Chapter 8 – The Convenient Choice

• Olivia's POV
• The hour drive back to my Pack House in Thorne Ridge territory was tense, but my body relaxed as we pulled into the drive.
• As I moved to unbuckle my seatbelt, I stole a glance at Ethan. His profile was hard, hands tight on the wheel. He was beautiful half-draped in shadows from the fading sunlight.
• I couldn’t help but wonder what he was thinking, but I also wasn’t sure I wanted to know.
• I clicked the seatbelt free and cleared my throat, “Good luck with the Alpha Council seat. I hope it works out for you.”
• His eyes flicked to mine briefly. “I’m glad we agree on that.”
• I nodded but hesitated with my hand on the car door handle. “Ethan, why me? The most eligible bachelor could choose anyone. I want to know why me.”
• Ethan’s grip on the wheel tightened like his patience was wearing thin with my presence. “Don’t flatter yourself. You were the most convenience choice.”
• His response hit me like a slap, erasing the tiny flicker of warmth I’d felt just moments ago. Convenient. Of course that’s all I am to him. I let out a short, bitter laugh, shaking my head.
• “Convenient, huh? Good to know I’m just another chess piece of ass in your perfect little plan,” I muttered, turning my gaze out the window to avoid meeting his.
• I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of seeing how much his words stung. Instead, I pulled the door handle and pushed it open.
• “Goodnight, Ethan.” My tone was as cold as his had been.
• I stepped out of the car, slamming the door behind me without waiting for a reply, and headed toward the house.
• ***
• The second I stepped inside Mia came rushing at me from the front window. My nosy best friend had been peeking through the curtains.
• I barely had time to close the door before she blurted out, “Was that Ethan dropping you off? What’s going on between you two?” She practically bounced with excitement and demanded “Tell me everything!”
• I swallowed another wave of exhaustion that threatened to take over. I wasn’t ready for this conversation, not after the whirlwind of emotions I’d had today. Or this entire week for that matter.
• But there was no escaping Mia when she got like this. She was relentless when something caught her attention. She loved a puzzle.
• “Yep,” I said, keeping my voice neutral. “It was Ethan.”
• Mia’s eyes lit up, her hands clapping together like she was a kid getting a surprise gift. “Don’t you dare keep me hanging!”
• I hesitated, feeling the details of the contract sitting heavily on my mind. For the first time in our lives, I didn’t know what to say to Mia.
• I’d never lied to my best friend or kept anything from her before. But there was an NDA – non-disclosure agreement – in that contract. If I told her everything, Ethan could pull financial support, and my entire Pack would be screwed.
• “We’re… getting married.” I forced a bright smile to sell the lie.
• Mia’s reaction was immediate and exactly what I expected: pure joy. “I knew it! I knew there was something between you two! He’s different around you, Liv. You’re fated mates, aren’t you?!”
• I pushed aside my overwhelming guilt, and the memory of Ethan’s cold words echoed in my mind. You were the most convenient choice.
• “Yeah,” I said, nodding along, “we’re something like that.”
• All I could do was play along, silently hoping she wouldn’t press for more details.
• Thankfully, Mia was too caught up in her excitement to notice the bitterness I was trying to hide.
• ***
• The sterile scent of antiseptic burned inside my nose as I sat beside my mother’s hospital bed. She still looked frail, but the flicker of disappointment wafted off her as I told her about breaking off the engagement with Aiden.
• She sighed, her voice weak but steady. "I told you; Chosen Mates are always unreliable. But still… you haven’t found your Fated Mate, Olivia."
• Her words hit me harder than I expected, a subtle reminder I hadn’t followed in my parents’ footsteps. I thought about telling her about Ethan, but the idea of explaining that mess seemed like too much.
• I opened my mouth to say something, but a sharp knock on the door cut me off.
• Amelia entered with a smile that immediately set me on edge. The very sight of her made my mother bristle, her frail hands tightening around the blanket.
• "I don’t want her here," my mother snapped, her voice sharper now, though I could hear the strain in it. "Get her out."
• Before my mother could get any more upset, I stood and grabbed Amelia’s arm, pulling her outside the room. She didn’t resist; in fact, she seemed too pleased with herself, her eyes bright with something I couldn’t decipher.
• Once the door closed behind us, I let Amelia go, crossing my arms.
• "What do you want?" I asked, in no mood for pleasantries or to drag this conversation out.
• Amelia’s hand moved to her belly, and her smile widened. "Oh, Liv, I wanted you to hear it from me rather than some gossip column. I’m pregnant! Aiden and I are expecting."
• I didn’t miss the subtle jab about the photos, but I kept my expression neutral. I refused to give her the satisfaction of seeing me hurt with her news. "Got it. Message delivered. You can leave now, and don’t show up at my mother’s room again."
• Amelia’s face shifted, her usual soft features twisting into something cruel. Her lips curled into a smug smile, the kind that made my skin crawl.
• "Oh, come on, Olivia. We both know this calm act of yours is just that, an act. Stop trying to win Aiden back with these pathetic little tricks. He’ll only ever love me."
• I was so done with this bitch. Amelia and Aiden deserved each other.
• Anger stirred in me, and I opened my mouth to tell her just how fucked she could get. But just as I was about to fire back, something in Amelia changed.
• Her face paled, and she grabbed my hand, her voice trembling now. "I was wrong! Please, save my child... please!"
• The quick change in tactics was giving me emotional whiplash. Before I could even process the shift, Aiden appeared out of nowhere, shoving me aside and pulling Amelia into his arms.
• The force of Aiden’s push sent me crashing into the wall, a sharp pain shooting through my lower back. I bit back a wince, but the anger flared brighter now.
• "It’s Olivia!" Amelia’s voice wavered as tears streamed down her face. "She’s still holding a grudge about the wedding. She was trying to force me to have an abortion!"
• Are you kidding me right now? What the actual fuck? I could not believe the audacity.
• "You’re outrageous!" Aiden snarled, his finger pointing at me like the judge, jury and hopeful executioner.
• Before I could snap back, the beautiful voice of bestie support cut through the tension.
• "You’re the outrageous one! What the fuck, Amelia?!" Mia’s voice growled as she stepped up to Amelia, invading her personal space.
• Mia turned her glare on Aiden, pointing a finger right back at him. "Olivia’s about to become Alpha Ethan’s Luna, she doesn’t have time for you and your bullshit!"
• The stunned silence that followed was almost satisfying. Watching the brief flicker of shock in Aiden’s eyes before they darkened.
• Then all hell broke loose.