Chapter 549

Lennox’s POV

Golden stood still like a statue. His face had gone pale, almost gray. I could see the fear in his eyes… fear of losing me… fear of losing me… fear of obeying the very order I had given him.

“Golden my voice cracked, “this is not life. Not for me p>

He shook his head. “Alpha p>

“I said listen to me.” I swallowed hard, trying not to cry again. “I have no wolf. My legs are useless. I can’t stand. I can’t fight. I can’t lead. I can’t protect anything.” I looked down at my shaking hands. “I can’t even protect my own pride p>

Golden clenched his jaw, but I continued.

“And Olivia My heart twisted. “She is not mine anymore. So tell me… what am I living for p>

Golden whispered, barely breathing, “You are not useless p>

I let out a bitter laugh—if it could even be called that. It was more like a broken exhale. “Listen. Are you going to help me or not p>

He froze. Completely silent.

My voice hardened. “Golden. Are you helping me… or not p>

Finally, he released a slow, heavy breath. “If… if dying is what you want His throat strained around the words. “Then I’ll get it p>

He turned around and walked toward the door. He reached for the handle—

And the door opened from the other side.

Olivia walked in.

She froze when she saw Golden’s face. “Golden? What happened p>

Golden bowed quickly and left without saying a word.

I didn’t look at her. I turned my face away, staring at the broken mirror pieces on the floor.

“Lennox she whispered.

I didn’t answer.

She walked closer… then went down on her knees beside my wheelchair, her voice shaking. “I’m sorry p>

Still, I didn’t look at her.

“I know… no amount of apology will fix what we did,” she said, tears sliding down her cheek. “No amount of sorry will erase your pain p>

My fingers tightened on the armrest. I wanted to tell her to leave. To shut up. To stop touching the wound she caused.

But she kept going.

“You don’t have to forgive me. You don’t have to look at me. You can even yell at me—hit me—curse me—anything. Just her voice cracked, “please don’t hate me p>

I turned slowly, finally looking at her.

“Too late,” I said quietly.

Her eyes widened.

I didn’t blink. “I already hate you, Olivia p>

Her breath hitched like I stabbed her chest. She shook her head fast. “No… Lennox… don’t say that p>

“I don’t want to see your face,” I said, turning away from her. “Not today. Not tomorrow. Not ever again p>

She tried to speak, but I called out quietly, “Annabella p>

She rushed in almost too quickly. “Yes, Alpha Lennox p>

“Get me a glass of water,” I said calmly.

“Yes, Alpha.” She moved fast toward the table.

I turned my face away again, refusing to look at Olivia. “Leave,” I said coldly.

Olivia’s voice came out soft but stubborn. “No. I’m not leaving p>

Annabella turned to her with a frown. “You should leave. He doesn’t want you here p>

Her tone was sharp. Rude. Disrespectful.

I opened my mouth to correct her—because no matter how angry I was, nobody talked to Olivia like that in my presence—

But Olivia stood up before I could speak.

She stepped closer to Annabella, her eyes blazing. “Who the hell are you to speak to me like that?” Her voice filled the whole room. “Do you know who I am p>

Annabella didn’t even flinch. She lifted her chin. “Of course I know who you are p>

Olivia froze for a second.

Then Annabella continued. “You are the woman who abandoned a man that saved your life p>

My chest tightened hard.

Annabella stepped closer. “You went ahead and lived your life for four years… sleeping with his brothers… having children… laughing… moving on… while he suffered—alone. You never visited him. You never checked if he was alive.” Her voice dropped. “I believe you wanted him dead p>

The room went silent.

My breath stopped.

Annabella’s words were… too much. Too cruel. Too disrespectful.

My mouth opened to shut her up—

But Olivia moved before I could say anything.

Like lightning.

SLAP!

Her palm landed across Annabella’s cheek so fast that even I was stunned.

Annabella gasped, holding her face.

Olivia grabbed her hair instantly, twisting it tightly in her fist.

“LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING,” Olivia hissed, her voice trembling with rage. “Don’t you EVER speak about me like that again. Ever p>

Annabella stumbled, trying to pull away, but Olivia dragged her back with one hand. “You think you know the story? You don’t know ANYTHING p>

Annabella tried to speak—”I—I was only p>

“Shut up!” Olivia snapped.

The room felt like it was shaking.

Olivia’s fist tangled tightly in Annabella’s hair. Annabella cried out and grabbed Olivia’s wrist, trying to break free, but Olivia only pulled harder. Her eyes were blazing… wild… like she had lost every bit of control.

“Olivia,” I said quietly at first.

She didn’t hear me.

She yanked Annabella’s hair again, and Annabella screamed. Olivia’s whole body was shaking with rage. Her wolf was pushing through. If she didn’t stop, she would rip the girl’s hair out from the root.

“OLIVIA,” I said louder.

Still nothing.

Annabella was crying now. “Alpha—please p>

Olivia snapped, “SHUT UP p>

“LET HER GO, OLIVIA,” I said sharply. My voice came out as an order, but I could see it—her eyes were no longer normal. Rage was climbing through her veins… the kind that awakened her gift.

“Olivia,” I warned again, “let go of her. Now p>

She didn’t listen.

Her grip on Annabella’s hair tightened, pulling harder. Annabella cried out.

“OLIVIA!” I snapped. “STOP p>

She turned slowly… her chest rising and falling fast… her eyes burning straight into me.

“Oh? So now you’re defending her?” Olivia hissed. “You defend HER? Really, Lennox p>

I stared at her. “I said let her go p>

She gave a small, sharp, bitter, and angry laugh. “Why? Because she’s YOUR favorite now? Or maybe—you’re fucking her too p>

My jaw tightened. “Olivia p>

“No, tell me!” she shouted, stepping closer to me. “You hate me, fine! But to defend her after what she said? After everything SHE spat at me?! So what is it? Did I interrupt something? Do you like her touching you? Do you want her here instead of me p>

She kept stepping closer. Her words got uglier. Her anger got hotter. Her power started buzzing in the air.

“You must like it,” she spat. “A woman ready to worship a broken Alpha p>

That was it. That was the final blow.

My hand moved on its own.

I slapped her.