Claimed by The Rogue Alpha
Claimed By The Rogue Alpha Chapter 88

==Matteo==

It had been 84 days of hell. I had lost everything. Everything. The mansion, my business, my men, my image....Olivia. Everything. And funnily enough, I hadn't spilled a tear, neither had I roared in pain in the beginning. The entire occurrence had simply felt surreal. The stench of silver hanging in the air was a proof though, that none of this was a dream.

Yosef had lost his life. I'd spotted his charred body in the gazebo, while I was scampering away for my life. My trusted butler was gone. He had been the only living vestiges of my childhood, as he was my Dad's secretary. And now, I had lost him. Just like I had lost everything that mattered to me.

Like I'd said, I hadn't cried initially. Upon replaceing shelter around the Brooke hurt-Eggortin mountains, however my composure broke. I had done that which I hadn't done for years. Cry.

The truth was scary. I would never see Yosef again. I'd never repay him for all his loyalty and endurance. Yes, that man had kept up with my excesses. I hadn't treated him like the elderly he was, but rather commanded him around like a servant boy. I was an idiot.

The second reason I'd cried was Olivia. Just when I was beginning to admit to my feelings fit her, the cold claws of death snatched her away. I saw her in my dreams every day. I saw her, smiling at me, driving me insane with her antics. However, time after time, I fought hard to forget about her. To brush her to the farthermost part of my mind. I didn't want to dwell on the things we'd shared. It hurt.

I wasn't capable of loving anyone. The Lyons guy, oh yes, he was right. Even though I hadn't the knowledge of Peggy's pregnancy, I had been a fool. An absolute a*****e for dumping her the way I did. My foolishness caused her death. About a month after my exile, Dr. Joelle dropped a surprise visit, which brought about my third weeping episode. I hadn't the strength to order her out. Order indeed. Was I even worth anything to issue a command? Definitely not.

She'd come into the single room the sixteen of us(the surviving fifteen men and myself) were crammed into and went about dishing out condolences. What had actually made me cry a particular statement of hers.

"The good will always be vindicated, Matteo. Always," she'd said.

I didn't know what made her pass such vote of confidence in me. The fact that she was my godmother at my christening and hadn't disowned me even with all my atrocities? Or the fact that her statement didn't quite make any sense. The good as she had said were people like my parents and they had died. Up to this day, no reward had gone to them. Yes, my tears had been born out if disagreement to her words.

Indeed, I'd lost everything.

==Olivia==

A week later...

I stood in front of the mirror Lyons had gotten for Leah. It was ornate, a beauty. A stood with my face devoid of emotions, watching my stomach with disgust.

Matteo's child was in me. That singularly sinful act had resulted in this. Here I was, twenty-one, without a job, no husband, no parent and pregnant. Ain't that awesome?

Life had stolen everything away from me. It took my parents away when I hadn't even known what it was to live life. It had been a blow. A huge one. An atomic bomb. Then, I decided to move on with my life, 'cause why not? I had a loving stepdad in Pete. Once again, Life wasn't satisfied. It decided to strike again, bringing Matteo into the picture. And now, here I was: hopeless.

Yes, despite the fact that I had been training the last weeks, I still felt that emptiness in me. Lyons had thought me all I needed to know about being a wolf. We'd taken fighting lessons, getting ready to strike and take Matteo down. However, a part of me wasn't quite okay with the plan. Fir the mere fact that I was carrying Matteo's child. I didn't want to deny it the privilege of having a father. I didn't want it to be fatherless, just like I was.

I was in a dilemma, not knowing my left from my right.

***

I was hunched to the ground and was facing a wolf. I played through all Lyons had taught me and made a move forward, leaping on the wolf. It tried to grab my arm, but I knead him on the chin. It grunted. I didn't give him breeding space. I kept at my brutality till a whistle erupted.

"That's enough."

But I didn't listen. I went on to deliver one more punch ti the beast, before letting him go. Morphing back to my human self, I frowned at the interrupter.

"Not appreciated, Lyons. I was about to test my clawing skills."

He offered me a smile that I wanted to clear off his face. But I calmed myself. Not now, Regina, I told my wolf.

I could notice that the smile on Lyons' face lingered which made me question him about it.

"What do you think?" he replied.

I rolled my eyes, sighed and began walking off.

"Wait."

I didn't give him an ear. I wasn't that old Olivia who spent time on frivolities. He kept asking me to wait while I ignored him.

"I've found him."

I stopped, not sure I had heard him right. "I've found him, Olivia. I know where Matteo is."

My heart leapt and I sharply turned to him. "What?"

"He's in the far west, within the perimeter of the Malchian Grove. Crazy, huh?" he said. Matteo was within reach. My heart bobbed and to my chagrin, one of the emotions responsible for that was longing. That little stupid feeling was still tugging at my heartstrings. "The duff jerk. Anyway, it is time. The time you've been waiting for."

Matteo had been MIA, AWOL or whatever term internet geeks used. We'd spent the past four months or so, searching, combing around. We'd sent troupes, Leah had enlisted for the assistance of Fridgeton park rangers and marshals, all in the bid to pin Matteo. But we had made no headway.

At some point I'd given up, telling him that Matteo was probably dead. But Lyons hadn't shared that view with me. As much as he hated ti admit, Matteo wasn't one to give up easily. Which brought us to the next thing: take him down unexpectedly. With the destruction of Brookehurt, Lyons went into hiding. We were crammed in a densely forested areas and were living in Lyons' farm house. Me, Lyons, Leah and Lyons' men. Lyons' family were flown to Berlin.

Now, this was the news I had been expecting.

"How did you replace him?"

"Through persistence," Lyons added with a smile. Then, he sobered up. "One of my men decided we search The Malchian Grove. None of us thought about that because well, it is pretty obvious Matteo wouldn't remain there. But it turns out he isn't as wise as I thought he was." I looked away from Lyons as years started to crowd my eyes. The stupid emotions! The f*****g feelings. I shut my eyes.

How I had loved Matteo to pieces. I'd been ready to do anything, anything to keep him happy. Just the same way I done to my first boyfriend, Jerry. Jerks.

No, I wasn't going to be soft again. This was a new Olivia, one with a fierce wolf, and she was set to avenge for the wrong done to her.

I turned back to Lyons who had been watching me all these while.

"Olivia."

I shook my head, stopping him from saying anything else. I didn't need his words of assurance. I didn't need no sympathy.

Jutting my chin, I said. "I admire your courage. Leah is lucky to have a-" I stopped myself. Shit. I had almost sold out the Leah's secret. She was pregnant, but hasn't get told him yet. That was odd. I wouldn't know why she hadn't done so. But I had to keep to my words. No telly. "Leah is lucky to have someone like you in her life."

He grinning, flashing out his pearl white teeth.

"And we she is lucky to have you as a friend too. Trust me, Olivia. After tonight, all your troubles will be wiped away."

I offered him a thin smile, as doubt washed over me. I wasn't sure my troubles would ever disappear. Reason? I was about to take the life of my child's father.