Chapter 199

Olivia

The charged air between Nathan and me seemed to shimmer as I processed his three words—I love you. The atmosphere felt heavy, almost suffocating, and the silence that enveloped us was both poignant and paralyzing.

It was clear, however, that Nathan hadn't intended to let that particular revelation slip out. Suddenly, the weight of his confession seemed to crash down on him. The vulnerability that had been in his eyes was now replaced with a stormy turbulence, as he pulled away abruptly.

“I—” he started, but then seemed to think better of it. The furrow of his brows deepened, and without another word, he spun around and stormed away, leaving me in a whirlwind of emotions.

“Nathan, wait!” I cried, but he didn’t stop.

As he reached the door, he paused, taking a deep breath before turning to face me. “Pack your bags, Liv. Enough for a couple of weeks at least. I'll see what I can mend during that time. I’ll find us a place to stay, temporarily.” And with that, he left, slamming the door behind him.

I felt the crushing weight of his departure. I’d been on the verge of responding, of possibly reciprocating his confession, but now the opportunity was lost in a haze of confusion and hurt.

…

The Elders’ eviction notice gave us three hours to leave. Just three hours for us to leave our home, to leave everything behind. It was sickening.

I carefully selected our essentials, wrapping memories and necessities into our bags. There was a palpable tension in the air, neither of us speaking, just moving with grim determination.

The process of packing had never felt so personal, so intimate. Every item I folded or stowed away was tinged with the bittersweet memories of the life we had built.

The soft fabric of Elliot’s bumblebee onesie reminded me of the day he smiled for the first time, the same smile that he had on his face now as he laid on his blanket next to me and his sister. He was so blissfully unaware of the reality of the situation.

Aurora’s little bunny toy, a gift from Angela, took me back to the first night I had spent cradling her, singing lullabies until her crying turned into peaceful sleep.

But as I looked around, I was also transported to another time—a painful chapter from my past. The very act of packing felt eerily familiar, an unwelcome sense of deja vu.

I was a little girl again, watching as my dad hastily packed our things, the weight of eviction looming over us. Colin had been unrelenting, and we were left with no choice. That house had been so much more than walls and a roof—it was where my mother had laughed, cried, and taken her last breath.

I remembered the deep lines of stress on my father’s face, the subtle quiver in his hands as he picked up the photo frame that had my mother's smiling face in it.

That picture had been taken in our living room, with sunlight streaming in, casting a halo around her. She looked so alive, so radiant. She looked like me. My dad always said that, but I had his eyes.

To leave that house was to leave behind a piece of her. I hadn’t understood it fully then, but now, the weight of that emotional turmoil crashed over me with renewed intensity.

My fingers paused over a hand-knit blanket, a family heirloom that had once kept me warm on many a cold night. A flood of emotion threatened to overwhelm me. I understood now, more than ever, the depth of my father’s pain.

He hadn’t just been packing up belongings; he had been packing away memories, fragments of a life that was abruptly being taken away from him.

I blinked back tears, my vision blurring. How I wished he were here with me. I longed to hear his reassuring voice, telling me it would be alright, that we would get through this. He had always been my anchor, and in this tempestuous moment, his absence felt even more pronounced.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to summon the strength he had shown all those years ago. For the sake of my family, for Nathan, Elliot, and Aurora, I had to be strong.

But as I zipped up the bags, filled with memories and hopes, I couldn’t help but whisper to the wind, hoping it would carry my words to him, “Dad, I miss you.”

“Well?” Nathan’s voice echoed down the hallway, breaking through my thoughts. “Are you ready, Liv?”

I nodded, swallowing as I saw his face appear in the doorway. “Ready,” I murmured, standing.

Just as we were about to leave, a notification on my phone caught my attention. It was a confirmation for the lease of an apartment in a neighboring town—a beautiful two-bedroom overlooking a tranquil park.

I wasn’t surprised Nathan had sorted it out so quickly, given his resources.

And yet, as I walked out the door, the gravity of what we were leaving behind truly hit me—the place where we had built memories, where we had shared laughs, tears, and profound moments of connection.

The home we had made together. It all seemed so distant now, as if snatched away by the cruel whims of fate.

“It’s only temporary, Liv,” Nathan said, squeezing my arm.

I swallowed again as I looked up at the villa, looking so dark and lonely now.

“Yeah,” I replied, feeling a chill enter my body. “Temporary.”

Our footsteps crunched on the gravel driveway, with every step taking us further away from our home, from our life. Just as the weight of the situation seemed too much to bear, a frantic voice pierced the silence.

“Olivia! Nathan!”

I turned to find Angela racing towards us, her long hair streaming behind her like a river of fire in the afternoon sun.

Without hesitation, Angela flung herself at me, wrapping her arms around me in a fierce embrace.

“You can't leave!” she gasped, pulling away to look at me with teary eyes. “You just can’t!”

Nathan’s brow creased in confusion. “Angela, we don’t have a choice. The Elders have spoken.”

She took a deep breath, steadying herself. “It’s not just the Elders who have a voice in this pack, Nathan. Many of us don’t agree with their decision. We stand with you both.”

A surge of hope bubbled within me. “What are you saying, Angela?”

She squared her shoulders, her determination evident. “I spoke to several others, and we won't let you two be evicted just like that. If the Elders want you gone, they’d have to evict all of us.”

A wave of emotion swept over Nathan's face, gratitude mixed with amazement. "You’d do that? For us?”

Angela nodded vigorously. “Without a doubt. This is our pack too, and we decide its future, not just the Elders.”

I felt a swell of gratitude. “Angela, you have no idea what this means to us. We can’t ask everyone to uproot their lives because of our situation.”

She smiled gently. “You don’t have to ask, Olivia. We’re already willing.”

Nathan and I exchanged glances, a silent conversation taking place between us. This was our moment, our chance to rally our pack together, to fight for what was right, for love, for family. For home.

His hand found mine, fingers entwining tightly. I could feel the strength and determination emanating from him. “We know what we have to do,” he whispered.

“We’ll stand our ground,” I affirmed, feeling a newfound resolve surging within me.

Angela beamed, squeezing my hand. “Together, we are stronger. The Elders will have to see reason.”