi’s eyes flashed. "Lennox is dead. Maybe you should go dig him out of the grave and fra his dead body."
The mont the words left his mouth, he knew he had crossed a line.
Levi went still.
His face drained of color.
"I’m sorry," he said quietly.
Pain surged up my throat, hot and choking.
"I didn’t an—" he started, but it was too late.
I teleported before either of us could say anything else.
The world spun.
I landed back in front of my room, shaking.
I pushed the door open hard.
And there he was.
The guard.
Standing just inside the room, straight-backed, calm, dressed in a black guard uniform. Tall. Broad shoulders. That familiar build that made my chest ache.
"Get out!" I shouted the mont I saw him. "Get out of my room right now!"
He didn’t move.
He didn’t flinch.
Instead, he lifted his hands slightly.
"Luna," he said gently. "Please breathe."
The sound of his voice sent a strange shiver through .
"I said get out!" I yelled again.
He took one slow step back, giving space, his voice still calm. "I will leave if you want. But you are shaking. You are not breathing properly."
"Don’t tell what I am," I snapped.
He nodded once. "Alright."
Then, quietly, "Just... sit down. You don’t have to talk. You don’t even have to look at ."
Sothing about the way he said it broke through my anger.
My legs felt weak all of a sudden.
I hated it.
I hated him.
I hated that my body reacted to him at all.
He stayed where he was, not coming closer, not forcing anything.
My chest tightened painfully.
I turned away from him, tears burning my eyes.
"Just... don’t follow ," I whispered.
"I won’t," he replied imdiately. "Unless you ask."
That calm voice.
That familiar steadiness.
It made no sense.
And it scared more than my anger ever had.
I looked away from him, my hands shaking at my sides.
Then I heard soft footsteps.
When I turned slightly, I saw him holding a glass of water.
He stopped a few steps away.
"For you," he said quietly. "You should drink sothing."
I hesitated.
I didn’t want to take it.
I didn’t want to need anything from him.
But my throat was dry. My head hurt.
I reached out.
The mont my fingers touched the glass, his hand brushed mine.
Just barely.
Electric.
A sharp, strange tingle shot up my arm and settled deep in my chest.
I sucked in a breath.
My wolf stirred.
Not loudly. Not fully.
But enough.
I pulled my hand back quickly, my heart pounding. I stared at him, confused, unsettled.
"What..." I whispered, then cleared my throat. "What is wrong with you?"
He frowned slightly. "Wrong, Luna?"
I swallowed. "Why can’t I feel your wolf?"
The question hung between us.
His eyes darkened for a mont.
"I lost my mate," he said quietly.
My breath caught.
"How?" I asked before I could stop myself.
"An accident," he replied. "Pain. Loss. My wolf went silent. He is still there... just mourning."
Sothing inside softened.
I understood that kind of pain.
Too well.
"I’m sorry," I said quietly.
He nodded once. "Thank you."
I took the glass properly this ti and drank. The cool water helped a little. My hands still trembled.
I realized he was looking at .
Not rudely. Not boldly.
Just... steadily.
Like he was morizing sothing.
I cleared my throat and straightened up. "I have a eting," I said quickly. "We’re leaving."
He dipped his head. "As you wish, Luna."
I moved toward the door, my steps quick. I didn’t teleport. I needed the walk.
He followed behind , keeping a respectful distance.
The hallway was quiet. Too quiet.
As we turned a corner, my foot caught on the edge of a rug.
"Watch out," he said sharply.
Too late.
I lost my balance.
The world tilted.
Strong arms caught , but the montum carried us both down.
We hit the floor hard.
I landed on top of him.
My hands pressed against his chest.
His breath left him in a soft grunt.
And then—
Our lips touched.
Not deep.
Not planned.
Just a soft, stunned brush.
For one frozen second, everything stopped.
The hallway.
The grief.
The world.
My wolf surged.
His scent flooded my senses.
My heart slamd so hard it hurt.
I pulled back instantly, scrambling to my feet, my face burning.
"I— I’m sorry," I breathed, shaken.
He sat up slowly, eyes wide, breathing just as hard.
"It was my fault," he said quickly. "I should have—"
We both stopped speaking.
Because the air between us felt wrong.
I didn’t say another word.
I straightened my dress, lifted my chin, and walked forward like nothing had happened. Like my lips were not still tingling. Like my heart was not racing in my chest.
I did not look back at him.
I could feel him fall into step behind , silent, respectful, giving space. That made it worse sohow. If he had spoken, if he had tried to explain, I could have snapped at him. I could have pushed the feeling away.
But he didn’t.
And my mind betrayed .
For one terrible, confusing second, the thought crossed my mind.
It felt like Lennox.
Not his face.
Not his eyes.
But the way my body reacted.
The way my wolf stirred.
The way my chest tightened like it used to when Lennox stood too close.
I shook my head sharply as I walked.
No.
That was impossible.
I watched Lennox die.
I watched them lower his coffin into the ground.
I buried him.
This was grief. Nothing more. My heart reaching for sothing familiar because it was broken and desperate.
I clenched my fists at my sides.
Get yourself together, Olivia.
I missed him. That was all. I missed him so much it was twisting my mind.
We reached the eting hall. The large doors were already open, voices drifting out. Elders, warriors, council mbers. All waiting.
I walked in first.
The room fell quiet imdiately.
I took my seat at the head of the table, my posture straight, my face calm. Luna first. Grief second. Always.
Kaine stopped near the wall, taking his place in the shadows like a proper guard.
I told myself not to look at him.
But I failed.
As the eting began, voices blended together. Reports about borders. Rogue activity. Repairs needed after the fight. Supplies. Patrol rotations.
I nodded at the right tis. Spoke when necessary. Asked the right questions.
But my eyes kept drifting.
To the corner.
To him.
He stood still, hands clasped behind his back, gaze lowered but alert. Every so often, his eyes lifted briefly, scanning the room, assessing threats. But I—my eyes were fucking drifting toward him.
Moon Goddess, what is wrong with ?
I forced my attention back to the table.
An elder was speaking about security changes. Another about alliances. I heard the words, but they slid off like water.
My lips still tingled.
I pressed them together slightly, annoyed at myself.
It ant nothing.
It was an accident. A fall. A mont.
Still... my wolf was not silent anymore.
She wasn’t loud. She wasn’t speaking.
But she was awake.
That scared .
I glanced at Kaine again despite how hard I tried not to.
He wasn’t staring at . Not openly. But I could feel his awareness, like a quiet presence always tuned in to my movents.
I shifted in my seat.
Gods... Olivia. Stop.
I looked down at the table, my fingers tightening around the armrest.
I missed Lennox.
That was the truth of it.
I missed his presence behind in etings.
I missed knowing he was there without looking.
I missed the way my body always knew where he was.
And my grief was playing tricks on .
That was all.
It had to be.
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