Chapter 184

Nathan

As Olivia’s eyes fluttered shut, a sharp, indescribable pain pierced through my chest.

It felt like my heart was physically shattering into a million fragments. The agonizing cries of Olivia’s son seemed to be in another world altogether, their distant wails just background noise to the dreadful silence that settled over me.

Clint, holding Olivia’s newborn son, was nothing more than a blur on the periphery of my vision. All I could see was Olivia’s face, pale and still, the vibrant light in her eyes slowly dimming.

Why? How could this be happening? We had overcome so much, faced so many challenges together. This couldn’t be the end.

As I stared, helpless, at Olivia’s unresponsive form, a voice echoed in my mind, familiar yet distant.

My wolf.

“I sensed her,” he murmured, voice filled with a mix of wonder and concern. “Olivia’s wolf is there, somewhere deep within. She’s lending Olivia whatever strength she can muster. It might save the child, Nathan.”

But the unsaid lingered in the air, thickening the tension around me. Olivia’s life force was ebbing away, and she might not make it.

“No,” I replied, shaking my head, refusing to believe the dire situation unfolding before me. “She can’t leave. She has to see her children grow. She has to be there when I finally tell her how much I love her.”

I was drowning in a whirlpool of emotions, lost and broken. The world around me seemed to move in slow motion, every second an eternity.

It was then that Angela’s firm grip on my arm jolted me back to reality.

“Nathan!” Her voice was sharp, demanding immediate attention. “I need you to focus. There’s a special herb that can reduce Olivia’s blood pressure. It’s our best shot. I need you to find it. NOW!”

My eyes met Angela’s, finding a strange mix of desperation and determination in them.

“Where?” I croaked out, every muscle in my body tensing in readiness.

“In the forest,” Angela replied quickly. “It has silver leaves and purple flowers. Hurry!”

Without wasting another moment, I bolted out of the room, racing down the stairs and out the front door. The cold air hit my face, but it did little to clear my head. The forest loomed ahead, vast and intimidating.

Images of Olivia, her radiant smile, the sound of her laughter, the touch of her hand, flashed before my eyes. I had to find that herb. For her.

As I plunged into the forest, every second felt like an eternity. The shrubs and bushes seemed to taunt me, each one looking like the next.

My breaths came fast and shallow, panic threatening to consume me.

The forest was dense and unforgiving. Every tree seemed to look the same, their trunks stretching out like an endless labyrinth.

It occurred to me that I would have a much better chance of finding the herb as my wolf, given the heightened senses that form provided. Without hesitation, I allowed the shift to take over.

Bones cracked and reshaped, fur sprouted, and my senses expanded. My panic momentarily receded, replaced by the primal instincts of my wolf form.

The scent of the forest overwhelmed me—the dampness of the soil, the life of every creature around, the rustling of leaves. My paws hit the ground with a rhythmic beat as I accelerated, darting between the trees. My wolf nose sniffed the air for the elusive scent of the silver-leaved plant.

But even with my enhanced senses, the herb eluded me. Everywhere I looked, I saw plants and flowers, but none matched Angela’s description. I began to grow frustrated, panic slowly creeping back.

The thoughts of Olivia, of her unmoving form, played on a loop in my mind. Her second child, unborn, still inside her... would they have to perform a C-section? And if they did, would it kill her? The weight of the scenario was suffocating, causing my stride to falter.

The forest around me seemed to close in, trees looming overhead like silent judges. Was she already gone? Was I too late? The despairing thoughts sent ripples of panic through my fur.

Then, suddenly, the clouds parted, revealing the full moon in all its silvery glory. Its light poured into the forest, illuminating everything in a ghostly glow. I was drawn to its brilliance, my wolf eyes locked onto the glowing orb in the sky.

The energy of the moon had a calming effect on me. I felt its power seep into my very being, steadying my heart and clearing my mind.

It was almost as if the Moon Goddess herself was speaking to me, whispering words of guidance and hope.

“Moon Goddess,” I called out in my mental voice, my lips unmoving, “please help me. I need to save Olivia.”

Suddenly, something changed.

With renewed vigor, I felt a path open before me, not a physical one, but a sensory trail, guiding me toward my objective. I focused, using the moon’s enhanced illumination to sharpen my night vision, and its energy to intensify my sense of smell.

I caught a whiff of something different— a sweet, unique scent that seemed to beckon for me. I followed it, dodging through trees and leaping over rocks, trusting in this newfound path.

The scent grew stronger, and soon, in a small clearing bathed in moonlight, I found them—the silver-leaved plants with their delicate purple flowers. There they were, clustered together, seemingly waiting just for me.

Shifting back into my human form, the coolness of the night bit into my skin. But I barely noticed. Dropping to my knees, I quickly but carefully began to gather as many of the herbs as I could. Every second counted. The weight of their significance was not lost on me. These plants could very well be the difference between life and death.

With a handful of the precious herbs, I got to my feet, looking up at the moon one last time. I sent out a silent prayer of gratitude to the Moon Goddess, hoping that she'd continue to watch over us.

I took off running back toward the house, the herbs clutched tightly in my grip. Every thud of my heart resonated with a singular thought: Let Olivia be alive. Let her be okay.

The forest, which had seemed like a menacing maze just moments ago, now felt like a known trail. Guided by the moonlight and driven by sheer determination, I sped through, praying with every step that I wouldn't be too late.

Reaching the house, a deafening silence met me. No cries, no voices—just a stillness that sent shivers down my spine. I flung the door open and dashed up the stairs, two at a time, the bundle of herbs clutched tightly in my hand.

The bedroom door stood ajar. I pushed it open and made my way into Olivia’s bathroom, my heart pounding in my chest. The scene before me was one of tense anticipation. Olivia lay motionless, her face even paler than before, if that was possible. They had moved her out of the bathtub and onto the floor.

Angela, Levi, and Clint looked up as I entered, their faces a mirror of my own anxiety.

The silence was unbearable. Handing the herbs to Angela, our eyes met, the unspoken question of whether it was enough to remedy this looming between us. I moved closer to Olivia, my hand reaching out to touch her cold skin.

Her stillness was haunting, the quiet in the room only broken by the hushed whispers of Angela preparing the herb.

And as I sat there, waiting, hoping, praying, one thought echoed through my mind, loud and clear: Olivia had to wake up. She just had to.