Two years ago, my life changed forever. Not just because of Lily''s death, but because of what came after.


    The car ident should have killed me. My brakes failed on a winding mountain road,


    sending my vehicle plummeting over the edge. By some miracle, I survived the initial impact, though the world believed otherwise.


    I stared out the window of Lucas''s SUV as we approached Moonstone County Correctional Facility. The imposing concrete structure loomed against the darkening sky, a fortress designed to contain the most dangerous wolves in the territory.


    "Are you sure about this?" Lucas asked, his gray eyes studying my face with


    concern.


    I nodded. "I need answers."


    The investigation after my "death" had been thorough. Ethan, believing he''d lost his mate, had thrown the full weight of his authority behind finding the culprit. The police discovered clear evidence of tampering with my brakes.


    "What exactly did the investigation find?" I asked Lucas, needing to hear it again.


    Lucas''s jaw tightened. "A photographer covering a local festival caught Connor ckthorn on


    camera near your car the night before the ident. When confronted with the evidence, he confessed immediately."


    "Too immediately," I murmured.


    I remembered Connor clearly. He had worked as a caretaker for Dr. Reba Winters'' father. I had reported him after finding suspicious needle marks on Lily''s arm during one of her


    hospital stays.


    "His motive seemed straightforward," Lucas continued. "Revenge for losing his job after your


    "But the timing was too convenient," I said, voicing the suspicion that had grown stronger since my return. "Victoria had just threatened me at Lily''s grave. Dayster, my brakes fail?"


    Lucas nodded grimly. "That''s why I investigated a possible connection between Victoria and


    +15 Points)


    Connor."


    "And you found one."


    "Yes. Connor worked as a caregiver for Victoria''s adoptive father before he was hired by Dr. Winters. ording to my sources, he developed feelings for Victoria during that time."


    The SUV stopped at the prison''s security checkpoint. Guards approached, their expressions stern as they checked our identification.


    "I''m convinced Victoria orchestrated the ident," I said quietly. "And Connor ckthorn is the key to proving it."


    (Olivia''s POV)


    The prison visiting room was cold and sterile. Reinforced ss separated visitors from inmates, with intes formunication. Special silver-reinforced restraints were used on werewolf prisoners to prevent shifting.


    I sat rigidly in the metal chair, my heart pounding despite my outward calm. Lucas stood behind me, a reassuring presence at my back.


    The door on the other side of the ss opened. Two guards led in a man in an orange jumpsuit, his hands and feet bound with silver-lined shackles. Connor ckthorn.


    He looked thinner than I remembered, his face gaunt and his eyes haunted. When


    he saw me, he froze mid-step, his eyes widening with shock.


    "You''re alive," he whispered, the.words barely audible through the inte.


    I leaned forward. "Hello, Connor."


    His shock quickly transformed into rage. He lunged forward, only to be yanked back by the


    guards.


    "I was set up!" he shouted, his voice distorted through the speaker. "They told me you were


    dead! If you''re alive, I deserve a retrial!"


    The guards struggled to restrain him as he thrashed against his bonds.


    "Who set you up, Connor?" I asked calmly.


    "You know who!" he snarled. "She promised me-" He cut himself off, his eyes darting


    nervously to the guards.


    "What did Victoria promise you?" I pressed.


    < Chapter 127 Prison Visit


    +15 Points >


    Connor''s face contorted with fury. "I''m not saying another word without mywyer.


    I want a retrial! I want out of here!"


    He rattled against his restraints with such violence that additional guards rushed


    in. As they dragged him away, he continued shouting.


    "I was set up! I''m innocent!"


    I remained seated, watching impassively as Connor disappeared through the door. Only when it closed behind him did I allow myself a small smile.


    "You didn''t get much from him," Lucas observed as we walked back to the SUV.


    "I got exactly what I needed," I replied. "His reaction confirms my suspicions. And now he''ll


    request a retrial."


    Lucas raised an eyebrow. "You want him released?"


    "Once free, he''ll contact Victoria," I exined. "Either to confront her for betraying him or to collect whatever she promised him. Either way, it gives us the evidence we need."


    "It''s risky," Lucas warned. "Connor is dangerous, especially to you."


    I met his concerned gaze with determination. "Some risks are worth taking to expose


    Victoria''s schemes once and for all."


    (Ethan''s POV)


    The call from Chief Walter Garrison came as I was reviewing quarterly reports for Stone Pack. Enterprises. My wolf had been restless all day, sensing something was wrong.


    "Alpha King Stone," Garrison''s voice was tense. "Connor ckthorn has requested a retrial."


    My grip tightened on the phone. "On what grounds?"


    "Olivia Winters is alive," Garrison replied. "He ims he was set up, that he''s innocent of the


    attempted murder charge."


    Rage surged through me. Connor ckthorn had nearly taken Olivia from me once. I wouldn''t


    give him another chance.


    "I don''t care what it takes, Garrison," I growled, my Alpha voice making the police


    chief flinch.


    even through the phone. "That man stays behind bars."


    "Yes, Alpha King," Garrison replied quickly. "I''ll handle it personally."


    I ended the call and mmed my fist on the desk, cracking the polished wood.


    The thought of


    < Chapter 127. Prison Visit


    Connor ckthorn walking free made my wolf howl with protective fury.


    Olivia was alive. My mate had returned from the dead, only to reveal she was engaged to Lucas ckwood. The pain of that revtion had been consuming me since the night of Gwendolyn''s gathering.


    +15 Points


    But regardless of her feelings toward me, I would protect her. Connor ckthorn would remain imprisoned if I had to tear down the justice system with my bare hands.


    (Victoria''s POV)


    I sat in my wheelchair outside Ethan''s office, my ear pressed against the door. His


    angry voice carried clearly through the wood.


    "I don''t care what it takes, Garrison. That man stays behind bars."


    Relief washed over me. Connor ckthorn''s continued imprisonment was


    essential to my ns. He knew too much about my past, about my connection to


    him.


    I had used Connor''s obsession with me to orchestrate Olivia''s ident. It had been perfect- Olivia eliminated, Connor imprisoned, and me positioned as Ethan''s devoted support during his grief.


    For two years, everything had gone ording to n. Until Olivia Winters rose from the dead.


    I wheeled myself away from Ethan''s door, my mind racing. Olivia had always been smarter than I gave her credit for. If she connected me to Connor, everything I''d built could crumble.


    My phone buzzed with a notification. I opened it to find a social media post showing Olivia and Lucas ckwood at a charity g. The powerful Alpha was tenderly caring for her injured leg, his gray eyes fixed on her face with obvious devotion.


    Jealousy burned through me. Not because I wanted Lucas-I had Ethan, after all-


    but because Olivia had found happiness despite everything I''d done destroy


    her.


    The images showed themughing together, touching casually, looking for all the world like a loving couple. The caption read: "Alpha Lucas ckwood and his fiancée, the miraculously returned Olivia Winters, grace the Northern Territory Charity G."


    I scrolled through thements, my anger growing with each one.


    “They make such a beautiful couple!" "She deserves happiness after everything she''s been through." "Alpha ckwood lookspletely smitten!”


    I closed the app with a vicious swipe. Olivia Winters would not win. Not again,


    < Chapter 127 Prison Visit


    Iposed myself, smoothing my hair and pinching my cheeks for color. Then I knocked


    gently on Ethan''s door before entering.


    "I''m going out for some fresh air," I informed him with practiced sweetness.


    Ethan looked up, his amber eyes distant. "Take Maxwell with you."


    I nodded, hiding my triumph. Maxwell was easy to manipte-a few tears about feeling confined, and he''d give me the space I needed.


    It was time to confront Olivia and remind her who truly held power in this territory.


    (Olivia''s POV)


    Lucas and I sat at a corner table in Moonstone Dining Hall, discussing our next steps regarding Connor ckthorn. The elegant restaurant was rtively empty for a weekday afternoon, allowing us privacy for our conversation.


    +15 Paints


    "My legal team is monitoring his retrial request," Lucas said, his voice low. "If necessary, I can expedite the process through my connections."


    I nodded, taking a sip of my tea. "The sooner he''s out, the sooner-"


    I broke off as the restaurant''s atmosphere shifted. Heads turned toward the


    entrance, where Victoria Frost sat in her wheelchair, nked by two burly bodyguards.


    "Speaking of the devil," Lucas muttered.


    Victoria spotted us immediately. With a gesture to her guards, she wheeled herself directly to.


    our table, a sharine smile on her face.


    "Olivia, what a pleasant surprise," she said, her voice dripping with false warmth. "And Alpha ckwood. How cozy."


    Lucas''s eyes narrowed. "Miss Frost. To what do we owe this interruption?" Victoria''s smile didn''t waver. "Actually, I was hoping for a private word with Olivia. Girl talk, you


    understand."


    "Whatever you have to say to Olivia, you can say in front of me," Lucas stated firmly, his


    protective instinct evident in his rigid posture.


    I ced a hand on his arm. "It''s alright, Lucas. I can handle this."


    Victoria''s eyes gleamed with triumph. "There''s a private dining room avable.


    Just a quick


    chat between old... friends."


    I stood, meeting her gaze steadily. "Lead the way."


    Lucas caught my hand. "Olivia-"


    "I''ll be fine," I assured him, my emerald eyes shing with determination. "This is


    long overdue."


    +15 Points


    Victoria instructed her bodyguards to remain outside the private dining room but


    stay close. As the door closed behind us, she wheeled herself to the center of the


    room and removed a small device from her purse.


    "Signal jammer," she exined, activating it. "No recordings. Just us."


    I watched her calmly, my hand slipping into my pocket where I''d ced a small


    cloth earlier. I had anticipated this confrontation.


    "You''ve been busy since your miraculous return," Victoria said, her false smile


    dropping. "Stealing my crystal designmission, parading around with Lucas ckwood-"


    Before she could continue, I moved swiftly forward. In one fluid motion, I pulled the cloth from my pocket and gagged her, simultaneously grabbing a fistful of her perfectly styled hair. Victoria''s eyes widened in terror as I yanked her from the wheelchair. Without the use of her legs, she was helpless, crumpling to the floor with a muffled cry.


    I knelt beside her, keeping my grip on her hair tight enough to hurt.