Chapter 34: Clash of Secrets.

"She just left you here, alone, handling the pack's affairs?" Dimitri straightened up, assuming his usual snobbish posture.

Dimitri was furious; his plans were crumbling around him because of a foolish Omega who was good for nothing. He was tired of running and following the rules set by those who had no real understanding of combat. He spent half his life maintaining that structure, and now he would spend the other half trying to bring it down, no matter what.

"I am the assistant/husband, and I have to be useful for acquisition matters," Matteo replied rudely and sarcastically, looking around nervously while having a conversation with the newest prize of the Moore's family. It was dangerous to be caught talking to a traitor inside a small rocky cave. Everything felt too suspicious and almost impossible to explain.

"So, my cousin already trusts you?" Dimitri asked impatiently. "This circus didn't go as I expected; I need to move on to phase two so my plans fit within the time I have," he stared at Matteo with his eyes shining with anticipation.

"Perhaps," Matteo finally responded.

"Perhaps isn't enough!" Dimitri raged, completely upset. "I know that bitch is hiding something so big, I don't even dare to mention it! I need you to do what we agreed upon. Many shareholders in Alphi&Enterprises bought into that poorly concocted speech she gave. My allies here are also being hunted, not to mention that there's a picture of me circulating throughout the country with the caption 'dead or alive!'" He sighed heavily, stressed.

"You knew the consequences when you decided to be on your own side, Dimitri," Matteo glared at him, irritated. "I don't know anything, I haven't seen or heard anything from Oliva. If she's hiding something, it's well hidden. Give me a little more time."

"You wouldn't lie to me, would you?" Dimitri asked, taking a step forward, imposing himself in that damp and slightly cramped environment.

"I married her; I'm following her every move. Oliva spends every night by my side, and sometimes we even share a bath. If she were hiding something, I'd know," Matteo asserted, exuding confidence in his words. "If she starts making things float in front of me, you'll be the first to know and decide the fate that such dirty people deserve."

"I hope so," Dimitri looked at Matteo's serious face once again, "If you reveal my secret, I'll reveal yours." He made the threat so subtly that it left the message between the lines, then Moore pulled his cape over his shoulders, put up the hood, and disappeared into the forest among the trees.

"And so it shall be, Dimitri," Matteo whispered to the wind, wearing a wicked smile. Even playing both sides, he had an absurd advantage. Matteo was ahead in this war.

-

Oliva tightly held the bar of her jacket, channeling her growing massive nervousness in her chest. She sighed once or twice before summoning another surge of courage, the same courage that motivated her to leave her home and walk through a vast part of her property to reach the neighboring house, the Allen's house.

Oliva raised her hands and knocked on the door of the mansion.

Samanta Allen opened the door and was surprised to see the young woman standing on her porch.

"Oliva, what are you doing here?" Samanta asked, looking around for something, "Isn't Matteo with you?"

"Hello, Mrs. Allen, Matteo stayed in Ottawa to resolve some hindrances, but he'll be here soon," Oliva replied, glancing inside the house to see if anyone else was there. "I'm looking for Lian; is he here?"

Samanta found the question strange and straightened up.

"You married one of my sons and sent the other one back a bit broken... what do you want with Lian?" Samanta asked, changing her posture.

Samanta Allen was a woman both impassive and loving at the same time; she truly was a wolf caring for her pups regardless of their size. Oliva usually got along very well with the entire Allen family, but after the suggested proposal between the twins, the Allens knew that one of them would lose, so Samanta and Lauro Allen were against their sons participating in such a competition against each other.

Since then, Samanta has rejected Oliva and ignored her relationship with the family.

Oliva didn't know how to go back to the way things were, especially since Matteo's parents didn't attend their wedding hastily. Lauro Allen was also a grumpy wolf, unlike his sons, who were much more sociable and playful. When something didn't please him, he simply distanced himself from it, and this time even Matteo couldn't escape Lauro's tantrums.

And Lauro blamed Oliva for tearing the family apart.

"I wanted to see if he's okay," Oliva replied gently, not wanting to create more conflict with her mother-in-law. "As you know, I traveled with Matteo, and I didn't have a chance to see Lian properly after what happened..."

"After his own brother broke him completely to be with you, yes, I already know that," Samanta retorted with bitterness on her lips. "I don't like to think about it; my sons were always so close, with a friendship beyond their blood connection. Sometimes, they were like one. And you separated them!"

Oliva heard that with a heavy heart, blaming herself for not telling her father earlier that she was dating Lian Allen. The confusion in this family, between her complicated feelings and the two men involved in a power struggle, was all her fault.

Oliva met Samanta's wounded eyes and felt the resentment emanating from her, sighing softly, feeling tired of being entangled in these ever-growing, uncontrollable intrigues.

"Well... I don't know how I can make it up to you for the trouble, Mrs. Allen. Matteo really didn't want to be so brutal with his brother," she finally said, searching for an excuse to stay there.

"If he felt remorse for it, he would have apologized a long time ago," Samanta retorted. "Listen, my issue is with my son Matteo; I have nothing to do with you. My only commitment is to my duty to the pack because I respected your father a lot."

"So, you must know that the whole idea came directly from him," Oliva replied a bit sharply, countering the other woman's harsh words.

"It wasn't our eternal Alpha's fault that you chose to be weak and insecure within yourself!" Samanta stared at her, and Oliva froze, confused for a few seconds, trying to process the accusation.

'Did she know about her interrupted romance with Lian?' - The girl wondered, then bit her lower lip to hold her tongue inside her mouth, so as not to offend her mother-in-law.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Oliva tried to disguise and took a defensive stance. She wouldn't let anyone insult her like that. "I have matters to discuss with Lian; please call him."

"Listen, just because I recognize you as my leader doesn't mean I have to treat you with a thousand affections," Samanta asserted, shrugging and relaxing her body. "Lian isn't here."

"And where is he now?" Oliva asked more directly.

"Honestly, I don't know," Samanta replied, and the silence between the two deepened. Oliva still stared at her and, out of respect for the older woman, continued, "I talked to him yesterday, and he's probably at his own house or somewhere else... Do you have the address?"

"No." As it had been years since Oliva visited that city, she had no idea that Lian had left the family mansion and had another property there.

Samanta entered the mansion, taking a few steps in the entrance hallway towards a table, grabbing a notepad and a pen, and writing down her son's address. Oliva only saw her again when Mrs. Allen stopped in front of her, extending a piece of paper. The young woman raised her hand and took the paper, but before Mrs. Allen let go, she said, "Lian mentioned that he was thinking of trying for a position in the Lands pack; let him pursue this path."

Samanta released the paper and gave a slight farewell bow to Oliva, then entered her house, leaving Oliva standing there with the door closed.

Oliva felt her head heavy with the impact of those words. Lian couldn't do this to her, he couldn't do this to them.