Chapter 211
Look Like Her
Olivia’s POV
Dalia and Miren walked into my room, carrying a dress on a hanger and a box of shoes in their hands.
“Alpha Gabriel said we should help you get dressed in this,” Dalia muttered.
I swallowed hard, staring at the beautifully embroidered dress they held. It was stunning—fit for a queen. Maybe I should’ve felt excited, but I wasn’t. The dream I had a few minutes ago still lingered in my mind. I didn’t know who that lady was or why her words were still echoing in my head.
What did she mean when she said I would be punished? Was this some sort of game? And why was she able to speak to me through my dreams too?
At first, when she appeared on the rooftop, I convinced myself it was one of the triplets’ tricks. But now… now I wasn’t so sure. There was something about her—something I couldn’t explain.
“Are you okay?” Dalia asked gently, pulling me from my thoughts.
“Yes,” I lied. I was far from fine.
Dalia and Miren exchanged suspicious glances but said nothing more. Instead, Miren stepped forward.
“Can we start dressing you? The party is about to begin.”
I nodded and rose to my feet, standing numbly as they helped me into the gown. In that moment, I missed Nora and Lolita deeply. If they were here, I could have confided in them about my worries. But now, I was left alone with my thoughts.
I sat before the dressing table as they applied makeup to my face. Miren and Dalia worked quickly, and soon I was ready. I gazed at my reflection in the mirror but couldn’t summon a smile.
Yes, I looked beautiful, like a queen, but I felt hollow inside—the dream remained stuck in my head.
“It’s time to escort you to the party,” Miren said.
I stood up slowly and looked down at the dress. It felt heavy—not just because of the fabric, but because of how I was feeling inside. I stared at the girl in the mirror. She looked beautiful… like a queen. But she didn’t feel like me.
Miren and Dalia led me down the hallway in silence. I could feel their curious glances, but thankfully, they didn’t ask questions. The deeper we went into the pack house, the louder the sounds of celebration became—music, laughter, clinking glasses, and the faint rhythm of drums.
But none of it reached me.
When we stepped outside, the courtyard had been transformed. Golden lights were strung from tree to tree, glowing softly like fallen stars. Tables were covered with food and drink. Warriors stood proudly near a raised platform while guests mingled and danced.
Gabriel stood at the center of it all, dressed in a regal black suit with golden accents. He looked… breathtaking. His eyes lit up the moment he saw me. He took a few steps forward and held out his hand.
“Wow,” he said, voice low. “You look… incredible.”
I forced a smile and took his hand. “Thank you.”
He guided me gently to the platform, where everyone could see us. The moment we stepped up, a cheer broke out—warriors howled in respect, and others clapped as Gabriel raised a glass in salute.
“Tonight, we honor ten of our finest warriors,” he announced proudly. “And I’m especially honored to share this night with someone special.”
There were murmurs around us. Some of awe. Some of suspicion. I could feel their eyes on me, studying me, judging me.
Gabriel turned and looked into my eyes as if I was the only one there.
“Shall we?”
He extended his hand again, and this time, music started to play. A soft, romantic melody.
I hesitated.
The warning from the dream echoed again in my mind. Still, I placed my hand in his.
He led me into the first steps of the dance, slow and romantic. He moved effortlessly, his hand on my waist, guiding me like we had done this a hundred times before.
“You seem distant,” he said quietly, his voice only for me.
“I’m just tired,” I lied again, even though we both knew I wasn’t telling the truth.
His fingers tightened ever so slightly around mine.
“If something is bothering you… you can tell me,” he said.
I met his gaze. And for a second, I almost did. I almost told him about the dream. About the strange woman. About the dread twisting my insides.
But I stopped myself.
Because a part of me still wasn’t sure if I could trust him completely.
“Thank you,” I said instead. “But I’m okay. Really.”
He nodded slowly, though I could see he didn’t believe me.
As we danced, I glanced around and caught sight of Abigail in the distance—seated in her wheelchair, watching us with a dagger-like glare. Not able to stand her glare, I looked away and focused on Gabriel in front of me.
After the dance, I stood in a corner while Gabriel performed the passing-out ceremony of the warriors, after which the celebration took full swing. Pack members merry and jubilant, and as for me, I felt out of place for many reasons.
This wasn’t my pack. And deep down, I could feel I wasn’t welcome here—not just because of Abigail. Although some pack members smiled at me, some gave a friendly wave… some even made friendly conversation, but I also noticed some stared at me with hostility in their eyes… especially the elders.
I wanted to believe that maybe, just like Abigail, they didn’t want me with their Alpha, But something told me it was more than that.
An elder walked past me, his eyes lingering a bit longer than the others. He didn’t smile. Instead, he stared… like he was seeing a ghost.
I gave him a small nod, trying to be polite. But just as he passed by, I heard him murmur under his breath, “She looks just like her.”
I blinked and turned toward him. “Excuse me, sir?” I asked gently.
He paused and looked at me again, this time more directly. “You look so much like her,” he said.
“Like who?” I asked, feeling a chill run down my spine.
He studied me for a second longer, then replied, “The late Queen’s best friend.”
I stared at him, confused. “Late Queen?” I echoed. “Do you mean… Alpha Gabriel’s mother?”
The elder gave a small nod. “Yes. She passed many years ago.”
I froze.
What?
That couldn’t be right.
Because I remembered clearly—on my first visit here, Gabriel told me his parents were away… on vacation.
But now this man was saying… she’s dead?
My heart started beating faster, confusion clouding my mind. I took a shaky breath and asked carefully, “When… when did she die?”
The elder looked at me, his expression softening. “Gabriel and his sister were just teenagers when it happened,” he said quietly. “It was a hard time for the pack.”
My lips parted, but no words came out.
Before I could say anything else, the elder gave me a polite nod and slowly walked away, disappearing into the crowd.
I stood there, stunned.
My mind raced with questions I couldn’t answer.
I turned my eyes toward the crowd, searching for Gabriel. But he was busy speaking to some warriors and elders, smiling and laughing like nothing was wrong.
I felt so far away from him… like there was a wall between us I couldn’t break through.
Suddenly, a sharp wind blew through the courtyard, strong enough to make some of the lights flicker.
I wrapped my arms around myself.
Something wasn’t right—even my wolf felt it.