Chapter 363

Olivia

I stood there, a bit dazed, as Edward delivered Nathan’s message with a look in his eyes that just didn’t sit quite right with me. Nathan? Telling me to cancel an appointment without even speaking to me first? That wasn’t like him at all.

“Are you sure he said that? It’s just... it’s not like him,” I managed.

Edward gave me a look that I think was meant to be sympathetic but seemed more patronizing than anything. And maybe it was. “I know you’re upset, Olivia. But Nathan’s plate is extremely full. Running the pack is no small feat.”

His words fuelled my fire a little bit. I wasn’t a novice when it came to these sorts of things. “Yes, I am aware. But this is important, too. It’s our relationship, Edward.”

He held up his hands as if to placate me. “I understand. But right now, he can’t step away.”

I sighed. “Alright,” I finally relented, not wanting to cause a scene in the middle of the Council building. “I’ll reschedule. Can you please tell him to block out his calendar next time so I don’t have to?”

Edward’s expression softened ever so slightly. “Of course. Thank you for understanding.”

With that, he stepped back into the office and closed the door. I turned on my heel with a sense of annoyance settling in my chest. As I walked away, a tight knot formed in my stomach, a mix of anger and hurt roiling together.

Nathan’s sudden request—or rather, Edward’s delivery of it—felt like a dismissal of our relationship. He never acted like this. What had changed? Was he really too busy to even deliver the news himself?

I dialed the therapist’s number as I exited the building. The phone rang twice before she answered.

“Olivia? Is everything alright?” she asked, her voice calm and collected. “Your appointment is in thirty minutes.”

I let out a sigh. “I know. I’m sorry, but I need to reschedule my appointment.

There was a brief pause. “That’s quite alright. But may I ask what happened?”

I bit my lip, wondering if it was worth mentioning, but ultimately decided that it was. “Nathan... he sent word through his uncle, of all people, that he’s too busy to make it today.”

“And how does that make you feel?”

Her question, no matter how simple it was, seemed to open a floodgate of emotions. “Disappointed. Hurt, even. It’s just so unlike him, and it felt so… businesslike. As if I wasn’t even worth the five minutes to tell me himself.”

The line was quiet for a moment as she digested my words. “I see. Perhaps we should discuss this during your next session. But remember, Olivia, this could be a one-time incident. It’s important to communicate how you’re feeling about this, openly and without framing it as an argument. This is an opportunity for growth.”

Her words were comforting, but they stung, too. They reminded me of our last attempt at our ‘homework’, which didn’t go so well. But she was right; I couldn’t just sit around and let it fester.

“You’re right. I’ll talk to him about it,” I said, although the thought of the upcoming conversation made my stomach twist a little.

“Good. Open dialogue is key. Call me to reschedule when you’re ready.”

“Thank you, I will.” I hung up, then let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding.

For no reason in particular, I stopped walking and just stood there on the sidewalk, wondering what to do next.

I could go home, back to the twins, back to Clint. I could apologize for wasting his time and then proceed to wallow in the chaos that was my home until Nathan got out of work, only to have that ‘conversation’ with him which, if it went as well as things had been going recently, would just turn into an argument.

Or… I could enjoy my day. Even for just an hour.

The thought of Angela crossed my mind. It had been so long since we just spent some time with each other and no one else since the twins were born, and I missed her. And besides, maybe she would have some wisdom to share. She seemed to always have some stockpiled.

The walk to Angela’s house was a short one, but my mind was miles away, tangled in a mess of thoughts about everything—Nathan, Edward, the witch, the appointment.

But when I walked up the flower-lined pathway to her cute little yellow cottage and rang the doorbell, I could already feel the weight lifting off my shoulders.

Angela answered with a broad smile spreading across her face. She was wearing a cozy burnt orange sweater, her hair was pulled up in a messy bun, and she had a steaming cup of tea in her hands; the perfect image of Angela. Always calm, always collected, always cozy.

“Olivia! What a surprise,” she greeted, stepping aside to let me in.

The familiarity of her cozy living room, with its plush sofa and the smell of something baking, offered a small comfort. I sank into the cushions, and Angela perched on the armrest beside me, her eyes studying me for a moment before she spoke.

“Geez, Liv. What’s up with you?” she asked, her voice soft.

I let out a heavy sigh, and instantly everything poured out before I could stop it. “It’s Nathan... He canceled our couples therapy session last minute. Through Edward.”

Angela’s brow furrowed. “That doesn’t sound like him. He’s always been so... punctual.”

“Exactly.” I tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “It’s not just that he canceled, though. It’s how he did it. No call, no text, just a message through Edward. I went to the Council building and everything. He wouldn’t even talk to me.”

She reached out, her hand resting gently on mine. “Have you considered that maybe something urgent came up at the Council?”

I had, of course, but it didn’t quell the unease. “I suppose, but he would usually at least send me a message himself. This silence is so unlike him.”

“Hmm,” Angela hummed, leaning back. “Sounds like the pressure of being Alpha is really getting to him.”

We sat in silence for a moment, the only sound the ticking of the clock on the wall.

“I just feel so... disconnected from him lately,” I finally admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.

Angela’s face softened. “You two have been through so much. It’s bound to create some distance. But you’ll find your way back to each other. You always do.”

I nodded, the knot in my stomach loosening just a tiny bit. “I hope so.”

“Of course you will,” Angela said with even more confidence. “You just need to remind each other why you fell in love in the first place.”

“How do I do that when he’s so wrapped up in his work?” I asked, the frustration creeping back into my voice.

“Well,” Angela began, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips, “sometimes you need to shake things up a bit. Get his attention in a way that he can’t ignore.”

“And how am I supposed to do that?” I chuckled, despite the heaviness in my heart.

Angela’s smile turned into a full-blown grin. “You need to remind him of the woman he fell in love with. The woman who is not just the mother of his children but also the fiery bombshell that you are.”

I couldn’t help but laugh, the sound more genuine this time and less hollow. “And what, pray tell, do you suggest?”

Angela stood, pacing the room with an energy that was almost palpable. “You know, something unexpected. Something that shows him how irresistible you are.”

My laughter faded, and without meaning to, I pressed my lips into a thin line. I looked down at my body, my belly beginning to protrude ever so slightly from beneath my shirt, my thighs having grown a bit, and my plain jeans and a t-shirt.

“I haven’t felt irresistible in a long time, Angela.”

Angela’s eyes glinted with mischief. “You just need a little nudge to remind you. And I have the perfect idea.”

“An idea?”

Angela stopped her pacing and looked at me, a determined look in her eyes. “Let’s find something that makes you feel like the sexy woman you are. Something that’ll knock Nathan off his feet.”

“And what could possibly do that?” I asked, the corners of my mouth lifting despite my attempt to remain skeptical.

Angela’s response was a smirk that practically spelled trouble. “Some lingerie should do the trick.”

I burst into laughter. “Lingerie? Seriously? Angela, I’ve got stretch marks and my belly never fully recovered from the twins. Me and lingerie… we don’t mix.”

“Nonsense,” Angela scoffed, waving her hand dismissively. “You’re beautiful, and it’s high time you felt it again. Plus, Nathan won’t know what hit him. Maybe this could be the spark you need. At least for the time being.”

I stared incredulously at Angela for a few moments, trying to figure out if she was joking or not. But she wasn’t. And before I could answer, she was already grabbing her car keys and her jacket off the hook, a grin spreading across her face.

“That’s it,” she said. “Olivia, we’re going shopping.”