"If she wakes up and tells Olivia what she saw, my entire plan falls apart. Keep her sedated with silver until after the gathering. After that... I don't care what happens. Let her die naturally, just make sure it can't be traced back to me."

The call ended. His chair scraped back.

I ran.

I flew up the stairs, heart pounding as my wolf howled in rage. I shut the bedroom door just as his footsteps echoed down the hall. I pressed my back against it, trembling.

James had tried to kill Alice.

He was keeping her sedated with silver.

He was going to let her die.

I grabbed my phone with shaking hands and dialed Asher.

He answered on the second ring. "Luna Grant. It's late."

"I need your help." My voice cracked. "Please. It's Alice—my foster mother. James attacked her some months ago because she caught him with Mia. Now he's paying her healer to keep her in a coma with silver. She's showing signs of recovering, and he's—he's going to let her die."

Silence.

"Please," I whispered. "I need to move her somewhere safe. But I can't do it alone."

"Where is she?"

"She’s in the pack clinic. Room 304. I don’t know how you can get into the pack without being seen."

"Don’t worry, I'll have her moved by morning," Asher said. "She'll be safe."

Relief flooded through me. "Thank you. Thank you so much—"

"But you know what this means, Olivia."

I closed my eyes. "Yes."

"Say it."

"I accept your offer," I whispered. "I'll become your mate."

"Good. I'll come get you in four days."

The call ended.

I sat there in the dark, phone clutched in my hand.

I had just agreed to mate with a man I'd never met. My husband's worst enemy. An alpha wolf I knew nothing about.

James didn't know it yet, but I just became his reckoning.

Olivia's POV

I couldn't sleep. My mind kept replaying everything I had just heard in James's office. My wolf paced restlessly.

Then I heard footsteps approaching, and a knock on the door.

"Olivia?" Mia's voice was sweet, concerned. "Can I come in?"

I didn't answer.

"Olivia, please. I just want to talk."

I stayed silent.

"Olivia, open the door."

She turned the doorknob and opened the door, stepping inside.

There was a pause. Then her voice changed, she dropped the sweet voice.

"Oh, you look so pathetic right now, sis." She drawled.

I didn't move.

She continued. "But I want you to know something. That pup in my womb is James's. He chose me. His wolf chose mine."

I sat up slowly, turning to face her.