~~Olivia's POV~~

Fenrir stepped back slowly, like he needed space for whatever was about to happen. I kept watching him, with a small laugh still caught in my throat.

A werewolf? That had to be an absurd joke. Werewolves didn’t exist. Nobody turns into a wolf. .

But then he looked at me.

The moment our eyes met, something strange turned in my chest. His silver eyes, which had been calm a moment ago, started to glow. At first it was faint, like the small spark of a match. Then it grew brighter, until it looked like light was alive inside them.

I gasped and took a small step back.

Then came the sound. A wet, sharp noise. His bones began snapping and his flesh moved in ways it shouldn’t. I froze, watching his shoulders twist at impossible angles. His skin seemed to move, stretching like something underneath was trying to escape.

“What… what’s happening?” I whispered, though no sound really came out.

A low sound left his throat, half groan, half growl, and it filled the whole room. My stomach clenched, and before I could blink, the man in front of me was gone.

In his place stood a huge wolf. Its fur was thick and dark, black like the sky at night, shining under the room’s light. It breathed heavily, its chest rising and falling, and I could see its sharp teeth when it exhaled.

The world seemed to crumble around me. I couldn’t even move.

The wolf filled the room. He was enormous, his muscles moving under the dark fur. His claws made soft clicks against the marble floor. My entire body screamed at me to run, but something else inside me, something quiet, wanted me to stay.

My knees gave way, and I hit the floor. I stared up at him, shaking. His silver eyes looked straight into mine. There was a familiarity to them.

I wanted to scream but nothing came out. My throat felt dry as I stared in shock.

Then he took a step closer. The weight of his paws made the floor tremble. My heart pounded so hard it hurt.

And then, from nowhere, I heard a voice.

“Do not be afraid, Selene. It’s me.”

It came from inside my head.

I knew that voice.

“Fenrir?” I whispered in disbelief.

How could he be speaking to me inside my own mind? And what did he mean by ‘it’s me’?

I looked back into the wolf’s eyes. Silver and beautiful, like the moon, the familiarity of these orbs stirring up again. They were the same eyes…as Fenrir's. The realization hit me like a loaded truck.

It was him. It really was.

The fear in me turned to confusion, then to something I couldn’t name.

This wasn’t a story, or a dream. He was actually a werewolf. A real one.

And I had married him.

A shiver went through me. My mind raced with a thousand questions, but none of them could form into words. I just sat there, frozen, staring at him as my heart beat faster and faster.

Fenrir didn’t move. He just stood there, watching me, his breathing calm and deep. There was something sad in those glowing eyes, like he was sorry that I had seen him this way.

Then the silence broke. My panic flared. I needed to get away. I needed to breathe.

I pushed myself up suddenly and ran.

My legs almost gave out, but I forced them to move. I dashed out of the room, the hem of my dress tangling around my feet. I swear I could hear him running after me, the ground shifting under his weight.

My heart was racing and the sound of each thud filled my ears.

The house suddenly felt endless. The floor seemed to stretch on forever, cold and smooth beneath my bare feet, as my lungs burned with dry air.

The hallway lights cast shadows on the walls that chased me as I ran. The paintings of wolves and moons that I had admired earlier seemed to follow me with their eyes. They didn’t look like decorations anymore. All those warnings, and I had ignored them.

My chest tightened when I tried to call for help, but the sound barely left my lips.

None of this made sense.

I just wanted to get out. I needed air. I needed something that felt… normal.

But my body betrayed me.

The first sharp pain hit my chest like a punch. Then another. My breathing grew shallow. My legs wobbled as I staggered. My lungs felt like they were on fire.

“No…” I whispered, grabbing the wall for support, but my fingers just slid down the smooth surface.

My disorder. It was back. The air here wasn’t clean like at home. My body was reacting, shutting down.

I stumbled forward until my knees hit the floor. My vision blurred, and everything around me started spinning.

I tried to breathe, but every breath hurt. I clawed weakly at the floor, trying to pull myself forward, but my strength was fading.

Then through the blur, I saw movement of someone running toward me.

Fenrir.

He was human again.

His chest was bare, his skin slick with sweat. His hair was damp and wild, and his eyes still glowed faint silver. He actually looked worried.

He dropped to his knees beside me and pulled me into his arms. His warmth was strong, and almost too much. I wanted to push him away, but I couldn’t.

“Olivia,” he said in a low voice. “Stay with me.”

His voice sounded far away, echoing through the ringing in my ears. The world around me was fading, shrinking until all I could hear was my own heartbeat slowing down.

He reached for his blade. I saw the flash of metal before he drew it across his palm. Dark, thick blood spilled out.

He pressed it to my lips.

“Here. Drink.”

I tried to shake my head, but my body wouldn’t listen. My lips parted weakly, and the warm liquid touched my tongue. It tasted like metal and fire, both sharp and strange.

It slid down my throat, spreading heat through my body.

The pain in my chest began to fade and my breathing slowed. My vision dimmed, then turned black.

The last thing I felt was his arms around me.

Then nothing.

When I opened my eyes again, the world was quiet.

A soft light filled the room. I blinked, confused for a moment, until I saw the tall windows and the pale curtains swaying in the morning breeze. I knew this room. I was still in Fenrir’s mansion.

For a few seconds, I didn’t move. My head felt heavy, but my body… it felt different. Lighter. Stronger again. The pain was gone. I knew why– Fenrir's blood.

I sat up slowly.

A faint sound came from across the room. The maid from before stood at a small table, slicing apples into thin pieces. The clean, sweet smell filled the air.

She looked calm, almost peaceful, as each slice landed softly on the plate.

I blinked again, still trying to make sense of everything. “Where is he?” I asked, my voice soft.

The maid looked up. “You shouldn’t be moving so quickly yet,” she said gently. “The blood is still settling in your system.”

I touched my chest as if I could feel it moving under my skin. His blood was inside me, flowing through my veins.

“I have to leave,” I said quickly, shaking my head. I swung one leg off the bed, ignoring how weak I still felt. “You don’t understand. The man you serve, he’s a…”

“A werewolf,” she finished for me.

I froze.

She said it so easily, like it was nothing strange.

My mouth opened, but like before, no words came.

“How… how can you say that like it’s normal?” I whispered. “Like it’s the weather or something?”

The maid didn’t answer right away. She finished slicing the apple, then arranged the pieces neatly on the plate. Her movements were calm and practiced.

When she finally looked at me, there was a faint smile on her lips. “Because it is normal here.”

I stared at her, my heart thumping faster.

“How can you know what he is and still stay here? Aren’t you afraid?”

She laughed softly, shaking her head.

I shifted back slowly, suddenly realizing something. “You’re one too, aren’t you?”