Fated To Not Just One, But Three

Chapter 453: prepare for the worst

Levi’s POV

Olivia was drifting again, her eyes glassy, her mind somewhere far away. Every few seconds, I had to reach out and tap her cheek gently, trying to pull her back.

"Hey," I whispered, brushing my thumb over her face. "Stay with me, okay?"

She blinked slowly, her gaze unfocused, then turned to me with tears pooling in her eyes. For a heartbeat, she seemed to see me, and then she faded again, lost in whatever storm was raging inside her.

"Hey... back," I said again, this time more firmly. I pulled her against me, guiding her head to my chest. Her body felt so small, so fragile in my arms. I could feel her silent sobs, the way she shook, the way her fingers clutched weakly at my shirt.

Each shudder tore through me.

I was breaking too.

My other half, my brother, lay on the edge of death, and every instinct in me screamed to fall apart. But I couldn’t. Not now. Not when she needed me to be her anchor.

I held her tighter, pressing my chin to the top of her head. "It’s okay," I whispered even though it wasn’t. "I’m here."

My throat burned, and for a moment, I couldn’t tell whose pain I was feeling, hers or mine. All I knew was that the woman in my arms and the brother in that room were both pieces of me.

And I couldn’t lose either.

Olivia stirred weakly in my arms, her breathing uneven. Then, all at once, she pushed herself up, her eyes wide and wild.

"I need to see him," she said, her voice shaky but firm. "Lennox, he needs me. I can heal him."

I caught her wrists before she could stand. "Olivia," I said softly, "you can heal him, maybe, but not now."

Her lips trembled. "No."

gaze. "Your body’s drained. You’ve already done too much. If you push yourself again,

again. "He’s my mate," she whispered, her voice breaking.

my tone to stay steady. "Louis is with him," I said. "He won’t leave Lennox’s side for a second. You need to rest. Let the other healers do their work. When dawn

head violently. "No! He needs me! He’ll hear me. He’ll come

gently, making her look at me. "Olivia," I said, barely keeping my voice from shaking, "I know. I know you want to be there, but

she tried to pull away, but I held her firmly, drawing her back

whispered against her hair. "Just rest. For

fists still pressed against my

brushing her hair back gently. "Rest, Olivia.

weakly.

down and pressed my forehead to hers, letting our mate bond hum between us, a quiet, soothing pulse

a thumb over her

the first time I had ever used our mate bond to command her into doing something. I had no

little by little. I felt her wolf surrender to mine, the

listening to the fragile rhythm of her

silence became

throat tightened as I turned my head toward the dark ceiling.

I clenched my fists, forcing myself to keep going. "You promised me, remember? You said, No

My voice broke.

out, a tear slipping down my face. "You can’t just leave me here. You can’t

fight for me and Louis, then fight for her," I said hoarsely. "For our mate. Because she won’t survive this, Lennox. She’s

voice dropped to a whisper. "So please, come back to

nothing, just the sound of

door creaked

his jaw clenched. He didn’t say anything at first; he just looked at Olivia asleep in my arms, then at me, and I saw

walked closer, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Any change?" he asked, his voice barely more

my

saw him tremble in fear. Slowly, I untangled