Chapter 54
Ethan's POV
The faint scent of lavender and cedar greeted me as I entered Olivia’s Pack House. It was hers, grounding and contradictory, like the woman herself.
Her voice drifted down the hallway, speaking to one of her Betas, firm but kind. I followed the sound until I found her in the office, reviewing papers spread across the desk.
She looked up as I stepped in, and though her expression was calm, her guarded eyes betrayed her. I crossed the room, my wolf restless beneath my skin. “We need to talk.”
Her brow furrowed as she folded her arms. “About?”
I inclined my head towards the man next to her and he took the hint, shutting the door on his way out.
“Derek,” I said, watching her closely for a reaction. Her slight flinch didn’t escape me. “What’s he been asking of you?”
She turned away, busying herself by tidying the papers on the table. “Nothing that concerns you.”
“It concerns me when it involves you and the Council,” I said, my tone sharper than I intended. “Olivia, I can’t protect you if I don’t know what deals you’re making.”
Her head snapped up, eyes blazing. “Protect me? I’m not some damsel in distress, Ethan. I’m capable of handling Derek on my own.”
Frustration surged in my chest. “You think I don’t know that? I’m not questioning your strength, Olivia. I’m questioning why you’re keeping me in the dark.”
She hesitated, her hands tightening on the edge of the desk. “Because it’s not your burden to bear.”
My wolf growled low, sensing her deflection. I took a step closer, lowering my voice. “You’re avoiding.”
Her shoulders stiffened. “Okay, pot. And you’re prying into things that don’t concern you.”
I clenched my fists, forcing myself to stay calm. “Derek doesn’t make offers without strings attached. I’ve dealt with him my entire life. What’s he demanding, Olivia? Is it about the bond?”
Her gaze flickered, and for a moment, I thought she might tell me. But then she looked away, her expression hardening. “You’ve made it clear that’s not going to happen.”
I exhaled sharply, my frustration spilling over. “Do you trust me at all?”
Her eyes snapped back to mine, hurt flashing across her face. “Do you trust me?”
The question hit like a punch to the gut, silencing me.
She stepped around the table, her voice steady but edged with steel. “Don’t pretend you’re an open book. Until you’re ready to lay everything out, don’t expect me to either.”
The distance between us felt insurmountable, but before I could respond, she turned and walked away, leaving me standing there with my mouth hanging open.
My wolf paced restlessly, the bond between us strained to its limit. She was right, I wasn’t ready to share everything. But if I didn’t act soon, I risked losing her altogether.
And that thought terrified me more than any threat Derek or Aiden could throw my way.
The pressure of the day clung to me as I stepped back on my Pack lands; from Olivia’s refusal to share Derek’s demands to the lingering frustration of our strained bond.
My wolf pacing restlessly within me had become near constant. He was an agitated presence I couldn’t ignore.
Marlus was waiting for me near the training grounds, his sharp eyes narrowing as I approached. “You look like you’ve just wrestled with a storm and lost,” he said, crossing his arms.
“Not far off,” I muttered, falling into step beside him.
“Olivia?”
I shot him a look but didn’t answer. He didn’t push, instead motioning toward the interrogation building where the captured rogue was being held. “Let’s focus on what we can control. The rogue finally cracked. He let something slip about Chloe.”
An involuntary growl rose up at her name. Chloe’s schemes had plagued my life for years, and now it seemed her influence extended further than I’d imagined. “What did he say?”
Marlus’s jaw tightened. “It was subtle, but he mentioned a benefactor funding Aiden’s Rogue recruitment. When I pressed, he clammed up, but the way he hesitated when I mentioned Chloe’s name... It’s her, Ethan. Has to be.”
I cursed under my breath, the pieces falling into place. Chloe had always been a master manipulator, and her backing Aiden wasn’t out of motherly devotion. She wanted control: of him, of the Pack, of the Alpha Council.
“Did he give any idea of where Aiden might be hiding?” I asked.
Marlus shook his head. “Nothing concrete. He’s loyal to Aiden, or at least to the money Chloe’s throwing around. But if Chloe’s involved, we could narrow down the possibilities. She wouldn’t leave him entirely to his own devices.”
I nodded, my mind already working through the implications. Chloe’s support explained Aiden’s recent boldness, from the Rogue attack on Olivia’s Pack to his relentless scheming against me.
But it also meant we had leverage. If we could expose Chloe’s involvement, it would undermine Aiden’s position and cast doubt on her influence within the Council. Rogues were off limits for a reason.
“We need a plan,” I said, my tone decisive. “If Chloe’s pulling the strings here, we can’t let her operate from the sidelines anymore. We draw Aiden out, and we make it clear that his mommy won’t protect him.”
Marlus raised an eyebrow. “And how do you propose we do that?”
I met his gaze, my wolf’s growl vibrating in my chest. “We set a trap.”
Marlus grinned. “Now we’re talking.”
We walked to the strategy room, where a map of the surrounding territories was spread across the table. I pointed to the areas near Olivia’s Pack, where Aiden had launched his Rogue attack.
“He’ll likely stay close, but not so close that he risks another run-in with Olivia’s warriors. We focus on the borders here and here.”
Marlus nodded, his sharp mind already catching on. “And since he’s working with Chloe, we can use her tendencies against her. She likes control, but she’s also predictable. She’d want to keep Aiden on a tight leash.”
“Exactly,” I said, tracing a circle around a cluster of neutral territory that bordered Chloe’s old Pack lands.
“We spread word that Olivia’s Pack is regrouping, that she’s planning a retaliation. It’ll bait Aiden into action. He won’t be able to resist trying to disrupt her again, especially if he thinks we’re not available.”
“And when he shows up?”
“We’ll be waiting,” I said, my voice cold with determination. “But this time, we don’t just catch the Rogues. We catch him.”
Marlus’s grin was pure wolfish. “And if Chloe gets wind of it?”
“Let her,” I said, my fists clenching. “If she wants to play this game, we’ll make sure the stakes are high enough to force her hand. She can either protect Aiden and expose herself or cut him loose to save her own skin.”
Marlus nodded, respect evident in his gaze. “It’s risky, but it could work. We’ll need to coordinate with Olivia’s Pack to make the bait convincing. And spread word we’re out of town.”
I hesitated for a moment, thinking of Olivia. Would she trust me enough to go along with this plan? Or would the growing distance between us make her question my intentions?
“Reach out to Kerrick,” I said finally. “Keep the details vague for now. We can’t risk Aiden catching wind of this before we’re ready.”
Marlus agreed, and as he left to begin preparations, I stayed behind, staring at the map. My wolf growled low in frustration, echoing my own.
I thought of Chloe, of Aiden, of the countless times their schemes had threatened everything I’d worked for.
And then I thought of Olivia; her strength, her determination, her ability to hold her Pack together even as everything seemed to crumble around her.
For her, I couldn’t fail. For her, I would outmaneuver every Rogue, every scheme, every enemy.
Failure wasn’t an option.
