Chapter 21

• Bustan stood in his study, pacing back and forth, his mind a whirl of thoughts and emotions. His thoughts were consumed by one thing: Olivia.
• Her powers were growing at an alarming rate. Just this morning, he had heard about her outburst during training, and it wasn’t the first time something like that had happened. He had witnessed her power in the forest as well, she called out the ancient guardian wolves, she even communicated with them. And while he admired her strength, it terrified him at the same time.
• As much as he hated to admit it, Bustan wasn’t sure if Olivia could control it. And that lack of control was dangerous. For her, for him, for everyone around them.
• The door creaked open, and he looked up to see Olivia stepping into the room. Her expression was guarded, but the moment their eyes met, he could tell she sensed his turmoil.
• “Bustan,” she began, her voice soft but edged with tension. “We need to talk.”
• He stopped pacing, his jaw tightening. “I know. I’ve been thinking the same thing.”
• For a moment, there was silence between them, the weight of unspoken words pressing down on the space between them. Olivia crossed her arms, clearly bracing herself for the conversation she knew was coming.
• “Your powers, Olivia,” Bustan said, his voice low, but not unkind. “They’re growing. Too fast. You’re becoming more powerful than even I can protect.”
• “I never asked for protection,” Olivia shot back, her tone sharper than she intended. “I will deal with my problems myself.”
• “That’s not the point!” Bustan’s frustration flared. He took a step closer, his eyes flashing with concern. “You don’t understand what’s at stake here. If you can’t control your powers, you could hurt people—people you care about. What happened the other day during training with Bianca—that was just the beginning.”
• Olivia’s expression darkened, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. “You think I don’t know that? I feel it, Bustan. Every time my power surges, I feel it inside me. I’m doing everything I can to control it, but you act like I’m a ticking time bomb.”
• “That’s because you are…” he said, his voice trailed off. “You’re a danger, Olivia. To yourself and to this entire pack. And if we don’t find a way to control it...”
• “Then what?” she interrupted, her eyes narrowing. “You’ll treat me like a weapon? Lock me away like Nate would have?”
• Bustan’s heart clenched at the mention of Nate’s name, the comparison she just made scarred his heart.
• “That’s not what I want,” Bustan said, his voice tight with frustration. “I want to help you, but you have to understand the risks. You’re not just some ordinary wolf anymore. You’re something... more. And with that comes responsibility.”
• Olivia scoffed, turning away from him. “You sound just like Nate.”
• “Don’t compare me to him,” Bustan snapped, stepping forward and grabbing her arm, forcing her to face him. His grip was firm but not harsh. “I’m nothing like him, Olivia. I’ve fought to protect you from the very beginning. But if you won’t listen to me, then how am I supposed to keep you safe?”
• Olivia wrenched her arm free, her eyes blazing with defiance. “Maybe I don’t need you to keep me safe. Maybe I can protect myself.”
• They stood there, staring at each other, Bustan’s chest heaved as he struggled to rein in his emotions. He knew she was hurting, knew she was scared. But she wasn’t the only one.
• “I don’t want to lose you,” he finally said, his voice raw with emotion. “But I can’t help you if you keep pushing me away. I can't help you if you can't trust my decisions.”
• Olivia’s expression softened slightly, but she didn’t relent. “I’m not pushing you away, Bustan. I’m trying to find out who I am. You’re the Lycan King—you can protect me. All I’m asking is that you trust me, help me find my roots or someone to teach me how to control my powers.”
• Bustan’s heart ached as he looked at her. He did trust her, but the fear of losing her to her own power—of losing her to Nate—was gnawing at him. Before he could respond, a sudden commotion from outside the room interrupted them. Shouts echoed through the palace halls, followed by the sound of clashing steel.
• “Stay here,” Bustan ordered, his eyes narrowing as he turned toward the door.
• But Olivia didn’t listen. She followed him into the hallway, where several of his guards were already rushing toward the palace’s main entrance. Bustan’s pulse quickened as he realized what was happening.
• “Nate,” he muttered under his breath, his fists clenching at his sides.
• They made their way to the entrance, where chaos had erupted. Several of Nate’s wolves and the hunters had broken through the defenses, and it didn’t take long for Bustan to realize how they had done it. Someone on the inside had helped them. Someone in his own ranks had betrayed him.
• “Get them out!” Bustan barked at his guards as he scanned the scene, searching for Nate. His eyes locked onto the figure of the Alpha, standing near the palace gates with a smug, victorious expression on his face.
• Olivia stiffened beside him. “He’s here,” she whispered, her heart pounding loudly with fear.
• Bustan placed a hand on her shoulder, his gaze never leaving Nate. “I won’t let him touch you. Not ever.”
• He knew, deep down, that this was more than just a breach of his palace and the fact that Nate had gotten this far meant that someone—one of his own—had been feeding him information. Bustan’s mind raced, trying to piece it together. Who could it be? Elias had proven himself trustworthy, especially after saving Olivia from the hunters. Could it be Kim, she was always on edge with Olivia.