Fated To Not Just One, But Three

Chapter 25: A man in the woods

Chapter 25: A man in the woods

Olivia POV

I ran through the woods, the cool evening air brushing against my skin as I raced between the towering trees. The crisp air brushed against my skin, providing the comfort and relief I had sought for the past few days. I continued racing, trying to clear my head. I ran and didn't realize when I crossed the border of our pack.

Feeling exhausted, I found a clean stream, and in my four-legged form, I strolled over to it, bent down, and began quenching my thirst. I was still drinking from the stream when I suddenly sensed a presence. It felt as if someone was watching me. My ears perked up, and my body tensed. A low growl rumbled in my throat as I spun around, my sharp eyes scanning the woods. Someone was here. My instincts screamed at me to be on guard.

I howled in warning, ready to attack if necessary. The underbrush rustled, and within seconds, a large black wolf emerged from the trees. My fur bristled as I assessed him—he was strong, his stance confident, but there was something oddly unsettling about him.

Then, right before my eyes, the wolf began to shift. Bones cracked and reshaped, fur receding to reveal smooth skin, and within moments, he stood before me in his human form, naked.

My frown deepened when I noticed it was a man. He had a good physique, probably in his early thirties, with black jet hair, brown eyes, and a faint scar running down the left side of his jaw.

My wolf let out a low growl, ready to pounce, but the man simply lifted his hands in surrender, as if he had no intention of fighting.

"I mean no harm," he said suddenly.

I furrowed my brow and studied him for a moment, then realized he had the tattoo of the Shadow Pack on his left arm. That was when I realized this man was from the Shadow Pack. But how did he get here? I looked around, and that's when I realized I had crossed the border of our pack and was now in Shadow Pack territory.

Shit! How long have I been running?

against the earth filled my ears, and then the scent of Louis filled the air. Without

realizing Louis was coming, smirked at me. "It seems you have company. I will see you some

he shifted back into his wolf form, his sleek black fur blending into the

I stared at him, watching him run farther until he was out of sight. I was confused, wondering how he knew me, but I didn't have time to dwell on that because Louis appeared out of the trees in his gigantic, wine-colored

front of me, his massive, wine-colored wolf towering over me. His eyes burned with anger and concern as

as he shifted seamlessly into his human form. Just like the stranger, Louis didn't seem to care about his nakedness, his focus entirely

didn't want to. My mind was still replaying the moment with the strange wolf—the

his expression darkening. "Someone was here," he muttered, his eyes narrowing as they swept

I said nothing. Instead, I turned sharply and sprinted back toward our pack, my paws digging into the earth as I pushed forward. I didn't want to talk. I

of authority, but I

hear Louis cursing before shifting back into his wolf form and chasing after

down, I shifted back into my human form, the cool evening air brushing against my bare skin. My breaths came in short gasps as

I didn't have to turn around to know Louis was here. His presence was unmistakable, his scent thick in the air. I straightened just

he said, his voice dangerously low. His hands were clenched into fists at his sides,

face him, meeting his intense gaze with a steady one of my own. "I don't

Olivia. You crossed the border into Shadow Pack territory. Do

folded my arms. "You should be happy about it… at least if I'm dead, you'll get to be with Anita—the woman you love—instead of being in

an eye, I was pinned against a tree, his hand wrapped around my throat. Not tight enough

growled angrily, as if the thought of me being dead