We made our way down the hallway, the air tense, our footsteps echoing off the walls like a countdown ticking in my ears. No one said a word. I didnโt know what scared me moreโfinding out who it wasโฆ or not finding anything at all.
As we neared the control room, I could see the tightness in Lennoxโs shoulders, the way his hands curled into fists at his sides. He was pissed. Possessively pissed.
Louis punched in the code to unlock the door, and the heavy steel slid open. Inside, the room was dim, lit only by the glow of monitors lining the walls. Dozens of feeds showed every angle of the house, the grounds, and the front gate.
Lennox didnโt hesitate. He moved like a man on a mission, fingers flying across the controls as he pulled up the timestamped footage from earlier this morning. We all leaned in, holding our breath.
And thenโ
โThere,โ Levi pointed sharply. The screen showed a tall figure approaching the entrance, dressed in black, hoodie pulled low, and face hidden beneath the shadows of a cap. They moved swiftly, confidentlyโtoo confidently. They bent down, placed the box gently in front of the door, then turned and walked off.
My heart was pounding in my chest as Lennox froze the frame. He zoomed in, trying to catch even a glimpse of a defining feature, but the figure had been carefulโtoo careful.
โDamn it,โ Lennox muttered.
Louis leaned closer. โThey know where the cameras areโฆ look at the angle. Theyโre deliberately avoiding a clear shot?โ
Lennoxโs jaw tightened as he rewound the clip, replaying the figureโs smooth exit.
โThatโs not some random admirer,โ Levi muttered. โThatโs someone who knows how to move around the mansion.โ
Lennox stepped back from the monitors, his breathing heavy. โLevi, find out who was on patrol at that hour. If someone let them in, Iโll have their head.โ
He turned abruptly and looked right at me for the first time since we entered the room. His gaze pinned me in place.
โWhoever this is, tell him Iโm coming for his head.โ
I swallowed hard, unsure whether I should be scared orโฆ strangely flattered. Because something about the way Lennox said itโpossessive, dark, furiousโsounded less like he was jealousโฆ
Confused, I left them at the control room and went back to the table, where Anita was still seated.
โHas your lover been revealed?โ she asked, sounding curious. Obviously, I was by now certain she had no hand in it.
I ignored her question and picked up the box of jewelry again, staring down at it. Whoever sent this had moneyโserious money. The set of gold jewelry gleamed, exquisite and expensive.
I sat back at the table, the box of gold jewelry resting lightly in my lap. The sound of hurried footsteps got my attention.
I looked up just in time to see all three brothers re-enter the dining roomโLennox in the lead, storming toward me like a thundercloud about to break. His eyes were locked on the box in my lap, dark and burning with emotion I couldnโt name.
โGive it to me,โ he said sharply, stopping just in front of me.
I blinked. โWhat?โ
โThe box, Olivia. Hand it over.โ
I stared up at him. โNo.โ
His jaw tensed, his nostrils flaring. โI said give it to me. I want it gone.โ
I stood, holding the box tightly against my chest. โYou already burned the teddy bear. I let you do that, even though it was a harmless gift. But this?โ I shook my head. โNo. Iโm not letting you destroy this too. This is expensive.โ
He took a step closer, his presence towering, his anger suffocating. โYou think this means something? You think I canโt get hundreds of them for you with just a snap of my fingers?โ
โBut you never did,โ I shot back, my voice rising. โWhat you couldnโt give, someone else did.โ
Lennoxโs eyes flashed. โReally? So gifts were your problem? You wanted them? Is that what you told him?โ
I glared at him, breath trembling. โGifts were never my problem, and I donโt need your damn gifts, Lennox.โ
That hit him. Hard. He flinched like Iโd slapped him. His eyes widened, darkening furiously. โHand it over. Thatโs an order, Olivia.โ
โIโm not one of your pack members to command,โ I bit back. โIโm your Luna. You donโt get to bark orders at me just because youโre pissed.โ
โAlright, enough!โ Levi suddenly stepped in, his voice authoritative but calm. โLennox, back off.โ
Louis nodded in agreement, coming up behind him. โWe need to focus on who left that box, not fight Olivia over it.โ
Lennox didnโt move for a long second. His jaw clenched, and he stared at the box like it personally offended him. Like it had stolen something from him. He stared at me, his breathing ragged, like he was fighting the urge to say something heโdโฆ
I clutched the box to my chest, trembling, furious, confusedโฆ and somewhere deep down, aching. Because the way he looked at meโit wasnโt just anger. It was jealousy. Possession. It only comes from a man whoโs in love.
Before anyone could speak again, Anita suddenly gasped and reached for the edge of the table.
โI donโt feel so good,โ she whispered, swaying in her seat.
Louis rushed to her side, concern flashing across his face. โAnita?โ
She blinked slowly, her body listing like she couldnโt hold herself upright. โDizzyโฆ everythingโs spinningโฆโ
Before I could even process what was happening, Lennox moved. Gone was the fury, the rageโhis whole body shifted into protector mode. He was at her side in an instant, scooping her into his arms as if she weighed nothing.
โAnita,โ he said, voice tight with worry, โIโll take you back to your room.โ
I stood frozen as I watched him cradle her against his chest, murmuring something low I couldnโt hear. Her head lolled slightly, and she pressed her face into his neck with a soft, breathy sound.
Lennox didnโt hesitate. He turned sharply, striding out of the dining room, carrying her like she was something fragileโsomething precious. Louis and Levi followed behind quickly, murmuring to each other in hushed tones.
And Iโฆ I just stood there. The box of jewelry was still clutched tightly in my hands, pressed against my chest. I couldnโt move. Couldnโt breathe. Couldnโt feel anything beyond the sharp, cold pressure of watching him carry someone else like that. Watching my mates giving someone else such attention.
My legs threatened to give out under me. I sank slowly back into my seat, the weight in my chest growing heavier by the second. It was like I was invisible again. Forgotten. Like Iโd never been the girl who once had all three of them fighting to hold her hand. Like I hadnโt meant anything. And maybe I didnโt. Not anymore.
I glanced down at the box of gold jewelry in my lap, fingers tightening around it. At least someone out there still sees me.