Chapter 358

Olivia

The sun spilled through the curtains as I stirred awake, feeling the weight of last night’s fright lift away with the morning glow. I chalked it up to my imagination running wild, a common symptom of sleep deprivation, perhaps.

After a quick shower and getting dressed, I headed down the hall. Passing by Edward’s room, I saw the door was wide open. Edward was packing his suitcase, folding his clothes next to the bed.

“Morning, Olivia,” he said, pausing to offer a warm smile.

“Morning,” I replied, returning the smile, though a sense of strangeness tingled at the back of my mind. Edward’s eyes met mine for a moment longer than necessary before he returned to his packing.

I descended the stairs, my thoughts pivoting back to the mysterious vibrations of the amulet last night. It had been a gift from Layla, a way to protect us from the witch’s magic. I had only felt it vibrate once before when the witch suddenly appeared, and yet recently, I had been feeling it a lot more.

It was almost as if with Edward’s return, it seemed to be waking up, emitting these tiny hums almost like a warning. It was subtle when it happened, though, making me unsure; was I imagining things, or did I just misunderstand how the amulet worked?

Finally, as I got my coffee ready, I realized that I needed to know more about this mysterious amulet. I grabbed my phone and dialed Layla’s number. After a couple of rings, she answered.

“Olivia, what a surprise! To what do I owe this pleasure?”

“Hey, Layla, I hope I’m not disturbing you,” I began cautiously, keeping my voice low and glancing over my shoulder to ensure that Nathan was busy in his study.

“Not at all. What’s up?”

“You remember the amulet you gave me?” I went straight to the point.

“Of course, why?”

“Well, it’s been acting a bit strange lately. It’s been vibrating, and it’s getting stronger. Could you tell me how it works exactly? I never got to ask you before.”

She paused, as if considering how best to explain. “The amulet has protective qualities for its wearer, but it also vibrates in the presence of magic. Consider it as… an alarm system for magic.”

“And what kind of magic are we talking about?” I asked.

“All kinds, really. But mostly the kind you’d rather not have near you or your loved ones. Black magic,” she said cautiously.

“That’s...concerning,” I admitted, my voice tinged with uncertainty. “So, the vibrations could mean there’s magic around me?”

“If it’s vibrating faintly, it might be nothing serious, maybe just residual magic. It’s not uncommon for all of us to leave a bit of our own residual magic wherever we go, thanks to our wolves. But if it vibrates strongly or glows, you should be worried. That could indicate the presence of dark or evil magic.”

“Glowing? Has it ever glowed before?”

“For me, no. But it’s a sensitive piece. My grandma told me it glowed for her once, and she immediately knew she was in danger. Turned out to be a curse someone had placed on her.”

I nodded, taking in the new information, my mind racing with possibilities. “Okay, thanks for letting me know, Layla. If it ever starts glowing, I’ll definitely let you know.”

“Please do, Olivia. These are things you shouldn’t take lightly,” she urged.

“We won’t talk lightly of dark magic. Don’t worry,” I assured her, though my voice wavered a bit.

“Alright, take care. And keep me posted.”

“I will. Thanks, Layla.”

Just then, as I hung up the phone with Layla, I heard Nathan call out from his study. Oh no; did he overhear? I didn’t want to answer questions right now.

“Olivia, could you come in for a sec?”

“Sure. What’s up?” I walked into the room, finding him surrounded by paperwork. Maps, legal documents, and scribbled notes were spread across his desk like a chaotic mess.

“I hate to ask, but… Would you mind making me a cup of coffee?” He looked up, flashing a tired but appreciative smile in my direction.

“Of course,” I agreed, turning to leave the room. The coffee machine beeped a few minutes later, and the room was filled with that familiar aroma. I poured the dark liquid into a mug, adding a splash of milk and just a little bit of sugar the way Nathan liked it.

“So, what’s all this?” I asked, gesturing to the piles of paper as I walked in and held the mug out to him.

“Land acquisitions for the pack,” he replied, grabbing a pen and pointing to some marked areas on a map. “New boundaries, reformed territories, that sort of stuff. I need to finalize these soon. Thank you for the coffee, my love.”

Our fingers brushed as he took the mug from me, and I felt the amulet tremble against my skin beneath my shirt. A quiet, almost inaudible hum emanated from it, so brief that I questioned whether it happened at all.

My hand instinctively reached for the talisman, clutching it tightly.

Nathan looked puzzled, his eyes narrowing a bit as they met mine. “What’s wrong? You look like you just saw a ghost.”

For a moment, I considered telling him, letting him in on the weird occurrences and the growing disquiet in the back of my mind. But I remembered Layla’s words. If it wasn’t glowing or vibrating strongly, maybe it was nothing to be alarmed about. Just a bit of magical residue left behind by our wolves.

“I’m fine, just zoned out for a second there,” I said, brushing it off.

“Are you sure?” Concern laced his voice.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m sure,” I reassured him, forcing a smile. “Listen, I’m thinking of making some breakfast. Would you like me to bring you some when it’s ready?”

His face broke into a smile, the worry lines smoothing away for a moment. “That would be perfect. I could use a break.”

He leaned over the desk, taking my hand and planting a gentle kiss on it. Oddly, the amulet didn’t vibrate this time, remaining as still as it had been most of the morning.

“See you in a bit,” I said, retreating from the room, my thoughts a whirlpool of contradictions.

As I headed towards the kitchen, the doctor’s words from my last visit echoed in my mind. I needed to manage my stress levels.

Was that what this was? Stress causing my mind to play tricks on me? As I started to prepare breakfast, I began to lean toward that possibility.

I whipped up some pancake batter and poured it onto a hot skillet, the mechanical motions providing a temporary distraction from my spiraling thoughts. I flipped a pancake onto a plate, letting out a deep breath as I did.

Nathan and I had enough on our plates already. The twins were a handful, his job was demanding, and my freelance projects were picking up. Did I really need to be adding the machinations of my own mind to the mix?

I finished cooking, plating the pancakes and adding a drizzle of syrup on top. I made a mental note to talk to the doctor about stress management on my next visit. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to visit one of these ‘specialists’ she had mentioned.

“Breakfast is served,” I announced, setting the tray on a cleared corner of Nathan’s desk.

He looked up, and his eyes met mine. For a second, everything felt just as it should be, simple and uncomplicated.

And as Nathan reached for his fork, diving into his breakfast with a satisfied sigh, I willed myself to believe that perhaps there really was nothing to worry about.