Chapter 181: Moving Forward

Olivia’s POV

The healer finished his mix, a glowing greenish paste that shimmered faintly. He carefully spread it across Levi’s chest, just over his heart, then pressed both palms over it.

A faint pulse of magic lit the space beneath his hands.

Levi’s body twitched.

"Come on," the healer murmured. "Come back to us, Alpha."

Levi’s fingers twitched, then his eyes fluttered open slowly, dazed and glassy.

"Levi?" Louis stepped forward.

Levi blinked a few times, confusion flooding his face. "What...?"

"You fainted, dumbass," Lennox muttered, visibly relieved but trying not to show it. "You scared the hell out of us."

The healer pressed two fingers against Levi’s pulse. "You’re lucky," he said, quietly. "Again."

Levi’s gaze drifted to me next. His eyes locked with mine—and I saw it. The flicker of guilt. Of fear. Of shame.

"Olivia," he whispered. "I—I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for you to see that. I didn’t want you to—"

"Don’t," I said sharply, frowning at him.

He flinched.

I walked toward him.

His throat bobbed as he swallowed.

I frowned as I stood beside him with folded arms. "You knew you were going to pass out... you saw the signs, and yet you decided to go into the woods. What if I hadn’t followed you? Then what?" I yelled in anger.

I was furious, and I didn’t even know who I was mad at—him, them, or myself.

Was it because all these years, even when we were close, they never told me about this illness? Or was it because he put his life in danger by going into the woods? Or was I just angry at myself? I didn’t even know. I had no idea.

Levi opened his mouth to speak, but I didn’t give him the chance. Instead, I turned around and walked out of the room.

As I made my way to my room, my hands trembled, my chest too tight to breathe properly. I didn’t know what I was feeling. Anger, definitely. But underneath it—pain. Confusion. Guilt. So much guilt, choking me.

When I reached my door, I pushed it open harder than I meant to, the wooden frame groaning under my force. I stepped inside, ready to scream into my pillow or throw something just to let the pressure out—but froze.

Alpha Damien was sitting on my bed.

Back straight. Hands clasped. Eyes already on me as if he’d been waiting for hours.

The moment I saw him, I became anxious. I didn’t even try to hide the worry on my face.

"You," I breathed out, my voice trembling.

He raised a brow. "Yes, Me."

"Why are you here?"

He didn’t respond. He only slowly stood up from the bed and approached me. My frown deepened as I folded my arms, trying to act tough, but inside, I was nervous. There’s this feeling I get whenever I’m this close to him... Alpha Damien has a dominating aura, more like his wolf is a dominant wolf, and I feel it.

He got a few steps away from me and stopped, holding my gaze with that quiet intensity that made my skin tingle. "We have to move fast with our plan."

My brows pulled together. "What do you mean by fast?"

He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he looked me over like he was making sure I could handle what he was about to say. Then he said it.

"In four days, you’re going to face the Council," he said. "And I believe you already know what to say when the time comes."

My stomach tightened. I swallowed hard, suddenly feeling the weight that day. Four days. Four days until I’d be standing before the Council, declaring I want to break my bond with the triplets.

"But we can’t wait that long," he added, his tone turning urgent. "We need to act now. We’re speeding things up. It’s happening tomorrow night."

My heart skipped. "What’s happening tomorrow night?"

Damien straightened. "It’s my birthday," he said, like it wasn’t a big deal. "I’m celebrating it here—with a formal gathering. Friends. Allies. A few Council members who’ll be watching closely."

"And you want me there?" I asked, already dreading where this was going.

He didn’t hesitate. "You’ll be my date."

The air in my lungs vanished.

"I want you by my side," he continued. "To everyone else, you’ll act as my lover. My partner. No more secrecy. No more hiding. We make them believe you belong to me—and the rest of the pack, the Council, everyone else... they’ll see it."

I stared at him like he’d gone insane.

"I’m your nephews’ wife," I said, my voice sharp with disbelief. "People will talk. They’ll question it. You really want that kind of attention?"

Damien didn’t blink. "I don’t care. And neither should you."

I took a step back, my mind racing.

He followed, his voice softer now. "The moment we do this, Olivia, the news will spread like wildfire. Every pack across the region will know within hours. And if she’s listening, she’ll hear it too."

"She?" I asked, voice barely above a whisper, though I already knew who he meant.

His eyes darkened, but he didn’t respond.

Curious, I pressed on. "Who is she? Sofia? Is she your mate? Your wife?"

Alpha Damien frowned, and I could tell my question was annoying him—but I didn’t back down.

"Who is she?" I pressed again, stepping closer, refusing to let this drop. "Sofia? Is she your mate? Your wife?"

Damien’s jaw tightened. His nostrils flared.

"You don’t get to ask me that," he said coldly.

I scoffed. "Seriously? We’re about to walk into a room together tomorrow night pretending we’re lovers, and I don’t get to ask who she is? That’s bullshit, Alpha Damien."

His eyes snapped to mine, hard and fast, his wolf pressing behind them now, suffocating.

"You shouldn’t put your feelings in this."

"I’m not talking about feelings," I bit out. "I’m talking about honesty. If I’m going to stand beside you and pretend to be yours in front of the Council—if we’re really in this together—then I deserve to know what I’m walking into."

His eyes narrowed. "You want the truth?"

"Yes."

He took a slow step forward, and then another, until I had to tilt my head slightly just to keep meeting his gaze.

"Fine," he growled. "Here’s the truth: it’s none of your damn business."

My lips parted in disbelief.

"You think just because I’m pulling you into this plan that I owe you every piece of my past?" he snapped. "You’re not here to know me, Olivia. You’re here to play your part. That’s it."

I stiffened. "You’re unbelievable."

His voice dropped, lethal and low. "And you’re acting like a very bad pup."

I scoffed bitterly. "You are annoying," I said and tried to walk away, but before I could, his hand wrapped around my wrist and pulled me toward him. I gasped, stumbling slightly, but before I could regain my footing, I was flipped over his lap in one fluid motion.

"Alpha Damien—!" I struggled, twisting, my heart thundering in my chest. "What the hell are you doing?"

He held me there with one firm arm across my lower back, the heat of his palm heavy, dominating. "I warned you," he murmured, his voice low and husky. "You acted silly, you get punished."

I gasped, my heart pounding, unsure if it was from fear or something else entirely.

"You’re insane—!"

"Ten," he said calmly, like he was discussing strategy. "You will get spanked on your ass ten times."

My breath hitched. My heart pounded like a war drum in my chest.

"Let me go!" I twisted instinctively, my face heating.

But he held me firmly on his laps, enough to remind me how much stronger he was. Not hurting me. Just... holding.

"I said ten," he repeated, voice like velvet and steel. "Unless you want to make it more."

And here’s the part I didn’t understand:

I froze.

Not out of fear.

But confusion.

Something in the way he touched me—controlled, measured—wasn’t threatening. It was possessive. It made my skin tingle, my lungs burn. I should’ve been furious. I was furious. But I was also—God help me—curious.

And maybe just a little too aware of how warm his hand was against me.

"This is insane," I whispered, struggling to breathe evenly. "You’re not serious."

He leaned in close, his breath brushing my ear.

"Try me."