The Race

Olivia’s POV

“That should never happen again. It should not happen again.” Those were the words I kept repeating to myself all day. I hated how my body reacted to their touch. It wasn’t right—it should never feel like that again.

“But you know we can’t control that,” my wolf whispered gently. “Your body will always respond to their touch. That’s the power of the mate bond.”

Her voice only fueled my frustration.

“Fuck the mate bond,” I snapped.

My wolf, sensing my anger, decided not to speak further, leaving me to seethe.

“Luna, it’s time for the race. Are you joining?” Lolita and Nora asked as they stepped into my chamber.

I sighed, feeling drained. I didn’t have the energy for the night race, but maybe it would help clear my mind.

“Sure. Let’s go.”

I left the room, Nora and Lolita following. As we walked through the mansion, staff bowed their heads respectfully. Some did so naturally, having grown accustomed to acknowledging my presence. Others were clearly forcing it.

I ignored them and kept walking until we reached the yard—already packed with excited pack members. Tonight was Race Night. A male and female would pair up and sprint through the woods. The first to return would be crowned the winner.

When I was younger, I used to run these races with one of the triplets. They always let me win. But all of that ended the day my father was accused of stealing. Ever since then, I hadn’t joined in any of the pack activities.

My gaze swept across the crowd, and I spotted Anita standing beside the triplets. She wore tight black leggings and a cropped blue top that left most of her stomach exposed. She was smiling—laughing even—at something one of them said.

I frowned. Not because she was with them—hell, I didn’t care about that—but because she looked too happy. Too light. Too energetic for someone who had just lost a pregnancy a few days ago. I expected her to be mourning, grieving. But Anita didn’t look like a woman who had just lost a pup.

“Maybe she was never pregnant,” my wolf muttered darkly.

I shook my head. The healer confirmed it. There had been blood. Still, something felt…off.

I tried not to let my emotions show as I stepped closer to the crowd, but my jaw clenched when Anita threw her head back and laughed at something Louis said. My chest tightened—not with jealousy, I told myself—but with disbelief. Was she really so quick to move on? Or was this all some act?

“Luna Olivia,” one of the warriors bowed slightly as he approached, snapping me out of my thoughts. “Would you like to choose your partner for the race?”

I blinked, startled. “Partner?”

“Yes. Since it’s your first race as Luna, tradition states that you get the privilege to choose first.”

I felt a dozen eyes lock on me. Some curious. Some judgmental. And, of course, the triplets were watching too. Anita had her hand wrapped around Louis’s arm now, like she belonged there. Like she wasn’t lying, scheming, manipulating everyone.

I scanned the crowd until my eyes landed on a familiar face.

“I’ll choose Jerek,” I said.

Jerek stepped forward with a warm, easy smile. “I won’t go easy on you,” he teased.

I chuckled. “That’s how I like it. But don’t worry—I’ll beat you, just like old times.”

He laughed and rolled his eyes. “Come on, Olivia. We were kids then. You can’t compare it to now.”

“Let’s see about that.”

The breeze picked up slightly, rustling the trees at the edge of the woods and sending a shiver through my skin, though it wasn’t from the cold. The atmosphere was electric, buzzing with anticipation. All around me, pack members began pairing up, laughing, whispering, some throwing curious glances in my direction.

I could feel eyes on me, more than just the usual. I turned slightly—and there he was.

Levi.

Standing a few feet away, his arms crossed over his chest, jaw clenched, eyes fixed right on me and Jerek. His expression was unreadable, but I didn’t need to be a mind reader to know he wasn’t happy. His gaze lingered too long, burning with something that felt a lot like restrained anger…or jealousy.

I tilted my head and offered him a frown before turning back to Jerek, brushing a nonexistent speck off his shoulder. I didn’t care how Levi looked at me. If they could flirt with Anita in front of me, then I could do the same. Right?

“Looks like someone’s not a fan of your choice,” Jerek said under his breath, concern in his tone as he glanced over my shoulder.

“Not my problem,” I replied flatly.

A whistle blew again, signaling for everyone to line up. Pair by pair, the racers stepped forward. I watched as Louis picked a tall, lean female warrior with dark curls tied in a high ponytail. The female was surprised but seemed happy to pair up with him.

Then Lennox made his way toward Anita, who was already smiling like she expected it. She practically bounced over to him and clung to his arm. I rolled my eyes. If this was her idea of mourning, she deserved an award for performance.

Finally, Levi made his choice. He didn’t hesitate, didn’t scan the crowd—just walked straight up to a brunette warrior I vaguely remembered seeing during training. She was tall, stoic, and definitely pretty. She nodded sharply when he offered his hand. No smiles, no flirtation.

As we lined up, side by side with our partners, the announcer stepped forward, holding the traditional horn used to mark the start of the race.

“Ready yourselves!” he called out.

I crouched beside Jerek, feeling the cool soil beneath my fingers. The scent of the woods hit me again, thick with pine, dew, and something wild. My heart beat in rhythm with the moment.

“Hey,” Jerek said, nudging my shoulder. “Ready.”

I grinned. “Absolutely.”

The horn blew—and we ran.