For once, I wished Gabriel was here with us and not just on the phone. I swear to God, I would have punched him right in the face. But unfortunately…
"Listen, Gabriel, there is a situation," Louis said, sounding worried. I believe even Gabriel must have noticed it.
"What is the situation? Listen, man, Olivia is not here. Has she gone missing again?" Gabriel asked, sounding worried.
"It's not that," Levi cut in quickly.
"Then what is it?" Gabriel sneered.
From where I stood, I remained silent, while my brothers exchanged glances with me like they needed my approval. But I said nothing. I just looked away.
Louis continued, "Olivia… has some memory loss. In fact, she has false memory. She doesn't remember us. She doesn't even know who we are. In fact…" He paused and inhaled deeply. "She thinks you're her mate and husband. She thinks we kidnapped her."
There was a long, heavy silence on the other end of the call.
I could hear Gabriel breathing. Nothing else. Not a damn sound.
Then came the sharp exhale. "You're joking," he said flatly.
"I wish I was," Louis muttered.
"You're telling me," Gabriel said slowly, his voice turning darker with each word, "that Olivia—your Olivia—has forgotten everything… and she thinks I'm her mate?"
"She screamed it at us, actually," Levi muttered bitterly.
"Over and over," Louis added. "She doesn't remember anything, Gabriel. Not us. Not the pack. Nothing. Just you."
I remained silent, my jaw clenched. My eyes burned, not with sadness but with pure rage. Rage that she had screamed his name and not mine. Rage that the only face her mind had clung to… was his.
Gabriel laughed. A short, disbelieving, annoying laugh. "Well, isn't that just fantastic. Of all people, her brain decides I'm the one she trusts?"
"We hate you," Levi reminded him bluntly.
"Mutual, Levi," Gabriel shot back. "I didn't call you for hugs."
"We called you," Louis corrected sharply.
"Whatever," Gabriel sounded tired now. "This is a mess."
"No shit," I muttered under my breath.
Then his tone shifted, sounding serious. "Put her on the phone."
"What?" Levi and Louis said simultaneously.
"Let me talk to her. If she thinks of me, then maybe I can say something that jogs something useful. Or calm her down. You said she's terrified of you. Let me try before I come there."
I looked away, grinding my teeth. Every part of me hated this. Hated giving him access to her. Hated that he might be the only one she'd actually listen to.
But she was terrified of us.
And if he could help her remember…
I sighed heavily. "Fine. But if you say something against us—"
"I won't," Gabriel said. For once, he didn't sound smug. "Just… give her the phone."
"Fine!" I gave my brothers a nod.
We walked back to the room with the phone gripped in my hand like it was the blade of the very pain tearing through my chest. I could hear Olivia's soft, panicked whispers even before I opened the door. She was pacing. Frightened. Lost.
"She's not going to want to talk to us," Levi murmured beside me.
I nodded once. "She won't have to."
We entered her room, and her eyes snapped to mine. Wide. Guarded. She took a step back.
"Gabriel's on the phone," I said quietly, my voice tighter than I intended.
Her eyes widened. "Gabriel?" she gasped, nearly dropping the glass of water in her hand. "My Gabriel?"
I couldn't even look at her.
"Yes," I muttered, putting the phone on speaker and placing it on the table.
She ran to it like her life depended on it. Her hands were shaking as she clutched the edge of the table, tears streaming down her face.
"Gabriel?" her voice cracked. "My love? It's you, right? It's really you?"
My wolf growled deep inside me, writhing in agony. She called him 'my love'. It felt like a knife slowly turning in my chest.
"I'm here, Olivia," Gabriel's voice came through the speaker—calm, steady, almost gentle. "Hey, baby. I'm right here."
A sob broke free from her throat. "They took me, Gabriel. They kidnapped me. I—I don't know where I am. I'm so scared. You have to come get me. Please. You said you'd never leave me—why did you let them take me?"
She was trembling now, clutching the table like it was her lifeline.
Gabriel was quiet for a moment. Then his voice came again, softer. "Liv… listen to me, okay? They didn't kidnap you." The source of thɪs content is novel-fire.net
"They did! They're lying! They say you're not my mate—they say I belong to them. But that's not true, right?" Her voice was desperate, crumbling.
"They're your husbands," Gabriel said calmly.
"No!" Olivia shouted, backing away from the phone. "Stop lying to me! I don't know them! I want you! I only remember you!"
She curled into herself, weeping.
I couldn't take it anymore. I turned away, staring at the wall, my fists clenched so tight my nails broke skin.
But then… Gabriel did something none of us expected.
He sighed. "Okay. Okay, Liv. You're right. I was joking. Alright?"
She sniffled, pausing.
"They're not your husbands. They're my friends."
"What?" Louis whispered.
Gabriel continued smoothly. "They're helping me protect you. The pack's in danger. A war is coming, Olivia. I had to send you somewhere safe—somewhere no one would expect. That's why you're with them. Because I trust them."
She blinked, her breathing shaky. "You trust them?"
"I do. They won't hurt you, Liv. I promise. They're my friends… and so they'll protect what's mine."
Her body began to relax slightly. "So… I'm safe?"
"Yes. You're safe. Just breathe, baby. You're okay."
She smiled faintly through her tears. "I was so scared, Gabriel… I thought something happened to you. I—I kept thinking about you… I still want to fight with you. I want to protect you, too."
"I know," Gabriel said. "And you will. But right now, I need you to rest. Trust them. For me."
She nodded slowly, wiping her tears. "Okay… okay. I trust them. For you."
I swallowed hard, my heart aching. Gabriel had done what none of us could: made her believe. Calmed her.
And it killed me inside.
The silence after her last words was thick—like the air itself held its breath. Olivia had stopped crying, and her trembling had slowed. She sat near the table now, her hand resting gently against the phone as though just touching it would keep Gabriel close.
"I want to see you," she whispered, her voice soft, pleading. "Can you come get me now?"
On the other end, Gabriel hesitated. Then, with maddening ease, he answered, "Not yet, Liv. I wish I could, but I can't come right now. It's not safe—for either of us."
Her lips trembled again. "But—why?"
"Because the war's just starting. I need to stay here and lead the others. But I'll call you every day. I'll talk to you until this is over. And when the war ends…" His voice dropped into a gentle promise. "I'll come get you myself. I swear."
Her entire face softened like a storm giving way to sunlight. "You promise?"
"I do," he said. "You're mine. I'd never leave you behind."
And then… she smiled. This small, heartbreaking smile, full of hope and longing.
"I love you," she murmured.
A blade twisted inside my chest.
My wolf howled in agony, clawing inside my chest. She said she loves him.
Olivia—our mate—had never said that to us. Not once. Not even when she had her memories. But she had said it to him. Freely. Softly. As if it had always been true.
"I love you too, Olivia," Gabriel replied, his voice low and smooth. "I always will."
Olivia smiled a big, bright smile.
"I have to go now, dear… I'll call tomorrow, okay? Be a good girl for me, alright?"
Olivia nodded. "Yes, darling. I will."
My heart sank, and the call ended.