Stepping Up

Lennox’s POV

Damien’s eyes darkened, and in a blink, he moved toward me. Shockingly, Olivia stepped between us, preventing Damien from attacking. Of all the things I expected, that wasn't one of them. She stood between us, arms outstretched, facing a furious Alpha. My heart skipped. She still cared, even if she didn't want to admit it. For a fleeting second, pride flared in my chest.

"Step away!" Damien growled, already losing his temper.

I wasn't surprised. My words were more than enough to enrage him. Only two things truly set Uncle Damien off: someone hurting Sofia—he'd tear them apart without hesitation—and what I just did: reminding him of her loss.

Olivia shook her head, refusing to move.

"No," she said firmly, staring up at him. "I won't step away, Alpha Damien."

His jaw clenched. His fists curled at his sides.

"This is between me and him," Damien said through gritted teeth.

"No," Olivia said again. "You two are family. Whether you like it or not, you're both tied to each other now. And you're fighting in my room—like enemies."

Damien's nostrils flared. He glanced around, as if only then realizing where we were.

"I won't let you tear each other apart in my presence," Olivia said firmly. "And definitely not in my room."

For a long moment, no one spoke. The tension was thick, heavy. Then Damien turned his eyes on me.

His voice was low, filled with rage. "You do not want to keep testing me, Lennox."

I didn't answer.

"I swear on the full moon," Damien continued, "if you strike my nerve again, the Full Moon Pack will be left with only two Alphas. Because you… will be dead."

My wolf growled at the threat, loud and deep, rising from within. I didn't care if he was my uncle; he crossed the line. But before I could respond, Damien stormed out, slamming the door.

Silence fell again. Olivia slowly lowered her arms, her shoulders tense. I stared at her—the woman who just stopped Alpha Damien from attacking me. My mate. Still fierce. Still mine… even if I didn't deserve her.

She turned to me and frowned, but I smiled. I think it annoyed her.

"And what are you smiling about?" she snapped.

I shrugged. "You."

She raised a brow. "Me?"

I nodded. "Yes, you… you don't cease to amaze me."

She didn't smile. Her arms crossed tightly over her chest.

"You think this is funny?" she asked, clearly tense.

"No," I said, my voice softening. "But… you just stood in front of Damien for me. You didn't even think—you just acted. That means something."

Her jaw clenched. "It doesn't mean what you think."

I stepped closer, slowly, carefully. "Olivia—"

"No." She took a step back. "Don't start. Don't twist this into some mate moment. I stopped him because I didn't want blood on my floor. Not because I care. You being hurt would affect me, because of the bond. That's all."

I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. "Still. Thank you."

She looked away, her eyes fixed on the door. Her voice was low, filled with curiosity. "Who is this Sofia? And where is she?"

I sighed. I wished I could tell her what she wanted to hear, but it wasn't my place. That was Damien's.

"I can't say much, but Sofia is everything to Damien. He would die for her without hesitation."

Olivia's brow furrowed. "His mate?"

I shrugged. "More than that."

She didn't seem happy, and I could tell she wanted to know more. But I couldn't…

She lifted her gaze and frowned. "You knew your words would enrage him. And you still said them."

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I'm just… jealous, okay? I see the way he looks at you. And I know you feel something for him. I can smell it on you."

Her cheeks flushed slightly, enough for me to realize my fear was true. Her lips parted, but she didn't say anything.

I continued. "I just miss being the one you looked at that way."

She looked at me for a long moment. Her eyes weren't angry anymore—just tired and sad.

"Unfortunately for you, I will never look at you that way again."

Then she turned away, walking to her closet.

"Please leave. And along with the dress… give it to Anita. She will be happy to receive it. After all, she is the mother of your unborn children."

Her words hit me like a punch to the chest. I stood frozen. Her back was to me, but I felt the weight of her words. "Olivia…" I started, but my voice cracked. I swallowed and tried again. "I didn't plan any of this. You know that."

She didn't turn around.

"I made mistakes," I said quietly, stepping closer. "Terrible ones. But I never stopped loving you."

That was true. My actions might have said otherwise, but I never stopped loving her. And maybe that's what drove me more angry and insane.

She let out a bitter laugh. "Love? Don't talk to me about love, Lennox. You confessed that Damien would kill anyone who hurt Sofia. Why? Because he loves her! But you three hurt me! You protect, cherish those you love, not hurt them!" My wolf whimpered in pain, and tears gathered in my eyes.

I watched as she reached into her closet, her hands trembling slightly. But I knew she wasn't really looking for anything; she just didn't want to face me.

"Will you ever forgive us?"

"Just leave," she demanded, her voice shaking.

I stepped forward, gently placing the box on her bed—the dress I'd picked out for her.

"Can you please wear this… for old times' sake?"

Olivia turned slowly, a big frown etched across her face.

"You thought a dress would fix everything?" she asked, her voice calm but laced with pain. "You think I care about these material things?"

"No," I admitted. "I just wanted you to be the most beautiful woman tonight, and this dress will complement you."

She looked away again, her jaw tightening. Her silence spoke volumes.

"I miss you, Olivia," I said. "I miss the sound of your laugh. The way your nose scrunches when you're annoyed. I miss your scent on my clothes."

God, I missed those old days—when she would fall asleep in my arms like I was the safest place in the world.

She closed her eyes slowly, then opened them with a tired sigh. Then she looked down at the box, her lips pressing into a hard line. With a soft exhale, she picked it up and placed it back in my arms.

"Give it to Anita," she said again, her voice flat. "Let her wear it for your uncle's party. I'm sure she'll love pretending to be your Luna."

I opened my lips to speak, but she interrupted me. "Please leave."

I wanted to say more, to plead, but I didn't want to overwhelm her. So I respected her wish and left.

As I turned to leave Olivia's room, my chest felt cracked open. Her words echoed in my head, louder than any scream. Give it to Anita. That hit harder than I thought it would.

I stepped out into the hallway, shutting the door gently. My fingers tightened around the box. The damn dress. I should've known it wouldn't fix anything—but still, I'd hoped. I was desperate to feel even an inch closer to her again.

I barely made it two steps down the hallway before a maid rushed toward me.

"Alpha Lennox!" she cried, panting. "It's Lady Anita—something's wrong!"

I frowned. Every instinct wanted me to keep walking. I didn't want to deal with her, see her, or even hear her name. She was a mistake, a bitter one. And the damage she'd caused… the chaos…

But those pups…

I clenched my jaw, swallowing down the resentment. As much as I hated her, I couldn't ignore the fact that those children might be ours. And no matter what, I couldn't let anything happen to them. I may have been a terrible mate, but I refuse to be a terrible father.

With a low curse under my breath, I did the one thing I didn't want to do. I turned and headed toward her room.