Chapter 393

Olivia

My consciousness flickered back into the physical world, and the first thing I was aware of was the searing pain in my head. It pulsed relentlessly, threatening to overwhelm me, but I couldn’t afford to give in to it. I had to get out of this nightmare.

And then Alvin said those words—those words that reminded me that, despite everything, Alvin had always been my friend. When I saw the look in his eyes, I was transported back to a time when everything felt so much simpler…

“Alvin! It’s dinnertime!”

The sound of Alvin’s grandmother’s voice pierced the air, putting an abrupt end to our playing. Our faces were stained with dirt and sweat from playing outside all day, and no matter how badly the three of us wanted to keep going, we knew that there was no use in arguing; it was time for dinner, and therefore the end of our fun for the day.

“Tomorrow, I’m gonna finish building my castle,” Nathan said, gesturing to a pile of rocks that he had painstakingly arranged in the haphazard form of a structure. “And then we can play knights!”

“I think that would be fun,” Alvin said. He flashed a grin; he had lost his two front teeth, one right after the other, but the new teeth were half grown in by now. “So long as I get to be the winner this time!”

“You? The winner?” Nathan scoffed and folded his arms across his chest. “But you’re always holding your sword all wrong. How can you be the winner if—”

“Alvin! Dinnertime!” his grandmother’s voice called out again.

“Hey,” I said, taking a step forward, “why don’t we fight together next time?” I asked.

“Fight together?” Alvin shot me a confused look.

I nodded. “Yeah! We’ll all fight a dragon together.”

Alvin and Nathan gave each other a glance, then returned their gazes to me. “Why would we fight a dragon together?” Nathan asked. “Someone will have to play the dragon.”

But I shook my head, my blonde curls falling into my eyes as I did. “We can just imagine the dragon,” I said. “And we can all beat it together. Because that’s what knights in our kingdom do.”

…The memory faded. I could feel my wolf’s strength surge through me then, more powerful than ever. In that moment, I knew that all I needed to do was call on it, and fight the dragon that stood before me.

With a surge of determination, I borrowed my wolf’s newfound strength. My body shifted, transforming from human to wolf in an instant. My senses sharpened, and I could practically hear Alvin and Jenifer’s heartbeats.

In my wolf form, I was faster, stronger, and driven by an instinctual desire to protect those I loved. And no matter the betrayal or the pain or the trauma, I loved Alvin. He was a brother to me, and I knew that I would never let anything happen to him.

Growling, I launched myself forward, heading straight for Jenifer. She didn’t have time to react. The collision was powerful, and I knocked her aside with a force that sent her careening into the stone wall.

Instantly, she fell limp; not dead, but unconscious. I could have left her there.

But I couldn’t stop. I couldn’t just leave her. My fury took over me, and I lunged at her, my teeth bared. I knew that it would be so easy to end all of this, to snap her neck between my jaws and be done with it.

The very thought of it filled me with a sick sense of joy. I closed the remaining distance between us and crouched down, opening my jaws wide. Her head would fit perfectly. I wanted to savor the taste of her blood.

But then, as my jaws closed around her neck, I hesitated. My eyes widened as I thought back on that day with Alvin and Nathan, the day we had fought the imaginary dragon. Tired and panting, we had fallen onto the grass with our makeshift swords, picturing the dragon flying away after a gruesome battle.

“See you next time, dragon,” Alvin had said.

We weren’t killers then, even in our overalls and with our sticks for swords and bruises on our knees. And I sure as hell wasn’t a killer now.

I couldn’t become the monster she wanted me to be. I couldn’t allow myself to cross that line.

With every ounce of willpower I had left, I released Jenifer, allowing her unconscious body to fall back to the ground. I could deal with her later, in a way that didn’t involve bloodshed. But for now, my focus was on…

“Olivia…”

His voice, cracked and hoarse, drew me out of my reverie.

Turning away from Jenifer, I shifted back into my human form, my breath shaky, my body trembling from the exertion.

My heart sank as I saw Alvin still lying there on the ground, his chest stained with blood. Panic surged through me, and I rushed to his side, falling to my knees beside him. Tears welled up in my eyes as I saw the knife protruding from his heart.

She had done it. During my rage, I hadn’t noticed—but the knife had already come down. It was too late.

“Alvin,” I choked out, my voice trembling as I reached for the handle of the knife. “I can get the knife out. I can save you.”

But he stopped me with a weak, trembling hand on my arm. His voice was barely a whisper, his breaths shallow and labored.

“No, Liv,” he said, his eyes locking onto mine. “It’s too late for me. I’m dying, and there’s nothing we can do.”

“No,” I sobbed, my fingers trembling as I reached for the knife. “I won’t let you die. I can’t lose you, not like this.”

But Alvin’s hand shot out, and he gripped my fingers. His own fingers were bloody, but I didn’t care. I only cared about him at that moment.

“Alvin—”

“Listen to me, Liv,” he whispered, still holding my hand. “It’s okay. I did what I came here to do, which was to save you.”

Tears streamed down my cheeks as I held his gaze. “But why, Alvin?” I choked out through a thick sob. “Why did you come back? Why put yourself in danger?”

He managed a weak smile, his hand cupping my cheek. “Because I love you,” he whispered. “I’ve always loved you. I’m sorry it was misguided… but I never meant for any of this.”

My heart ached with a mixture of love and grief as he spoke. “I love you too, Alvin,” I sobbed, my tears mingling with the blood on my face. “I’m sorry I never loved you in the same way, but I did love you. Always.”

Alvin nodded weakly, and a soft smile came over his face. “That’s all I ever wanted to hear,” he whispered.

As we held each other, time seemed to stand still. I could feel the life slipping away from him, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. All I could do was be there with him, to offer him comfort in his final moments.

And then, like a candle blowing out in the wind, Alvin’s eyes glazed over. He was gone.

“A-Alvin?” I whimpered, my voice trembling. I began to shake him gently, but his head only lolled to the side, limp and lifeless.

A choked sob escaped my throat. I couldn’t contain the keening wail that escaped next, and I bowed my head over my friend’s chest, my cheek brushing the handle of the knife that had taken him from me—from us.

But then I heard it.

A voice coming from the top of the stairs. Not Jenifer, not Alvin.

Nathan.

“Olivia, watch out!”