Leviโs POV
We stormed down the stairs, not even bothering to grab jackets. The cold morning air hit our faces, but none of us cared. We ran outside the mansion and stood in the open, our chests rising and falling with fast, shaky breaths. My wolf paced inside me, wild and restless, urging me to find her, but I held back and waited.
I looked at my brothers. They felt the same unease. We were all shaking, hearts pounding. We just wanted to see her. Thenโa horn blared from outside the gate.
โThere!โ Louis shouted.
My heart leaped.
โOpen the gate!โ Lennox yelled.
The guards didnโt hesitate. They ran to the gate, yanked it open, and stepped back as three black cars drove in fast. Dust rose into the air as the tires skidded on the gravel. My eyes locked on the second car. The back door opened, and Olivia stepped out.
I didnโt breathe. I couldnโt. She looked tired, pale. Her hair was messy, and her eyes looked distant, dazed. But she was okay. She was alive.
Before I even realized it, I was running. I crossed the yard in seconds and pulled her into a tight hug. She gasped softly, probably from the force, but I didnโt let go. I buried my face in her neck, breathing her in, finally getting that intoxicating scent of nutmeg and honey, sweet and warm. My arms trembled as I held her.
โYouโre here,โ I whispered. โYouโre really hereโฆโ
She didnโt hug me back. Her arms stayed at her sides. But I didnโt care. I just needed to hold her.
After a moment, I pulled away, swallowing hard. Then Lennox stepped forward, wrapping his arms around her. โLiv,โ he breathed, his voice cracking. Still, she didnโt move. Didnโt seem moved. Then Louis came last, holding her gently as if she might break. She didnโt hug any of us, but none of us cared. She was back, and that was all that mattered.
I finally noticed my uncle, Damien. He stepped out of the front car, dressed in all black, standing tall with his usual calm look on his face. Uncle Damienโฆ or just Damien, as he always asked us to call him. He hated being called โuncle.โ โYouโre only twelve years younger than me,โ he always said. โIโm not old enough to be your uncle.โ And he wasnโt wrong. He was thirty-fiveโonly a dozen years older than us.
Our grandparents, each an only child of powerful alphas from different packs, had two strong bloodlines. When they had their first sonโour dadโhe became Alpha of the Full Moon Pack, our grandfatherโs pack. Then, fifteen years later, they miraculously had Damien after several attempts to have more children. By then, our grandmotherโs packโthe Pearl Packโneeded an alpha, so Damien was raised to lead it instead. Two sons. Two packs. One family. Our dad became Alpha of the Full Moon Pack, and Damien became Alpha of the Pearl Pack. It was strange to call your uncle someone who looked more like your older cousin, but that was our life. And nowโฆ here he was, bringing back Olivia, bringing back our mate.
My chest felt tight with emotion. I didnโt know whether to thank him or fall to my knees.
โDamienโฆโ I called out, walking over to him. He flashed me a rigid smile, unlike him, but I ignored it. โHow did you find her?โ I asked, curious and eager to know. It was strange that he found her so quickly.
Uncle Damien didnโt respond. Instead, he just looked at Olivia, as if telling me she was the one to answer my question. Deep down, I felt something was wrong.
Lennox, growing impatient, asked Olivia, โWhat happened? Who took you?โ
I turned and looked at Olivia, waiting for her to tell us who kidnapped herโand heaven help me, Iโd paint the walls of this mansion with their blood.
Olivia scoffed and folded her arms. She eyed the three of us coldly before responding. โYour precious mistress Anita did it. She got me kidnapped and sold me to human traffickers,โ she said firmly.
My eyes widened, and my blood boiled. My wolf growled in anger, ready to act. Louis looked like he couldnโt believe it. โShe sold you?โ
Olivia nodded slowly. โI donโt know how she got involved with them, but she made sure I was gone. And she didnโt just want me gone. She wanted me to suffer.โ
I growled in anger, and before I could speak, Lennox yelled, โAnita! Come down here!โ His angry voice boomed through the mansion.
I turned to two guards. โGo fetch Anita!โ They nodded and left.
Olivia scoffed at our reaction, seemingly unimpressed, and continued. โI now remember everything she said. My memories are back. I remembered everything: the rejection, the pain, how you all treated me like I was nothing, how you used Anita to hurt me.โ Her voice shook slightly, but she held her head high.
My mouth went dry. I could barely breathe. But I was relievedโat least she would stop thinking she was married to Gabriel.
My brothers and I exchanged glances before Lennox cleared his throat. โWe are happy youโre back, Oliviaโฆ as for Anita, we will give her whatever punishment you wantโฆโ
โEnough, Alpha Lennoxโฆ Iโm still speaking. Iโm not done talking.โ
Lennox swallowed hard but nodded silently.
Olivia continued. โAbout the gifts you three sent me on my fourteenth birthdayโI never opened any of them,โ she announced, and my eyes widened. I looked at my brothers, who seemed confused.
โYes,โ Olivia continued, turning to Lennox. โThat response you got was never from me, Lennox. Yes, that was my handwriting, but it was forged,โ she spat, and my confusion deepened.
Olivia turned to me. โI would like to see yours. You also sent a present and received a response, right? I want to see it to clear the misunderstanding. Lennox has shown me hisโI want to see yours,โ she demanded.
I stared at Olivia, not knowing what to say. She wanted to see the letter I sent her four years ago, and her responseโthe one I had buried at the bottom of my safe, hoping no one would ever see it.
My face grew hot. I didnโt want to show it. Not to her. Not to anyone. That letter was full of hurt and regret. It was embarrassing.
I looked at the ground. โOlivia, I donโt thinkโโ
โJust do it,โ Lennox said quietly beside me. โShe knows why I hate her. She deserves to know why you hate herโฆ even I need to know.โ
I swallowed hard and looked at him, then at Louis, who nodded. I let out a shaky breath and gave a small nod.
Without a word, I turned and walked into the mansion. My feet felt heavy. Lennox, Damien, and Olivia followed me, and Louis went to his room for his letter.
When I reached my room, I stood at the door for a second, hand on the knob. I didnโt want to do this, but I had to.
I pushed the door open, walked straight to the safe, input the code, and opened it. I moved aside old papers until I found the small yellow envelope. My fingers trembled as I picked it up.
I turned around slowly. Olivia was standing near the door, arms still crossed, her face unreadable. Lennox gave me a nod. And with that, I held out the envelope.
โThisโฆ this is it,โ I said softly, barely able to meet her eyes. โThe letter I wrote you on your fourteenth birthday, and your response.โ
My voice cracked. I was ashamed. Because no matter how long ago it had been, the pain still felt fresh.