Chapter 147

Olivia

“Go on, hand it over,” Jenifer said, her cold eyes filled with a burning, mocking fury. “Or I’ll ruin your lives.”

My hands trembled as I held the file. I didn’t know exactly what was in there, but I knew that whatever information that was held within would likely expose Colin for wrongfully evicting my father. Maybe it even had something to do with Maria’s death, too. Maybe even Edward’s.

But the threat of Nathan being removed from the Council, our lives being destroyed… I didn’t know if it was worth it. I cared too much about Nathan to let that happen to him.

“You’re bluffing,” I said, hoping to stall for time. I dialed 911 while Jenifer’s back was turned, and only hoped that the police would overhear our conversation and that at least one officer would come to check on us. “You won’t release that information.”

“Why wouldn’t I?” Jenifer asked, cocking her head. “You really think I wouldn’t throw you and your bastard child under the bus to keep that file in your hands from seeing the light of day?”

I shook my head. “The hunt,” I said. “You loaned me your dress. You were…”

“What?” Jenifer said with a chuckle. “You think I was being nice? Oh, please. I knew that dress wouldn’t fit you. I wanted to humiliate you. I wanted nothing more than to ruin your happy little ‘love story’ with Nathan.”

“Why, Jenifer?” Nathan asked, taking a step forward. “Why would you do that to Olivia!”

“Because!” Suddenly, Jenifer’s eyes began to flash with fury. “I want to ruin your family! You’re all monsters!”

Nathan and I exchanged confused looks.

“...Monsters?” Nathan asked quietly.

Jenifer sneered, her eyes filling with tears. Just then, she pulled her hand out from behind her back; her hand that she had been holding behind her back this whole time.

When she pulled that file off of the shelf, it wasn’t the only thing she pulled out.

And now, she was pointing a pistol directly at Nathan’s head.

“Jenifer…” I began, holding my hands up in surrender.

“Shut up!” she snarled, her hand trembling slightly. She turned back to Nathan, who had his hands held up as well.

“Why, Jenifer?” he murmured, sidestepping to stand in front of me.

“Your father destroyed my entire family. The men were slaughtered. The women were raped and thrown out into the wilderness, condemned to a life of being rogues. I was the product of one of those rapes…”

As Jenifer spoke, my eyes widened. When did this happen? I had to wrack my brain to think, but I never remembered hearing anything about it.

“Jenifer, is this true?” Nathan asked, his voice shaking slightly.

“I wish it wasn’t!” she snarled, still holding the gun directly at Nathan’s face. “I only ever knew a life of misery, all because of your father’s orders.”

There was a long, heavy silence. I gripped my phone more tightly behind my back, praying that the 911 operator was hearing this.

Jenifer continued. “My mother hated me. She beat me for being the spawn of some brute who took advantage of her during the fighting. But all the while, I was learning. Learning how to manipulate. How to kill, even. When I showed up here all of those years ago, did you really think it was pure luck? No… I came here willingly. I came here to ruin Colin’s life and his pack, and I’ve been doing a damn good job of it, haven’t I?”

Nathan let out a long, shaky breath. “So… you came for revenge. I get it; if my father was the one to send out the orders, I understand why you would want him dead.”

“Not dead,” Jenifer said, sneering. “I want him to be miserable. I want him to feel what it’s like to wander the wilderness by himself, with no loved ones or place to call home. I want him to be beaten, bruised, and destroyed. But not dead.”

“And how do you plan on accomplishing that, Jenifer?” Nathan asked. I got the sense that he was stalling for time as well.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Jenifer replied. “My most recent accomplishment was convincing him to murder his dear wife, which only took some seduction now that I’m old enough. But the real work began years ago. Seeds of doubt. Distrust. Her father had already started that for me by betraying Colin.”

She gestured toward me with the gun, causing both Nathan and me to flinch.

“M-My father?” I murmured.

Jenifer nodded, her eyes flashing with an emotion I couldn’t quite read.

“From what I heard, your father and Colin’s brother were the only two who actively opposed Colin’s actions when he sent out the orders to destroy my pack. So he pushed Edward into the ravine. But he couldn’t kill your father because there was someone here who was protecting both of you. Someone he couldn’t destroy. So he evicted you instead.”

Someone who was… protecting me?

My mind scrambled. If people knew about this, I couldn’t picture anyone who would put themselves at risk for my sake. Colin was dangerous, I knew that much. So who would be willing to do something to anger him? Who would he fear enough to let live?

Suddenly, it came to me: my aunt. Gertrude. ‘Greta’, the historian.

She protected us as best she could. Colin couldn’t kill her because of her connections, her ability to record information. She could have sent out hundreds of letters proving his evil deeds, and that information would be spread to countless other packs. It would have caused a war.

But she didn’t do it because it would have kept me and my father alive. And Colin let her live. They struck a deal.

“Why drag Olivia into this, then?” Nathan asked, still holding his hands up. He took another step forward. Jenifer took one shaky step back, her resolve wavering.

Jenifer’s face darkened as her bulging eyes flickered back and forth between me and Nathan. “Because you love her,” she muttered. “I can tell how much you love her. Her father may have been a good man, but she is the most obvious target to make you and your family feel what I felt.”

Her words hung in the air, a painful truth wrapped in hatred. A silence settled over us, charged with tension and unspoken emotions and the pounding in my chest.

Without warning, Jenifer pulled the trigger.

But Nathan was too fast. He ducked out of the way just in time, lunging forward and knocking her to the ground. The gun skittered out of her hand and across the floor.

“Get it!” Nathan growled, holding his frail ‘sister’ down by her wrists. I sprinted across the room and grabbed the gun, turning the safety on and emptying the ammunition onto the floor.

“I won’t hurt you, Jenifer.” Nathan said, his voice heavy with restraint. “But you won’t win.”

And then, the unmistakable sound of sirens filled the air. My heart leaped in my chest as I realized that my secret call to 911 had worked. The police were on their way.

Jenifer’s eyes widened, realization dawning on her face. She struggled against Nathan’s grip, her voice rising to a frantic scream. “You called the cops? You traitorous witch! You’ll pay for this!”

Nathan's face hardened, and he held her firmly, his eyes never leaving hers.

“No, Jenifer. It’s over. You've lost.”