Chapter 526

Olivia’s POV

I stared at Levi, my breath catching in my throat.

His words replayed in my head.

I felt something inside me snap.

Not anger.

Not even sadness.

Pain.

A deep, raw, tearing pain that felt like someone was ripping open my chest with their bare hands.

My wolf let out a low, wounded growl inside me—one that shook my entire body.

She remembered.

She always remembered.

Louis shot up from the bed instantly.

“What the hell is wrong with you?!” Louis barked at Levi, his voice shaking with rage. “Why would you say that to her?! Why would you throw that at her now p>

Levi didn’t answer. His jaw clenched. His eyes hardened. But a flicker of guilt flashed across his face.

My wolf growled again—louder this time—her grief and fury echoing through me.

Louis turned back to me, reaching out gently. “Liv… listen to me, don’t p>

“Don’t touch me p>

My voice echoed in the room.

Louis froze, hurt flashing across his eyes.

Levi stood as well. “Olivia p>

“I said DON’T touch me,” I snapped.

My voice trembled, but I held their gaze—both of them.

Pain.

Fear.

Confusion.

Guilt.

Everything swirled together until I felt like I couldn’t breathe.

I stood up slowly, dragging in a shaky breath.

Then I whispered, “I’m going out for some fresh air p>

Louis stepped toward me. “Olivia, wait p>

“Don’t follow me p>

The warning in my tone made his wolf flinch.

Levi opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off.

“You just reopened a wound I tried so hard to forget,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “The least you can do is let me breathe p>

Neither of them moved.

Neither of them spoke.

Good.

Because if they tried to stop me, I didn’t know what I would do to them.

I turned and walked out of the room, my feet moving faster than my thoughts. My heart thudded painfully against my ribs. My hands shook. My wolf paced and snarled inside me, pushing me forward.

Through the hallway.

Down the stairs.

Past the guards who bowed but looked confused at the tears on my face.

I didn’t stop.

I didn’t breathe.

I just moved.

Until I reached the long, silent corridor.

The door at the end stood slightly open.

Cold air seeped out from the room inside.

Lennox’s room.

The room I’d avoided.

The room they never let me near.

The room that held the part of my soul I’d been missing.

My hand hovered over the door.

My heart hammered.

My wolf whimpered softly.

Then—slowly, trembling—I pushed the door open.

And stepped inside.

The room was dim, lit only by a small lamp in the corner.

My heart squeezed painfully as I stepped inside.

Nothing had changed.

The same heavy curtains.

The same large bed.

The same faint scent of cedarwood, forest rain… and Lennox.

My breath hitched.

I moved slowly, almost afraid the room wasn’t real—afraid this was still part of my dream.

I walked to the wardrobe… my fingers trembling as I pulled it open.

His clothes were still there.

Folded neatly.

A broken sob escaped me.

I reached in and grabbed one of his favorite shirts.

I pressed it to my face.

And the scent hit me so hard my knees nearly gave out.

Him.

His warmth.

His strength.

His everything.

I clutched the shirt tighter as tears poured down my cheeks.

“Lennox I whispered into the fabric. “I’m so sorry. I should have come. I should have been there. I should have never left you alone p>

My tears soaked into the cloth.

My wolf whimpered, rubbing herself against the memory of him.

I sank to the floor, hugging the shirt like it was the last piece of him I had left.

“Please,” I cried softly, “wake up… please don’t hate me… please p>

My chest hurt so badly I could barely breathe.

Then—

Click.

The door opened behind me.

My heart jumped. Rage and pain mixed in my throat.

“GO AWAY!” I screamed without turning.

“Leave me alone! Just—just go p>

Silence.

Then a small voice said:

My breath stopped.

I turned slowly, tears still running down my face—

And there he was.

Liam.

My sweet, gentle Liam.

His small hand was on the doorknob, his tiny eyebrows scrunched with confusion and worry.

His little sea-blue eyes—my eyes—looked straight at me.

“Mommy?” he said again, stepping inside. “Why are you crying p>

My heart completely shattered.

I dropped the shirt and rushed to him, scooping him into my arms.

He wrapped his small arms around my neck tightly, patting my back in that innocent, clumsy way toddlers do when they want to comfort you.

“It’s okay, Mommy,” he whispered. “Don’t cry. I’m here p>

I held him tighter, sobbing into his hair.

“You shouldn’t be here, baby,” I choked. “Mommy didn’t want you to see me like this p>

He pulled back and looked at me with serious little eyes.

“Are you hurt?” he asked.

“No,” I whispered, kissing his forehead. “No, baby. I’m just… sad p>

“Why p>

Such a small word.

Such a big question.

I swallowed hard.

Because how could I explain this?

How could I tell a four-year-old that I was breaking apart over a man they don’t even know.

I brushed his hair back gently. “Mommy just… misses someone p>

He blinked slowly, thinking. “You miss Daddy Lennox p>

A broken sob escaped me. “Yes p>

He nodded, satisfied with his logic.

Then his eyes drifted to the bed… the wardrobe… the shirt on the floor.

“Mommy,” he whispered. “This room feels sad p>

I froze.

My wolf stilled inside me.

Liam wasn’t wrong.

This room did feel sad.

Heavy.

Haunted.

Like the walls remembered cries no one else heard.

I pulled him close again.

“It does,” I whispered. “It really does p>

He rested his head on my shoulder. “Can we go? Daddy Levi says not to come here p>

My throat tightened.

Of course Levi had told them that.

I kissed his cheek softly. “Don’t you want to know more about Father Lennox… do you wanna see him p>

He looked up at me carefully, like he was afraid of getting into trouble.

“But… Father Levi said he whispered.

My breath paused. “Said what p>

“Mommy he whispered carefully, “can I say something p>

My breath caught. “Yes, baby. Anything p>

He swallowed, gathering courage. Then—

“Father Levi said we shouldn’t mention Father Lennox again p>

My mind went blank Completely.

“W-What?” I managed to whisper.

Liam didn’t look confused.

He didn’t look unsure.

He looked… hurt.

“Every time I ask where Father Lennox is,” he said slowly, choosing each word with painful clarity, “Father Levi tells me, ’Don’t talk about that p>

My wolf snarled inside me.

“What else did he say?” I asked, my hands tightening around Liam before I could stop myself.

Liam blinked innocently, speaking with that frightening child-honesty:

“He also said… ’Your mother doesn’t need to hear that name anymore p>

A sharp, painful gasp left my lips.

My knees nearly buckled.

“He said… he said you get sad when you hear Father Lennox’s name. So we should keep quiet p>

“And when Leo asked why we don’t visit him, Father Louis said, ’It’s better this way p>

My heart squeezed so hard I nearly gasped.

Liam wasn’t finished.

“And one night,” he whispered, “I heard Father Levi tell Father Louis… ’If the boys forget, Olivia will forget too p>

My entire body went cold.

Ice cold.

Liam lowered his head, his little brows drawing together.

“But Mommy he said with a quiet firmness, “I don’t want to forget him p>

A tear struck my cheek.

Liam reached up again, wiping it quickly—like he hated seeing me cry.

Then he said something that broke whatever was left of my heart:

“Sometimes, when I’m alone… I feel like someone is sad. Far away. Like someone misses me. I think it’s Father Lennox p>

My breath shook.

My vision blurred.

I held him tighter.

He leaned in and whispered, almost like a secret:

“I don’t think he knows we care p>

My knees weakened.

“I think he thinks… we all left him,” Liam said, his small voice trembling. “That’s why he feels so sad all the time p>

Tears slipped down my face uncontrollably.

Liam held my face in his tiny hands—gently, wisely, heartbreakingly.

“I don’t care if Father Levi says we should forget him,” he whispered. “You shouldn’t forget someone if your heart still remembers p>

I choked on a sob.

Liam continued, sounding like a child far beyond his age:

“And Mommy… if Father Lennox wakes up and sees nobody came for him p>

His lip trembled.

I broke.

I absolutely shattered.

“No,” I whispered fiercely. “No, baby. He was loved. He is loved p>

Liam nodded once, relieved.

Then he asked with heartbreaking honesty:

“Then why didn’t we visit him p>