Chapter 346

Olivia

The morning sun peeked through the curtains as I groggily got out of bed. My mind was still filled with a foggy sense of unease from the previous night.

But when I glanced at Nathan, peacefully asleep next to me, I knew that I had to let go of whatever unreasonable worries were clouding my brain. Life had thrown us so many curveballs lately; the last thing I wanted was to add another one.

Pushing aside my concerns, I tiptoed out of the room. As I made my way down the hallway toward the nursery, my heart swelled in anticipation. No matter how stressed or worried I was, seeing Elliot and Aurora, seeing their smiling little faces first thing in the morning, always made things better.

But as I pushed open the door to the nursery, I nearly jumped out of my skin.

Edward was already in there, cradling Aurora in his arms, while Elliot lay in his crib, cooing softly. My first reaction was a strange mix of surprise and defensiveness. This was my sanctuary, my space with my children, and to find him there, uninvited, threw me off balance.

“What are you doing here?” The words tumbled out before I could stop them.

Edward looked up, surprised. “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. Aurora was fussing a bit, so I thought I’d try to soothe her.”

I took a deep breath, trying to push down the unease bubbling up inside me. “Thanks, but if the twins need something, I can handle it. You could’ve gotten me.”

“I didn’t want to wake you,” he said softly, laying Aurora back in her crib.

I looked at him, then back at my babies. My protectiveness over them was fierce, almost primal. “Thank you for the help, but next time, please just get me. I’m used to waking up early.”

He nodded. “Of course.”

I brushed past him toward Aurora and scooped her up instantly, holding her close to my chest. Thankfully, she seemed okay, although a bit confused.

When I turned back around, he was already gone. I didn’t hear him leave; I didn’t see him go. It was as if he had just vanished into thin air, and that somehow unsettled me even more.

As I picked up Elliot next and sat in the rocking chair, feeding him, I couldn’t shake off the feeling of being watched.

Every creak of the floorboards, every rustle of the leaves outside, seemed amplified, feeding into my growing paranoia. I glanced over my shoulder more than once, half-expecting to see Edward standing there, but the room was still empty.

Was I being overly cautious? Or was my gut trying to tell me something?

The internal debate continued as I switched to feeding Aurora. On one hand, Edward had just been trying to help. On the other, this was my home, and my children were my responsibility. I shouldn't feel uncomfortable in my own space, should I?

“I’m being ridiculous,” I muttered under my breath. Here was a man who Nathan trusted, who was family. So why did I feel so on edge?

“Everything okay?” a voice said, making me jump.

It was Nathan, standing in the doorway, his eyes clouded with concern. “You seem a little jumpy.”

I looked at him and then back at the twins, snug in their cribs now, blissfully unaware of the emotional whirlpool their mother was navigating. “Yeah, I’m okay. Just still waking up, I guess.”

Nathan walked over and kissed the top of my head, his hand brushing my belly where another little life was taking root. “You’re an amazing mom, you know that, right?”

I smiled, my heart melting a little. “I try.”

“And an amazing fiancee.”

“Oh, yeah?” I teased. “Don’t forget that.”

We both laughed, a small but meaningful slice of normalcy in a morning that felt anything but normal.

“I’ve got to get going,” Nathan said, finally. “Pack stuff.”

I nodded, having already taken note of the fact that he was already dressed in his work clothes. I reached up and adjusted his tie, tugging gently on it to pull him closer for another kiss. “I know. Have a good day, okay? I’ll make dinner tonight.”

As he left, he turned back one more time. “You sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah,” I said, but the word felt hollow even to me.

I turned my attention back to Elliot and Aurora, who were now starting to drift off to sleep for their post-breakfast nap. Watching them, my heart swelled with love, but also with a sense of duty so overwhelming it was almost suffocating.

I was their mom; it was my job to protect them, to make them feel safe.

And yet, as I sat there in the quiet room, the walls adorned with soft pastel colors and little animals, the tiny outfits neatly arranged in the dresser, and the scent of baby lotion in the air, I couldn’t help but wonder: was I being overly protective, or was my unease warranted?

“Maybe I was a bit harsh,” I mused to myself, the words leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. But as I stared down at my sleeping babies, that nagging feeling of discomfort refused to leave.

…

I sighed as I walked down the stairs after my shower a little while later, my eyes still a little heavy from the restless night. In a way that I still couldn’t explain, I was dreading running into Edward. Would he expect breakfast? Coffee? A conversation?

I knew that I shouldn’t be feeling this way. He had been nothing but nice, albeit a little bit strange.

And yet, I just couldn’t shake that feeling.

When I reached the kitchen, however, I noticed a piece of paper propped up against the coffee maker. Nathan’s handwriting was scribbled across it: “Took Edward to the Council building. Enjoy the day. Love you.”

A sense of relief washed over me. Maybe I could enjoy a quiet morning after all.

I started brewing coffee and pulled out the ingredients to make pancakes. As I was measuring flour, I glanced out the window and saw Clint trimming the hedges.

It had been a while since we had last caught up, so I figured, why not invite him in for coffee?

I stepped outside. “Hey, Clint! Want to take a coffee break?”

Clint looked up and smiled. “That sounds great, Olivia. Give me a sec to wrap up here.”

Minutes later, we were sitting in the kitchen, steaming mugs of coffee in front of us. Clint’s presence was a soothing balm when I needed it the most, the image of his weathered hands gripping the coffee mug serving as a reminder that I still had him, the ‘grandfather’ of my children, even when I felt adrift at sea.

“So,” Clint started, “how’s everything going? You know, with the new houseguest?”

I sighed. “It’s...interesting. Nathan invited Edward to stay with us temporarily until he gets settled in town.”

“Edward, huh?” Clint scratched his beard thoughtfully. “I remember him, but I thought he was dead. It was quite a big deal back in the day.”

I nodded slowly as realization washed over me. Clint had been around back when Edward was still part of the pack, after all. Maybe he had some insight.

“So, everyone really thought he was dead, huh?” I asked, taking a sip of my coffee.

“Yeah.” Clint nodded. “His supposed death was the talk of the pack. I guess it makes sense, though. The funeral was a closed casket, so it might have been empty for all I know.”

I frowned. “Well, he seems very much alive now. And his story checks out. He even has Nathan’s eyes—the same blue-green.”

Clint’s gaze turned sharp. “That’s odd.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Well…” Clint paused, stroking his beard. “Nathan got his mother’s eyes. Edward is Colin’s brother. It wouldn’t make sense for Nathan and Edward to have the same eye color.”

A chill crept up my spine. “I must have seen it wrong, then.”

Clint seemed to consider this. “Maybe.”

I thought for a moment, chewing my lip, then suddenly had an idea. “Hey… Do you happen to have any pictures from that time? Before Edward ‘died’?”

Clint paused, his eyes narrowing. “Hmm… Maybe. Let me take a look when I get back to my cottage later.”

I let out a soft breath that I didn’t know I had been holding. Maybe Clint happened to have some old photos, something that Edward wound up in. Maybe I could check his eye color.

In a strange way, I felt a newfound sense of excitement wash over me.

Was this another mystery to unravel, or was I just grasping at straws, looking for discord where there was none?