CHAPTER FOUR
Luna Sylvia, her green eyes opening a little wider, couldn't believe what she just heard. Olivia's answer was simple, but it felt big in the quiet room. It wasn't normal for someone from another pack to decline such an offer, especially a strong and respected one like the North prime pack. Usually, packs would be very eager to make an alliance with them because they were so powerful and would benefit them in so many ways but Olivia seemed different because she wanted to bring her own pack down.
Many thoughts jumped into Luna Sylvia's head. She wanted to ask Olivia why she would do that, but she decided not to push for now. An agreement was an agreement, and she wasn't going to question anymore.
"If that's what you want, then I will do it," Luna Sylvia said.
Olivia gave a smile before responding. "Thank you, my Luna."
Luna Sylvia shook her head and sighed softly. "No, I should be the one thanking you."
She looked at the head maid and said, "My son is okay for now, but please tell the Pack doctor to come and give him his medicine to help him rest."
The head maid nodded and left the room. As soon as she was gone, Luna Sylvia looked closely at Olivia. Olivia looked tired and hurt. Her lips were cut, broken and slightly swollen, she also noticed that she had some bruises on her body. Luna Sylvia gave her a kind smile and said, "Why don't you eat something first? Then you can wash up and feel better."
Olivia nodded and whispered to Ryan, who hadn't said anything for a while. "Can you please let go of me, My Alpha?" Surprisingly, he listened right away and let her go while they waited for the doctor to arrive.
Meanwhile, at the sunflakes pack…
Matilda looked at her nails, which were painted a new color, and blew on them gently. "Mother," she said, "that bitch who is worth nothing still won't talk, even after we hurt her so much. Do you think she will ever say anything even after being there for four month?"
Leah sighed deeply, a sound that spoke of frustration and a weariness that went beyond the simple act of reading. She tossed the glossy magazine onto the polished table beside her, the sound echoing slightly in the otherwise quiet room. Her gaze, sharp and assessing, lingered on her daughter, Matilda.
"Olivia," she began, her voice laced with pure annoyance and something a bit darker, "that stubborn girl is proving to be quite a challenge. I've already spoken to the guard down in the dungeon, made it clear he needs to get her to talk. But she's like a stone, Matilda, not a single word." She paused, her eyes narrowing as she finally looked directly at her daughter. "Matilda, I need you to be honest with me. Were you in any way involved in Sora's death?"
For a fleeting moment, something shone across Matilda's face, a reflection that didn't quite belong. It vanished as quickly as it appeared, replaced by an expression of what seemed like genuine surprise, even hurt. "Mother," she replied, her voice clear and steady, "how could you even think such a thing? You know how Olivia and Sora always clashed. It's far more likely that Olivia was the one who did it, wouldn't you say? Besides," she added, her tone becoming slightly defensive, "I wasn't even there. How could I have been involved?"
Leah had always harbored a seed of doubt about the straightforward explanation of Sora's death. She knew her stepdaughter Olivia well enough to understand her limitations. Olivia was easily flustered, more prone to tears than violence. Even their well-known disagreements with Sora, Leah believed, would have ended in harsh words or perhaps a scuffle, certainly not something as final as murder. Yet, the scene when Sora's body was discovered painted a damning picture. 'Olivia lying beside her, her clothes soaked in blood.'
Naturally, suspicion had immediately fallen on Olivia. She had been taken to the pack's underground dungeon, a cold and foreboding place where those suspected of serious crimes were held and interrogated. Despite days of questioning and pressure, Olivia remained silent, adding to the cloud of suspicion surrounding her.
However, a nagging feeling still persisted in Leah's mind, a sense that something didn't quite fit. Her gaze often drifted towards her own daughter, Matilda. A protective instinct had always taken root. To shield Matilda from any potential danger, Leah had eventually steered the investigation, ensuring that the focus remained firmly on Olivia. She hadn't anticipated Olivia's resilience, her refusal to break even under so much torment.
Just as Leah was about to press Matilda further, to explore more on Sora's death, the door burst open and her brother, William, rushed into the room. Leah had recently used her influence as the Alpha's wife to secure him the position of Beta, effectively pushing out the previous one. "Sis, you need to hear this," he exclaimed, his voice breathless.
Leah's brow furrowed at his panic. "William," she said, her voice sharp, "would you please try to compose yourself? The entire pack is always looking for any sliver of gossip. Lower your voice. What on earth have you worked up?"
William took a deep breath, his eyes scanning the room before he finally spoke. "You won't believe this. Olivia... she's been released from the dungeon." He paused, letting the words sink in. "Apparently, someone powerful took her. And, I heard an Alpha King clan? He's dropped the whole thing. Said Sora's death was an accident, and Olivia was just another victim."
Leah shot to her feet, her voice rising in disbelief. "What? How in the world is that possible?"
"These aren't just stories, Leah," William insisted, his voice firm. "The guard who was actually at the dungeon told me himself. He saw it happen."
Leah tried to stay calm, but a restless energy filled her as she began to pace back and forth. "Tell me... who took Olivia? Don't tell me it was the Alpha King himself?"
William shook his head. "No, not him directly. The guard said he just gave the orders. It... it was someone from the North prime pack."
Leah stopped dead in her tracks, staring at her brother, her face etched with utter disbelief. "The North prime pack? What North prime pack are you even talking about?"
"What other North prime pack could there possibly be in the entire world?" William wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead, his voice strained. "The North prime pack... the same pack your husband was so desperate to gain influence over in the Sunflakes pack. The one they refused, without even a second thought."
"The North prime pack..." Leah repeated, the name heavy on her tongue. A million other packs couldn't even compare to their power. No wonder the Alpha King had gotten involved.
"But how is this even possible?" Leah asked, her voice laced with confusion. "How did Olivia even know someone important from the North prime pack?"
William answered quickly, his voice filled with a strange act of fear and urgency. "Rumours around told that the Alpha of the North prime pack, Ryan... he's been cursed since he was a child. He has these episodes, goes completely wild, turns into this terrifying beast. His mother, the Luna, has tried everything, but nothing works. And now... rumors say he's dying. She can't just sit there and watch her pack's line end. So, she went to a seer. The seer told her that Olivia... Olivia was a perfect match for the Alpha. That's how the Luna of the North prime pack contacted her brother, the Alpha King, to get Olivia out of the dungeon."
Matilda, who had been listening intently, gritted her teeth. "Uncle," she asked, her voice sharp, "are you saying that Olivia is going to have Alpha Ryan's child?"
"Yes," William said anxiously. "If she survives being with the Cursed Alpha and gets pregnant... she'll have his child. And that would make her incredibly powerful, completely beyond our control."
Leah glanced at her brother, a knowing sneer twisting her lips. She understood perfectly why William was so agitated. Olivia was her stepdaughter, someone she disliked intensely. But her younger brother... he had always wanted Olivia for himself, and he had never gotten his chance. How could he stand the thought of another man having her, especially someone as powerful as the Alpha of the North prime pack?
Leah paused for a moment, a plan forming in her mind. "Matilda," she said, her voice suddenly decisive, "why don't you go get dressed? We have a pack to visit."
"Mother, are we going to the North prime pack?" Matilda asked, her brow furrowed in confusion. "Why would we ever go there?"
Leah's eyes narrowed, her gaze fixed. "Olivia cannot end up in the North prime pack. If she stays there... we will all be doomed."