Chapter 26
Olivia's POV
I settled into my office, finally ready to dive into the Lunera Beauty books. My life had felt so out of control lately, it was like a breath of fresh air to be back, in control of my own space.
I had barely opened my laptop when Mia knocked and slipped in, her expression hesitant, her lips pressed tightly together.
“Liv, you are not going to believe this,” she began, crossing her arms in front of her. “It’s about Aiden.”
A familiar prickling ran down my spine at the mention of his name. “What about him?”
Mia huffed out a breath in disbelief before meeting my gaze. “He proposed a collaboration on your new project. And the terms… well, they were beyond generous. Like, more than Aiden has access to level of generous.”
Of course they were. I nearly rolled my eyes. Aiden believed he could buy his way into my heart when threats didn’t work. “Did he say why?”
“He thinks it could be… mutually beneficial,” she emphasized the last with finger air quotes.
The words churned in my mind. Mutually beneficial, as if I would ever believe he had my interests at heart.
My jaw clenched as I took a slow, deliberate breath. “No. Absolutely not. The last thing I want is him involved in any part of this.”
Mia nodded, in compete agreement. “I thought you’d say that, but I wanted you to hear it from me first. Especially since we removed his access to LB’s finances and accounts.”
A small spark of satisfaction lit up my chest. Removing Aiden had been my first order of business after he drained the accounts, one that kept LB safe from more of his interference.
Yet his persistence was infuriating. He wasn’t letting me go, no matter how many doors I closed in his face.
I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms as I considered the layers beneath his so-called proposal. “What else did he say?” I asked, though I already had a feeling I knew the answer.
Mia shifted uncomfortably. “He implied that if you refuse, he’d be willing to escalate things. Threatened, even.”
My stomach twisted, but I kept my expression steely. This was how Aiden played the game – pushing relentlessly, until someone caved into his demands. He’d use charm, intimidation, money, whatever it took, but he wouldn’t stop.
But he had no idea who he was dealing with. I met Mia’s gaze, letting my determination settle between us. “I’m not changing my mind.”
Mia gave a short nod, her support warming my heart. “Just know… Aiden isn’t happy. And Chloe is right there with him. Rumor is they’re both frustrated with the way Derek seems to… favor you.”
I bit the inside of my cheek, surprised at the subtle thrill that came with that realization. Aiden and Chloe, uneasy over Derek’s approval of me? Maybe I’d gained more ground than I thought.
“Well, let them stew,” I replied coolly. “I didn’t claw my way here just to hand him the keys. I’m not giving him shit. He’ll have to fight me for it.”
Mia’s lips twitched in a smile as she straightened with pride. “There’s my Luna bestie.”
As she left, I glanced out the window, feeling resigned to the fact the next week before the vote was going to be hell.
Aiden was making one last effort to press what he thought was an advantage. He’d deceived me, stolen from me, and betrayed me. And now he wanted to disrespect me with extortion.
Let him fucking try.
As I left the office, my mind was still racing with Mia’s warning about Aiden’s proposal. The last thing I needed was another confrontation with him, yet I knew it was inevitable.
His presence lingered around Lunera Beauty like a shadow refusing to fade, even though he’d been cut off from the company's finances and projects.
I needed some air, and my wolf needed the woods.
When I stepped onto the pathway that would take me through the forested park, I almost collided with Chloe.
She fixed me with a knowing, cold gaze. Her expression was sharper than usual, scrutinizing me in a way that made my skin crawl. She looked like she was barely containing her frustration; her fingers flexing slightly, as if she were ready to claw into me.
“Aiden told me you refused his offer,” she said, her voice low but charged.
I met her eyes, feigning indifference. “I’m surprised he thought I’d accept. I don’t owe him an explanation. Or you.”
Chloe scoffed, folding her arms. “You might not owe him anything, but don’t think your alliance with Ethan will shield you forever. Derek’s favoritism is one thing, but it doesn’t make you untouchable.”
I raised my eyebrow, feeling my own frustration mounting.
“If Derek’s reactions bother you so much, why didn’t you bring it up in the meeting? I’m sure someone like you wouldn’t be too afraid to have a public opinion.”
The silence stretched between us, tension thickening as I held her gaze. Beneath her anger, I felt the flicker of something else – unease, like she was caught in a storm she didn’t know how to weather.
Her lips pressed into a thin line. “Be careful, Olivia. The Alpha Council has its limits, and Derek won’t protect you forever.”
With that, she turned and walked away, her heels clicking sharply on the path, each step like the ticking of a countdown clock.
I stayed rooted to the spot, watching Chloe’s retreating form until she disappeared around the corner, her words echoing in my mind.
Derek won’t protect you forever.
I scoffed under my breath. Protection didn’t seem like Derek’s game. If Chloe and Aiden thought threats would scare me off, they hadn’t been paying attention.
The sharp bite of the evening air grounded me. I inhaled deeply, feeling my wolf settle, and let my focus shift to the next tasks.
There was no time to get lost in Chloe’s mind games.
I straightened, brushing off the chill that Chloe’s words had left behind, and headed back to the office to grab my files. If she wanted to watch me cower, she was going to be sorely disappointed.
I was Luna, and I needed to act like it.
