Seacrest finally appeared, nestled between green hills and bordered by the sea. The town seemed asleep, as if time had not touched this place where it had left everything behind. But as she walked through the streets lined with familiar houses, she felt overcome by a strange nostalgia, a mixture of comfort and pain. Memories of her old life resurfaced, every street corner, every shop recalling fragments of the happiness she had known with Victor, fragments of their love that seemed so invincible... before everything collapsed.
They finally arrived in front of the small house by the sea that she had rented. It was a pretty building with stone walls and blue shutters, simple but welcoming. She hoped that this place would offer her children a peaceful refuge, far from the tumult of werewolf high society, far from the pressure of ranks, alliances and power struggles. She took a deep breath, took her children's hands, and they entered together, greeted by a wave of sea scents that warmly enveloped them.
Over the next few days, Olivia and the twins took time to settle in and acclimatize. Everywhere she went, she felt eyes on them, curious, intrigued, sometimes even accusatory. The people of Seacrest hadn't forgotten, and every whisper she passed reminded her that here, she wasn't just Olivia, the talented healer. She was Olivia Prescott, the ex-wife of Victor Leer, this imposing and respected Alpha, with whom she had shared a life, a life that she had abandoned when she left.
One afternoon, as she strolled with her children through the busy downtown streets, a group of women turned abruptly as she passed, observing her with thinly veiled attention. One of them, a woman with graying hair and a stern look, whispered loudly enough for Olivia to hear:
"She dared to come back, here she is, this woman who broke our Alpha's heart..."
Olivia felt a surge of anger and shame rise within her. She knew that the werewolf community was particularly attached to its leaders, and that she had been blamed for the breakdown of her marriage. But they didn't know the whole story, no one really knew what she had endured or why she had made the decision to leave.
"Mom, why are they looking at us like that? » her daughter asked softly, looking up at her with eyes full of worry.
Olivia leaned over and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, darling. They're just... surprised to see us here, that's all. »
They continued on their way, and little by little, the tension faded. The next day, Olivia received an invitation to a reception in honor of the pack. The invitation was signed by Victor himself. She stared at the scroll hesitantly, her heart racing. She wasn't sure she was ready to see him again, and even less so in such an official atmosphere. But something inside her told her that this moment was inevitable, that it was time to face her past.
The night of the reception, she chose a simple, but elegant dress. Her children encouraged her with a smile, visibly proud to see her so beautiful. She felt a ball of anxiety inside her, but also a new determination. As she walked through the door to the large reception room, she instantly felt eyes on her. The conversations gradually died down, the guests turning towards the woman who now appeared as a ghost. She faced them calmly, her chin slightly raised, her gaze fixed straight ahead.
Suddenly she saw him.
Victor stood across the room, surrounded by members of his pack. His imposing figure, his broad shoulders, and that intense look... He hadn't changed. He always had this magnetic aura that attracted attention, that inspired respect and fear. When he met her gaze, he hesitated for a moment, as if he was as surprised to see her as the others. His eyes narrowed slightly, and a strange mix of emotions crossed his face: surprise, anger, but also a touch of sadness.
She moved slowly, each step requiring considerable effort, her heart beating harder and harder. When she arrived near him, the silence in the room had become oppressive. He looked at her for a long time, without saying anything, before whispering in a hoarse voice:
"Olivia...you're back." »
She nodded, searching for words. " Yes. I... I wanted our children to know their roots, their heritage. »
He stared intently into her eyes, as if trying to read her, to understand the real reasons for her return. He took a deep breath, then, in an almost bitter tone, added:
"After all this time... Why now? »
She felt a shiver run through her, and the pain of their separation resurfaced. She pulled herself together, holding his gaze, and replied calmly, "Because they deserve to know where they come from, and who they are. »
He seemed unsettled by her response, and for a moment she thought she saw a glint of regret in his eyes. But before he could respond, one of his advisors approached, interrupting their exchange with an urgent question. She took advantage of this moment to walk away, catching her breath with difficulty.
The rest of the evening was a whirlwind of conversations and introductions, some members of the pack giving him approving looks, others carefully avoiding speaking to him. Many asked her about her children, and she sensed that many were wondering about the absence of Victor in their lives. But she just answered politely, dodging too insistent questions.
At one point, she saw Victor observing her from afar. His gaze was intense, piercing, as if trying to understand who she had become after all these years. She then realized that the Victor she knew was perhaps no longer quite the same. Neither does she, by the way. They had each evolved, changed, and she didn't know if these changes had brought them closer together or, on the contrary, separated them forever.
At the end of the evening, as she was about to leave the reception, she felt a hand placed delicately on her arm. She turned around to see Victor, alone this time, his face softer, more vulnerable.
"Olivia...I didn't think you'd ever come back." » His voice was a whisper, almost pleading.
She held his gaze, feeling her own heart tighten. " Me neither. But here I am, and I think that... that we have to face what happened. »
He nodded slowly, and for the first time in a long time, she thought she saw a glimmer of hope in his eyes, a hope that she hadn't dared to feel herself.