Chapter 172

Olivia

The rhythmic tapping of a hammer against wood filled the nursery as I folded tiny clothes, neatly placing them into the dresser.

Nathan was hard at work putting together the rocking chair, his focus and determination creating a sense of warmth and security that seemed to permeate the room. The sounds of our busy morning, coupled with the distant chirping of birds, created a homey ambiance that I couldn’t help but soak in.

It was the day after Nathan’s giddy painting spree. We had just finished dinner, and had gotten straight to work on setting up the nursery. As time went on, I realized that Nathan was right; if it was twins, it could cause a lot of issues.

By not finding out about the specifics of the pregnancy, we could be putting together a lot of last-minute furniture, making a lot of last-minute purchases, and adding a lot of unnecessary stress during a time when we already had enough stress.

Maybe I was being avoidant about the looming delivery date, and that was why I was so reluctant to learn more about the baby—or babies.

I glanced over at Nathan, watching the way his muscles flexed as he worked, the concentration in his eyes. He was in his element, and the simple joy of creating something for our child brought a smile to my face.

But that smile quickly turned to shock as a sharp cry broke the peaceful atmosphere.

"Nathan?" I gasped, dropping the onesie I had been folding and rushing over to him.

His face was pale, his eyes wide as he stared at his finger where a deep cut oozed blood. A considerable amount, in fact. He was bleeding a lot.

"It's okay, Liv, I just slipped with the screwdriver," he said, attempting to sound nonchalant as he headed towards the sink.

I followed him, my heart pounding in my chest. My werewolf knowledge momentarily abandoned me, and all I could see was the man I cared about, hurt and in need of help.

"Nathan, that looks really bad!" I exclaimed, nearly tripping over my feet as I rushed to the bathroom to grab the first aid kit.

He chuckled, attempting to wash the wound, but his smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "I'll be fine, Liv. You don't need to—"

"You'll be fine when I say you're fine!" I interrupted, fumbling with the first aid kit as I returned to his side. "Now hold still."

Nathan's eyes softened as he watched me tear open an antiseptic wipe, his smile genuine now. "You really don't need to do this, Liv. You know I can heal myself."

I blinked, pausing for a moment as I realized what he was saying. But I shook the thought away, focusing on cleaning the wound. "I know, but I want to. Now hold still."

He complied, watching me intently as I worked, a gentle smile playing on his lips. The cut was deep, but not dangerous, and as I applied the bandaid, I realized how silly I must have looked, fussing over a werewolf who could heal himself in seconds.

But Nathan didn't seem to mind. In fact, he looked touched, his eyes soft and full of affection.

"Thank you, Liv," he whispered, reaching out to touch my face.

A shiver ran down my spine at his touch, and I looked up, meeting his gaze. The intensity in his eyes took my breath away, and suddenly, something changed.

Nathan's eyes widened, his nostrils flaring as he pulled me close, his lips finding mine in a searing kiss.

The kiss was like a lightning bolt, searing and intense, igniting something deep within me. But that wasn’t all; as Nathan’s lips met mine and his tongue worked its way into my mouth, something in me stirred.

My wolf.

Her voice was faint, a whisper in the back of my mind, but it was unmistakable.

“Olivia,” she murmured, her voice filled with emotion. “I’ve been trying to reach you. Can you hear me? Don’t pull away from Nathan.”

“Jade?” I called out in my mind. “Is that really you? Is Nathan my mate?”

“I don’t know,” she answered. “I’m too weak to tell. But I do know two things: being near him helps me speak to you, and someone put a spell on me all those years ago. That’s why I’ve been dormant; it wasn’t a choice, Olivia. Someone did this to us.”

I felt my heart lurch, and I instinctively curled my fingers into Nathan’s hair, as though silently urging him not to stop kissing me. I felt him push me up against the wall, his kiss turning more passionate. I wanted nothing more than to focus solely on this kiss, but I couldn’t.

“A spell?” I called out. “Who did this?”

“I don’t know,” Jade responded. “But you have to try to lift it, Olivia. I believe in you…”

“Wait… Jade!”

My mind went blank, the world—and my wolf—fading away as I melted into his embrace. But as quickly as it happened, it was over.

We pulled apart, our breath ragged, our eyes wide with shock and confusion.

“Nathan?” I stammered, my heart still pounding in my chest.

He shook his head, his face pale. “I…I’m sorry, Liv. I don’t know what came over me. The fumes from yesterday must still be messing with my head.”

I watched him, unable to find the words to respond, my mind still reeling from the unexpected kiss and my wolf’s words.

He turned away, heading for his room, his steps heavy, his shoulders slumped. “I think I need to lie down.”

I stood there, frozen, unable to comprehend what had just happened. My mind was a whirl of emotions, my body still tingling from his touch.

Was it just the fumes? Or was there something more?

I shook my head, forcing myself to focus. Whatever it was, it had passed, and now, all that mattered was figuring out how to lift this spell—and who had placed it on me to begin with.

I returned to the nursery, my hands trembling as I resumed folding the clothes. But my thoughts kept drifting back to Nathan, to the warmth in his eyes, the tenderness in his touch.

And as I looked around the room, filled with the evidence of his love and care, I couldn't help but feel that something had shifted between us.

Something profound, something beautiful.

Something that could change everything.

…

Later that night, I found myself lying awake, unable to shake the memory of Nathan’s kiss. The feel of his lips, the way he had pulled me close—it haunted me, leaving me restless and yearning for something I couldn;t quite define.

I rolled over, glancing at the clock, the minutes ticking by slowly, each second a reminder of the confusion and uncertainty that now lay between us.

I knew I needed to talk to Nathan, to understand what had happened. Not just with him, but with my wolf. But I was afraid.

Afraid of what it might mean. Afraid of what it might change. And as I finally drifted off to sleep, one thought lingered in my mind: What if the fumes had nothing to do with it? What if it was something more? Something real?

Something that could change our lives forever?