Chapter 15

Isaiah laid in bed with Olivia in his arms, thinking about the events that happened that day.

He knew he had to explain the story to her. It was making sense now that they had met the chemist. He slowly pulled his arm out from around her neck and sat up in bed, leaning against the head board.

“What is it?” She asked, sitting up as well.

“Have you heard of the Kodiaks?” He asked, looking at her.

“Yes. All shifters in Alaska know of the Kodiaks. What about them?” Olivia asked confused.

He cocked his head and looked at her again. “Did you know that Jordan and Sonja Raven had been living with and raised by the Warren’s? The ones that devised the plan to try and wipe out their entire pack?”

Olivia jerked her head in his direction shocked. “What? I had no idea. My father was the one that told me the stories of the Kodiaks, but since his death, I’ve pretty much kept to myself and my own problems.”

Isaiah pressed his hands together, rubbing them softly up and down. “That’s what I thought. Not many know what really happened. Well, it looks like the Warrens may be the source of our current problem. All of our problems and that is who is after the serum.”

Olivia sat up straight, confused at what he was talking about. Her face scrunched up, urging him to continue telling her the story.

“Jordan and Sonja were found a little under two years ago. They were reunited with their pack on Kodiak Island. When they found out they had been deceived by their guardians, Lennox Warren and a witch named Sable, they wanted revenge. They went back to Anchorage and slaughtered the majority of them, including Lennox, his son Jude and Sable.”

Isaiah knew he had Olivia’s attention now, her eyes grew wider, and she hung on his every word.

“That’s not all though. Sylvie Warren was in the Yukon when they attacked and of course when she found out her husband, son and pack had been slaughtered, we knew it was just a matter of time before she started planning her revenge.”

Olivia sat back, running a hand lazily through her hair trying to digest all the information. She didn’t know what to think or say. This whole ordeal was because of something that happened years ago? Why was it affecting her? She wondered if the plethora of questions she had, could ever be answered. “So she's the woman the old man was talking about?”

Isaiah nodded.

Olivia let out a nervous laugh. “But she knows she can’t take out the Kodiaks. They are of royal blood. The strongest of any shifter.”

He turned his head and looked at Olivia. “I don’t think that is what her plan is. I think it’s to take out Jordan’s child.”

Olivia’s eye’s widened again and her hand covered her mouth in shock. “Child? She had a child?”

“Yes. Jordan and Asher had a baby boy – Castiel was born a little over a year ago. Sylvie knows that is what will hurt the Kodiaks the most. There is no way she would be stupid enough to try and penetrate Kodiak Island. It’s now heavily guarded with Romulus’s men.”

“My god. We have to warn them. ”

Isaiah got up and turned to her. “We will. Romulus and his pack have been watching Kodiak Island and Anchorage, alongside with my father and brothers. I’ll let them know first thing and then we figure out how to deal with this rogue. Until then, we sit tight.”

**

Even though she had been lying in bed for hours, Olivia couldn’t fall asleep. Her mind kept replaying the events that happened earlier in her head like a horror movie that wouldn’t seem to stop.

She also couldn’t stop thinking about the story Isaiah had told her. She sat up, swinging her legs over the bed and stole a quick glance at Isaiah. He was fast asleep. She stood and walked over to the window and gazed out at the surroundings. The sky was jet black and littered with stars. The forest below was blanketed with a layer of white snow. The vision in front of her looked like something you would normally find on a postcard.

Her eyes suddenly jerked to a small clearing in front of the forest. Her heart began to race and her hands clenched at her sides as she watched in the distance; the wolf walked slowly out of the forest and his shape was in perfect sight. He sat on his hind legs staring up at her through the window. The rogue was taunting her.

Just before she was ready to bolt into action, she watched him disappear into the forest out of sight. She took in a deep breath to rid her frustration and calm herself. That rogue would pay for every single ounce of heartache he had brought upon her.

He thought he had the upper hand, but she knew different. She knew that they had to be precise, exact and accurate in every movement they made. Perfection was key, and she knew this because to fail the task would mean that she would fail in getting revenge for her father.

This was something she knew could not happen. She couldn’t let the man who killed her father slip away. It would compromise everything she’d been working so hard to attain up to this point. She knew that no one would be able to understand this that she was in this venture alone. Not that Isaiah didn’t have his own reasons to go after the man. After all, he killed Zeus, the one thing that he had in this world as true companionship up here, high in the mountains.

But her struggle was personal and had been since the day her father was killed all those years before. She knew that they both faced loss at the hands of the bastard, but she needed to be certain that it was her, who exacted the true revenge.

She turned and slipped back into bed, snuggling closer to Isaiah. She studied every fine line, peak, and curve of his strong features.

Olivia felt safe with him, peace that she had only felt when she was with her father and felt grateful that Isaiah had come into her life.

She laid her arm on his chest and she felt his hand pull her tighter as she closed her eyes and drifted off into a deep sleep.

**

Olivia was trapped in darkness, unable to see the ground beneath her feet, or the way that stretched out before her into what seemed like eternal night. All she could make out was the faint gasp of her own breath.

The rogue was silent. Yet even if she had not felt the heat of his breath on her heels, she would have known he was there. By the clenching of her gut, she would have known; by the raised hairs on the back of her neck and the dryness of her mouth and by the silent scream that knotted in her throat but dared not to escape.

Her heartbeat raced. Throbbing through her rib cage.

For an instant, speed burst through the aching muscles of her legs, and she flew through the darkness, ice cold wind slashing her skin. Olivia's eyes watered from the wind. She was going to get away this time.

Her foot struck the uneven ground, a root and then her ankle twisted. The white hot pain that wrenched up through her leg— muscle ripping made her scream out, echoing through the dark, cold forest. She fell, knees hitting the solid snow that covered the earth. Jagged stones and roots sliced into the palms of her hands that she had outstretched to brace her fall, and all the air suddenly rushed from her lungs.

Her heart thumped at an incredible speed as she watched the rogue approach her and emitted a low eerily growl that slowly snaked out from the back of his throat. His hot breath gushed across the nape of her neck and his jaw opened wide ready for his kill. The scream in her throat finally loosened and cut through the air.

She opened her eyes, arms flailing in every direction.

“It’s okay Olivia. It’s me—Isaiah.” He whispered, grabbing her arms in an attempt not to get hit by her. Olivia's watery eyes were trained on his as she realized it was just a dream. She closed her eyes again and slowed her breathing when she felt his hand on her forehead.

“You okay?”

She opened her eyes and whispered, “I’m okay. It was just a nightmare.”

He leaned down and his lips pressed to hers. He whispered, “Alright. I’ll make us something to eat.”

Olivia sat up and leaned against the headboard, pulling the sheets up to her chest. “Okay.”

Isaiah turned to look at her. “What’s wrong?”

She sat silent for a moment, not sure what to say. The shock of the nightmare hadn’t quite worn off, but when her eyes finally met his, she felt more comfortable. “I saw the rogue again last night while you were sleeping. He’s watching us.”

Olivia watched Isaiah’s brows furrowed and then asked, “Where? In the house?”

“Outside. I couldn’t sleep, so I got up in the middle of the night and was looking out the window. He was just sitting there staring up at me. Then a moment later he was gone.”

“Jesus Christ!” Isaiah growled, palming the back of his neck. “You should have woken me up. The bastard thinks he’s untouchable.”

Olivia touched Isaiah’s back and he turned to look at her again. “I want to be the one to take him down, Isaiah. He’s mine. Okay?”

He tilted his head, his eyes locking with hers. “I know, Olivia. I know you want revenge for your father. When the time comes, I will be here to help you catch him. Then when it’s time to take him out, he’s all yours, but not until we get the information we need. What the end game is. We have to know for sure that he is one of Sylvie Warren’s pawns.” He said, giving her a small smile.

Olivia leaned over and kissed his back. “Thank you.”

Isaiah sat up, pondering the whole situation. Olivia drifted back off to sleep, cuddling up to him underneath one arm. She left him to his thoughts, unknown to her, about Sylvie Warren.

He didn’t quite understand why any of this was happening, not really, anyway, but he supposed in another way he did. Sylvie Warren was out for revenge. The wife of Lennox Warren, who suffered his own fate at the hands of the Kodiak’s for stealing the two Raven sisters and slaughtering the Kodiak pack.

Sylvie, like any, would want to see her husband and family avenged. Her children, the man she loved, all slaughtered in one go. With their pack killed off one by one, she had nothing to fall back on. She would be stranded, but he was sure that they knew she was coming for them. And so she disappeared, hiding out anywhere and anyway that she could. Making herself up like a ghost, that vanished from the world while she conducted her vile business.

Isaiah had a feeling she thought this would teach the Kodiak’s their lesson. Finding the chemist and creating a pack of super wolves that she could command to do her bidding, all she would need, was the serum C-34.

He it would take her far longer under normal circumstances to create a pack strong enough to stand against the Sentinel wolves that Romulus brought to the party, as well as the Kodiak wolf pack that now came into their own and started ruling with power and pride once again.

Sylvie Warren would do anything in her power to get the Kodiak child and kill it or use it for her own ill-gotten gain, in a similar fashion to how her family either took the girls or were stripped of their lives.

She would be stopped and he was glad that he could be a part of this, not at the loss of Zeus, but at the thought that he was doing something great with his life. Doing something that had potential to motivate future worlds and generations to do great things.

After all, Isaiah wanted to leave behind a legacy, someday.

**

In the morning, the pair dressed and made their way downstairs. Isaiah cooked breakfast and Olivia sat in the kitchen nook, drinking her coffee. The only thing missing was the large golden Labrador, Zeus.

A knot twisted in her stomach at the image of Zeus lying dead in the snow the night before. A pang of guilt passed through her. “I’m really sorry about Zeus, Isaiah. I never meant for any of this to happen.”

His eyes slowly moved from the pan to her. She could see the sadness on his face when he said, “It’s not your fault.”

She watched as he continued to cook in silence; deep in thought. Olivia had been replaying out the steps of her plan all night. They had the antidote and she knew the rogue was watching and waiting for her to make a wrong move. They had 48 hours left until he would return to the old man’s house for more C34, so she knew everything had to be played out either today or tonight to take him down. She just wasn’t sure if Isaiah would be game for her plan or not.

She knew that he wouldn’t allow her to be the bait. In her mind, it wasn’t an option.

Olivia looked up at him again, taking a slow sip of her coffee. “We have to do it tonight.” She said laying her coffee back down and sucking in a breath. “I’ve really spent a lot of time thinking about this and the only way to lure him in is by using me as bait.”

Isaiah titled his head, eyes narrowing to study her. Confidence was good, he thought, but he couldn’t get past the idea of something happening to her. She was precious, and how could he allow her to get in any danger. Finally, after his contemplation, he shook his head, letting a deep laugh rumble through him, saying, “I don’t think so. What if something goes wrong?”

Olivia rose from her seat, making her way to the window. She looked out over the tundra, her eyes moving between the snowy floor, and the forest beyond, contemplating the dangers and the benefits that this would bring. “Then that’s a chance I have to take, but I know you’ll be there and you’ll have my back.” She said, turning to face him.

She watched Isaiah suck in a deep breath, turning off the burner to the stove. He took two long strides, until he stood in front of her, grabbing her elbows in his hands. She looked up at him, seeing a mix of lust, agitation and pride swirl in his beautiful eyes, “Listen. I know you want to take him out, but we can’t use you as the bait. I can’t lose you too.”

Isaiah released her from his grip, taking a step back and turning away, frustration beginning to stir inside him.

“I know we haven’t known each other for very long, but we have a deep inner connection that I can’t ignore. I’m sure you feel it too.” He said, cocking an eyebrow.

Olivia smiled and nodded. She had felt the connection instantly as well. She knew they were meant to be together. The emotional connection was too strong to ignore and the sexual attraction was overwhelming.

He slid his strong hand behind her neck, fixing his eyes on her own, and hers, in turn, locking with his, “In my 31 years, I have never felt this before Olivia. You are my mate, there is no doubt and I can’t take the chance of losing you when I just found you. Do you understand?” He said, his eyes practically pleading with her not to do this.

She smoothed her hands down his chest and then rested them on his hips. Olivia looked up at him and said, “I understand Isaiah, but I have to do this. For my father.”

She could see the apprehension in his gaze and then a small glimpse of anger flashed over his face but then disappeared just as quickly. Isaiah let go, eyes fixed on her, running a hand down his face in frustrated agitation.

“You are so damn stubborn, Olivia. Fuck.” He said turning and walking back over to the stove. He picked up a set of tongs and began filling their plates with the breakfast he just cooked them. A moment longer and the bacon would have been burned and the scrambled egg and mushroom that sat on the stove would have turned crispy and burnt from the heat that they sat on. He wanted to pretend that this was all part of his plan and that the cooking that had ensued and been finished in a timely manner was all of his own excellent chef skill, but he’d only be kidding himself.

She took her seat at the nook and watched him point the tongs at her. “Okay. You can act as bait but on my terms. We plan this together, no buts! Okay?”

Olivia gave him a wicked grin, knowing that she had won. Where he needed to know that this was going to work out for her, she wanted to be sure that she could actually get the rogue. “Deal,” she replied, getting stuck into her breakfast, her thoughts consuming her mind.