Chapter 170: Meeting Up With Gabriel

Olivia’s POV

I ordered the guards to let me through the border, and they obeyed without question. Once I stepped outside Full Moon Pack territory, I decided to finish the journey in my wolf form. I undressed, folded my clothes neatly beside a tree, and took a deep breath.

The afternoon sun was scorching, and a good swim would help—but that would be after I got back. My wolf, eager to shift, whined in my head. I chuckled softly before surrendering to the shift.

Shifting into my wolf was smooth.

My bones cracked, my muscles stretched, and before I knew it, my brown fur had replaced my skin. My paws touched the ground, soft and steady.

As soon as I shifted, I felt lighter.

The wind rushed past me as I ran through the forest. The trees blurred around me, and the sunlight poured through the branches above. It felt good to move, to run—to forget everything, even just for a while.

Out here, I wasn’t the girl who had been hurt.

I wasn’t the one with a broken heart or painful memories.

I was just a wolf. Strong. Free.

I let out a long howl—not of pain, but of release.

I ran fast, leaping over fallen trees, splashing through small streams, chasing the wind like I used to when I was younger. My heart felt full. My head was quiet.

But as I got closer to the edge of the territory—where Gabriel told me to meet him—the feeling changed.

The air was colder here. The forest was quiet, almost too quiet. My wolf picked up strange scents, but they were weak.

I slowed as I reached the meeting point. That’s when I saw Gabriel—emerging in wolf form from behind the trees. His black fur shimmered under the sunlight, looking more majestic than I’d ever seen it. Or maybe I was exaggerating. Still, something about him made my pulse stir.

He carried a white envelope in his mouth, then swiftly, he shifted into his human form—completely naked.

I swallowed hard as my eyes dropped—unintentionally—between his thighs. I jerked my gaze away and shifted into my human form, equally bare.

We stood only a few feet apart, bare and wordless under the sky. His eyes locked with mine, and he offered a warm, friendly smile. But me? I couldn’t explain the tingling sensation crawling through my body.

My gaze drifted again before I could stop it.

It traced the defined lines of his body. Broad chest, firm abs, skin glistening faintly under the sun. But it wasn’t just his looks that captivated me. It was the quiet confidence in how he stood—calm, unbothered, completely at ease in his own skin.

The envelope lay forgotten at his feet. For a moment, so was everything else.

I swallowed hard again, but it didn’t help.

Because my eyes dropped lower—and stayed there.

My heart skipped.

Gods.

Heat rose to my face, and I quickly looked away, cursing myself silently. What’s wrong with you, Olivia?

But then my wolf chuckled darkly in my head.

"You’re gawking," she said smugly. "And you’re thinking about what it’d feel like... if he touched you."

I clenched my fists. No, I wasn’t—

"You were." Her voice was teasing now. "You’re wondering what his hands would feel like... on your waist. On your hips. Your back."

I bit my lip, trying to shut her out.

But she wasn’t wrong.

My mind had wandered there. To his hands on me. To what his skin would feel like against mine. To how his eyes might look—darker, needier. To what his mouth would feel like...

God.

I forced myself to breathe, but it didn’t help much.

Gabriel didn’t move. He just watched me, his eyes unreadable, his body relaxed—as if he hadn’t just caught me practically devouring him with my gaze. As if he hadn’t noticed my shaky breath.

But somehow, I knew he had.

He gave me that same calm smile again. "You okay?"

My voice came out low, tight. "I’m fine."

Lie.

I wasn’t fine.

Because for the first time since everything went to hell... I felt something different. Something that wasn’t sadness or anger or fear.

I felt drawn to someone who wasn’t the triplets. And that terrified me.

Gabriel must’ve noticed how I avoided his eyes. Fidgeting, suddenly too aware that we were both completely naked under the open sky.

He tilted his head slightly, a soft smile playing at the corner of his lips. "If you’re uncomfortable," he said gently, "I could shift back and run to grab some clothes."

My eyes widened, and the words left my mouth too quickly.

"No!"

His brows lifted in surprise—and then he chuckled. A low, warm sound that sent a little shiver through me.

"I mean..." I cleared my throat, trying to act normal, "It’s fine. We’re wolves, right? Nudity shouldn’t be a big deal."

Even as I said it, my cheeks warmed.

Gabriel gave a slow nod, the smile never leaving his face. "Right. Just... wanted to you to be comfortable."

Comfortable. That word lingered in my head.

The triplets never cared much about my comfort. But Gabriel... he noticed. He asked.

And the way he smiled after I blurted out no—like he could see right through me, but wasn’t judging—made my chest feel strange. Not in a bad way. Just... unfamiliar.

I looked down at the envelope again, hoping it would help distract me. But my mind kept drifting back to him.

I fixed my gaze on the envelope at his feet, trying to gather myself. "Is that what you wanted to show me?"

Gabriel nodded, stepping forward and crouching down to pick it up. He handed it to me, not looking away.

"You need to see this," he said gently. "My spies brought it to me a few moments ago."

My lips parted in surprise. "You’re helping?"

Gabriel nodded. "Yes... I told you, remember?"

"Thank you." I smiled—offering the best one I could manage.

I took the envelope with trembling hands. His fingers brushed mine, warm and brief. I inhaled sharply and pulled back. But as I opened it, my thoughts weren’t only on what was inside.

They were on him.

Because for the first time in a long time, my heart skipped for someone who wasn’t them.