Chapter 340

Olivia

The sunlight peeked through the curtains, warming my face as I woke up. Nathan’s arms were still wrapped tightly around me, a comforting presence in a world that had turned so uncertain.

I shifted, reluctant to leave the bed, but the soft cooing sounds coming from the adjacent room reminded me that sleeping in was no longer an option. Elliot and Aurora were awake, and it would only be a matter of minutes before they began crying out for attention.

“Morning,” Nathan mumbled in his gravelly sleep voice, his eyes half-open.

“Morning, handsome,” I replied, stretching as I sat up. “Sounds like the twins are up.”

He groaned playfully and rubbed his eyes. “They don’t appreciate the beauty of sleep yet.”

We chuckled, exchanging a quick kiss before we rolled out of bed. Nathan headed for the bathroom while I went to check on Elliot and Aurora. The sight of their tiny faces, so full of curiosity and innocence, filled me with a kind of love that momentarily made me forget all about my worries.

“Good morning, sunshines,” I cooed, reaching for them. “Looks like someone slept well, huh?”

I lifted Aurora from her crib first. Her big blue eyes met mine, and a giddy smile came across her face. She gurgled in response, a haphazard attempt at language. From his crib, Elliot gripped the bars with his tiny hands, attempting to pull himself up to a seated position.

“Easy, there, little man,” I teased as I bounced Aurora in my arms. “You’ll learn to sit up soon enough.”

By the time Nathan joined me, I had already changed the twins’ diapers and was in the process of preparing their bottles. He took over, freeing me to sit down for a moment.

The silence that enveloped us wasn’t entirely comfortable, though; the weight of last night’s conversation still lingered in the air.

“You’re still thinking about it, aren’t you?” I finally said, breaking the silence.

“The Elders?” Nathan looked up from where he was feeding Elliot. “Yeah, I can’t stop thinking about it. We’re running out of options, Liv.”

I sighed, touching my belly instinctively. “I know we are. But you have to admit it’s a little risky. More than a little, actually.”

Nathan capped the bottle and set Elliot down, coming over to sit beside me. “Every option we have is risky, Olivia. And I know how you feel about it, but if they know something that can help us, shouldn’t we at least try?”

I looked down at the twins, their faces so trusting and dependent on us for their survival. I couldn’t let my fears get in the way of that. “If you honestly think this is the best, or the only, way forward, then I’ll support you.”

Nathan’s eyes widened slightly as they searched mine. “You would really do that?”

“For them,” I gestured at Elliot and Aurora, “and for the baby I’m carrying now, yes. I would try anything.”

Nathan’s face softened, and he reached over to touch my belly, as if trying to connect with the unborn child growing inside of me. “I know it’s a big ask,” he said softly. “And I can’t promise it will work, or even that it won’t just make things worse. But I appreciate that you’re willing to give it a shot.”

“Just promise me one thing,” I said, meeting his eyes intently.

“Anything.”

“If we do this, we need to do it together. No lone-wolf acts, no shutting each other out. We’re a team, remember?”

Nathan smiled, his eyes filled with a mixture of love and gratitude. “I promise. No lone-wolf acts. We’re in this together.”

He leaned in and kissed me gently, his lips soft against mine, and in that moment, I felt a strange mix of fear and hope overtake my body.

Nathan then opened his mouth to say something else, but before he could get the words out, there was a sudden knock at the door. Three knocks in rapid succession, followed by another three, louder this time. Whoever was visiting was coming on urgent matters, I was sure of it.

Nathan and I shot each other a puzzled look before pulling apart.

“I’ll get it,” he mumbled, walking briskly toward the door.

Swinging it open, he found Angela standing on the porch.

“Oh. Hey, Angela,” Nathan said, opening the door a little wider. “Olivia is—”

“I’m not here on a visit,” she said, stepping into the hallway. Her eyes were wide, alert, and she was out of breath—as if she had just sprinted all the way to our house.

“Nathan, Olivia, you have to come with me. Now,” she panted, urgency lacing her every word.

“What’s going on, Angela? Is everyone okay?” I asked, holding Elliot close to my chest.

“It’s not anything bad, I don’t think, if that’s what you’re asking. But it’s important. You both need to come to the Council building. Someone new is in town and has specifically asked to speak with the Alpha.”

Nathan glanced at me, a mix of intrigue and caution in his eyes. I nodded almost imperceptibly, shifting Elliot in my arms. “Let’s go then,” he said, turning back to face Angela.”

The tension was palpable as we followed Angela down the tree-lined path leading to the Council building. The twins were in their stroller, as the notice was too short to find a babysitter, and I was too intrigued to stay home alone while Nathan met whoever this newcomer was.

Once we reached the Council building, I noticed how unusually bustling it was. Members of the pack were scurrying around, whispers filled the air, and multiple eyes turned our way as we entered.

Something was stirring, and it was big. Angela ushered us into the main meeting chamber, the space where major decisions affecting our pack were often debated and finalized.

In that room, a man stood with his back toward us.

He was alone, and yet his presence seemed to fill the room in a way that I couldn’t even begin to describe. He was wearing a long dark coat, and his posture had a sense of confidence that spoke of years of training. Was he an Alpha from another pack?

Beside me, I could hear Nathan’s footsteps slow down as we approached. There was something about this man—something that rang a distant bell in the back of our minds, and we exchanged glances before Nathan cleared his throat.

“You wished to speak to the Alpha?” Nathan called out, his voice sharp and commanding.

Finally, the man turned around. His eyes met Nathan’s, a strange blend of curiosity and recognition in his gaze. His lips curved into a reserved, almost-knowing smile. There was something strange about him. Something… familiar.

“You must be Nathan,” he said softly, taking a step closer to us.

“And you are?” Nathan responded, his eyes narrowing slightly, his stance defensive but intrigued at the same time.

The man extended his hand, that strange smile still playing on his lips almost as if he were enjoying a private joke at our expense.

“My name is Edward,” he said, pausing, almost as if he were pausing for some sort of effect. “I’m your long-lost uncle.”