Olivia’s POV
I didn’t know what to feel.
I didn’t know what to say.
So I walked away.
Of course, I already knew Levi had rejected Lennox on my behalf. I wasn’t stupid. I felt it. I always had.
But hearing him say that he lied—that he made believe those were Lennox’s wishes—that was sothing I couldn’t carry.
That broke sothing inside .
I kept walking until I reached my room. I closed the door and leaned my back against it, pressing my lips together so no sound would escape. My chest hurt. My head hurt. Everything hurt.
How did Levi beco this man?
The Levi I knew was gentle. Kind. Protective in the right way.
The Levi I loved was the sweetest person I had ever known.
So what went wrong?
How did he turn into soone I couldn’t even stand to look at anymore?
A soft knock landed on my door.
I didn’t need to ask who it was.
I already knew.
Levi.
I didn’t want to see him. Not yet. Not like this.
But I also knew we couldn’t avoid this forever.
We had too much to talk about.
"Co in," I said softly.
The door opened slowly.
Levi stepped inside, then stopped. He didn’t co closer. He just stood there, like he was afraid I might explode if he moved the wrong way.
He looked terrible.
His eyes were red. His face was pale. His shoulders were slumped, like the weight of everything had finally crushed him. He looked like a man watching his whole world fall apart.
I was angry.
So angry.
But I forced myself to breathe. Slow. Deep. Controlled breaths.
"What do you want?" I asked calmly.
Levi swallowed hard.
"I..." His voice cracked imdiately. He cleared his throat and tried again. "I don’t even know where to start."
He kept his eyes on the floor.
"I don’t know what to say that can fix this," he continued. "But I need to say sothing anyway."
I didn’t answer.
"I’m sorry," he said quietly. "I know I’ve done things I had no right to do. I crossed lines I should never have crossed."
Still, I said nothing.
"I’m sorry for the man I beca," Levi went on. "For the lies. For the control. For thinking I knew what was best for you without ever asking you."
His hands trembled at his sides.
"I’m sorry for taking your choices away," he whispered. "For hurting you in ways I can never undo."
The room was silent except for his breathing.
"I hate myself for it," he said. "Every day. I don’t recognize who I am anymore."
I stayed quiet.
He finally lifted his head and looked at . His eyes were full of fear.
"If you want to punish ," he said slowly, "do it."
"Anything," he added. "Any punishnt. I deserve it."
He took a step forward, then stopped himself.
"I won’t fight it," he said. "I won’t argue. I won’t make excuses."
His voice broke.
"I’ll accept whatever you give . I just... I need you to know I’m truly sorry."
I looked at him.
Really looked at him.
He was waiting for anger.
For shouting.
For punishnt.
But all I felt was tired.
"Levi," I said quietly, "do you know what hurts the most?"
He lifted his head slowly, like he was afraid of the answer.
"It’s not that you lied," I continued. "It’s that you decided for ."
His lips parted, but I raised my hand slightly.
"Don’t," I said. "Let finish."
I took a slow breath.
"You took away my right to feel. My right to choose. My right to grieve the way I needed to," I said. "You thought you were protecting , but you weren’t."
My chest tightened, but I didn’t cry.
"You were protecting yourself."
Levi flinched.
"You didn’t just lie about Lennox," I went on. "You stole my chance to visit him for the four years he was unconscious."
Silence filled the room.
"I don’t hate you," I said softly. "If I did, this would be easier."
His eyes filled with tears.
"But I can’t forgive you," I continued. "Not right now. Maybe not for a long ti."
He took a step toward .
I stepped back.
That small movent said everything.
"I need you to leave," I said.
Levi froze.
"Not the pack," I added. "Not your position."
"Just this room. This space. ."
His breathing broke.
"I can’t heal with you standing this close," I said. "And I won’t pretend I’m fine just to make you feel better."
His voice trembled. "Olivia... please—"
"Please respect this," I said.
Tears slid down his face.
"I need quiet," I whispered. "I need ti. And right now... I need you to walk away."
For a long mont, he didn’t move.
Then slowly, like each step weighed a thousand pounds, Levi nodded.
"I understand," he said hoarsely.
He turned toward the door.
Halfway there, he stopped.
"I really did love you," he said, his back to .
I swallowed hard.
"I know," I replied. "And I love you too."
He opened the door and left.
The door closed softly behind him.
I stood there for a long ti, staring at it, my chest tight. My hands shook slightly as I pressed them against my stomach.
What do I do now? I asked quietly.
My wolf stirred inside , restless. Confused. Hurt.
Everything is broken, I told her. Levi is lost. Louis is hurting. Lennox is hiding behind another face. And I... I don’t even know what to do.
She growled softly, not in anger—just pain.
How did we get here? I whispered. How did love turn into this ss?
No answer ca.
Only silence.
Then—
A knock.
My heart jumped.
I didn’t need to ask who it was.
"Kaine," I said quietly.
The door opened.
He stepped inside, tall and calm, his face carefully blank. But his eyes... his eyes were still the sa.
Lennox’s eyes.
For a second, I almost told him the truth.
I know it’s you.
I’ve always known.
The words burned on my tongue.
But I swallowed them.
He closed the door behind him and faced . "Luna," he said gently, "we need to talk."
I crossed my arms over my chest. "About what?"
He took a breath. A slow one. Like he was choosing his words carefully.
"First," he said, "what happened between us earlier should never happen again."
Sothing inside snapped.
I wanted to yell.
How can you still pretend?
How can you look at and act like you’re not him?
But I stayed quiet.
He continued, unaware—or pretending to be.
"Your mates," he said softly. "Alpha Levi. And Alpha Louis. They’re emotionally drained."
I looked away.
"They’re breaking," he went on. "They don’t know how to fix what’s wrong, and they’re making mistakes because of it."
I let out a quiet laugh. "Mistakes?" I whispered.
He stepped closer. "Olivia, please listen."
I did.
"They love you," he said firmly. "More than anything in this world. They’ve loved you for years. They just... lost their way."
My chest tightened.
"They’re not perfect," he continued. "They did things they shouldn’t have. Things they can’t take back. But none of it ca from hate."
He looked at , his eyes full of sothing deep and steady.
"It ca from fear," he said. "From losing you. From losing Lennox. From not knowing how to hold everything together."
That na hit like a punch.
"You are their mate," he went on. "Their Luna. And right now, they need you more than ever."
I turned back to him sharply. "So what are you saying?"
"I’m saying," he replied calmly, "that you should talk to them. Try to fix this. Try to settle what’s broken."
My hands clenched.
"They are your mates," he said. "And they love you. Even when they fail, even when they hurt you... they love you."
He kept talking, steady and earnest, just like Lennox always did.
"Walking away won’t heal anyone," he said. "Not you. Not them. Not the pack."
I stared at him.
Lennox will always be Lennox, I thought bitterly.
Even wearing another face, he was still trying to fix everyone else.
Still putting himself last.
I felt sothing sharp rise in .
Annoyance.
Pain.
And sothing else.
I wanted to tease him.
I stepped toward him.
He frowned slightly. "Luna—"
I didn’t let him finish.
I wrapped my arms around him.
His body went stiff instantly.
"It’s you I want," I said softly, pressing close. "It’s always been you."
His breath hitched. "Olivia, stop—"
I smiled against his chest. "Why are you still pretending?" I teased quietly. "Why are you still lying to ?"
He grabbed my arms gently, trying to pull back. "Don’t do this."
I tightened my hold instead. "I want you," I whispered. "Not them. You."
"Enough," he said, his voice strained.
I pushed just a little more.
Suddenly, he shoved away.
Not hard—but firm.
I stumbled back and landed on the bed with a soft gasp.
He stood there, breathing hard, his face dark.
"Fix your relationship with your mates," he said coldly. "And leave alone."
My heart slamd painfully against my ribs.
"I don’t love you," he went on harshly. "Whatever happened between us—it was a mistake."
The words sliced deep.
" fucking you was a mistake," he said flatly.
I froze.
He turned away without looking back and walked out.
The door closed.
Hard.
I lay there on the bed, staring at the ceiling, my heart shattered into pieces.
Tears finally spilled down my cheeks.
Because even when he was pretending not to be Lennox—he still knew exactly how to hurt .
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