Chapter 98

Olivia

“If you have such strong feelings for me, why don’t you take me out instead of getting so jealous?”

Nathan’s eyes were wide. Mine were, too, shocked by my own words.

As I waited for Nathan to respond, his stunned silence permeated the room, deepening the tension.

Finally, he gathered himself and opened his mouth to speak, his eyes never leaving mine.

“Olivia, I…” he started, his voice barely more than a whisper. “I don't have those kinds of feelings for you. I was only...I was just protecting you from your ex.”

My heart sank at his words, a lump forming in my throat.

His denial felt like a slap in the face. But I refused to let him see how much he had hurt me.

I squared my shoulders, forcing a small smile onto my face. “Jealousy is a strong emotion, Nathan,” I reminded him. “People don’t get jealous over just anyone. If you were just protecting me over my ex, then what did Levi have to do with it?”

He met my gaze, his eyes clouded with confusion. “I wasn’t jealous, Olivia. I was...I was just worried about you. I don’t want to see guys take advantage of you.”

I sighed, shaking my head. "You can call it what you want, Nathan. But I know what I saw when you attacked my bodyguard like that. That was more than just you being concerned about your friend; that was something else. I saw the wolf in you then.”

Nathan was silent. So was I. The air hung heavily over us like a thick cloud, threatening to burst forth with rain and thunder. But in a strange way, I was invigorated by the electricity in the air, the hum of the lightning waiting to strike.

“And besides, if you really think your feelings for me are purely platonic… then prove it, Nathan. Prove me wrong."

He raised an eyebrow, a hint of challenge creeping into his expression. “And how do you propose I do that?” he asked quietly.

I shrugged. A spark of an idea flickered in my mind. I knew exactly how he could prove it. Taking a deep breath, I laid out my plan.

“Like I said…take me out, Nathan,” I told him, a smirk tugging at my lips. “Take me on a date. Take me to a fancy, candlelit dinner. Treat me like a princess. If after all that, you still believe you’re just caring for a friend...then I’ll drop it. Forever.”

For a moment, Nathan stared at me as if I’d lost my mind. His arms were folded across his chest, his brow furrowed in thought. I held my breath, waiting for his response.

After what seemed like an eternity, a slow grin spread across his face.

“Alright, Olivia,” he said, matching my smirk with his own. “You're on. I'll take you to the nicest bistro in town. I’ll treat you like a princess. And I assure you, even under the most romantic conditions, I won't be seduced by you.”

The room seemed to hold its breath as he extended his hand to me, the twinkle in his eyes revealing a playful challenge. I met his hand with my own, sealing the pact with a firm shake.

“Deal,” I agreed, grinning back at him.

At that moment, I was more determined than ever to prove him wrong.

I was certain that Nathan wouldn’t win. I had seen the fire in his eyes when he confronted Levi, the protective intensity he showed for me was more than that of just a friend.

I knew in my heart that when the time came, he wouldn't be able to resist.

After all, if there was anything I knew about Nathan, it was that he wore his heart on his sleeve, even if he didn't realize it himself.

I had already seen the look in his eyes when he was holding Levi’s shirt in his white-knuckled fists. I had felt his breath on me all of those times that we got too close together.

I had… I had seen him that night in his bedroom, with his eyes closed and his hand in a place where I shouldn’t have been looking.

Yet, the uncertainty of the upcoming dinner sent a shiver of trepidation through me. It was a gamble, and the stakes were high. Our friendship was on the line, and things could go horribly wrong. Feelings could get hurt, or even worse, feelings could get muddled.

But it was a risk I was willing to take.

For now, though, I would bask in the small victory. Nathan had agreed to my terms, and that was a start. He was willing to take a chance and explore the possibility of something more, something beyond friendship.

Or, at the very least, this little challenge was enough to make him talk to me. Enough to make him smile. Maybe, above all else, it would remind us of our friendship and would warm the air between us so that things could go back to normal.

And I, on the other hand, was more than ready to seize the opportunity and show him just how wrong he was about his feelings. I was ready to show him how right we could be together.

As he left the room, the silence returned, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I couldn’t help the flutter of excitement that was beginning to stir within me. The dice had been cast, and there was no turning back.

As I went to bed that night, the thought of the upcoming dinner date filled my dreams. Nathan might have been confident about his immunity to my charm, but I knew better.

One thing was for certain.

This was going to be a dinner to remember. And if everything went according to plan, it would either be the start of something beautiful or the rekindling of our innocent friendship. I couldn’t decide which outcome I preferred.

But I think that I knew which outcome I would receive.

Nathan wouldn’t be able to resist; I was certain of it.

That night, I drifted off to sleep with anticipation curling around my heart. I had strange dreams about Nathan, about Ryan and Levi… Above all else, I saw Nathan’s face, standing out amongst the rest. When I needed comfort from the dark fingers of my nightmares, I ran to him in my dreams. His arms were the warmest, the safest…

Suddenly, however, I felt something else. It roused me instantly out of my sleep, and I found myself sitting up in my bed, breathing heavily with sweat coated along my back.

“Hello?” I called out in my mind to the presence which had just been there.

I had felt it. I knew it was there, I could still feel the residue of its presence… I wasn’t dreaming.

My wolf.

It was gone now, though. No matter how much I searched for it, no matter how many times I called after it in my mind, it was gone. Why did this keep happening? Was it just that time had healed over the scars of my father’s death and my wolf was regaining strength? Was it my return to my aunt’s villa and my hometown enough to stir my wolf again?

Or was it… something else?