Chapter 236

Olivia

“It can’t be true…”

The atmosphere in the room felt thick with tension, like a pot of water that was about to boil over. My confusion about the entire ordeal was mirrored only by the sudden shift in the air, one of unease.

I took a step back, my head still reeling from the shockwave that ran across the room. My wolf was right; the strength she gave me did make me feel sick. But it was gone now, and I had achieved what needed to be done.

Elliot was safely in Nathan’s arms, away from the Elders, and that was all that mattered.

Mingan’s poised form appeared to bristle with uncertainty. “Did you always know, Olivia? Have you been playing us for fools? Did you truly know what was in your blood all along?” she asked, her voice quivering.

The weight of her question seemed to press down on me, heavy and suffocating.

As she spoke, the room around us seemed almost darker, every shadow taking on an ominous depth. Each flicker of the candlelight on the villa’s woodwork, every rustle of the drapes that lined the windows, echoed with disdain.

“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I stammered, taking a step back. The echo of the wolf that was inside of me was begging me not to tell the truth, and I heeded it. Whatever just happened, the Elders couldn’t know.

The memories of my visions about my wolf began to resurface. I remembered what she had said once, about how I was special. She had only just warned me about the magnitude of the power she was lending me, but I didn’t understand what any of it meant.

Blood? Power? What did it all mean?

Mingan’s cold gray eyes narrowed. “You expect me to believe that you don’t know a single thing, girl? After what just transpired?”

Elder Corbin, his expression a mix of awe and suspicion, cleared his throat. “Perhaps we should leave. The girl has something in her blood; something ancient. Something that shouldn’t be awoken, I think.”

Nathan, who was now holding Elliot to his chest tightly, came to stand beside me. “Elder Corbin is right,” he said. “Leave. Now.”

“No,” Mingan said defiantly, tilting her chin higher. “Olivia, come with us. You need to be tested.”

“T-Tested?” I stammered, taking a step back. “I won’t submit to any sort of experiments you plan to perform on me.”

“What was that, then?” Corbin interjected. “Such immense power, especially for a girl such as yourself with no wolf…”

“It was nothing,” I growled, curling my hands up into tight fists at my sides. “Just an angry mother. And rightfully so. Do as Nathan says, and leave my home before I decide to make you leave.”

Mingan flicked a strand of gray hair, which had come loose from its silver bun when the shockwave hit, over her shoulder and leveled her gaze with mine. She was undeterred, despite the strange power I had just exhibited moments before.

“There is something in your blood, child,” she said. “And surely it’s in your children’s blood, too, which only makes this all the more dire. The Redclaws’ motives seem more clear now. They want whatever is in your lineage, and we ought to give it to them.”

“But why?” I asked, feeling panic rising in me. “If there truly were something in my blood, why would you willingly hand Elliot over like that?”

“Because,” Mingan hissed, eyeing Elliot suspiciously, “the Redclaws have always sought power. They will destroy everything they touch if they don’t get what they want. Think of the good of the pack, Olivia.”

“That’s preposterous,” Elder Amara chimed in. “An Omega like her, an exile, with ancient blood? And besides, even if what you’re suggesting is true,” she continued with a smirk, her gray eyes glinting with a touch of malice, “that doesn't make her a threat. We are here for the boy, and we’ll have him. Nathan, hand him over. Let this be done.”

Nathan tightened his grip on Elliot, his face a mask of defiance. “Over my dead body,” he growled, his voice edged with a primal threat.

As Corbin moved to approach Nathan, the force within me rose once more, threatening to break free. The room became a maelstrom of emotions, every whispered word and hushed gasp amplifying the urgency of the situation.

From deep within me, a voice, commanding and otherworldly, surged forth.

“Leave. Him. Alone.”

The reaction was immediate. The Elders recoiled as if struck. Even Mingan, with all her confidence and power, appeared shaken once more.

“The voice of the Ancients... This is beyond legend,” Elder Amara whispered in disbelief, clutching her chest in shock. “Mingan, we need to leave.”

“I refuse to let these… these children bully us out of doing what needs to be done,” Mingan hissed, her hunched form revealing something desperate.

Just then, Elder Lysander, an old man with deep-set eyes and a beard that reached his chest, spoke up for the first time. “We have not seen anyone with ancient blood in their lineage for hundreds of years, Mingan. You know their power, especially in the wrong hands. We tread on dangerous ground here.”

Mingan, her fingers clenched, stepped forward, her voice dripping with barely contained fury. “Dangerous ground or not, we have a duty. This changes nothing.”

The room, once filled with the soft glow of candles, now seemed darker, more oppressive. The tall windows lining one side of the room showcased the moonlit night outside, casting long, eerie shadows that seemed to dance with every flicker of flame. The play of light and dark gave the room an otherworldly feel.

“Mingan, you cannot possibly think to challenge this power,” Elder Lysander admonished, his usually reserved demeanor giving way to concern. “If she truly does have ancient blood within her, this is beyond our understanding, beyond our control.”

Mingan hesitated, her eyes darting between me and the Elders. “We’ve faced challenges before. We’ve always come out on top. This... anomaly will not deter us.”

Angela, her form smaller than the rest, but her spirit undeterred, took a step forward, her voice unwavering. “Olivia may be unsure of her newfound abilities, but it would be wise not to underestimate her. Wouldn’t you agree, Elders?”

Mingan shot Angela a withering look, her eyes promising retribution. But she said nothing, the weight of Angela’s words undeniable.

A palpable silence settled. Each heartbeat, every breath, sounded like a war drum, echoing the tension in the room. The standoff felt eternal, each side assessing the other, gauging their next move.

Finally, Mingan took a step back toward the door.

“Fine.We’ll leave. But this isn’t over, Olivia. We may leave for now, but remember this: just because you’ve discovered some latent, temporary power does not mean you are above our reach. We will return, and we will take the child if you refuse to hand him over to the Redclaws yourself.”

With a sweeping gesture, Mingan turned, her robes billowing around her.

The other Elders, after exchanging brief, uneasy glances, followed suit. Their exit left behind a void, filled only by the unanswered questions that hung heavily in the air.

Once the door clicked shut behind them, I swallowed and slowly turned to face Angela and Nathan.

“What… What just happened?” I murmured.

But judging from the wide-eyed looks on their faces, it seemed as though neither of them had any answers.