Chapter 542

Olivia

I stared down at the note that had been sent by Nathan, and felt my mind whirling with a thousand different thoughts. “Emergency at pack,” the note said. “Return home immediately.”

“E-Emergency?” I murmured, slowly raising my gaze to meet the envoy.

The envoy nodded. “He didn’t specify anything else,” he said. “But I believe it is in your best interest to heed his instructions.”

I paused, turning to look at the women around me. They all blinked at me with varying degrees of interest, but none of them said a word.

“How am I supposed to get back?” I asked.

“Alpha Nathan has prepared a boat for you,” the envoy replied. “If you’ll come with me, I can escort you.”

I looked back down at the note one last time. That was certainly Nathan’s signature and his handwriting was as clear as day. For a moment, I wondered what could possibly be going on at the pack that was so important that it required me to return—but at the same time, it had to be serious because Nathan wasn’t the type to send me back like that for nothing, especially not when we had our plans to carry out today.

“Um… Alright,” I finally managed, folding up the note and stuffing it in my pocket. “I’ll just gather my things… Mira, would you please help me?”

Mira, noticing my hesitation, nodded and followed me to the bedroom. While I quickly gathered my things and stuffed them into my bag, I glanced over my shoulder to make sure that no one was eavesdropping.

“What are you supposed to do with me gone?” I whispered. “The plan requires all of us.”

Mira glanced over her own shoulder as well and drew in a sharp breath. “I have faith that Alpha Nathan has alternatives.”

I swallowed and nodded at the same time. Nathan had seemed so sure of our plan, just as he always was with everything he did. Surely he had a backup plan in case of an emergency like this.

Once I was packed, I quickly pulled my hair back into a bun, threw on my black hoodie, and pulled the hood up to conceal my identity from any prying eyes. I turned toward Mira then and cast her one last apologetic look.

“I’m sorry,” I said softly.

But Mira simply offered me a warm smile and a gentle, albeit brief, hug. “It’s alright. Your pack needs you.”

Nodding, I turned toward the door—but stopped again, my hand resting on the doorknob, as I bit my lip. Before I left, I turned back toward Mira and opened my mouth to speak. And yet, somehow, before I could speak, she answered the question that was on my mind without ever having to ask it myself.

“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure nothing happens to your husband.”

…

As the envoy and I stepped out of the underbrush and onto the secluded beach, I felt my heart twist in my chest. Here I was, leaving Nathan behind to handle this entire plan on his own, all for an emergency back home that I didn’t know anything about.

“Here we are, Miss Olivia,” the envoy said. “Your ship.”

Up ahead, glistening in the light of the morning sun, was indeed a ship—or rather, a small boat. I furrowed my brow as I took in its sleek appearance and small cabin before I turned back to face the envoy.

“This is a different boat than the one before,” I said, unable to keep myself from feeling a little wary. “Is the captain the same?”

The envoy shook his head. “New boat, new captain,” he said. “This was all we could find on such short notice. But don’t you worry; Captain Jones is a good woman.”

Captain Jones. I turned back toward the boat, and that was when I saw her: an older woman with graying hair, wearing a bandana around her neck. When she caught me looking, she waved at me from afar. She seemed friendly enough.

“Alright,” I said, hiking my bag up on my shoulder. “I’ll be off, then.”

The envoy nodded. Without saying anything else, I made my way over to the dock where the boat was moored. The gentle sounds of the water lapping against the gleaming sides of the boat would have normally been serene, but today, my heart was pounding far too fast for any semblance of calm.

Just before I reached the boat, however, I paused. I felt a knot of worry twist in my stomach, and drawing in a deep breath, I whipped my head around to take one last look at the envoy behind me.

But he was already gone.

“Miss Olivia?” The sound of the captain’s voice snapped me out of my reverie. I turned to see her bowing her head politely at me as I approached the boat. “Eleanor Jones at your service. Please, make yourself comfortable.”

“Thank you, Eleanor.” Taking her hand for support, I boarded the boat. A young boy, barely older than eighteen, if even that, suddenly seemed to materialize at my side. I found myself a bit startled when he suddenly took my bag and scurried off.

“Oh, that’s my son,” Eleanor said with a wave of her hand. “Don’t mind him. He just helps out around here.”

“I see.” I found a seat beneath the canopy and looked out over the water while the captain and her son removed the ropes mooring the boat to the dock. I couldn’t help but sigh; I just hoped that Nathan would be okay without me.

But, then again, I figured that he wouldn’t have sent me away if he didn’t feel like he had everything handled.

Before I knew it, the captain was back at the wheel. I watched quietly as she skillfully steered the boat away from the dock, and soon, the shore was behind us.

“Heading north, eh?” she suddenly asked over the sound of the engine, turning briefly to look at me.

I nodded, but couldn’t help but furrow my brow. “You were given directions, correct?” I asked, more so because I wasn’t particularly confident with my own navigating abilities than anything else.

“Oh, yes, of course.” Eleanor shot me a warm smile, setting my nerves at ease. I smiled back at her and sank a little lower into my seat, watching the water as it began to lap and ripple around us. Feeling eyes on me, though, I looked up to see the captain’s son standing by the cabin, just around the corner.

But when he met my gaze, he quickly darted away.

Strange, I thought to myself, knitting my brows as I turned back to look at the water again. I chalked it up to youthful shyness and put it behind me.

Soon, the shore was shrinking into a narrow line, then eventually a dot behind us. The ocean swelled in all directions until it was nothing but water all around, reminding me—once again—of just how small we all were.

And although I knew that I would be home in just a few hours, there was no denying the clench of worry in my chest when the last speck of land disappeared over the horizon.