Chapter 86
Ethan's POV
The folder in Marlus’s hand was thick, its edges worn as though he’d been poring over its contents for hours. His expression was grim, jaw set in a way I’d come to recognize as a sign of bad news.
My wolf stirred, already anticipating the worst before Marlus had even spoken a word.
“Chloe’s desperate,” Marlus began, his voice low and steady as he placed the folder on my desk. “She’s been trying to bribe some of your allies, hoping to sway them before the vote.”
I opened the folder, scanning the neatly organized pages of emails and financial records. The evidence was damning: payments funneled through shell accounts, thinly veiled promises of power in exchange for loyalty.
My wolf growled low in my chest, the sound rumbling through the room.
“Who?” I asked, though I already had an idea. Chloe’s targets were always the most vulnerable, the undecided, the wavering.
Marlus hesitated for a moment before answering. “Alpha Rylan. He’s been on the fence since the beginning, but this could tip him toward Chloe if we’re not careful.”
I slammed the folder shut, the sound reverberating through the office. My wolf bristled, the urge to act surging through me. “And he didn’t think to come to me with this?”
“His Luna has been getting friendly with Chloe the last year and he’s probably trying to keep her happy,” Marlus said. “She’s playing dirty, Ethan. She can’t win with strength, so she’ll try to win with manipulation. That’s just a different kind of power.”
I stood, pacing the length of the room as my thoughts churned. Derek’s face flashed in my mind, his smirk a constant reminder of the lessons I’d learned under his rule – some intentional, others not.
Derek had always led with calculated ruthlessness, seeing the Pack as a chessboard where every piece was expendable if it meant securing the throne.
But I wasn’t Derek. I wouldn’t follow in his footsteps.
“She’s not just targeting me,” I said, my voice hardening. “She’s targeting Olivia. Everything she’s doing is designed to make us look weak.”
Marlus nodded. “Then you need to make a statement. Show her that we’re untouchable.”
I stopped pacing, my gaze locking onto Marlus. “We will. But not like Derek would handle it. We’re taking her down with the truth and strength, not underhanded deals and fear. It’s what Olivia would want.”
Marlus studied me for a moment, then smiled faintly. “You really are different from him.”
“Damn right I am,” I muttered, my fists clenching at my sides. My wolf quieted slightly, soothed by the resolve coursing through me. “Gather our Alpha allies before the vote. If Chloe wants to play dirty, we’ll be ready to counter every move she makes.”
As Marlus left to handle my orders, I turned back to the folder on my desk. Derek’s shadow loomed large, but it was a reminder of what not to be. I wouldn’t just protect Olivia and my Pack—I’d lead them into a future where no one like Chloe could threaten them again.
The weight of leadership pressed heavily on my shoulders, but for the first time, I welcomed it.
The dim light from the desk lamp cast long shadows across my office, its golden glow barely illuminating the stack of documents scattered across the surface.
I rubbed my temples, the weight of Chloe’s schemes and the looming vote pressing down on me like a physical burden. No matter how much we prepared, the uncertainty gnawed at me.
A soft knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts. “Come in,” I said, my voice rough from hours of silence.
The door creaked open, and Olivia stepped inside. Even in the low light, she carried an undeniable presence, her every movement drawing me in. “I thought I’d find you here,” she said, her tone gentle but probing.
I sat back and widened my legs, a blatant invitation that accepted. Olivia crossed the room and sat in my lap, her arms circling my neck. Her touch was grounding, a tether that kept me from being completely consumed by the stress of this quiet war.
“Chloe’s playing every angle,” I admitted, breaking the silence. “Every time I think we’ve got a handle on her, she finds another crack to exploit. I can’t help but wonder if I’ve done enough—if we’ve done enough—to secure the vote and keep us all safe.”
Olivia’s fingers played absentmindedly in my hair, loosening my shoulders another inch. Her gaze was steady, unwavering. “You’ve done everything you can, Ethan. Chloe’s lashing out because she’s desperate.”
“And desperation makes people dangerous,” I countered, placing a gentle kiss to my Mating Mark. “If the vote doesn’t go her way, she’ll attack and destabilizes the Council; it’ll set us back for years. The Packs will look at us and see chaos, not leadership.”
Olivia tilted her head, giving me more access. She let out a shuddering breath, distracted from our conversation by the trail of my mouth along her neck. Mine.
She fisted her had in my hair and I could feel the battle inside her: let me take her on my desk… or focus and finish our talk.
Her lips pressed into a thoughtful line; decision made, she responded. “Then we need to show them something stronger, undeniable.” She paused, meeting my gaze. “What if we formalize a Pack merger after the vote, no matter the outcome?”
Her suggestion hit me like a lightning bolt. It was bold, decisive, and exactly what the Packs needed to see. “A united front,” I said slowly, the idea settling into place. “It would send a message: stability, strength, and trust.”
“Exactly,” Olivia said, her voice firm. “Thorne Ridge and Storm Haven together as a single Pack. No room for division, no room for doubt.”
I studied her, marveling at her clarity in the face of so much uncertainty. The programs she was already creating with Grace and Amelia were to help our Pack get along and aligned, but it was a clear path to a merger.
My wolf stirred, restless but not agitated. There was something different about Olivia tonight, but I couldn’t place it.
Her scent, familiar and comforting, now carried a faint, new undertone. It was warm, rich, and… protective. My wolf growled low in my chest, not in warning, but in recognition.
“Ethan?” Olivia’s brow furrowed as she leaned closer, concern flashing in her eyes. “Are you okay?”
I shook my head, clearing the haze of instincts clouding my thoughts. “I’m fine,” I said, though my wolf’s reaction left me unsettled. “It’s just… you smell different.”
Her cheeks flushed, and she laughed softly. “I spent most of the day at Lunera Beauty. It’s just the new formula.”
But I knew better. This wasn’t something as simple as perfume or chemicals. My wolf rarely reacted to anything so strongly without reason. The need to protect her surged, primal and unrelenting, as if some unspoken truth lingered just out of reach.
“You’re not overdoing it, are you?” I asked, my voice quieter now. “Balancing the Packs, your business, the vote…your grief… it’s a lot.”
Her smile softened, and she threaded our fingers together, hands firmly connected. “I’m managing,” she said.
The warmth of her touch eased the last of the tension in my shoulders. “We’re in this together,” I promised again, squeezing her hand gently. “No matter what happens at the vote.”
I felt a strong tug of emotion through our bond. Love.
As Olivia stood to leave, I watched her closely, my wolf still restless but content to let her go for now.
Whatever change was happening, I’d figure it out. I needed to focus on the immediate battles ahead, knowing that Olivia was my anchor, my strength, and, most importantly, my Mate.
