Chapter 74: Suspicions and Confrontations
Chapter 74: Suspicions and Confrontations
(Victoria’s POV)
Something was wrong. I could feel it in my bones as I watched Ethan hastily gather his things
from our bedroom at Rosewood Haven.
“Where are you going?” I asked, trying to keep my voice light despite the unease crawling up
my spine.
Ethan barely glanced at me. “Pack business.”
Before I could question him further, he was already heading for the door. I followed him
outside just in time to see him slide into his Shadow Ghost and drive away, tires squealing
against the pavement.
I immediately called his phone. He answered on the fourth ring.
“What is it?” His voice was curt, impatient.
“When will you be back?” I asked, hating how needy I sounded.
“I have pack business to attend to. Rest early.” He hung up before I could respond.
I called back. No answer. I tried again. Still nothing.
This was unprecedented. Ever since I’d presented him with his Ancestral Moonstone Amulet
and transformed into the she–wolf he cherished, Ethan had prioritized me above all else.
Despite his naturally cold Alpha demeanor, our childhood promise had bound us together. He
always answered my calls immediately, no matter the time or place.
But recently, he hadn’t been answering right away. Today, he hadn’t answered at all.
I tried to make excuses for him. Perhaps the pack business was truly urgent. Perhaps he was in a meeting. Perhaps his phone had died.
But deep down, I knew better.
I drove to the Silvercrest Pack Medical Den, my suspicions growing with each passing mile.
When I arrived, I followed my instincts to Olivia’s room.
What I saw through the partially open door made my blood run cold.
Ethan was there, his hands moving across Olivia’s skin with a tenderness he rarely showed
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<Chapter 74 Suspicions and C..
+8 Points
- me. His face, usually so guarded around me, was open and vulnerable as he tended to his true mate’s injuries.
“Olivia Winters!” I hissed under my breath, clenching my fists as jealousy coursed through me.
I hadn’t realized how skilled she had become at feigning innocence. At playing the victim. At manipulating Ethan’s emotions.
Ethan was mine. I would never let Olivia steal him away.
A pack healer approached the room, and I quickly retreated. I couldn’t risk being discovered
here, couldn’t risk ruining my carefully cultivated image in Ethan’s eyes.
As I drove back to Rosewood Haven, my mind raced with plans. This wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.
(Ethan’s POV)
I finished applying Dr. Harold Bennett’s Rare Healing Salve to the last of Olivia’s bruises and
helped her redress in a clean hospital gown. Her skin felt warm beneath my fingers, her pulse
steady and strong despite her injuries.
I went to the bathroom to wash the medicinal residue from my hands, only to realize I’d
forgotten to close the curtains. The moonlight streamed in, illuminating Olivia’s sleeping form
on the bed.
After locking the door and drawing the curtains, I stood beside the bed, watching the gentle
rise and fall of her chest. I should leave, or at least go to the separate resting room prepared
for me.
Instead, I slipped into bed beside her, drawing her into my arms.
Under the influence of the sedative, Olivia rested peacefully against me, her head tucked
beneath my chin. I gazed at her for a long moment before dimming the lights, adjusting her
position for comfort, and closing my eyes.
As dawn broke, I awoke according to my internal clock. Olivia still slept soundly, the sedative
still in effect.
I found myself recalling the past five years of our relationship. The misunderstanding about
her supposed involvement in our daughter’s disappearance had forced an emotional
separation between us. I’d resented her perceived deception but couldn’t deny the lingering
bond that drew me to her.
Every time she’d called me back to the Imperial Gardens, I’d known it was intentional, yet I
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couldn’t resist. Despite my resentment, my body craved her closeness.
Now, knowing she hadn’t been responsible for hiding Lily, I held her, reluctant to let go. hadn’t been this docile in a long time, her usual defenses lowered by medication and
exhaustion.
+8 Points>
She
I traced the outline of her face with my fingertips, memorizing every curve and contour. The soft arch of her eyebrows, the delicate slope of her nose, the fullness of her lips.
Her lips.
Morning sunlight streamed through a gap in the curtains, illuminating her face. Her lips had regained their color after a night’s rest, no longer the pale, bloodless things they’d been when I’d found her in the hospital.
My thumb unconsciously traced their outline, the gentle rise and fall of her breath against my palm a tantalizing sensation. I swallowed hard, my control slipping.
I tilted her chin up slightly, my lips descending in a fervent kiss. Initially, I tried to be gentle, not
wanting to wake her.
But Olivia’s eyes suddenly fluttered open. A momentary confusion cleared quickly as she realized what was happening. Her expression turned icy.
“Ethan Stone, get off me!” she demanded, her voice hoarse but firm.
I pulled back slightly, surprised by her vehemence. Her emerald eyes blazed with fury as memories of the previous night flooded back.
“How dare you touch me after what you did?” she spat, her voice trembling with rage.
Before I could respond, her hand connected with my cheek in a stinging slap. The sound
echoed in the quiet room.
My face darkened. “Olivia Winters!” I growled, my amber eyes narrowing.
“Get off!” she repeated, her voice even colder.
She struggled against me, but I wouldn’t budge, my strength easily overpowering her. My expression grew dangerous, and I could see fear flicker in her eyes.
She stopped struggling and pressed the call button for assistance. The revulsion in her eyes
was palpable.
The realization made my expression harden. I gave her one last look before getting out of bed, grabbing my Black Alpha Overcoat, and storming out of the room without a backward glance.
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(Olivia’s POV)
A pack healer rushed in immediately after Ethan left, her eyes wide with concern.
+8 Points >
“Luna Winters, are you alright?” she asked anxiously, scanning me for any signs of distress.
I forced a smile. “I’m fine. I accidentally pressed the button.”
The healer’s shoulders relaxed. “It’s no trouble at all, Luna. Dr. Marcus Fletcher will be by
shortly for a check–up before you can be discharged.”
I nodded, feeling much better physically, though my heart still ached for my lost pendant containing Lily’s ashes. After the healer left, I changed into the clothes Lucas Blackwood had
sent over.
The soft fabric felt like a shield against the world as I prepared to leave the Silvercrest Pack
Medical Den. I couldn’t stay here, not with Ethan so close. Not after what he’d done.
My fingers instinctively reached for the spot where my pendant should have been. The
emptiness there mirrored the hollowness in my chest.
I would find a way to retrieve Lily’s ashes from the Moonlit Reflection Pool. I had to. But first, I
needed to regain my strength.
With a deep breath, I stepped out of the Recovery Chamber and made my way toward the exit,
determined to put as much distance between myself and Ethan Stone as possible.
(Victoria’s POV)
I paced the length of my bedroom at Rosewood Haven, sleep eluding me as images of Ethan
tending to Olivia played on repeat in my mind.
The tenderness in his touch. The vulnerability in his expression. The intimacy of the moment.
It should have been me. It should always be me.
As dawn broke, I emerged from my room, exhausted but resolute. Emma had already dressed
herself and gone downstairs for breakfast.
Martha Wilson, our housekeeper, greeted me in the hallway. “Good morning, Ms. Frost. Emma
is ready for the Crescent Moon Training Den. Shall I call the driver?”
I nodded absently. “Yes, please do.”
Knowing I wouldn’t be taking her to the training den today, Emma hadn’t disturbed me. She
was a good girl that way, understanding when to give me space.
<Chapter 74: Suspicions and C
+8 Points
As soon as Emma left with Martha, I got in my car and drove straight to the training den. I needed to see Ethan, to force him to publicly acknowledge our relationship and Emma as his
daughter.
No more shadows. No more secrets. It was time for Ethan to choose, once and for all.
As I drove, I rehearsed what I would say to him. How I would remind him of our history, our bond, our love. How I would make him see that Olivia was manipulating him, using her injuries
to gain his sympathy.
It was time for Olivia Winters to learn her place once and for all.
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