Chapter 380

Olivia

The last thing I saw was Edward’s face.

But at the same time, it wasn’t his face. Not really. Something about it was… off. It was almost as if it began to shift and contort in front of me.

His eyes, that all-too-familiar shade of blue-green, began to morph into a light blue, growing to a size that was just slightly too big for his features. His skin paled, his features became just a little uncanny.

I thought, for a fleeting moment, that I recognized that face somehow.

But before I could take in what was happening and put the pieces together, everything went dark.

…

I awoke in the forest. The wind was rustling gently through the trees, the scent of pine and the ocean breeze filling my senses. The sky overhead was blue, and for a moment, I just laid there and dug my fingers into the grass as I looked up at the clouds.

“Must have fallen asleep daydreaming,” I said quietly, a soft smile on my face. “Everything is okay.”

But then, as I laid there, I noticed it. The clouds—they weren’t moving. They were like a painting in the sky, fixed in one position. And the leaves on the trees, despite the wind blowing through them, were stagnant as well. It was as if I was caught inside a fixed point in time. A false reality.

I sat up, furrowing my brow and looking around. This wasn’t right. My head was hurting, but I didn’t know why. I couldn’t remember anything. I couldn’t… I couldn’t remember how I got here.

“You’re dreaming, Olivia.”

The voice took me by surprise. I whipped my head around to see her standing there, regal as ever: Jade, my wolf. Her golden fur shone in the sunlight, her blue eyes glinting. A sense of relief washed over me when I saw her, a reminder that I wasn’t alone. But why was I so worried to begin with? Had something happened?

“I’m dreaming?” I asked, knitting my eyebrows together. She nodded, and then it hit me. I remembered now.

It was like a distant dream, but it all came rushing back in an instant as I looked into my wolf’s bright blue eyes. I remembered Edward’s hand wrapping around my throat, the sound of his voice, the way his face began to contort.

“Is there a spell on me?” I asked as I stood. I brushed my pants off even though the grass and the soil beneath me was just a facade, like brushstrokes on a canvas. “Did Edward do this? We need to stop him!”

Jade tilted her head, her gaze fixed on mine. “I’m not sure, Olivia. But you’re asleep right now. That’s all I know.”

I couldn’t help but feel frustration bubbling up inside of me. “You’re never sure,” I said with a wry chuckle escaping my lips.

Jade, sitting on her haunches now, shot me a sideways look. “What do you mean?” she asked.

I sighed, throwing my hands up in the air with exasperation. “We’re supposed to be the Ancient Wolf, the wisest of all wolves, and yet you’re rarely ever much of a help,” I said.

She looked almost hurt. “What are you saying?” she asked. “I always try to help you.”

“No, you don’t,” I hissed. “You’ve given me the voice to command people on a few occasions, but that’s it. This whole Ancient Wolf thing feels like... like bullshit. And my mate and my children are out there somewhere, and you just let Edward knock me out? And you can’t even tell me how to get out of here?”

Jade’s eyes narrowed, and she bared her fangs at me. “You think it’s that easy, Olivia? To gain the powers of the Ancient Wolf? It takes decades of rigorous training, of being in tune with your wolf side. You can’t expect to have it all on a whim. And I certainly can’t just give it to you if your mind and your body aren’t prepared for it.”

My frustration boiled over, and I gestured wildly at the clearing around us. “And when exactly was I supposed to find time for that training, Jade? I’ve been busy trying to take care of my babies, to survive. There’s no time for training.”

Jade scoffed, her tail swishing with agitation. “Then, Olivia, if becoming the Ancient Wolf isn’t a priority, don’t expect to have the power you need to face the evil in your life.”

I opened my mouth to retort, but before I could say anything, everything blurred and faded, and I was left in a void of darkness.

...

I woke up with a start, for real this time, disoriented and groggy with a throbbing pain in my head. My surroundings were unfamiliar, and panic gripped me.

The room was dark; all I could make out was a musty smell and the sensation of a dirt floor beneath my body. I tried to sit up, but my body felt heavy, as if I was sinking into the abyss.

“Hello? Is anyone there?” I called out, my voice trembling.

Silence. Not even an echo.

I reached out to Jade, but her presence was weak and distant now. “Jade?” I whispered, my heart sinking.

“I don’t feel well, Olivia,” she replied, her voice feeble and sounding far away. “Something’s wrong.”

The fear in her voice mirrored my own. I tried to piece together what had happened, but my memories were a jumble of confusion. Then, as my eyes began to adjust to the darkness, it hit me—I was in some sort of basement.

I called out for help, but it seemed like no one could hear me. I was trapped, and a sense of helplessness washed over me.

“Jade,” I called out, desperate for her comforting presence. “I’m sorry for what I said earlier. Please don’t abandon me.”

“I’m here, Olivia,” she said weakly, “but I’m not at my best. Something’s happened.”

Dread gnawed at my insides. But before I could say anything else, I heard footsteps approaching. The door creaked open, and for a fleeting moment, light flooded toward me. It was almost blinding, and I had to hold my arm up to shield my eyes.

“Hello?” I called out, swallowing the thick lump in my throat. “H-Help…”

But even as I called out for help, my voice faded. I knew that this figure standing in the doorway, a stark black shadow against the blinding white light, was not coming to help me.

Suddenly, the door slammed shut, leaving me and the figure bathed in darkness once more. I could hear the sound of bare feet padding down the rickety wooden steps, then they became muffled by the door floor.

For what felt like an eternity, nothing happened; like the calm before a storm. I managed to sit up and back up against the cold stone wall behind me, but there was nowhere to go. My wolf’s presence was weak and my body felt weaker. My heart raced as I strained my eyes to make out any details.

And then I saw it.

A white nightgown, ghostly pale skin, a slender frame, long black hair, too-big eyes.

“Hello, Olivia,” she said in that soft, breathy voice of hers. “Did you miss me?”

“Jenifer?”