"Congratulations." A pack member offered his well-wishes, and I only nodded in response. The hall was filled with celebration; the pack members seemed genuinely happy. It felt like a real wedding. My eyes swept across the room, taking in the joy on their faces, and then they landed on Anita. She was beaming, chatting animatedly with a group of she-wolves.
She looked happy. She looked fulfilled.
She was satisfied being our concubine.
And me? I should be happy, too. This was exactly what I wanted—maybe not entirely, but it was what I had decided. A punishment for Olivia. I knew making Anita our concubine would wound her deeply, and that was precisely my intention. I wanted her to suffer, to taste even a fraction of the pain she had put me through.
But sitting here, watching her, I felt nothing. No satisfaction. No victory. Only an unsettling weight in my chest, like I had made a mistake.
"Of course, you have, and I'll be here when you start regretting it," my wolf sneered at me.
Where I was seated, I growled and looked in Olivia's direction. She was still seated in her chair, but I knew she was zoning out. She seemed lost, like she was deep in thought. And from where I sat, two seats away from her, I felt uncomfortable. I looked at my brothers, and we exchanged gazes. Just like me, they didn't seem happy with the decision we made to make Anita our concubine. Then why the fuck did we do it?
An unfamiliar feeling crept into my chest. This wasn't how I imagined it. I thought seeing Olivia hurt would give me satisfaction—would make me feel vindicated. But seeing her so still, so quiet… it tore at something inside me. Get full chapters from n͟o͟v͟e͟l͟f͟i͟r͟e͟.net
Anita caught my gaze and smiled warmly, giving me a small wave. I forced a smile back. She was beautiful, no doubt about that, and she seemed genuinely happy to be named our concubine. I should be content. But all I could think about was how Olivia hadn't said a word the entire evening—hadn't even looked in my direction or that of my brothers.
"Idiot," my wolf growled. "You still love her."
I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out the voice, but it was no use. The truth was as clear as day. I wanted Olivia. I wanted her eyes blazing with anger, her voice cutting through the air like a whip. I wanted her stubbornness and her fire. I wanted everything that made her Olivia.
Anita approached, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder. "Alpha Levi, are you okay?" she asked sweetly.
I forced a nod, not trusting my voice. "Just… tired."
Her eyes softened with concern. "It's been a long day. Maybe we four can slip away soon?"
I growled as my gaze slid back to Olivia. She hadn't moved, her face still expressionless, and it drove me insane. I couldn't stand it anymore. Abruptly, I stood, making Anita step back in surprise.
"I need some air," I mumbled before striding out of the hall. I heard Anita calling after me, but I ignored her, pushing the doors open and stepping into the cool night air. I didn't stop walking until I reached the training grounds.
My wolf rumbled in disapproval. "You messed up."
I ran a hand through my hair, frustration bubbling inside me. "I just wanted her to feel a fraction of the pain she caused me," I whispered to myself.
"And now you're the one hurting," my wolf sneered at me.
Ignoring him, I remained where I stood until I heard footsteps behind me and turned to see Lennox and Louis approaching. I wanted to be alone, but it seemed my brothers wouldn't let me.
When they got to where I stood, they stopped beside me, staring into space like I was. For a moment, none of the three of us spoke. I didn't know if my brothers were feeling what I felt, that sense of regret.
"Why are we moody? This was what we wanted—for Anita to be ours—and now, suddenly, we're acting like we just made a huge mistake," Louis said, and neither Lennox nor I responded.
I scoffed, rubbing my face with my palms. "We're a bunch of idiots, aren't we? We made Anita our concubine, and now we're out here sulking like pups who lost their favorite toy."
Lennox grunted, not looking at me. "She should be happy," he muttered. "That was the point, right? Anita's happy. The pack's celebrating. Everything's going according to plan."
"But we're not happy," I shot back, frustration lacing my voice. "We wanted this to hurt Olivia, but look at us. We're the ones hurting. What the fuck is wrong with us?"
Louis stayed silent, his gaze fixed on the ground. I couldn't stand it anymore. I needed to know. I turned to both of them, my eyes narrowing.
"Why do you hate her so much?" I demanded, my voice low but forceful. "I know why I hated her—I have my reasons. But you two? You've never once told me why. What did Olivia do to make you hate her too?"
Neither of them answered. Lennox's jaw tightened, and Louis looked away, his hands fisting at his sides. The tension in the air grew thick, almost suffocating. I pushed on, desperate for an answer.
"What did she do to you?" I repeated, my voice almost breaking. "Why won't you just tell me?"
Lennox scoffed, but it sounded more like a bitter laugh. "You wouldn't understand," he muttered.
Louis shook his head. "I can't say it."
I clenched my fists, teeth grinding together. "Bullshit. You're just avoiding the question. You've been keeping this from me for so long, and I'm tired of it. If we're supposed to be brothers, then be honest with me. What the hell did Olivia do to you?"
Lennox shot me a glare, his eyes flashing with something I couldn't place—anger, regret, maybe even pain. "Just drop it, Levi," he warned. "I also don't know why you suddenly hated her."
I was about to argue back when sudden noises erupted from the pack hall—shouting, loud crashes, and frantic footsteps. My instincts kicked in immediately, and I looked back at the hall, sensing something was terribly wrong.
"What the hell is going on?" Louis asked, already moving toward the noise.
Lennox and I followed, tension coiling tight in my chest. As we approached, I caught sight of pack members scrambling out of the hall, panic on their faces. My wolf was on high alert, and I could feel adrenaline pumping through my veins.
"What happened?" I barked at one of the fleeing wolves.