Chapter 12
Olivia's POV
Ethan’s arrogance grated on my nerves. His words hung in the air, smug and condescending.
“Don’t flatter yourself,” I shot back, crossing my arms to steady the frustration boiling inside me.
He didn’t react to the jab, just leaned back against the seat and continued, “Chloe’s endgame isn’t about you, Olivia. She’s trying to block me from the Alpha Council seat.”
The pointed look he shot me said he thought I should have figured that out by now.
“If she can undermine me, she regains control of the Jasper Pack through Aiden. He’s her pawn, just like you were back there.”
A chill crept down my spine. Chloe’s schemes weren’t just about clearing Aiden’s name or securing his future. She wanted to tear Ethan down, using me in the process.
And Ethan’s father? He wouldn’t lift a finger to stop her as long as his precious results were intact.
I had been focusing on the wrong pieces in this twisted game. I’d focused so much on Lunera Beauty assuming I’d never have to get involved in the heavy politics of Pack.
I was in over my head here. Shit.
Before I could process the full implications of this revelation, my phone buzzed. I hesitated before answering, but I couldn’t avoid this conversation forever. “Mom?”
“Olivia, what’s going on with you and Alpha Ethan? Isn’t he Aiden’s brother?” Her voice was laced with worry, and I knew she’d seen the news.
She wasted no time getting right to it.
I took a deep breath. “Yes, he’s Aiden’s brother.” My eyes flicked to the Alpha in question.
There was a pause, and then her voice softened. “Olivia, I don’t want you sacrificing your happiness for the Pack’s sake. You deserve better. I want you to find your Fated Mate and be happy. Your father would want that, too.”
I winced, her words cutting deeper than I expected. The mention of my father, her concern, all of it made the situation more real.
But this ‘love story’ with Ethan was a lie. A deal. Something I had agreed to. And now I had to convince her of a dream that didn’t exist.
I shoved down the guilt and forced a smile hoping it would translate through to my voice.
“We are… happy, Mom. Ethan and I, we’ve grown close. It wasn’t planned, but it just happened. We’re good together.” The lie rolled off my tongue with a practiced ease that surprised even me.
I hated that this was getting easier. I hated that I couldn’t tell Mia or my mother the truth. Maybe if I repeated the lies enough, I would start to believe them.
“Really?” Her skepticism was obvious, and I didn’t blame her. “I want to meet him.”
I froze. My mother wasn’t an empath, but she could read people like no other. She’d see right through everything. I had to put this off as long as possible.
“Soon, mom. You need to focus on getting well.” She was still so frail; I couldn’t risk making things worse.
“Maybe a little good news would cheer me up. Bring this Fated Mate of yours.”
I turned to Ethan, silently pleading with my eyes for him to understand. His expression didn’t change, but he gave me a single nod of agreement.
I cleared my throat. “Okay, Mom. We’ll arrange something soon.”
After a few more reassurances, I hung up, my nerves rattling inside me.
“I’m sorry,” I murmured, feeling embarrassed by the whole situation.
“My mom’s been unwell, and she’s really concerned about me. She needs to see us happy and in love. For her peace of mind.”
Ethan’s face remained impassive, though I thought I saw a flicker of understanding in his eyes. “I get it. We’ll make it work.”
He said it like it was nothing, but all the pretending was starting to gnaw at me. I was living in a world where deception was survival, but I didn’t want to drag my family into it.
And because of that NDA I couldn’t.
“I didn’t expect it to come to this,” I said softly, staring out the window. “I didn’t think things would get this complicated.”
Ethan didn’t respond, and I didn’t push. This was the mess we’d made. All I could do now was keep playing my part.
I sat at the edge of the hospital bed, tapping my fingers nervously on my lap as I watched the clock. Ethan was late.
My heart pounded with every passing minute, and I debated whether to call him.
Just as my patience started to fray, the door swung open. Ethan strode in, a bouquet of lilies in hand, a charming smile playing on his lips.
"Sorry I'm late," he said, leaning in to kiss me lightly on the lips, his touch brief but enough to steady my nerves.
He handed my mother the flowers, and for a moment, I was caught off guard. He hadn’t mentioned bringing anything. He must have done this just to impress her.
I glanced at my mother, bedridden but alert, her face softening as she took in the sight of Ethan.
“Oh, you shouldn’t have,” she said, but her smile betrayed how much she appreciated the gesture.
Ethan, ever the charmer, pulled up a chair beside my mother, engaging her in easy conversation. To my surprise, they hit it off almost instantly.
I relaxed a little, thanking the Moon Goddess for how well they were getting along.
My mother, who usually remained guarded around strangers, began recounting old stories from my childhood. Stories I would have gladly buried if I could.
Ethan, for his part, listened with rapt attention. He was playing his role perfectly.
“And then little Olivia stormed right up to the visiting Alpha and bit him! She was too small to do any real damage, and I’m sure if she could have reached, she’d have bit him right on the ass.”
My cheeks burned with embarrassment at the memory.
Ethan's laughter, warm and genuine, caught me off guard. I'd never heard him laugh like that before, and despite myself, I found it endearing.
“Alright, I think that’s enough embarrassing tales of baby Olivia for one day, mom.”
My stomach tightened as I spoke. Nine Hells, how I wished this were real.
For a moment, I nearly let the truth slip. But the concern in her eyes stopped me, and I swallowed the confession.
Her eyes sharpened and I knew my mother caught it.
“So,” she began, looking between us with that motherly concern, “when will you two have the wedding?”
My heart skipped a beat. I shot Ethan a quick look, trying to gauge his reaction, but his expression remained calm. He didn’t miss a beat.
“We’ve got most of it finalized, but we’re still working out the details,” he said smoothly, giving me a reassuring glance as though this were just another part of our ruse.
I forced a smile, nodding along. “Yeah, there’s just a lot to figure out.”
My mother’s brow furrowed slightly. “Olivia, you know you don’t need a big ceremony, but I want to see you happy.”
I swallowed hard, the guilt gnawing a little deeper. Ethan may have fooled her with his easy charm, but how much longer could we keep this up?
“I know, Mom,” I murmured, squeezing her hand. “We’ll figure it out.”
Her smile returned, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I hope so. Your father would’ve wanted you to be with your Fated Mate, not just someone for the pack’s benefit.”
Ethan stayed silent, watching me carefully. I met his gaze briefly before turning back to my mother.
This lie was growing bigger by the day, and with every kindness Ethan showed, it felt harder to it up.
