Chapter 66
Ethan's POV
The hospital's sharp antiseptic scent hit me the moment I stepped inside, setting my wolf on edge. It was a place that screamed heartache, and the thought of Olivia spending so much time here – with him – made my blood run hot.
Matthew. His name alone brought out a growl that simmered just beneath the surface, my wolf pacing within me, restless and frustrated.
He’d been circling Olivia like a predator, always there when she was at her most vulnerable. I couldn’t shake the way his name kept coming up, the way his scent lingered near hers more often than I liked.
As I approached the waiting area down the hall from Olivia’s mother’s room, I caught his scent before I saw him. That musky, almost sweet scent Matthew carried, as if he wanted to mask his true smell. My wolf bristled, and my fists clenched reflexively.
He was too close to Olivia, leaning in as he spoke in low tones. Her shoulders were hunched, her hands clasped tightly against her stomach. She looked tired, fragile in a way that tugged at something deep inside me.
The sight of her like that, with Matthew right there, playing on her emotional state to get closer to her, set my blood boiling.
Just then, she turned away and headed towards her mother’s room, and I watched his hand drop to his side like he’d just been touching her.
“Matthew,” I said, my voice sharp but low.
His head snapped up,
Matthew turned, his movements deliberate and measured, as though he knew he was stepping into dangerous territory.
He adjusted his white coat, meeting my gaze with an unsettling calmness. “To what do I owe the pleasure, Alpha Ethan?” he asked, his voice laced with mock politeness.
The growl rose in my chest before I could suppress it.
“You’re spending a lot of time here, Matthew, considering I had you transferred from her mother’s care team” I said, my voice low and edged with warning. “Now you’re hovering over Olivia like some kind of savior. Why is that?”
Matthew tilted his head, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “I could ask you the same. Seems like she needs support, and let’s face it, you haven’t exactly been around as much as she needs, have you?”
The words hit a nerve, but I didn’t flinch. My wolf surged forward, urging me to put this male in his place. “Watch your tone,” I snapped, stepping closer. “You’re treading on very thin ice.”
Instead of backing down, Matthew straightened, his demeanor shifting ever so slightly. A flicker of something primal passed through his eyes and he leaked a power that felt far too familiar.
My wolf stilled, suddenly alert.
“I’m only doing what Olivia asks of me,” Matthew said, his voice quiet but steady, like the rumble before a storm. “You might not like my presence, Ethan, but that doesn’t make it any less necessary.”
My fists clenched at his audacity. “She doesn’t need you. Whatever you’re playing at, it ends now.”
He took a step forward, his smirk fading into something colder, sharper. “You think you can order me away?” he said, his voice dipping into a tone that made me bristle. “You’re not the only one powerful enough for a Luna like her.”
The tension between us crackled, and for the first time, I felt the faint hum of Alpha energy radiating from him. It wasn’t fully developed, but it was there, hidden beneath his polished facade.
I narrowed my eyes, my voice dropping to a dangerous growl. “You’re out of your depth, Doctor. Stay away from Olivia, or you’ll find out just how far I’m willing to go to protect her.”
Matthew’s smile returned, colder than before. “Protect her, or control her?” he said, his words like a dagger meant to provoke.
The growl in my chest deepened, but I forced myself to reign in my wolf. “This is your last warning,” I said, my voice a promise of violence.
Matthew’s gaze lingered for a moment before he nodded, as if conceding the round. But the tension in his posture told me he wasn’t going to walk away.
Whatever Matthew was hiding, he was far more dangerous than I’d realized.
And my wolf had more than enough.
Matthew stood taller, his posture too casual for someone cornered by an Alpha. His smugness stoked the fire already raging in my chest.
I stepped closer, letting my power seep into the air between us. The hospital hallway felt too quiet, the antiseptic smell doing little to dull the tension.
“You’ve been playing a dangerous game, Matthew,” I said, my voice low and sharp. “First with Olivia, now with Aiden. I won’t let you drag her into your mess.”
Matthew raised an eyebrow, feigning ignorance. “Aiden? That’s quite the accusation, Ethan. Do you have any actual proof, or is this just your jealousy talking?”
A growl rumbled in my chest, and I slammed Matthew into the wall, my forearm pressing into his chest. “Don’t deflect. I know you’ve been sniffing around Olivia, planting doubt, manipulating her when she’s vulnerable. You think I wouldn’t notice?”
He flashed his teeth at me and let his arms go loose against his sides. It was a subtle challenge but told me he might be a problem.
The relaxation in Matthew’s body wasn’t submission, it was preparation for defense; he thought I would start a fight here and now, and he wasn’t backing down from it.
“She deserves someone who actually sees her, someone who values her for more than what she can offer politically. You’ve failed her, Ethan. Over and over again.”
The words hit right to the heart of it. My fist clenched his shirt, my wolf raging for control. “Stay away from her,” I growled. “This is your last warning.”
Matthew’s expression didn’t change, but I saw the flicker of calculation in his eyes. “You can warn me all you want,” he said smoothly. “But maybe you should ask yourself why she listens to me, why she trusts me, feels supported by me.”
The air between us grew thicker with power. “You think you’re clever,” I said, my tone lethal. “But when this falls apart, and it will, I’ll personally make sure you regret every move you’ve made towards her. And against me.”
Behind me Marlus cleared his throat, his hand firm on my shoulder, the subtle pressure a silent reminder. “Alpha, we’re not alone,” he said, his voice low but sharp enough to cut through the growl rumbling in my chest.
I ignored him, my eyes locked on Matthew. The bastard didn’t even flinch, his smirk widening like he was enjoying this. “Matthew,” I snarled, stepping closer despite Marlus’ grip. “You’ve been circling Olivia like a vulture, and we both know it.”
Matthew’s smile didn’t falter. “Maybe she just appreciates someone who knows how to listen,” he said smoothly, brushing invisible dust off his sleeve. “Not everything’s about power, Ethan. Sometimes it’s about connection.”
My fists clenched, my wolf clawing to the surface. But Marlus moved into my peripheral vision, his stance solid, and said the only thing that could make me back off, “Olivia needs you.”
He turned to Matthew, his tone as sharp as his glare. “Walk away while you still can.”
Matthew chuckled softly, his smugness grating against my nerves. “Always so dramatic,” he said, “But I’ll take your advice, Beta. For now.”
It took every ounce of control I had, but I managed to take a single step away from the bastard.
If he didn’t walk away right now, I didn’t know if I could hold my wolf back.
