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Her life with him was more than she’d ever dreamed of. He filled the void inside, where something had been missing her whole life. She felt more grounded. She could do anything.
Including fight the big bad wolf in her dreams. Adrenaline still flowed in her veins—and it felt good.
Her wolf agreed. Olivia lay back, listening closely to her wolf’s banter. The wolf was proud of her for standing her ground and confronting—and defeating—their enemy. If push came to shove, her wolf promised there was nothing they wouldn’t do to protect those they loved.
The adoration she had for Mal and his wolf was unwavering and fierce. That was the way to feel about a life mate. Mal and the wolves, his and hers, were still concerned about Ellen. And Tess…was she a threat to the pack? Olivia couldn’t see how the woman was capable of anything diabolical. And yet, she did make her uneasy. Instinct told her something was off.
As happy as her wolf was, she was also sad. Mal was keeping a secret—a big one. He and Anders were going after Chase. His wolf wanted them to go, too, but Mal had shut him down. Shut him down and told him to keep it from her.
Coldness settled in the pit of Olivia’s stomach.
He’s trying to protect us. Her wolf was willing to defend him even when he was wrong. And he was. Dead wrong.
Finn, their alpha, had told them to wait. She was new at this wolf thing, but the chain of command was hard to miss. If Finn gave an order, she’d follow. Mal didn’t seem to have that problem. How could he do this? And why? Being a pack meant working together, not going rogue. That was the exact opposite of the whole pack mentality. But the angrier she got, the more defensive her wolf became.
She frowned at Mal, who was still peacefully snoring. He was going to split hairs over Finn’s orders, find a way to make this okay. It would be different if he talked to her about it. But, no, he was making decisions on his own which impacted all of them.
And he was going to leave her.
She waited for Mal to roll over then slid from the bed. Her arms shook as she tugged on more of Jessa’s hand-me-downs. Gray sweatpants and a gray sweatshirt to suit her gray mood. She brushed her teeth and hair and crept from the room, wincing as the door squeaked on its hinges. There was no winning an argument with Mal. Her wolf was too besotted with him. And so was she. But Anders was a different matter. She wouldn’t get all weak-kneed with him, so he was going to get an earful from her.
She walked into the kitchen, ready for a fight, and came to a complete stop. Jessa was hunched over, her face creased and her lips pressed tightly together. She was in pain.
“Jessa?” Olivia asked.
The woman straightened immediately, pressing her hand to her back. “Everything is aching today.” Her attempt at a smile was pathetic.
“Maybe a little more than aching?” Olivia asked, truly concerned. Her wolf went on full alert, ready to do whatever Mrs. Alpha needed.
Jessa was pale, slightly ashen around her eyes and nose. “I’m fine,” she said, waving her hand in dismissal. “Finn wanted you to join them in his office when you woke up. Mal coming?”
Olivia sighed, shaking her head. “Still sleeping.”
“Which is harder? Having a mate or being a wolf?” Jessa studied her.
“A mate.” No comparison.
“Really?” Jessa smiled. “What’s it like? Being a wolf?”
“I like it. Is it something you’re considering?” she asked. “After?”
“If I make it through this?” She answered Olivia’s unanswered question. “Yes. Definitely.” She pointed at the counter. “There are muffins and cinnamon rolls. If Anders ever finds a mate, he’ll impress the hell out of her with his cooking.”
Olivia laughed, taking a muffin and a cinnamon roll and heading toward Finn’s office. She could hear the arguing before she’d opened the door. She stood there, glancing back and forth at Ellen and Anders, who looked ready to face off.
“What did I miss?” Mal asked, his voice soft against her ear.
She jumped, dropping her muffin on the wood floor.
“Sorry.” He grinned at her and stooped to pick up the muffin, devouring it in three bites.
She glared at him before brushing past him into the office.
“Olivia.” Dante nodded at her.
“Good morning,” she said. “Maybe? I’m getting the impression something’s up?”
“No.” Finn sighed, looking at Mal. His eyes narrowed. “You know how I feel about lying, Mal.” He rolled his neck. “As you’re all aware, I’ve fucked up plenty. First infecting you, Oscar. Jessa. This baby. And I’ve owned it every damn time. I would never put you in harm’s way. What are you thinking?”
