Chapter 119: Fragile Spirits and Shattered Peace
Chapter 119: Fragile Spirits and Shattered Peace
(Lucas’s POV)
I paced outside the therapy room, checking my watch every few seconds.
Forty–five minutes had passed since Olivia went in with Dr. Nora Xu.
My phone buzzed with messages from my pack, but I ignored them all. Right now, nothing mattered except making sure Olivia was okay.
The door finally opened, and Dr. Xu emerged alone. Her expression was grave as she gestured for me to join her in a small consultation room across the hall.
“How is she?” I asked immediately, not bothering with pleasantries.
Dr. Xu sighed, removing her glasses and rubbing the bridge of her nose. “Not good, Alpha Blackwood. Ms. Winters is experiencing severe psychological trauma.”
My stomach tightened. “Tell me everything.”
“She’s exhibiting clear signs of post–traumatic stress disorder, complicated grief, and depression,” Dr. Xu explained. “The incident at Silvermoon River wasn’t her first suicide
attempt.”
I felt the blood drain from my face. “What?”
“She confirmed that jumping into the river was deliberate,” Dr. Xu said quietly. “And based on our session, I believe she’s still at high risk.”
I clenched my fists, fighting to maintain my composure. “What can I do? How can I help her?”
Dr. Xu’s expression softened slightly. “She needs medication, which I’ve prescribed. Regular therapy sessions are essential. But most importantly, she needs constant companionship
right now.”
She leaned forward, her voice firm. “She cannot be left alone, Alpha Blackwood. Not even for
short periods.”
I nodded, taking mental notes. “What else?”
“Keep her in a positive environment, away from pack politics and especially away from Alpha Stone and Victoria Frost,” Dr. Xu continued. “Any interaction with them could trigger another
crisis.”
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Her eyes met mine directly. “And most critically, protect her from anything related to her
daughter’s remains. That’s her most vulnerable point.”
I frowned, confused. “Her daughter’s remains?”
+15 Points >
“The ashes,” Dr. Xu clarified. “Ms. Winters is terrified something will happen to them. It’s the
last physical connection she has to her daughter.”
The door opened behind us, and Olivia stepped in. Her emerald eyes were dull, her face pale,
but she maintained a composed exterior that broke my heart. I knew what it cost her to
appear so controlled.
“Are you ready to go?” she asked quietly.
I stood immediately, offering her a gentle smile. “Whenever you are.”
Dr. Xu handed Olivia a small paper bag containing her prescriptions. “Remember what we
discussed. I’ll see you in three days.”
Olivia nodded, clutching the bag tightly. “Thank you, Dr. Xu.”
As we walked to my SUV, I kept close to her side without touching her. She seemed fragile, like
a porcelain doll that might shatter at the slightest pressure.
“Where would you like to go?” I asked as we settled into the vehicle. “Back to your cottage?”
Olivia shook her head quickly, panic flashing across her face. “No. Not there. Not yet.”
“Okay,” I said soothingly. “How about something completely different? Something fun?”
She looked at me skeptically. “Fun?”
I started the engine, an idea forming. “Trust me?”
After a moment’s hesitation, she nodded.
Twenty minutes later, we pulled into the Shadow Creek Indoor Entertainment Complex. Olivia
looked confused as I led her inside the massive facility.
“Go–karts?” she asked, eyeing the track where small vehicles zoomed around curves.
I shrugged, trying to keep things light. “Why not? Nothing clears the mind like a little speed
and competition.”
For a moment, I thought she might refuse. Then, to my surprise, a tiny smile tugged at her
lips. “I haven’t done anything like this since college.”
“Perfect time to remember how,” I said, guiding her toward the ticket counter.
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+15 Points >
Soon we were racing around the track, the roar of engines drowning out everything else. I watched Olivia’s face transform as she focused on navigating the curves, her emerald eyes lighting up with concentration.
By our third race, she was actually laughing as she cut me off at a turn.
“That’s cheating!” I called out, pretending outrage.
“That’s strategy!” she shot back, her voice lighter than I’d heard it in days.
We moved from go–karts to archery, where Olivia surprised me with her precision. Each arrow
she loosed hit close to the center, her form perfect.
“Where did you learn to shoot like that?” I asked, impressed.
A shadow crossed her face. “I took classes when I was pregnant with Lily. I wanted to teach
her when she was old enough.”
I cursed myself for the thoughtless question, but Olivia shook her head.
“It’s okay,” she said softly. “Not every memory of her hurts. Some are beautiful.”
As we tried different activities throughout the afternoon, I watched Olivia carefully. The
moments of joy were real but fleeting, like sunlight breaking through storm clouds only to be
swallowed again by darkness.
Between activities, I checked my phone, reviewing information my contacts had sent about
Lily’s medical records. What I found disturbed me deeply.
Someone had deliberately erased hospital records about both Lily and Emma’s kidney procedures. The timing of the deletions coincided with Ethan Stone’s visit to the medical
archives. He was covering up Victoria’s manipulation of the donor situation–a manipulation
that had cost Lily her life.
I felt sick with anger but kept my expression neutral. Olivia didn’t need more darkness today.
By evening, I could see exhaustion setting in. Olivia’s shoulders drooped, and the light that had
briefly returned to her eyes was fading.
“You need rest,” I said gently as we walked back to my SUV. “And somewhere safe to sleep
tonight.”
She nodded, too tired to argue. “I don’t want to go back to my cottage.”
“The Silver Crown Hotel is nearby,” I suggested. “It’s a Blackwood Pack Enterprises property. I
can ensure your privacy and safety there.”
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Olivia hesitated, then agreed. “Just for tonight.”
+15 Points >
At the hotel, I arranged the Presidential Suite for her and took the adjacent room for myself. I wanted to be immediately available if she needed anything during the night.
“Thank you,” she said quietly as we stood outside her door. “For everything today.”
I resisted the urge to touch her face, to brush away the strand of hair that had fallen across
her cheek. “Try to get some rest. I’m right next door if you need anything.”
She nodded, offering a small smile before disappearing into her suite.
I entered my own room and immediately called the hotel security team, instructing them to
monitor all access to Olivia’s floor. No one–especially not Ethan Stone or Victoria Frost-was
to be allowed near her.
Then I called Dr. Xu to update her on Olivia’s condition and confirm our next steps. The
medication would take time to work, but the distraction had helped today. It was a start.
(Olivia’s POV)
The Presidential Suite was luxurious beyond anything I’d experienced in years. Plush carpets,
elegant furniture, a bathroom larger than my entire cottage kitchen.
I ran my fingers along the marble countertop, feeling strangely detached from my
surroundings. The day with Lucas had been… nice. For brief moments, I’d forgotten the
crushing weight of grief that had become my constant companion.
But now, alone in this opulent suite, reality crashed back in. Lily was still gone. My life was
still shattered. And no amount of go–kart racing or luxury accommodations could change that.
I filled the enormous bathtub with hot water, adding the lavender bath salts provided by the
hotel. My muscles ached from the day’s activities, unaccustomed to so much movement after
months of grief–induced lethargy.
As I was about to undress, my phone rang with a video call from an unknown number. I
almost ignored it, but something–intuition perhaps–made me answer.
The screen remained black for several seconds. Then a voice spoke, distorted and
unrecognizable.
“Hello, Olivia. Missing something?”
The camera shifted, revealing a familiar object that made my blood freeze in my veins. The Moonwood Ceremonial Urn containing Lily’s ashes.
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“No,” I whispered, horror washing over me. “How did you-”
“Doesn’t matter,” the voice cut in. “What matters is what happens next.”
The camera panned to show Sacred Moonlight Cemetery, the moonlight casting eerie
shadows across the gravestones.
“If you want to see this urn again, come to your daughter’s grave. Alone. Now.”
“Who are you?” I demanded, my voice shaking with fury and fear. “What do you want?”
“Justice,” the voice replied simply. “You have thirty minutes.”
The call ended abruptly, leaving me staring at a blank screen.
+15 Points >
Without hesitation, I grabbed my coat and purse. I didn’t bother changing out of my casual
clothes or even putting on proper shoes. Nothing mattered except getting to Lily’s ashes.
I slipped out of the suite, taking the service elevator to avoid being seen by Lucas or hotel
security. My hands trembled as I hailed a taxi outside, giving the driver directions to Sacred
Moonlight Cemetery.
The ride felt interminable, each second stretching into eternity as I imagined what might be
happening to Lily’s remains. Those ashes were all I had left of my daughter. The thought of
losing them was unbearable.
When we finally arrived, I threw money at the driver and ran through the cemetery gates, my
heart pounding in my chest. The moonlight illuminated the path to Lily’s grave, a route I had
walked countless times before..
As I approached, I saw a figure standing beside my daughter’s tombstone. The Moonwood
Ceremonial Urn sat precariously on the edge of the stone.
“Victoria,” I breathed, recognizing her even in the dim light.
She turned, a cruel smile playing on her lips. “You came faster than I expected. Maternal
instinct is such a powerful thing, isn’t it?”
“Give me my daughter’s ashes,” I demanded, taking a step forward.
Victoria’s hand moved to the urn, her fingers brushing its surface. “Not so fast. One wrong move and little Lily goes flying.”
I froze, terror gripping my heart. “Please,” I whispered. “Don’t do this.”
“Begging already?” Victoria laughed, the sound echoing through the silent cemetery. “But we’ve barely begun.”
< Chapter 119 Fragile Spirits a…
+15 Points
She picked up the urn, cradling it with mock tenderness. “Such a pretty container for such a
worthless child.”
Rage surged through me, but fear kept me rooted in place. “What do you want, Victoria?”
“What I’ve always wanted,” she replied, her voice hardening. “For you to disappear from Ethan’s life completely.”
She took a step closer, the urn still clutched in her hands. “You’ve become a problem again, Olivia. Running to Lucas Blackwood, turning Ethan against me…”
“I never-”
“Silence!” Victoria snapped. “I’m not interested in your excuses.”
She held the urn up, moonlight glinting off its polished surface. “One call from me, and Ethan
will know you’ve been consorting with his greatest rival. How do you think he’ll react to that
betrayal?”
I shook my head desperately. “There’s nothing between Lucas and me. He’s just been kind-”
“Kind?” Victoria laughed again. “Men like Lucas Blackwood aren’t kind without reason. He’s
using you to get to Ethan, to weaken the Silvercrest Pack.”
She tapped the lid of the urn thoughtfully. “But that’s not my concern right now. My concern is
making sure you understand your place.”
“What do you want from me?” I asked again, my voice breaking.
Victoria’s smile widened. “I want you to kneel.”
I stared at her in disbelief. “What?”
“Kneel before me,” she repeated, her voice silky with malice. “Beg for your daughter’s ashes.”
Pride warred with maternal instinct inside me. For myself, I might have refused. But for Lily…
Slowly, I sank to my knees on the cold ground, my eyes never leaving the urn in Victoria’s
hands.
