Chapter 30

Olivia

A little while later, we arrived back at home after spending much of the afternoon shopping and playing in the arcade at the new mall. I was already tired from our day, and couldn’t help but wonder if my exhaustion had anything to do with the pregnancy,

As we pulled up to the driveway, a flicker of unease crossed my mind when I noticed the figure standing outside the villa.

“Who is that?” I asked, pointing.

Nathan squinted and leaned forward a little, then smiled.

“It’s just the gardener.”

It was, in fact, Clint. Nathan and I smiled as we got out of the car and walked up to him, but I felt my smile fade as I saw that his wrinkled face was filled with concern.

"Everything alright, Clint?" Nathan asked, his voice full of worry.

Clint’s eyes met ours. He looked a bit relieved to see us.

"I was checking on the tulip bulbs, and I caught a couple of people sneaking around,” he said in his gruff voice. “I think they might have been trying to get into your aunt’s villa. I think I scared them off, though. But keep an eye out, will you?”

I glanced over at Nathan and saw a flash of concern come across his face. “What did they look like?” he asked.

Clint shrugged. “I didn’t get a good look. It’s getting dark, and my old eyes aren’t what they used to be. They ran off before I could get too close.”

Nathan and I exchanged looks. I must have looked particularly worried, because Clint chuckled and patted my shoulder with his thick, wrinkled hand.

“Don’t worry, Olivia,” he said. “You’re safe here. Hell, you’ve got the next Alpha with you! They were probably just looking to see if there was anything good to steal.”

I nodded slowly. At the mention of Nathan being there to protect me, I felt a hint of sheepishness come over me.

When we were growing up, I never really thought that Nathan would turn out to be my protector. Even now, despite the fact that he was the newest Alpha and would one day inherit the pack, I still felt a bit odd thinking about it.

“Well… Thanks, Clint,” Nathan said. “I’ll keep an eye out.”

Clint nodded and cast us both a smile before he turned and started heading back to his little cottage on the edge of the property.

“Oh,” he said, stopping and turning to look at us once more, “by the way… I really am glad to have you two kids back. Let me know if you need anything.”

Nathan and I both smiled and waved at Clint as he left.

“You okay?” Nathan asked as we headed up the front steps and went inside.

I nodded. “Yeah, I’m alright,” I lied. “I just hope they won’t come back.”

“They won’t.” Nathan shot me a slight smile as he flicked on the lights downstairs. The warm glow of the lamps made me feel a little better, and soon enough we were cooking dinner together and listening to music.

But I couldn't shake off the lingering unease that settled within me. The thought of strangers attempting to break into my aunt’s villa so soon after I came home weighed heavily on my mind.

Nightfall eventually arrived, and the darkness that came over the villa made me feel even more nervous.

For a long time after dinner, I laid awake in my bed.

In the solitude of my room, fear tightened its grip around me. Sleep refused to come, and I tossed and turned, my mind haunted by imaginary threats. With each and every creak of the old house or the rustling of the trees and bushes outside, I kept imagining that people were coming inside to get me.

Eventually, it became unbearable. I knew there was one person whose presence could quell my anxieties.

I just had to swallow my pride enough to go to him.

With hesitant steps, I made my way to Nathan's room. My hand trembled as I knocked softly on his door, hoping he would understand why I was there and wouldn’t make fun of me for being a scaredy-cat.

A few moments later, Nathan opened the door, concern drawn across his sleepy face. "Olivia, what's the matter?" he asked, glancing at his clock. “It’s almost one o’clock in the morning.”

Tears welled up in my eyes, betraying my vulnerability. "I... I can't sleep, Nathan. I'm scared.”

Nathan raised his eyebrows. “Why? Because of earlier? I told you they wouldn’t come back. They were probably just kids—”

I swallowed, staring down at the floor with embarrassment. “You’re right, I guess. Sorry to wake you…” I turned to go back to my room with my metaphorical tail tucked between my legs.

But before I could take a step, Nathan’s hand shot out and grabbed my wrist.

I slowly turned back to look at him.

“Wanna sleep in here?” he whispered.

I nodded, feeling my face get hot.

Understanding flickered in his blue-green gaze, and without a moment's hesitation, he reached out and pulled me into his room.

His room smelled sweet, with that overwhelming scent of grapefruit salt mixed with the undeniable scent of a man’s room. Without a word, he gestured to the empty side of his bed.

“I can sleep on the floor if you’re uncomfortable,” he said.

I quickly shook my head, my heart pounding. “No. It’s alright.”

We settled onto his bed, but were careful to keep a distance between us. The air felt thick with unspoken words, as if both of us had something to say but neither of us could get it out, and instead we just stared up at the ceiling.

At one point, I looked over at Nathan and felt my face turn bright red as I saw that he was already looking at me.

“I’m sorry that I woke you up over this,” I whispered, feeling silly for it all now.

Nathan simply shook his head.

"I'm here for you, Olivia. You're safe," he reassured me, his voice soft and comforting.

A weight lifted off my shoulders, and the tension slowly dissipated. We lay side by side, staring at the ceiling, and neither of us said another word.

After what felt like an eternity, sleep finally took over us, its gentle embrace pulling us into a peaceful slumber. The worries and fears that had plagued my mind seemed to fade away in the safety of Nathan's room.

But when I awoke, something was off. I was no longer on the edge of the bed, where I fell asleep the night before.

Instead, I felt the warmth of another body pressed against mine. Nathan’s body.

His arms were wrapped around me in a warm embrace. A soft gasp escaped my lips as I realized the intimacy of our position. The line between friendship and something more blurred in that tender moment.

Confusion began to mix with a flutter of emotions in my mind, and I struggled to process the surge of feelings coursing through me. Nathan's arms around me felt safe, comforting, and undeniably intimate as he continued to sleep peacefully beside me.

He was so close that I could feel his heart beating against my body.