As the days passed, the anxiety inside Oliver was festering. His patience was wearing thin as there was still no news from Reece, the trusted member of hismand, tasked with finding information about Elena. The uncertainty was gnawing at him, leaving a restless unease in its wake.


    His only source of information came from Elena’s friend, whom she had met during a year-long internship. Their friendship had grown, and Elena had shared bits of her family background: her mother, Sika Dawson, and her father, Robert Dawson, as well as her older brother, Jayden.


    Initially, the knowledge that Jayden was Elena’s older brother had brought a measure of relief to Oliver. He had briefly entertained the notion that perhaps Elena had distanced herself because of a romantic involvement with a lover or a boyfriend. The constant uncertainty surrounding her location, emotions, and motives was slowly wearing down hisposure.


    The frustration and irritation building inside Oliver was palpable. The members of the pack house sensed his vtile emotions and walked on eggshells, doing their best not to provoke him, as the hours wore on and uncertainty continued to gue him. Oliver’s patience was running out, and he couldn’t help but feel the growing urgency of the situation.


    Oliver sat on his luxurious leather chair, scrolling through Elena’s Instagram posts when a sharp knock disrupted his concentration.


    “Come in,” he called, setting his phone aside.


    Reece entered the room with a determined look in his eyes. “I tried to contact Manson, Alpha. He finally picked up the call and confirmed the college where she studied. He also conveyed his intentions to stay here with his mate and look after the pack, hoping to win her trust and reveal our existence,” Reece reported. Oliver nodded, appreciating Manson’smitment. He mid-linked Nick and ordered him to get the ne ready.


    “The ne is already ready. We are just waiting for you and Reece,” Nick said to him. Oliver walked out of his office and ran to his room to grab the emergency bag from his room, which he had packed and kept aside in case of an emergency like this.


    They headed to the airport, and Oliver impatiently urged the chauffeur to drive faster.


    After a 20-minute journey, they arrived in Los Angeles. While the others checked into a hotel, Oliver grabbed Elena’s college address and headed to her college.


    Meanwhile, as Elena walked out of her college campus, a sense of unease gnawed at her. No matter how hard she tried to concentrate during her morning lecture, her thoughts kept drifting back to Oliver. It was an exasperating dilemma that she couldn’t seem to control. Her mind, as if on its own ord, conjured images of his mischievous smile and piercing eyes.


    With every passing day, Elena couldn’t shake the strange difort that had nestled in her heart. It was as if a piece of her had gone missing, and she couldn’t fathom why. Yet today was different. The morning lecture had felt like an eternity, and she found herself eagerly anticipating the moment when it would conclude.


    She stepped out of the college building into the crisp autumn air, her heart skipped a beat. Her breath caught in her throat when her eyes met a sight that sent shivers down her spine. Oliver stood near a sleek ck BMW, his trademark smirk ying on his lips.


    Elena couldn’t believe her eyes. Standing there in front of her was Oliver. She was excited and confused, her mind buzzing with questions. Why was he here? Had he followed her? How did he know where she lived? And why did she feel so ted to see him?


    She watched him approach with caution, like a predator stalking its prey. But before he could reach her, her best friend, Daan, appeared.


    “Hey,” Daan greeted her.


    “Hey,” Elena replied.


    “It’s been a while since I saw you,” Daan remarked.


    “Indeed, I think west saw each other at Arc’s party, right?” Elena asked, groaning. She knew Ste must have spilled the beans.


    “Right. So, have you been up to anything?” Daan asked, smirking. Elena cursed Ste for revealing everything.


    “She told you, didn’t she?” Elena sighed.


    “Yup,” Daan said, emphasizing the ‘P’.


    “Every single dirty detail.”


    Elena blushed, feeling embarrassed. She mentally promised to give Ste a piece of her mind the next time they met.


    “I’m going to kill her when I see her next time. Well, I have to go now. See youter,” Elena said as she noticed Oliver getting closer.


    “Okay, we’ll meet sometimeter, but I want to know every detail from you,” Daan said teasing her while wiggling his eyebrows. Elena yfully pped his arm, and they both burst outughing.


    “Okay, I’ll see youter,” Elena said. She kissed Dann on both of his cheeks as a greeting and heard Oliver growl, a genuine growl, which surprised her.


    As Daan left, Elena felt strong arms wrap around her waist, and her back pressed against a rock-solid chest. She let out a small yelp and felt Oliver’s face nuzzle into the crook of her neck. He sniffed her scent, sending tingles through her body.


    “I can’t breathe,” she managed to choke out, and Oliver released her, cing her back on the ground.


    “Mine,” he growled into her hair. He spun her around and pulled her into his chest once more, resting his chin on top of hers and tracing patterns on her back with his fingers. Elena felt his fingers travel down toward her rear, and she quickly pulled away.


    “Why are you running away from me?” Oliver lowly growled, his face now appearing sad. Elena stared at him incredulously.Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    “First, I don’t even know you, and second, are you stalking me?” she asked, her hands on her hips, tapping her foot impatiently as she waited for an answer. She was infuriated and wondered how he had found her when she had never disclosed her location.


    Oliver took a deep breath and met Elena’s eyes with sincerity. “Elena, I didn’t stalk you. I found out about your location because I realized that I can’t stop thinking about you. After that night we spent together, something changed in me. I can’t exin it, but I think I have fallen in love with you. ”


    Elena’s expression shifted to one of surprise. She wasn’t expecting such a confession. After a moment of silence, she finally responded, “I’m sorry; you were just a one-night stand. I needed to lose it to somebody I wouldn’t see again,” she exined. For a brief moment, his ocean-blue eyes darkened to ck, but they quickly returned to their original colour, leaving Elena feeling like she might be going mad.