CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
I woke up, the bed feeling larger and colder than usual. I rubbed my eyes, looking around the room, finding it empty.
Where...is Dakota?
I frowned, getting myself out of bed. I jumped in the shower, taking a quick one, before jumping out and searching through my clothes. I went to grab a pair of shorts, the first time feeling comfortable enough to wear some when I remembered I was supposed to start training today.
I chewed on my lip, grabbing a pair of capris exercise leggings and one of Dakota's tank tops.
I towel dried my hair before braiding it so it was out of my face.
I stopped in front of the mirror and looked at my reflection, not recognizing the girl who stared back.
I took a deep breath, a bad feeling settling into the pit of my stomach before I left the bedroom.
I headed downstairs and found Mrs. Fisher in the kitchen with Michael. Mrs. Fisher smiled at me, handing me a plate with some toast on it. I smiled, taking it from her and walking over to Michael, eating next to him.
"Good morning Olivia. The boys have been up for a while training already. They're all out back. Sarah's with them too. Dakota thought it best to let you rest after yesterday."
I nodded, feeling bad since they've all been up and training while I was just sleeping. I finished my toast and drank half of the glass of orange juice Mrs. Fisher handed me before I took care of my dishes. Mrs. Fisher watched me for a moment before stopping me.
"Why don't I finish these dishes and you head out there?"
"Are you sure?" I whispered.
She nodded and I took a deep breath before nodding. I left the kitchen and headed for the backyard, stopping at the back door. Standing in the backyard were Alpha Fisher and Sarah, watching Dakota and Jake as they sparred. I watched Dakota and Jake as they fought each other, the way they moved around one another.
Jake was taller and bigger than Dakota, looking like a powerhouse as he jabbed towards Dakota. Dakota, being a bit smaller, had the advantage of speed and agility.
He looked...beautiful out there.
No, he's sexy.
I felt myself blush as I watched them fighting. I swallowed and opened the door, heading outside. I approached Alpha Fisher and Sarah.
"Look who's awake!" Sarah announced.
Alpha Fisher turned to me.
"Olivia! Good morning. How are you feeling? Up for some training today?"
I nodded, watching Dakota and Jake. My arrival distracted Dakota, who stopped fighting to look at me. I blushed as he looked me up and down, a grin taking over his face.
A fist came flying through, hitting Dakota straight in the face, causing us three on the sidelines to grimace.
"Damn, that had to have hurt," Sarah said.
I stared at Dakota with wide eyes, worried and he turned to look at Jake.
"Damn dude that was an unfair hit."
Jake chuckled.
"No it wasn't, we're still in the middle of our match."
They both looked back at Alpha Fisher who chuckled.
"Jake's right Dakota. If this were a real fight, your enemy would not have hesitated to strike at you when you were distracted."
I frowned, feeling bad for distracting Dakota and he walked away from Jake towards me. I looked at him and he lifted my face. He pressed his lips to mine for a moment.
"Good morning, beautiful. I'm happy you're here."
I smiled at him.
"Good morning. Is your face okay? I'm sorry I distracted you."
He chuckled.
"My face is fine. And don't apologize. It's those...leggings."
I looked down at my leggings, confused.
"My leggings? What's wrong with them?"
Jake approached us.
"What's wrong with them? Nothing. They just make your ass look real nice."
Dakota growled at Jake and he chuckled.
"Hey dude, I'm just being honest."
I could feel my face heating up and Dakota turned around, lunging for Jake. They both tumbled back to the ground and I stared at them with wide eyes. Sarah rolled her eyes and Alpha Fisher laughed at them.
"Alright, ignore those two. Come over here, Olivia. Sarah and I will start working with you."
I nodded and followed them a bit away from the boys who were rolling around in the grass.
"Alright Olivia, focus on us, not them. We're just gonna start with the basics today okay? Just your basic fighting - punching, kicking, blocking."
I focused on Alpha Fisher as he started his lesson.
~~~
"Again!"
I wiped my forehead off, drenched in sweat. My body was sore as I bent my knees, circling around Sarah on the sparring mat. Dakota and Jake had gone inside to get some lunch but I opted to stay out here and continue practicing. Alpha Fisher taught me the proper ways to punch and block earlier this morning. He saw that I had some fighting skills and decided he wanted to put them to the test against Sarah. For the past few hours, I've been getting my ass handed to me by Sarah.
She grabbed my arms and threw me back onto the ground and I groaned, the wind getting knocked out of me.
I laid there for a moment, catching my breath before I pushed myself to my feet. Sarah raised a brow at me before looking back at her dad. He smiled a bit, shaking his head at me.
"How in the hell are you still standing?" Sarah asked.
I used my shirt to wipe off my face.
"I'm used to getting beaten and getting back up as if it didn't happen."
Sarah and Alpha Fisher were silent and I shrugged.
"Come on, again."
Sarah looked back at her dad and he nodded. She sighed and shrugged, turning back towards me.
This time. This time...we will win.
Sarah bent her knees, beginning to move around on the mat and I did the same, following her movements.
She sent a few jabs my way which I blocked. She growled, frustrated that I kept blocking her jabs.
Suddenly, a fist came flying towards me and I ducked, surprised.
"Sarah, what the hell!"
She growled again and I stared at her with wide eyes, afraid at the aggression she was showing now.
I looked back at Alpha Fisher who just watched, waiting to see what was going to happen.
I dodged to the right as another fist came towards me, taking a few steps back to put distance between us.
Come on Olivia. Think.
Before I could come up with some sort of plan, Sarah threw another punch towards me. I dodged out of the way, mere seconds from getting hit. She paused, surprised that I was able to dodge it and I grabbed her arm.
"Wait what - "
Before she could finish her sentence I stepped forward, putting my leg behind hers, making her fall back onto the mat. She laid there, surprised and I stared at her, breathing heavily.
"She did it," a new voice said.
I looked up and saw Dakota and Jake were standing there with Alpha Fisher, watching us.
I stood up, offering my hand to Sarah. She took it, standing up and she smiled at me.
"Sorry for scaring you. My dad wanted to see if you would fight better under pressure."
I looked at Alpha Fisher who was watching me.
"Olivia, that was a good job but you need to understand that this training...it is serious. Do not hold back again, got it?"
I nodded.
"I'm sorry Alpha Fisher I just...I'm afraid of hurting someone. Yesterday...I don't even know what happened and I'm afraid of something like that happening again."
Alpha Fisher frowned for a moment before nodding his head.
"You won't hurt any of us. We're all wolves here. As long as you don't set us on fire, I think we'll be okay with whatever you have to throw at us."
I didn't say anything to that and Jake nodded.
"Yeah, and to be honest, maybe if you started electrocuting us or something we'd be able to build up an immunity to it so when we have to deal with your mother it won't hurt us too badly."
I frowned, thinking back to when the boys had come to my rescue, how Jake had gotten hurt pretty bad from my mother.
"I..."
"Come on guys, give her a break. She just beat Sarah and that's no easy feat. I honestly didn't think I'd meet anyone who could move faster than you Sarah."
I looked at Dakota who was smiling at me.
"You looked great out there. Some pointers though,"
I paused as he walked over to me.
"When your knees are bent, don't bend them too much. You'll throw off your balance if you're too low."
I nodded and he smiled.
"Also, don't be afraid to jab or punch when sparring. Sarah's strong, she can take it. Besides, it'll be a good way for us to gauge how fast you are with your hits, as well as how strong they are."
I frowned and Sarah sniffed the air.
"God that food smells amazing, I'm going to eat."
She headed inside, her father following her and I looked at Dakota and Jake.
"Olivia, you gonna go eat?" Jake asked me.
I shook my head no, thinking about all the things they just said to me.
Knees, jabs, punches...
"Wanna have a go? Me and you?"
I looked at Dakota with a brow raised.
"But...I don't want to hurt you."
He snorted.
"Honey, you gotta be able to touch me first."
I raised a brow at him.
"Is that a challenge?"
He smirked.
"Hell yeah."
I smiled.
"You're on."
~~~
Dakota lunged for me and I jumped back, surprised.
We were both panting, in the middle of another sparring match. Alpha Fisher and Sarah had come back out here after Dakota had beat me for the fourth time and I was getting annoyed that he kept beating me. Jake was watching us as well, a smirk growing on his face.
Dakota smiled at me.
"What's wrong Olive? You didn't think I was gonna go easy on you, did you?"
I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Ooohh, look out Koda, she's getting serious."
Dakota raised a brow at me, his fist flying towards me. I dodged to the right before his other hand came flying through. I ducked down, his fist missing by a few inches. He was standing above me and I smiled, punching up towards his face.
He realized what I was doing and moved backward. I stared at him in surprise. His speed was...incredible.
I guess that's what happens when you've got a wolf in you to guide you.
I frowned at myself and shook my head.
Focus, you can still do this. Wolf or not. Use your abilities if you have to.
Dakota crouched down like an animal before lunging for me and I jumped up, holding one of my hands out. Electricity shot out of it, propelling me up, allowing me to flip over Dakota, landing on the other side, his back facing me.
"Holy shit," Jake whispered.
We all paused for a moment, everyone staring at me and I stared down at my hands.
What...I didn't even think about it, it just...my body did it on its own.
Dakota stood up, turning to face me. A smile was tugging at his lips and he had an excited sparkle in his eyes.
"Now we're getting somewhere."
Before I could react, Dakota ran towards me, jabbing towards me. I caught his arm in my hands, his fingers mere inches from my face. We were both breathing heavily from fighting and I could feel something growing inside of me, some sort of...power.
"Where did that speed come from?" Sarah asked no one in particular.
Dakota was smiling now, excited.
He jabbed at my stomach with his other hand and I moved to the right, his hand following through, making him lose his balance. I swung around his body and jumped onto his back, causing him to collapse under my weight and his lack of balance. He fell to the ground with a thud and I sat on top of him.
I was breathing heavily as I scrambled off of Dakota so he could catch his breath. He reached for my ankle, snatching it.
"Don't put your guard down. Ever!"
Before I could react, he stood, pulling my leg with him. I was stuck on the ground with my leg in his hand and I looked around me.
Quick Olivia, do something!
My eyes caught sight of the hose sitting in the pool, filling it up and I closed my eyes for a moment, focusing on the hose. I opened my eyes as it began slithering over to us, mimicking a snake slithering through the grass. Sarah yelped in surprise as it moved past her and onto the mat. I stared at Dakota, focusing on the hose as it began to wrap around his legs.
He looked down at the hose.
"What the hell - "
I kicked my leg, forcing him to let go of me and I stood, staring hard at the hose. It continued to slither up Dakota, wrapping around his body until I forced it to stop once it reached his shoulders.
He stood there, completely wrapped in the hose and I felt dizzy, something warm trickling from my nose.
Dakota looked at me with a sly smile.
"Well...I believe this means that Olivia wins."
We both turned to Alpha Fisher who was staring at me.
"Incredible."
I looked at him confused and he walked over to Dakota.
"Olivia how in the world...did you know you could do this?"
I shrugged, reaching up to wipe off my face. I realized that what I felt hadn't been sweat but was actually blood.
"I um...I wasn't trying to use my powers. My body just...just did it on its own."
He nodded, beginning to help Dakota out from the hose.
"Good. That's good Olivia. We want your abilities to become second nature to you. The more you use them, the more of a handle you have on them. That was amazing. We'll continue practicing tomorrow. You all need to go get cleaned up for the pack meeting. It'll start in about an hour."
We all nodded and I wiped off my face some more.
"Are you okay?" Dakota asked me.
I nodded.
"I've never done anything like that. I also didn't really know I could move objects like that with my mind."
"Well, it was cool as hell. Seriously, Olivia, you're a badass."
I blushed at Jake's words and Dakota chuckled.
"What about you, are you okay? I'm sorry about the hose thing."
Dakota opened his mouth to say something and Jake laughed.
"Are you kidding? It was about time someone tied him up!"
Dakota's face went red and he frowned.
"Shut up, Jake. Go take a shower, you stink."
Jake immediately shut up at Dakota's words, frowning. Sarah was laughing at us all as she headed inside, followed by Jake. Dakota grabbed my hand and led me inside.
"Yes, I'm okay. I'm really proud of you. That was amazing."
I smiled at him and we stopped in the kitchen.
"I'm going to shower. I would like for you to get some food before you shower okay? You skipped lunch and need to eat after that workout."
I nodded at him and he kissed me before heading for a shower. I smiled as I ate one of the few sandwiches Mrs. Fisher had made before heading to shower myself. I took my time, letting the hot water relax my muscles and clean my body.
Once I got out I went through my clothes, finding the shorts again. I bit my lip, feeling nervous. I don't ever wear shorts. I'm always afraid to show off my legs because of the scars that jut across them.
I swallowed and grabbed them, putting them on. They were just a simple pair of denim jean shorts but they were short, sitting mid-thigh. I grabbed a grey t-shirt hoodie to go with it, brushing out my hair, before throwing it in a wild messy bun. It was amazing how red my hair was and how healthy it is now that I'm in a healthy living situation.
I smiled and left the room, heading downstairs.
Jake and Dakota were in the kitchen, Dakota leaning over the island as he drank a glass of water. Jake wolf-whistled and Dakota coughed into his glass as I entered the kitchen.
"Damn, look at them legs."
Dakota growled at Jake who held his hands up.
I felt my face warm up as I glanced over at Dakota who was following my every move with his eyes. I swallowed, the hair on the back of my neck standing up. My gut twisted in anticipation and my nether regions began tingling.
I haven't felt this type of arousal since that day in class.
Suddenly, a hand grabbed my arm, making me jump. Dakota stood there, his eyes darker than usual. I opened my mouth to ask him what was wrong but before I could, Dakota bent over and picked me up, throwing me over his shoulder.
I gasped in surprise and Dakota left the kitchen, heading back up the stairs. Jake was laughing from the kitchen and I was dumbfounded as Dakota threw open the bedroom door, slamming it closed behind him.
I blinked a few times as he walked into the room, throwing me onto the bed. I bounced a bit and he stood above me, his face looking a bit pained. He stared at me and I stared at him.
Seconds passed and we both moved at the same time. I sat up on the bed as he leaned towards me, our lips meeting halfway. He bit my bottom lip, deepening the kiss and I pulled him towards me, wanting more.
He moved forward, making me lay back on the bed and I tangled my hands in his hair, pulling him closer. I wrapped my legs around his body, pulling him closer to me.
Closer, closer. It was all my body and brain could think.
Dakota pulled back, kissing down my neck until he got to the collar of my shirt. I pushed him back a bit, taking my shirt off and he froze as I sat there in my bra.
"Please," I whispered.
His eyes became a stormy brown when I whispered that word and he leaned forward, pressing his lips back to mine. His hands began to move up my body and I craved his touch as his fingertips grazed along my rib cage.
I arched my back as he reached back to unclasp my bra and we froze as a fist pounded on the door.
"Come on you two, the meeting's about to start!" Alpha Fisher yelled.
We both froze and Dakota's head fell onto my shoulder.
"Damn it," he mumbled.
I was breathing heavily under him and he looked up at me.
"There's no privacy, is there?"
I giggled at him and he smiled, sitting up off of me. He grabbed my shirt and handed it to me and I slipped it on.
"Don't worry wolf boy, we'll finish this later."
He smirked at me.
"Wolf boy?"
I smiled.
"Yup."
He chuckled and grabbed me in his arms.
"Come here you."
I giggled at him and he turned me around so we were facing each other.
"Two things before we go," he whispered.
I nodded.
"One: I love you. And there's no rush, okay? I'll wait for you. And two: Jake is right, your legs are sexy. You are sexy."
I blushed at Dakota's words and he smiled, kissing my nose.
"Now let's head to this pack meeting okay? Maybe afterwards we can have a dinner date."
I smiled.
"I'd like that, Dakota."
He smiled and we left the room, hand in hand.
~~~
"Alright, quiet down now. Let's quiet down now."
I swallowed, looking around at Dakota's pack. There were...a lot more people here than the last pack meeting we had. I've actually never seen so many people in one place ever in my life.
"Why are there so many more people here than at the last meeting?" I whispered to Dakota.
"Ah well, the last pack meeting we had...not everyone showed up. The high school students were all there, as well as most parents, but none of the elders were there or the bigger families. My father called for a full pack meeting for today so everyone is here, including the elders."
I frowned, looking around at all of the people, trying to take it all in. It blew my mind that one day...Dakota would be leading these people, and I would be right alongside him.
No pressure.
"Alright. I need everyone to quiet down and focus. This will probably be one of the most important meetings we've had as a pack in some time."
Everyone in the yard fell silent to Alpha Fisher's words and I swallowed the lump that was in my throat, terrified of what the outcome was going to be.
"Everyone by now has learned that my son has found his mate. To those of you who haven't heard this yet, well, now you know. My son's mate is Olivia Clark. For the past month, Olivia has been living in the packhouse with us and has become a part of our family. She has grown into a beautiful and strong young woman but...she needs our help."
Everyone began whispering now, trying to figure out what could be the issue, trying to figure out what a witch could possibly need help with from a bunch of wolves.
"You see...Olivia isn't an ordinary witch. She was born to do something very dangerous, something that she can't do alone."
People were talking louder now, nervous at what Alpha Fisher was saying.
"We all know the stories of the legendary King and Queen, whose job it is to rule over the mythical world to ensure our safety and secrecy within the human world. It's their job to provide peace between those of us with abilities, and those without. Of course, we all know that these figures are supposedly just a story, a myth."
Everyone was quiet at Alpha Fisher's words and I grabbed Dakota's hand.
"It has recently come to my attention however that they are real. As real as you and I. And just like in every story, when there is a force of good, there is also a force of evil. This force of evil is here, in our town. They are the evil King and Queen and their goal is to destroy everything the King and Queen stand for. They wish to destroy the peace between our worlds. Olivia was destined, born to destroy this evil King and Queen before they are able to destroy our world."
I waited for Alpha Fisher to tell everyone that these people were my parents but he didn't.
"As of right now, Dakota, Olivia, and I are making plans to put together an army, a group of men and women who will volunteer to help us defeat them before it's too late. We will train you, we will house you if need be. I know...this is a lot for me to ask of you. For us to ask of you. Many of you will believe that this has nothing to do with you. That we should let the witch handle things on her own. But I'd like to remind you all that we live in this mythical world too and whatever happens, affects us all. If Olivia is left to do this on her own, and if she should fail...then we are all to blame for her failure."
Everyone fell silent at Alpha Fisher's words and I looked around. The elders, who were standing aside from the rest of the pack, were all staring at me, whispering between one another.
"Dakota..." I whispered.
He glanced over at me and I looked back at the elders.
"It's okay Olivia. They're mostly curious about you, that's all."
I didn't say anything and he squeezed my hand.
"Well, now that you all know why we're here, let's start with getting some volunteers. If you'd like to volunteer, either raise your hand or come up to James and he'll start a list."
James, Jacob's father, sat down at a table while his wife handed him a sheet of paper and a pen.
People began to walk up to the table and I frowned.
"Mr. Martin, please write my name on the list," Dakota said.
I turned to him.
"No, we talked about this. You weren't going to fight Dakota."
He glanced over at me.
"I'm not going to let you go into a fight without me Olivia. If you're going then so am I."
"Dakota, please, think this through. Someone has to stay here for Mikie. I can't...I can't bear the thought of you fighting them."
"Olivia...this is my choice."
I stared at him, a tear falling down my cheek. And then another.
I looked around at all the people who lined up to volunteer for this army, all the men and women who...who were signing their lives away to try and help me.
Another tear fell and I backed away from Dakota.
"Olivia please...try and understand. If you're going then so am I. I already almost lost you once, I'm not doing that again."
"I can't lose you," I whispered.
"Olivia...if you can't accept my decision then maybe you should stay here. We'll go and fight."
I stared at him.
"You want me to do what?"
He nodded, squeezing my hand.
"That way you'll be safe."
"Absolutely not. If you're going then so am I! I can't let you all go and fight my mother, a witch if you've forgotten, without any help. You won't be a match against her."
"Olivia..."
"Dakota, if you're going then so am I."
"But I can't lose you again!" He yelled, grabbing my arms.
I stared at him with wide eyes.
"And you think it's any different for me?! If you go and fight my mother and-and she kills you...how am I supposed to live with myself then Dakota?"
"You'll be okay," he whispered.
"I'll be okay?! You're the only thing that matters to me!" I yelled.
Everyone was staring at us fighting now but none of that mattered.
"I love you, you're my mate, my family! I can't lose you!"
Tears were falling down my face now and I felt sobs just ready to tear from my throat. Dakota was staring at me and I pulled myself out of his arms, backing away from him. I shook my head at him before turning around, running towards the woods.
"Olivia! Olivia!"
I kept running, not wanting to stop. I needed to be alone.
~ DAKOTA ~
Calm down bro, my wolf mumbled to me.
I ran a hand through my hair, feeling panicked.
After our fight, Olivia took off running into the woods behind our house. At first, it was okay because I could still sense her and feel our bond. But then, all of a sudden, our bond disappeared and I couldn't feel her at all.
That's never happened before.
Tyler, Chris, and Josh all went into the woods to look for her while Jake sat with me. My parents were tending to the rest of the pack, answering any questions they had and assisting the people who were volunteering.
You've gotta calm down, my wolf told me.
Oh, and you get to just tell me what to do now even though you've been silent the past month?
My wolf remained silent and I sighed.
"Dakota, relax. She's just upset right now. She'll come back."
I plopped down in a chair.
"What if she...what if she went to her parents Jake?"
He rolled his eyes.
"No way."
"No, seriously. What if she went to try and prevent all of this from happening. Olivia she...she hates it when people put themselves in danger to protect her. Watching all of this today, all of these people putting their lives on the line to protect her...it was probably the most difficult thing she's seen."
Jake grabbed my shoulder, squeezing it.
"Listen bro, Olivia is a lot of things but dumb isn't one of them. It would be suicidal for her to go and try and stop her parents by herself. Maybe if she was stronger, she could do it on her own, but as she is right now? There's no way. She's probably just...taking a break from all of this. This is a lot for her to take in."
I sighed, running my hands through my hair.
What if she decides this is all too much?
What if she...what if she doesn't want this anymore?
"Koda."
I looked up at the new voice, finding Tyler, Chris, and Josh standing in front of us.
"We couldn't find her. We...we picked up her scent to the west but we lost it after a while."
The west...
I stood up, walking off the porch.
"Where are you going?!" Jake yelled.
"I know where she is. I'll be back!"
Before any of them could respond, I shifted, taking off into the woods.
~~~
I stopped near the pond, sniffing the air. I couldn't smell her at all, her scent cloaked by the water that surrounded her. I walked out into the clearing, heading for the bridge that led to the island I had brought Olivia to on our first official date.
The same place she talked to me for the first time. The same place she told me she loved me for the first time.
I walked across the bridge, my feet padding across the wood. I stopped before setting foot on the island, an unfamiliar scent catching my nose.
Olivia was sitting in the center of the island sitting with her legs crossed. Her eyes were closed as tears streamed down her cheeks.
I whimpered, going to take a step forward.
Don't Dakota.
I paused, my paw mid-step.
She's not there.
What do you mean she's not there? That doesn't make sense.
My wolf was silent for a moment.
She's...it's hard to explain. She's in a different mental state. It's...something I've never seen before. That stuff you smell? That's magic in its rawest, purest form. She's basically releasing the stuff right now from her pores. You can't touch her right now. Not until she snaps out of it.
I frowned, sitting down on the bridge. Suddenly, Olivia's eyes opened and I jumped, alarmed. They were...they were glowing.
"No," Olivia whispered.
What's going on? I asked my wolf.
It's probably a vision. She's probably having a vision right now.
"No, no, no!" Olivia screamed.
I groaned at how loud her scream was, feeling a force trying to push me back from her scream.
I stood my ground, it taking every ounce of my strength not to be moved. She stopped, her breathing ragged as she stared into space, in her own world.
Come on Olive...come on.
What am I supposed to do here? I asked.
Well...I'm not sure. I don't even know if there is any type of force field around her or anything. I'm just guessing that there probably is.
I shook my head at my wolf.
We won't know until we try.
My wolf began to protest and I stood up, taking a step off of the bridge and onto the island.
My nose immediately became bombarded with a bitter smell, making me feel like I was going to sneeze. I tried ignoring it, stepping the rest of the way onto the island.
Nothing happened minus the bitter smell and I approached Olivia, shifting back into my human form. I slipped on the shorts that I had with me before sitting in front of her.
Don't touch her Koda.
I swallowed and reached towards her, ignoring my wolf's warning.
My fingers were about an inch away from touching her face when a spark reached out from her skin, shocking me.
"Ow, shit."
I shook my hand, my arm going numb from the sensation.
How...how am I supposed to get her back home?
I looked around me, trying to find some way to get her back.
I wonder...
I reached towards her, touching her shirt. Nothing happened.
I nodded to myself, standing up. I'll have to carry her home and make sure not to touch her skin.
I bent over and picked her up, making sure that only her clothes were touching me. I left the island behind, walking across the bridge, and into the woods. As I entered the woods, an invisible force pushed tree branches and debris out of the way, clearing the path.
"Jesus," I breathed.
Olivia remained silent during our walk, and I could feel the power just radiating through her body. It almost felt like the hum of a machine under my fingertips.
The yard was clear when I got there, relieved to find it empty so the whole pack didn't have to witness Olivia's episode.
I brought her to the porch and my father came outside along with Jake.
"What the hell did you do?" Jake asked.
"I didn't do anything. I found her like this!"
My father stared at us in alarm, pushing everything on the porch aside to make room.
"Set her down gently Dakota and then give her some space."
I did what he said and backed away. We all stood there, staring at her.
"You said you found her like this?"
I nodded and he rubbed his face.
"Has she...did she ever tell you that she could do this?"
"No dad, I don't even know what this is."
My father sighed.
"This is something that very few in the world can do. It's so rare that there isn't really a name for what it is. Some people call it "letting go." Others just call them episodes. In truth, it's really just...a very powerful being releasing their emotions in its rawest form. One person who can do this is the white wolf, however, that's just a legend and they haven't been seen in about a hundred years now."
"And Olivia can do this?"
My father nodded.
"It would make sense considering who her parents are."
My mother walked out of the house and gasped.
"Oh no. Not this again."
We all turned to her.
"Again? What are you talking about mom?"
My mother moved to my father.
"Jack, is she going to be okay?"
He nodded, watching Olivia.
"I told you only a few are known to be able to do this Koda. If Olivia can do it, it would stand to reason that her mate would also be able to do this."
I took a step back, dumbfounded.
"Whoa whoa, back up. You're telling me that I've done that before?"
My parents both nodded at me and I stared at Olivia, trying to figure this whole thing out.
"Yes, when you were very little. Four or five. You got very angry with your father and the next thing we knew, your eyes were glowing and your skin became flush. You were hot, so hot that I put you in an ice bath and we had to call the pack doctor. We didn't know what was happening until the pack doctor explained to us how these episodes work. Whenever someone with this ability feels something so strongly, their body is sometimes...unable to contain it all. So in response, they release the emotions from their skin. It can cause all sorts of things to occur around them. It's similar to how most wolves shift when they get angry. They can't contain all of that anger, so it causes them to shift."
I frowned and watched Olivia.
"But my wolf said she was having a vision."
"That...could also be true. We don't really know."
I took a deep breath.
"Well...there's only one way to find out."
"Wait, Dakota - "
Before my father could finish his sentence, I stepped over to Olivia, sitting in front of her. Being this close to her, I could smell that bitter smell again, it bugging my nose.
I took a deep breath, vaguely hearing my father yelling at me to not touch her from outside the little bubble Olivia had around her.
I ignored my father and reached forward.
"Dakota, don't."
I paused when Olivia spoke.
"Please," she whispered.
I took a deep breath and reached forward, cupping her face with my hand. Power surged into my body, feeling like I stuck my hand in an outlet, and I yelled out. My eyes opened, glowing a bright yellow color and then I was no longer in my backyard.