Olivia's POV
The sun had long fallen behind the mountain ridges, painting the skies in deep purples and streaks of silver. The castle of the Alpha sons still stood silent, empty of its masters. Olivia sat by the narrow window in the sick bay, waiting, wondering.
Where had they gone?
What had happened at the council?
And why was it that even in their absence, she felt their shadows pressing over her life?
Her mother tugged at her hand gently. "Come, child. Let's go home. Enough waiting."
They left the castle in silence, their footsteps echoing faintly against the cobblestones. For once, Olivia felt no eyes burning into her back, no maids whispering behind her. The air was oddly calm, though inside her, a storm brewed.
Their cottage felt warmer than it ever had. Her mother cooked something simple, forcing herself to eat for the first time in days, then collapsed into sleep almost immediately, her chest rising in peaceful exhaustion.
Olivia lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind restless. She thought of the pain she had endured—the burn of the sun, the sharp sting of pepper against her skin, the ropes biting into her wrists. She remembered her cries, her pleas, the taste of betrayal.
And yet… her body bore no scars.
She ran her fingers down her arm, marveling at the glow. Her skin shimmered softly in the moonlight, smooth as marble, flawless as though the punishment had carved away her weakness instead of destroying her. Golden, radiant, untouchable.
The pain had broken her.
And remade her.
Her lips curled bitterly. And it was Lex who ordered it.
She once thought, foolishly, that he still cared a little. That somewhere beneath the cruelty, the boy who had once shielded her still existed. But she had been wrong. They were all the same—the Alpha's sons. Heartless. Ruthless. Unforgiving.
Her chest tightened. She shut her eyes. They will regret this. Every single one of them.
---
At the Alpha Palace
Far across the compound, in the towering palace of the Alpha himself, a different scene played out.
Mal's family sat stiffly in the ornate sitting chamber, alongside two other noble houses. Servants brought wine, but no one drank. All eyes were on the massive doors at the end of the hall, waiting for them to open, waiting for news.
Mal dabbed at her eyes with a silken cloth, her sobs dramatic and loud. But the nobles who sat across from her exchanged knowing glances. Their lips twitched, not with sympathy, but with scorn.
"She weeps too easily," one whispered to another.
"Fake tears," another muttered.
Even Ava, Mal's own sister, sat quietly with her hands folded in her lap, watching her sister with growing unease.
The doors burst open.
The Alpha strode in, his face hard and unreadable. Instantly, everyone rose to their feet, heads bowed in respect.
He spoke with authority, his voice echoing through the room. "Lex is alive. His wounds are not grave. He will recover in a few days."
Relief washed over the nobles. But before they could speak, the Alpha added, "Which means, Mal—your wedding must be postponed. There are intruders to deal with first. Even after your eighteenth birthday, the matter must wait until the pack is secure."
Gasps rippled through the chamber. Mal's face drained of color.
The Alpha turned on his heel and left without further explanation. The nobles bowed again before rising. Some covered their mouths to hide their laughter as they departed.
"A wedding delayed," one sneered softly. "Perhaps a wedding denied."
"Too eager, that girl. Too desperate."
Their voices faded as they exited, but Mal heard enough. Her fists clenched tightly. Her chest heaved. Rage burned through her like fire.
When the chamber finally cleared, she fell into her mother's arms, sobbing uncontrollably. "Why? Why, Mother? This was supposed to be my week. I was supposed to be Luna! Now they push me aside like I am nothing! What if they no longer love me? What if the triplets forget me?"
Her mother stroked her hair soothingly, voice soft at first. "Hush now, my darling. Of course they love you. They will always love you."
But then her tone darkened, sharpened like a dagger. "So long as you remove what stands between you and them."
Mal lifted her tear-streaked face, her expression trembling, torn between fear and fury.
"Remove?"
Her mother's smile curved wickedly. "Yes. Rid them of Olivia. And that traitor mother of hers. Erase them from this world. Only then will the Alpha's sons truly be yours."
Something cold passed through Mal's eyes. She swallowed once, then whispered hoarsely, "Yes, Mother. I understand."
Her voice dropped, thick and venomous.
"I will make sure they are extinct."
From the corner of the room, Ava froze. She had been silent, unnoticed, watching. Her nails dug into her palms as she fought to keep her face blank.
Extinct…?
She remembered a time not so long ago, when Mal and Olivia were inseparable—running through the gardens, laughing together, leaving her behind. They had been best friends. Sisters, almost.
So what had turned Mal's heart into this? Hatred could not come from lineage alone. Not even Olivia's omega blood explained this fire, this obsession. No, there was something else beneath it. Something Ava had yet to uncover.
Her chest grew tight as she turned away, whispering silently to herself:
A storm is coming. A big one. And it will consume us all.
---
Back at Olivia's Cottage
The night deepened. A wolf howled far in the distance, its call stretching across the forest like a warning. Olivia lay awake still, her mother's soft snores filling the small room.
But Olivia's eyes burned with determination.
Her heart whispered the same vow over and over:
They will regret this.
Every one of them.
And somewhere beyond the walls of her home, at the Alpha Palace where nobles whispered and schemes festered, Mal whispered the same.
Two girls, once friends.
Now enemies bound by fate.