Chapter 67
Ethan's POV
Matthew smoothed the fabric of his shirt, his smile falling. For the first time, his calm exterior cracked, just enough to show a glimpse of uncertainty.
But he recovered quickly, brushing past me with a muttered, “Good luck holding onto her, Alpha.”
I couldn’t respond with violence; this wasn’t the time or the place. But I wanted to tear Matthew apart with claws and teeth and leave nothing left to get near Olivia.
Matthew gave me one last pointed look before sauntering off, his arrogance lingering like a bad taste in the air.
The moment he disappeared down the hallway, my wolf surged forward, growling in my chest, demanding action. My fists clenched at my sides as I forced myself to turn away, but the taste of confrontation lingered, bitter and unfulfilled.
Marlus stood beside me, his arms crossed, his gaze sharp as he waited for my next move.
Adrenaline still buzzed under my skin as I leaned against the cold hospital wall, my fists clenched. My wolf paced, growling with frustration at the man who dared to get too close to our Mate.
I didn’t have time to process the deeper unease that came with Matthew’s almost-challenge before Marlus reminded me that he was there. “Alpha,” he said, his tone low. His expression was grim, telling me this wasn’t just a casual check-in.
I straightened, pushing away from the wall. “What do you have for me?”
Marlus glanced around the quiet corridor before stepping closer. “We’ve confirmed Matthew’s connection to Aiden.”
My jaw tightened, the knot in my chest pulling tighter. “What kind of connection?”
“Solid,” Marlus said. “Matthew’s been quietly encouraging Aiden in his push for Alpha status. Strategizing, providing information; subtle enough to stay under the radar, but deliberate. It seems he’s been working both sides, manipulating Aiden while slowly trying to seduce Olivia.”
My wolf bristled at the word ‘seduce,’ and I had to take a slow breath to keep myself steady. “Why? What does he want?”
Marlus pressed his mouth into a hard line. “Power. He has Alpha blood, Ethan. Turns out Matthew is the son of Alpha Jacob Calder.”
My stomach dropped. Calder. I have no idea how I didn’t put the two together before. “Chloe’s first husband.”
Marlus nodded. “Exactly. She left Calder to marry Derek. Matthew’s always been an outlier, not a Rogue but no Pack of his own. Enough Alpha energy to be a threat to his dad. Matthew sees an opportunity to claim what he thinks is his birthright.”
The pieces fell into place, each one sharpening the anger in my chest. “He can’t challenge his own father, wasn’t named heir, so he’s trying to take Olivia. And her Pack.”
Marlus’s eyes darkened. “That’s the theory. He’s been playing Aiden, likely hates the male as much as we do and just banks on you to get him out of the way. Permanently.”
He huffs out a frustrated breath before continuing, “Matthew’s using Olivia’s emotions, her desire to protect her Pack and her mother’s illness, even a desire for a loving Mate, to position himself as the answer to all her problems.”
My fists clenched. “And if he manages to sway her...”
“He gains the influence and legitimacy he’s been chasing for years without a formal challenge.” Marlus finished.
“Fuck.” It was the only appropriate response I had for Marlus.
I’d been so focused on Aiden and Chloe that I hadn’t seen the slow-simmering threat that was right in front of me.
Matthew was a bigger problem than I had anticipated.
I turned away, pacing a few steps before stopping to stare out a window. The hospital parking lot glowed dimly under the streetlights, but all I could see was Matthew’s smug face.
“He’s dangerous,” Marlus continued. “Smart, cunning. And with Alpha blood, he’s got enough power to be a real threat if this goes unchecked.”
“He’s underestimated me,” I said, my voice low but firm. “He thinks he can manipulate Olivia and his way into Alpha status. He thinks I’ll let him walk away unscathed. He’s wrong.”
Marlus nodded his head. “So, what’s the plan, Ethan? Because if you let this simmer, he’s only going to dig himself deeper into her life, and the Packs’ business.”
I turned back to face him, my wolf flashing in my eyes.
“We start with Aiden. Use what we’ve learned to squeeze his Rogues for everything. And we make damn sure Olivia knows who Matthew really is.”
“Understood. But Ethan... Matthew’s got a history of playing the long game and we don’t want to piss off his father, you know Jacob Calder’s reputation. His father might not be involved yet, but if Matthew starts pulling strings, we could have two Alphas coming after us. You really want to risk that?”
No, I didn’t want to risk that, but for Olivia I’d risk more.
Jacob Calder wasn’t a name to take lightly. An Alpha with ties to the Council, he’d carved out a reputation for ruthlessness and ambition. And Matthew, as his son, carried that same potential.
“Take Kerrick,” I said, my voice tight with barely restrained anger. “Go to Derek. Report everything: Matthew’s connection to Aiden, his Alpha power, all of it. Make sure Derek knows how deep this runs. Him, not the Council. If anyone can leverage this mess, it’s him. Matthew won’t see that coming.”
Marlus’s eyebrows lifted slightly. “You think Derek will act on this? He’s got a history of waiting until it benefits him.”
“I don’t trust him to do the right thing,” I admitted, my jaw tightening. “But I trust him to act in his best interest. Right now, that means keeping Olivia focused on her role with him. If he sees Matthew as a threat to her and me, he’ll act.”
Marlus nodded, “Understood. But what about Olivia? She’s going to hear about this sooner or later.”
At the mention of her name, my wolf stilled, the anger in my chest shifting to something lighter. My gaze drifted toward the hospital room where Olivia sat with her mother, the need to be with her a pull even from here.
“We protect her,” I said firmly, my voice softening. “No matter what Matthew’s game is, we don’t let it touch her. Not yet. But she’ll know soon enough. And when she does, we’ll handle it..”
Marlus hesitated, then clapped a hand on my shoulder. “You focus on your Luna, Ethan. I’ll keep the rest from intruding on her time as much as I can.”
As Marlus walked away, the hall fell silent, leaving me with the echoes of my wolf’s simmering rage. The urge to hunt Matthew down and deal with him the way an Alpha should tugged at me, but I pushed it aside.
Olivia didn’t need a war right now. She needed a Mate who was steady. And for once, I had to put her above everything else, including vengeance.
