She shook her head, blinking rapidly. “No one wanted me here. I was groomed to hate you, Olivia. Everyone expected it…”
I stared at her, my chest tightening.
My gaze was locked on Sofia.
I nodded politely, offering a small smile as I walked past. I didn’t want respect… I didn’t want attention. I just needed air.
Eventually, I reached a quaint street with a few small shops-a bookstore, a flower stall, and a little caf? with a wooden sign swinging gently in the breeze. The smell of roasted beans and baked bread spilled out into the street, warm and comforting.
She smiled weakly.
With no particular direction, I followed the winding path into the heart of the territory.
Her eyes met mine again.
Either way, I was here now.
It was quiet. Peaceful.
I hesitated only for a second before sliding into the chair.
Then she looked back at me, her expression sad.
I blinked, still stunned by how open she was. “You… knew me?”
Sofia smiled faintly. “So yeah… seeing you here, sitting with me like this-it means more than you’ll ever know.”
“My mother performed the act that day,” Sofia continued, her voice low. “And me? I carry the consequences. I’ve spent my whole life being the product of a scandal no one wants to remember.”
Houses lined the path, some simple and modest, others larger and regal. Children ran across the yards, their laughter echoing faintly. I passed warriors in training gear, older omegas tending to gardens, and a pair of elders sitting beneath a tree, sipping tea and chatting like time didn’t exist.
My heart ached at her words.
Her gaze dropped to her cup again. She traced the rim with her finger. “When they my mother. thought you were dead… everything got worse. The entire pack blamed Rumors spread fast. Everyone whispered it must’ve been her. That she must’ve been jealous her sister gave birth to the special one.”
I hadn’t really explored this pack. I’d been here for days, but always locked away in my room. I didn’t even know what the streets looked like or where they led.
But still, they bowed.
She hadn’t seen me yet.
Sofia slowly took a sip of her coffee before setting it down gently, her eyes drifting to the window for a moment, as if collecting her thoughts.
“Olivia…” she whispered.
I was about to pass it when something caught my eye.
I reached across the table and gently took her hand.
They saw me. All of them.
And as soon as they recognized who I was… they froze.
I swallowed hard, not knowing what to say.
I froze for a moment, caught off guard. Then slowly, I relaxed into her arms.
My legs froze. I couldn’t move. I didn’t even know how I felt. This was the first time I was actually seeing her, and I had no idea what to do. Should I pretend I didn’t see her? Walk away? But I’couldn’t. I’d always wanted to meet her. And now that I finally had the chance… I wasn’t going to waste it.
So, following my instinct, I walked toward the small coffee shop.
Don’t mind them,” she said with a casual wave of her hand. “They’re probably shocked to see us sitting together when we were supposed to hate each other.”
Glancing around, I noticed a few people still staring, whispering. Sofia noticed too.
She laughed, and it seemed genuine. “Come on, sit with me,” she said, motioning to the seat across from her. “I’d love to talk… and I have about a thousand questions.”
I don’t care what happened,” I told her quietly. “You are my sister. And nothing will change that.” (5
Same cheekbones. Same nose. Same mouth.
My heart dropped.
We looked so much alike it was unreal.
But to my surprise, she didn’t take it.
She paused, then added with a hollow chuckle, “And my father-our father-he never truly saw me. Not as a daughter. Not even as a person. To him, I was just… a mistake.”
She reached for her cup again, and maybe it was the clink of the spoon or the shift in the air, but she finally looked up-and our eyes met.
Olivia’s POV
I hugged my arms around myself, drawing in a shaky breath.
It was Sofia, sitting casually at a corner table, as she sipped her drink, completely looking lost in thought.
A real one.
She recognized me instantly.
I stopped.
She looked up at me again, her voice trembling. “And me? Every time I walked by, someone would say, ‘It should’ve been you. ‘We lost the wrong one. ‘If only Sofia had died instead.””
I stared back at her.
Surprise lit up their eyes. Some stood straighter. Others lowered their heads in respect.
“I didn’t have it easy growing up here, Olivia,” she said quietly.
I found myself standing outside the Nightshade Pack house, the cold breeze brushing against my face like a quiet slap.
She studied me like she was taking in a long-lost reflection.
“Because how could I hate someone I never even got the chance to know? Someone who, by all rights, should’ve been my sister? Who is my sister.”
Her lips curved into a bitter smile, but her eyes held no humor. “My mother… she was your mother’s twin sister. And she betrayed her. Slept with her mate-our father. That’s how I happened. A child born out of betrayal. Out of shame. So you can imagine what that did.”
So I started to walk.
I smiled faintly. “Yeah… it’s a little creepy, honestly.”
I gasped softly. “Sofia…”
I gave her a tentative smile and moved closer, while she stood up slowly, looking stunned-like she was staring at a ghost.
Only three things set us apart: her deep brown eyes, her long, silky black hair-the same color as my natural one (mine was blonde now), and then our age difference… she seemed to be older than me with a few years in between.
My vision blurred slightly as emotion crept up on me.
She took a breath. “You know… it wasn’t just about being the Alpha’s daughte It was everything else. The way I came into this world.”
It seemed she knew me too.
Her voice cracked a little. “He was the first man I ever gave myself to. Completely. My first everything.”
I was quiet for a moment, letting her words sink in.
She gave a small nod. “Yes. When you were taken by Calvin, I was released to him. Actually, the reason I showed up was because I wanted to meet with Rebecca and find out why she married Damien. But instead, I got the shocking news of my life-that she was dead.”
I nodded slowly, then glanced down at the table.
Her smile widened. “But the very next day, I walked into my friend’s house-and there he was, sitting in the living room waiting for me.”
She placed a hand over her heart. “I had to learn to live without him.”
I blinked, confused. “But you said you saw him two days ago?”
“Yes, he’s two years and six months old,” she said with a bright smile.
“I’m not sure what Damien knows,” she said softly.
I leaned closer, curious. “What did he do?”
“You still love him,” I said gently.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.