Chapter 18

• Olivia's POV
• Sweat trickled down my temples, my muscles aching from the rigorous drills, but I welcomed the fatigue. Training had become my refuge, a way to clear my head amidst the chaos of being part of Bustan's pack and dealing with all the shifting power dynamics. I was also growing in strength, at least I could be less of a liability to Bustan.
• As Bianca and I gathered our things, the new recruits, a group of fierce-looking she-wolves, filed into the grounds. Their leader, Kim, strode in front of them, her gaze met mine and she smirked. My heart tightened at the sight of her. Kim had always made it clear that she despised me, viewing me as a weak prey to display her hatred and strength. Being an alpha female, she was used to being in control, and my connection to Bustan seemed to provoke a deeper hostility. The moment she heard that I belonged to the Lycan king, she came for me again.
• Bianca bade me goodbye before leaving me at the training ground. Left alone, I knew I had no choice but to face Kim. She approached with her pack of warriors, a smug smirk plastered across her face.
• “Well, if it isn’t Bustan’s little toy,” she sneered, her voice dripping with disdain.
• I straightened my posture, refusing to let her get under my skin. “What do you want, Kim?”
• Her smirk widened. “What do I want? You’re in no position to ask that, Olivia. You’re nothing more than a charity case, a weakling that our Lycan king has to protect. Tell me, how does it feel knowing that without Bustan, you’d be dead by now?”
• I clenched my fists, the familiar sting of her words settling deep in my chest. It wasn’t the first time she’d thrown insults at me, but today, the malice in her eyes was sharper than usual. There was something more behind her hatred, something darker.
• “Bustan saved me and he took me in as his mate,” I replied through gritted teeth, trying to maintain my composure. “I don’t need your approval or protection.”
• Kim took a step closer, her towering figure looming over me. “That’s where you’re wrong. You’re nothing without him, and deep down, you know it. You think you’re special because the Lycan king chose you, but to the rest of us, you’re just a pathetic excuse for a wolf. I wonder how long it’ll be before Bustan realizes he’s made a mistake just like Nate realized he couldn't be with a weak wolf like you”
• Her words were venomous, and I could feel the eyes of her pack on me, watching, waiting for my reaction. But I didn’t give her the satisfaction of backing down. Instead, I stood my ground, forcing my voice to remain steady. “I won’t let you push me around anymore, Kim.”
• She laughed, a cold and mocking sound. “We’ll see about that.”
• Before I could respond, she grabbed my arm, her grip painfully tight, and yanked me forward. “Come with me. We need to talk somewhere more... private.”
• I struggled in her grasp, but she was stronger, her alpha blood giving her the upper hand. She dragged me toward the edge of the forest, away from the safety of the training grounds and into the thick shadows of the woods. My instincts screamed that something was wrong, but I couldn’t break free from her hold.
• “Let go of me, Kim!” I shouted, panic beginning to rise in my chest.
• But she didn’t listen, her pace quickening as she led me deeper into the forest. The trees closed in around us, and the sounds of the pack training grew distant. I tried to dig my heels into the ground, but Kim shoved me forward, her eyes glinting with malicious intent.
• “You should’ve stayed where you belonged, Olivia,” she hissed, her voice dropping to a low, threatening whisper. “Now you’re going to pay for thinking you could ever be part of this pack.”
• Suddenly, I realized where we were heading—the border. I could feel it, the tingling sensation that warned me we were close to dangerous territory, and then it hit me. “The Hunters.”
• My heart pounded in my chest as I realized Kim was leading me straight into their trap. She had been planning this all along. Desperation clawed at my throat as I yanked my arm free, stumbling back a few steps.
• “Kim, what are you doing?!” I demanded, but she only smiled, her eyes filled with cruel satisfaction.
• “Enjoy your last moments, Olivia,” she said, her voice filled with cold finality. “Because no one’s going to save you now.”
• Just as she stepped back, I heard the snap of a branch, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw a figure emerging from the shadows. My heart lurched in my chest as I recognized Elias, Bustan’s lieutenant. Thank the goodess, there was someone around to save me.
• Without a word, Elias grabbed my arm and yanked me behind him, his eyes never leaving Kim’s. “You’ve gone too far, Kim.”
• Kim’s smirk faltered, but she didn’t back down. “Stay out of this, Elias. This doesn’t concern you.”
• “Oh, it concerns me,” Elias growled, stepping forward to shield me. “You were about to throw Olivia to the Hunters. I don’t know what kind of deal you made, but you won’t be walking away from this.”
• Kim’s confidence wavered, but her pride wouldn’t let her retreat. “You think you can stop me? I’m an alpha—”
• Before she could finish, Elias moved faster than I thought possible. In one swift motion, he lunged at Kim, knocking her to the ground with a force that left her gasping for air. She struggled beneath him, her eyes wide with shock as she realized just how strong Elias truly was.
• “You’re done, Kim,” Elias said coldly, his voice filled with authority. “You’ve betrayed your pack. Bustan will deal with you.”
• Kim snarled and tried to fight back, but Elias pinned her to the ground with ease, his gaze hard. “You made a deadly mistake.”
• As he held her down, I stood frozen, my heart racing from the near-death experience. If Elias hadn’t shown up, I would’ve been at the mercy of the Hunters, trapped in their territory with no way to escape.
• Elias glanced back at me, his expression softening. “Are you okay, Olivia?”
• I nodded shakily, the adrenaline still coursing through my veins. “I—I didn’t realize what she was doing. She said she wanted to talk.”
• Elias’s face darkened. “Kim’s been trouble for a while, but leading you into a trap? That’s treason. Don't let her manipulate you like that, you're the King's woman.”
• Before he could say anything else, there was a rustling sound from deeper in the forest. My stomach twisted in fear as I realized what it was—Hunters.
• “We need to get out of here, now,” Elias said, hauling Kim to her feet and dragging her along as we made our way back to the safety of the palace grounds.