(Olivia’s POV)

    Matthew carried me into the courtyard, his lips never leaving mine. My heart raced wildly as his strong arms held me securely against his chest. When he finally ced me on therge bed, my face waspletely flushed, my breathing in short gasps.

    I looked around the room in confusion, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. The ceremonial attire we had worn on our mating day still hung on the clothing rack beside me. The wall was decorated with balloons and ribbons spelling out “M & O” in elegant script.

    –

    My eyesnded on arge family photo of the three of us – Matthew, Aurora, and me smiling together. The image made my heart clench with emotion.

    As I took it all in, Matthew stood before me, waiting patiently. His dark eyes watched me intently, his expression unreadable.

    He gently lifted my chin with his finger, brushing away my messy hair to reveal my face. When I finally looked up into his dark eyes, tears welled up unbidden. The coldness and distance he had shown me over the past two days had hurt more than I wanted to admit.

    “Matthew…” I whispered, my voice breaking.

    Seeing my tears, Matthew leaned down, his expression softening. He kissed the corners of my lips tenderly.

    “So willful,” he whispered against my skin.

    He moved to kiss the tip of my nose, his breath warm against my face.

    “So disobedient,” he murmured.

    A tear escaped down my cheek, and he kissed it away, his lips gentle against my skin.

    “Still using tears toin?” His voice held no anger now, only a tender exasperation.

    He wrapped his strong arms around my waist, his hands gently cradling the back of my head as he deepened the kiss. The familiar scent of pine and earth enveloped me, making me dizzy with longing.

    When I tried to pull away to catch my breath, he held my hands above my head. I struggled halfheartedly, confused by his sudden change in demeanor.

    “I don’t like children,” he whispered against my lips, his voice low and intense.

    The statement caught me off guard, and I froze in his arms.

    “Matthew Kane doesn’t like children,” he continued, his dark eyes boring into mine. “Matthew Kane likes Oliviackwood,”His words stunned me into silence. All this time, I had thought…

    “Who can deal with me?” he asked, his volce rough with emotion. “You think you can?”

    His kisses grew more forceful, filled with a mixture of frustration and relief. He was no longer angry, yet the fire of his emotions remained undiminished.

    Hearing his confession, I stopped struggling and kissed him back with equal fervor. The tension that had built between us finally dissolved into passion.

    He held me tenderly as I cried out all my pent–up grievances, his hands gently massaging the wrist that had been hurt earlier. He coaxed me until my tears subsided, my soft protests melting away under his loving embrace.

    “I thought you were angry with me,” I whispered against his chest.

    “I was,” he admitted, stroking my hair. “But not for the reasons you think.”

    (Theodore’s POV)

    My ck SUV remained parked outside her former apartmentplex all night. The hours ticked by slowly as I waited, smoking cigarette after cigarette to calm my nerves.

    She never returned,

    As dawn broke, I extinguished myst cigarette and started the engine. My body felt weary, drained of all energy. The pain in my chest had be a constantpanion, a reminder of what I had lost.

    When I returned to my residence, I was surprised to find my mother, Eleonora Redgrave, waiting for me.

    Beside her stood an elderly man with a long white beard and piercing eyes.

    “Theodore,” my mother said, her voiceced with concern, “look who’se to Stonehaven. It’s Master Elmsworth.”

    The old healer’s eyes widened as he took in my appearance. Without hesitation, he stepped forward and took my wrist, his fingers pressing against my pulse points.

    “Alpha, how has your health deteriorated so badly?” he asked, his brow furrowed with concern.

    My mother’s face crumpled with worry. “Please take a good look at him,” she pleaded. “He might listen to a few words from you.”

    I tried to pull away, but Master Elmsworth’s grip was surprisingly strong for his age.

    “I’m fine,” I insisted, though the dark circles under my eyes and my pallidplexion told a different story.

    Master Elmsworth shook his head, already reaching for his medicine bag. “Your pulse is erratic, and your energy is severely depleted,” he said firmly. “This is not something to be taken lightly.”

    As the healer wrote out a prescription, my mother recounted our family’s recent troubles. The affair, Olivia’s departure, the custody battle for Leo, and now Aurora’s birth – she spared no detail.

    Suddenly, Master Elmsworth’s hand paused over the parchment. A look of realization crossed his face.

    “No wonder the pulse feels so simr,” he murmured, more to himself than to us. “So, the Kane family’s Queen is your former Luna, Theodore’s mate.”

    Hearing this, I shot up from my seat. My towering frame overshadowed the healer as I gripped his hand tightly.

    “Master, you’ve seen Olivia?” My voice was hoarse with desperation.

    Master Elmsworth nodded slowly. “The Kane family invited me specifically to treat their Queen’s health. They insisted I stay for some days.”

    My mother stepped forward anxiously. “How is Olivia’s health?” she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

    The healer hesitated, clearly ufortable with breaking his patient’s confidence. But seeing our desperation, he finally relented.

    “The young Queen’s health is not good,” he confided. “While she can live without illness or disaster, childbearing would carry the risk of death or serious injury.”

    My heart sank at his words. Olivia, my Olivia, was in danger.

    “But,” Master Elmsworth continued, “the Kane family asked me to tell her there is hope for healing her condition. They said with eighteen days of treatment, she might be able to bear children safely.”

    I frowned, my mind racing. “Eighteen days?” I repeated.

    “Yes,” the healer confirmed. “Though between us, I’m not convinced such a quick recovery is possible. I don’t

    know why they insisted on that timeframe.”

    The realization hit me like a thunderbolt. “That’s exactly when Matthew’s public mating announcement period ends,” I said, my voice hardening with anger.

    My mother gasped, understanding dawning on her face.

    “They’re deceiving her,” I growled, pacing the room like a caged animal. “Keeping her at the Kane estate with a false pretense of a happy mating to get through this critical period.”

    The thought of Olivia being manipted, being lied to, made my blood boil. She deserved better than this deception.

    “I have to tell Olivia,” I dered, already heading for the door. “She needs to know the truth.”

    (Olivia’s POV)

    I woke up feeling warm and content, wrapped in soft sheets that smelled of moonlight herbs and Matthew’s distinctive scent. Looking down, I realized I was wearing a nightgown I didn’t recognize.

    The memory ofst night flooded back – how Matthew had cared for me, bathing me and changing my clothes since my hand was injured. The thought made me blush furiously.

    I found him sitting at a desk across the room, his brow furrowed as he reviewed documents. His jaw was clenched tight, and I could see the tension in his shoulders.

    “No, that’s uneptable,” he snapped into his phone. “Tell them the budget overrun needs proper justification. I won’t approve it otherwise.”

    He ended the call abruptly, muttering under his breath. Beta Tristan’s voice had sounded stressed even from where I stood.

    Seeing the fire in Matthew’s eyes, I walked over quietly and gently took his hands in mine. His cufflinks were undone, and I began to button them carefully.

    “Why are you so angry?” I murmured, focusing on the task.

    He watched me silently for a moment before responding. “The council is trying to allocate more funds for unnecessary security measures.”

    I smiled softly. “I wasn’t angry when theyughed at my diploma or said I relied on you. I’ll just prove them wrong when my software is released.”

    His expression softened, and he pulled me into his arms, pressing a kiss to my forehead.

    “Alright, you go show them,” he said softly, his breath tickling my ear. “Just don’t be angry with me.”

    I hugged him back, feeling a surge of hope warming my chest. “Two more days,” I whispered, looking up at him.

    He kissed me again, his lips gentle against mine. “Yes,” he replied simply.

    Later that morning, I drove Aurora to the Shadow Syndicate’s pup training center. The day was bright, and my spirits were high despite the lingering uncertainty about my health.

    As I got out of the car, a strong hand suddenly grabbed my wrist. I froze, recognizing the touch instantly.

    Theodore’s voice came from beside my ear, low and urgent. “Olivia, the Kane family is deceiving you.”