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Chapter 36 TWO SIDES OF STORY
DOMINIC’S POV
I hadn’t expected those words from Olivia-“I hate you.”
That and everything else.
Her words made sense this time.
Am I really choosing to be blind to Evelyn’s actions? Am I really missing something in this whole ordeal?
Her words rang in my ears long after I left the hospital room.
I could still see her eyes, glassy with unshed tears but fierce in a way that broke something inside me. And when she clutched her head and collapsed onto the bed, my heart dropped. For a brief second, I reached for her, instinct overriding logic and even then she didn’t want me to even touch her—but James stepped between us like a wall, his hand up, his eyes sharp.
“Don’t,” he warned. “You’ve done enough. Let the doctors handle it.”
I didn’t argue. I couldn’t when I actually wanted to punch him for coming in between, but he was the doctor and currently, Olivia truly needed him. My resistance will only hinder Olivia’s recovery.
So, I left.
But the second the hospital doors closed behind me, my wolf roared in my head.
You fool. You accused her. She was hurt and you questioned her like she was the enemy.
“I was trying to understand!” I snapped back internally. “She disobeyed me. If she had just listened-
“}
She was nearly killed! And you chose to believe Evelyn again. You’re choosing her every time. You’re going to lose Olivia. That vile woman is brain washing you and you are letting her, what if Olivia is telling the truth? Will you again take her to fail a date as an apology?
My chest tightened at that.
I didn’t want to lose Olivia.
But then-
“Dominic?”
I turned and saw Evelyn.
Her hair was pulled back, not a single strand out of place, but her face was pale, her eyes red–rimmed. Her voice trembled when she spoke again.
“Are you okay?”
I blinked at her.
Shouldn’t I be the one asking that?
“Yeah, I should be asking you that?” I said awkwardly, my mind was still trying to recover from Olivia’s words.
“I–I honestly don’t know what I am feeling Dominic. I just feel like a failure,” she confessed in a small voice.
“A failure? You are not a failure Evelyn. You… You saved them,” I said, trying to steady my voice. “You were brave, Evelyn.”
She shook her head. “I wasn’t brave, I was terrified. When he held that Luna at knife point, I thought I was back there again.” She shuddered, stepping closer. “All I could think of was those five years… being locked away, tortured, forgotten.”
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Her lip quivered. “But I couldn’t let Olivia die. Not when I had the power to protect her. I didn’t hesitate.”
My wolf growled low in my chest, conflicted.
She reached for me, placing a trembling hand on my chest. “I did it for you,” she whispered. “I did everything for you. I was scared that she might not survive this time and the baby- I can’t even fathom-”
Something in me softened. I wrapped an arm around her shoulders instinctively, drawing her close. She melted against me like always. I rubbed her back gently.
“I’m sorry,” I murmured. “For asking you to relive that. You were… incredible today. You protected everyone.”
But Olivia’s words came back to me, slicing through my thoughts.
“She hurt me. She planned it.”
I hesitated.
“Evelyn…” I began carefully, “about what happened… Did you… mistakenly attack Olivia?”
She pulled away just slightly.
Just enough for me to see the crack in her calm.
“Why would you ask me that?” she asked, eyes wide, voice thin. “Dominic, do you really think I’d hurt her after everything? After what I’ve been through? I can never wish that on my worst enemy.”
“I didn’t mean-”
“I see,” she interrupted, stepping back. “You’re doubting me.”
Her voice trembled, and tears filled her eyes. “Maybe I was wrong to think anything had changed. Maybe I should’ve stayed in that prison. Maybe then you’d believe I was the victim.”
“Don’t say that,” I said quickly, grabbing her hands. “You know that’s not what I meant. I’m just trying to understand what happened. That’s all.”
Her tears fell–soft and quiet, like little daggers. And every drop was a blade straight to my chest.
I hated that I was the reason.
Evelyn sniffled, brushing one hand across her cheek as if trying to hold herself together, even now. “Then believe me,” she whispered, her voice cracking, “I’m telling you the truth, Dominic. I’m shaken too… all of it brought back memories I’ve spent years trying to bury.”
I swallowed the lump rising in my throat. Her eyes glistened under the dim hallway lights. She looked so fragile, and yet- strong. Like someone who had been through hell and still found the strength to shield others from the fire.
She stepped closer, hesitating only a moment before continuing, “And Olivia… she was there too, accusing me, just like before. Just like the time when I had just returned.” Her voice trembled, but there was no anger in it. Just sadness. “But this time… there were witnesses, Dominic. The other Lunas were there. They saw everything. If you don’t trust my words, ask them.”
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. I remembered Olivia’s eyes when she pointed at Evelyn–full of fury and desperation. But no one else had come forward to back her claims. Not even a whisper.
Evelyn tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, trying to regain her composure. “I’m not her enemy, Dominic, I do care about her.”
That struck me.
Was that it? Had Olivia simply… misinterpreted everything? She had been injured. Maybe the trauma made her see things
Chapter 30 TWO SIDES OF STORY
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through a distorted lens. I knew how loss and pain could bend reality.
Evelyn’s next words shattered the last pieces of my resolve.
“During those years,” she whispered, “when I was held captive, every single day was a battle to survive. Do you know what kept me alive?” She placed her hand gently over her heart. “You. Your voice. Your touch. The memory of you loving me, caring for me … it gave me the strength to hold on.”
I felt the breath hitch in my chest.
She took a breath, holding back a fresh wave of emotion. “And today–when that rogue lunged at those Lunas… I didn’t think about the risk. I didn’t think about myself. I only thought about keeping everyone safe. And when I saw Olivia in danger, even after everything… even after how she’s treated me… I still protected her.”
I clenched my jaw, guilt spreading through me like wildfire.
She stepped forward and rested her hand on my chest. “It was your love, Dominic… your care, your strength… that pushed me to act. That reminded me who I am now. I didn’t want to lose anyone else. Not again.”
I closed my eyes briefly, trying to make sense of the storm in my head. Evelyn had been through so much–she’d survived the worst and still came back selfless. Graceful. Compassionate.
And Olivia…
Her accusations didn’t make sense anymore. No witnesses. No evidence. Just anger. Bitterness. Was she just projecting her pain onto Evelyn? Was her trauma warping her perception?
Had I truly misjudged the situation?
“I’m sorry,” I said hoarsely, drawing Evelyn into my arms. I held her tightly, “I didn’t mean to doubt you. I just… everything’s been chaotic. And Olivia–she’s not thinking clearly.”
Evelyn let herself melt into my embrace.
“It’s okay,” she whispered. “I understand. You’re torn. But I’ll always stand by you, Dominic… even if it means being hated.”
A part of me whispered that something still didn’t sit right. But I pushed it down.
After a few minutes, I quietly asked, “What were you going to say before? About what happened five years ago?”
She froze.
Her entire body went rigid in my arms.
“I… I don’t want to talk about it now,” she said, pulling away. “It’s too much.”
Something about the way she said it made my wolf stir uneasily, but I nodded anyway. “Alright. Go get some rest.”
I didn’t wait for her response.
I needed answers–real ones.
I went straight to my office where Jason was waiting with the latest updates. I didn’t even sit down.
“Did the kidnapper talk?” I asked immediately.
Jason’s face darkened. “He took poison before we could interrogate him.”
I stilled.
“What kind of poison?”
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Jason hesitated. “It was traced back to the Nightfang Pack.”
Everything inside me went still.
Someone didn’t want him to talk. And they had gone to great lengths to keep the truth buried.
Someone… or some people.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
