Chapter 254

Nathan

The room was dim, the pale blue tendrils of the waning moon creeping over the horizon and filtering through the sheer curtains. The remnants of an unsettling dream clung to the edges of my consciousness.

Trees with iridescent blue trunks, a creature’s haunting call echoing through an ethereal forest, and most vividly, Olivia, standing precariously at the edge of a cliff, her gaze fixed on the void below.

Groggy from the unsettling images, I reached out for Olivia, expecting the comfort of her warmth. But to my surprise, the sheets beside me were cool and empty, leaving only a blank space where her body belonged.

In my sleepy haze I sat up, blinking the sleep from my eyes and trying to shake off the remnants of the dream.

"Olivia?" My voice, tinged with confusion, was barely louder than a whisper. The silence of the room was deafening. The bathroom door was wide open, indicating that she wasn’t there.

For some reason, panic slowly began to creep in, like icy fingers wrapping around my heart. That feeling cast out all logic, maybe because I was still half asleep. Instead, only the most extreme scenarios were on my mind: Had she been taken? Did she leave on her own? And if she did, then why?

Throwing aside the covers, I stood up, slipping into the cold hardwood floor, my bare feet registering the chill. The nursery seemed the logical first stop. Perhaps she was there, soothing one of our twins back to sleep.

As I approached the nursery, the soft lullabies from the crib mobile played a gentle tune. Our twins lay in their separate cribs, the gentle rise and fall of their chests signaling their peaceful slumber.

But Olivia was nowhere in sight.

The knot in my stomach tightened. It wasn’t like Olivia to just disappear without letting me know, especially not with the babies in the house. Maybe it was something that she would have done ages ago, like the time that she decided to sneak off to my father’s mansion in the middle of the night, but not now with the twins here.

I hurried downstairs, my worry manifesting as a rush of adrenaline. “Olivia?!” I called out again, hoping she would respond from some unseen corner of our home.

My eyes darted around, scanning the familiar setting of our living room—the plush sofas with their deep blue upholstery, the worn-out rug she insisted on pulling out of storage when she first returned home, the stack of books and toys in one corner signifying a family living in comfortable chaos.

Yet, amidst this familiarity, the absence of her jacket and boots from the entryway struck me as a glaring anomaly.

“Damn it,” I cursed under my breath, anger and fear intertwining. Why would she leave without telling me?

Desperate and frantic, I raced out into the backyard and down the pathway to Clint’s cottage. Nestled amongst rows of tall hedges and even taller trees, its warm wooden exterior had a glow coming through the windows. I let out a sigh of relief; Clint was still awake.

My knocks were urgent, echoing into the quiet night. It wasn't long before I heard the shuffling from within, the familiar creak of floorboards, and then the door opened. Clint, a book in hand, blinked at me.

“Nathan? What’s wrong?”

“Clint,” I started, feeling a twinge of guilt for disturbing him, “I need your help. Olivia’s gone. I can’t find her anywhere in the house.”

His eyes widened immediately, alarm replacing the calm look in his gaze. “Should we get the police involved?”

I shook my head quickly, running a hand anxiously through my hair. “No, not yet. I think I might know where she is. But I need a favor.”

He leaned against the doorframe, concern evident in his gaze. “Go on.”

“The twins... they’re alone in the villa," I admitted, the weight of the situation sinking in. "Could you...?”

“Absolutely,” Clint said. I watched as he tucked his book under his arm and then grabbed his jacket off of the hook, following me back out into the yard.

“Thanks, Clint,” I said, feeling a sense of gratefulness wash over me. “You can take the guest bedroom tonight. I’m really sorry that we keep using you for babysitting like this…”

“Ah, it’s nothing,” Clint said, waving his hand. “The twins are a joy. But I’ll be helping myself to a cold beer from your fridge, I think.”

I smirked. “Help yourself to whatever you want.”

With that, I began to shift.

My body underwent the familiar sensation of transforming—bones realigning, senses amplifying. In mere moments, my world changed from shades of color to sharper contrasts of black and white. Scents became my primary guide.

Olivia’s familiar fragrance filled my nostrils—a comforting mix of lavender and the earthy aroma unique to her. Holding onto this olfactory beacon, I ventured beyond the edges of our home.

The late evening forest was awash with the sound of nocturnal creatures. Owls hooted, their coos carrying across the breeze. A raccoon twittered somewhere nearby, startled by my presence. Off in the distance, I could hear the familiar sound of the little stream that I liked to walk alongside when I needed to think.

But these gentle melodies did little to soothe my anxious heart.

I pushed forward, guided by her scent, the soft thud of my paws on the forest floor echoing my rising heartbeat. The woods, dense with trees, created a canopy that filtered the emerging sunlight into dapples of gold.

Leaves, heavy with dew, shimmered, painting a scene of serene beauty—one that I would’ve admired, if not for the circumstances.

“Damn you, Olivia,” I thought to myself. “You should have woken me if you planned on doing this tonight.”

The trail took me deeper into the forest, leading me past familiar territories and landmarks. The aged oak tree where we once carved our initials as kids, the shimmering stream where we’d spent countless afternoons—the memories flashed by, juxtaposed against my growing unease.

And then, as I navigated a particularly thick grove, a familiar and dreaded landmark loomed ahead—the cave of the Ancient Wolf.

A place of reverence, filled with legends, mysteries, and once the home of the Ancient Wolf itself. If Olivia eventually became the Ancient Wolf, then someday it would be her home, too. Or her wolf’s home, rather.

Hesitating briefly, I recalled the old stories shared around the campfires, of those who ventured inside, never to return. Yet, Olivia’s scent unmistakably led here, and I knew exactly why she had come. For the tooth; the first artifact.

Before I could process it further, a soft, mesmerizing, orange glow emanating from the entrance caught my eye. The hue filled me with a sense of relief.

Still in my wolf form, I followed the source of the light, noticing how it bounced and moved around on the walls of the cave. A flashlight. Olivia was inside, searching; although I imagined that, with the Ancient Wolf’s body having become deceased not all that long ago, it likely wasn’t a pleasant atmosphere inside.

I halted at the entrance, my wolf form casting a large, imposing shadow against the radiant backdrop of the cave.