Chapter 22

• My heart raced as I stood with Bustan, Nate had broken through the palace defenses. Bustan hurried to were his army was, instructing them.
• I scanned the horizon, and soon enough, I saw them. A mass of shadows moving swiftly toward the palace—Nate’s wolves, flanked by the hunters. Panic surged through the guards, the air filled with alarmed shouts and the clanging of weapons as everyone prepared for battle.
• As the first wave of attackers approached, I saw him—Nate, standing tall and proud at the forefront, a smug grin spread across his face. His eyes found mine, and even from a distance, I could feel his desire—no, his need to possess me. A part of me recoiled at the sight of him, remembering all the pain and rejection he’d caused. But another part of me felt an overwhelming urge to face him, to show him that I wasn’t the weak, broken girl he once cast aside.
• I wasn’t that girl anymore. I was so much more.
• The battle began swiftly, the wolves clashing in a whirlwind of fangs and claws. The hunters loomed in the background, their crossbows and blades gleaming under the flickering light. I didn’t think so. I just moved, instinct guiding me as I fought off the first of Nate’s wolves that dared come near me. But as more swarmed around me, I felt something shift inside me.
• A pulse, deep surged through my veins, and before I knew it, my hands ignited with a strange, brilliant light. The wolves around me faltered, their snarls turning to whimpers as they backed away, eyes wide with fear. I didn’t understand what was happening, but I didn’t care. I felt powerful—more powerful than I’d ever felt before.
• A roar of anger ripped through the air, and I turned to see Nate staring at me, his eyes dark with a mixture of rage and awe. He had seen it. He had seen me in a way he had never seen before.
• “Olivia!” His voice rang out across the battlefield. “What are you doing? You belong by my side! We could rule everything—together.”
• I could hear the desperation in his voice, but I didn’t respond. I didn’t need to. My body moved on its own, and with a wave of my hand, a surge of energy shot from my palm, knocking a group of Nate’s wolves to the ground as if they were nothing. My heart raced with the thrill of it, but deep down, I knew I was treading on dangerous ground. This power—it was wild, uncontained. I didn’t know how to control it, but I couldn’t stop.
• Nate's eyes widened, his lips curling into a predatory grin. “Yes… That’s it! Let it out, Olivia! You’re meant for greatness! This is what I saw in you from the beginning!”
• His words slithered into my mind, coaxing and tempting. But I wasn’t doing this for him. I was fighting for the pack, for Bustan. Still, the power inside me raged on, hungry and unrelenting.
• Behind me, I heard a sharp intake of breath, and I turned to see Kim, standing at the edge of the battlefield, her face twisted in fury. She had been overseeing the fight from a distance, but now her gaze was fixed solely on me, her lips curled in a snarl.
• “Her?” Kim murmured. “Why is everyone so impressed by such tiny display of power?”
• Her jealousy was palpable, and I could feel it radiating off her like a toxic wave. Kim had always hated me, but now, seeing me unleash power far beyond her own, it seemed to push her over the edge.
• “Stop showing off, Olivia!” she screamed, stepping forward, her own aura flaring. “You’re nothing special! Just a freak who got lucky.”
• I clenched my fists, trying to control the wild energy surging through me. But Kim wasn’t finished. She stormed toward me, her eyes blazing with fury.
• “You think just because you’ve got a few tricks up your sleeve, you’re better than the rest of us?!” she snarled, standing inches from me now. “You’re nothing but a tool for Nate. Just like you always have been.”
• The words stung, but they couldn’t penetrate the power that swirled within me. Instead of responding, I unleashed another burst of energy, sending a shockwave through the ground that knocked Kim back several feet. Her eyes widened in shock as she hit the ground, the force of the blow rattling her.
• “You can’t control it,” she hissed, standing up and wiping the blood from her lip. “And when you lose control, it’ll destroy you.”
• I wanted to argue, to tell her that she was wrong, but deep down, I feared she was right. The power inside me was like a storm, and it was growing stronger with each passing moment. I could feel the edges of my control fraying, the lines between right and wrong blurring.
• Nate, however, was still watching, and his grin only grew wider as he saw the display. He stepped forward, the battle momentarily forgotten as his eyes locked onto me with renewed determination.
• “You belong with me, Olivia,” he said, his voice like silk. “Don’t waste your power here. I’ll give you the freedom to be what you’re meant to be. You don’t need Bustan. You never did.”
• His words wrapped around me, pulling at the dark parts of my mind. And for a moment, I faltered. The power was so tempting, so intoxicating. It whispered promises of greatness, of freedom from the pain and fear I’d known for so long.
• But then, amidst the chaos, I heard a voice. Bustan’s voice. He was shouting orders to his soldiers, fighting alongside them, protecting the pack. Protecting *me*.
• And in that moment, I remembered why I was here. I wasn’t fighting to display my powers to Nate. I was fighting for the pack that had become my family. For Bustan.
• With a surge of determination, I focused all of my energy into a single, controlled burst. The light around me intensified, and with a roar, I unleashed it, sending a massive shockwave through the battlefield. Wolves and hunters alike were thrown back, the force of it knocking them off their feet.
• Nate’s expression had changed. The smug grin was gone, replaced by something far more dangerous—obsession. He had seen what I could do, and now he wanted me more than ever.
• “You’re making a mistake, Olivia,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “You can’t fight what you are. And when you’re ready to accept that, I’ll be waiting. You belong to me that why the goddess made you my mate.”
• With that, he turned and signaled to his wolves. Slowly, they began to retreat.