Chapter 23

"That handsome fellow is Kylian’s dad !" Veronica yelled. "That’s why he seemed familiar. Now that I think about it, Kylian is a perfect replica of him."

"Mum, was he that good looking ?" Helen asked excitedly.

Olivia sighed. That’s why it was harder to hide Kylian; he looked so much like him; he had the same piercing blue eyes and dark brown hair that fell over his forehead. The resemblance was uncanny, making it nearly impossible to keep the secret hidden for long. Olivia sat back in her chair, her eyes downcast as she gathered the courage to say the next words.

"Asher doesn’t know about Kylian," Olivia finally said, her voice barely above a whisper. "And he can never find out. If he does, he’ll try to take Kylian away from me, or worse, his mother will try to hurt Kylian."

Veronica frowned, her brows knitting together in confusion. "But why, Olivia? Why would they want to take Kylian away from you? And why would his mother want to harm him? He’s her grandchild."

Helen nodded, sharing Veronica’s bewilderment. "I don’t get it. What kind of people would do that? Isn’t family supposed to stick together?"

Olivia took a deep breath, bracing herself for what she was about to reveal. "It’s complicated. There’s a lot you don’t know about me... about who I am and where I come from."

They had been there for her through thick and thin, and she knew they deserved to know the truth.

"I’m an orphan," Olivia began, her voice steady but tinged with a sadness she had long since buried. "My mother was human, and my father was a werewolf. I’m a half-breed, and in the werewolf world, that’s... well, it’s not something that’s easily accepted. Many werewolves look down on half-breeds and see us as lesser because we’re not pure-blooded."

Veronica’s eyes widened in realisation, and she reached out to squeeze Olivia’s hand. "Oh, Olivia... I had no idea. That must have been so hard for you."

Olivia gave her a small, grateful smile. "It was. Growing up, I was always different, always on the outside. But I managed. I survived. And then... then I met Asher."

Helen leant in; her curiosity piqued. "How did you meet him?"

Olivia hesitated, memories of that night flooding back. "There was a mating party—a tradition in the werewolf community where unmated wolves gather to find their mates. I wasn’t really expecting to find anyone, but then... then I saw Asher. And I knew."

Veronica and Helen listened intently, hanging on every word. Olivia continued, her voice growing softer as she recounted the events that had changed her life forever.

"He claimed me that night. We... we bonded. I thought it was the beginning of something beautiful, something I’d never dreamed I could have. But after that night, he didn’t come back for me. I waited, but he never returned."

Helen frowned, her expression darkening. "What do you mean he didn’t come back? Didn’t he realize you were his mate?"

Olivia shook her head, bitterness creeping into her voice. "I don’t know. All I know is that I was taken by my Alpha and Asher’s mother. They didn’t believe me when I told them I was his mate. They accused me of drugging him and tricking him into seducing him. They imprisoned me, and if it hadn’t been for a friend who helped me escape, I don’t know what they would have done."

Veronica gasped, horror etched across her face. "That’s terrible! How could they do that to you?"

Olivia nodded, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I was alone, scared. I had no choice but to run. I didn’t trust them, and I couldn’t risk them finding out about Kylian. If they knew... they would either try to take him away, claiming he was Asher’s rightful heir, or they’d see him as a threat and try to harm him. Asher’s mother—she’s ruthless. She wouldn’t hesitate to do whatever it takes to protect her son’s position, even if it meant hurting an innocent child."

Helen’s face hardened with resolve. "We’re not going to let that happen, Olivia. Kylian is safe with us. We’ll protect him, no matter what."

Veronica nodded in agreement, her voice firm. "Absolutely. Asher may be powerful, but he’s not going to take Kylian from you. We’ll stand by you, Olivia, every step of the way."

Olivia looked at them, overwhelmed by their unwavering support. "Thank you. I don’t know what I’d do without you both."

Veronica and Helen had been incredible, their unwavering support giving her strength, but the reality of the situation loomed over her like a dark cloud. She couldn’t stay here—not with Asher so close, not with the risk of him discovering the truth about Kylian.

She sighed heavily, drawing the attention of her friends. "I’m going to have to leave," she said quietly, her voice tinged with resignation.

Veronica’s eyes widened in shock, and she shook her head vehemently. "Leave? No, Olivia, you can’t do that! This is your home! You have a life here, a business, friends... you have us!"

Olivia gave them a sad smile, her heart aching at the thought of leaving behind the life she had built. "I know this is my home, and believe me, I don’t want to leave. But I don’t see any other choice. If Asher finds out about Kylian, everything will be destroyed. I can’t risk that."

Veronica leant forward, her eyes pleading. "But not now, right? You’re not leaving tonight?"

Olivia shook her head, trying to reassure her friends. "No, not now. I can’t leave yet. Asher’s too close, and he’ll be keeping an eye on me. If I try to run now, he’ll notice, and it’ll only make things worse."

Helen frowned, her worry deepening. "So what’s the plan then? You’re just going to wait until he leaves and then disappear?"

Olivia nodded, her voice firm. "Yes. Once Asher leaves town and things calm down, I’ll take Kylian and go. I don’t know where yet, but somewhere far away where we can start over, where no one knows us. I can’t let him find us, and I won’t risk Kylian’s safety."

Veronica’s eyes filled with tears as she reached across the table to grip Olivia’s hand. "Olivia, you don’t have to do this alone. We can help you. We’ll figure out a way to keep Asher off your trail to keep Kylian safe. Please don’t just vanish without telling us."

Olivia blinked back tears, her voice trembling as she spoke. "I promise I won’t cut you out. But I need you both to understand that I have to do what’s best for Kylian. If that means leaving everything behind, then that’s what I’ll do.”