Chapter 15: Sacred Grounds
Chapter 15: Sacred Grounds
(Olivia’s POV)
I felt my stomach lurch violently as Ethan carried me into my bedroom. The moonlight wine I’d consumed rushed back up my throat without warning.
“Ethan–I’m going to-” I couldn’t finish my sentence before the contents of my stomach
erupted.
The vomit splattered across his expensive shirt, dripping down onto his pants. Ethan froze, his amber eyes widening with shock before narrowing with disgust.
He set me down on the edge of the bed immediately, stepping back as if I were contagious. The revulsion on his face was unmistakable.
“I’m sorry,” I mumbled, mortified and still dizzy.
Without a word, Ethan stalked to my bathroom. I heard water running as he attempted to clean himself up.
When he emerged, his shirt was wet where he’d tried to wash away the mess. His jaw was
clenched tight, his earlier tenderness completely evaporated.
“I’ll see myself out,” he said coldly, not meeting my eyes.
The door slammed behind him, leaving me alone in the silence of my apartment. I curled up
on my bed, my body still aching from the assault and now from the aftermath of too much
wine.
I fell into a restless sleep, haunted by memories of hands grabbing me in dark alleys and
amber eyes filled with disgust.
The following month passed in a blur of focused determination. I poured every ounce of
energy into my crystal design for the Pack Healer’s Crystal Competition.
My fingers ached as I sketched late into the night, the special moonwood pencils moving across the pages of my moonstone–infused sketchbook. Every line was drawn with purpose,
every configuration calculated for maximum healing potential.
“This has to work,” I whispered to Lily’s portrait as I worked. “This is for you, baby.”
The $50,000 prize money would secure the sacred burial ground I’d found for Lily’s ashes.
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Chapter
Sacred Grounds
Located in a peaceful clearing at the edge of pack territory, the ground was said to help
departed wolf spirits find peace in the afterlife.
I barely ate or slept, driven by the desperate need to give my daughter a proper resting place. My design incorporated innovative uses of healing crystals that could revolutionize pack
medicine.
James visited occasionally, bringing food and forcing me to take breaks.
“Liv, you need to rest,” he insisted one evening, his hazel eyes concerned as he took in my exhausted appearance.
I shook my head stubbornly. “I can’t. This is my only chance to get the money for Lily’s burial ground.”
James sighed but didn’t argue further. He understood what this meant to me.
The night before the competition, I sat beside the Moonwood Ceremonial Urn containing Lily’s
ashes.
“Tomorrow, sweetheart,” I promised, my fingers tracing the intricate carvings on the urn.
“Tomorrow I’ll win this for you.”
On the day of the award ceremony, I arrived at Lunar Tower with my completed design. The
crystal configurations I’d created were unlike anything seen before in pack healing techniques.
Backstage, I encountered Elder Willow. Her wise eyes crinkled at the corners as she smiled at
- me.
“Olivia, my dear,” she greeted, taking my hands in hers. “Your design has impressed everyone.”
My heart leaped with hope. “Really?”
Elder Willow leaned closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. “The judges were astounded by
your innovation. I shouldn’t say more, but…” She squeezed my hands meaningfully, her eyes
twinkling with barely contained excitement.
The implication was clear – I had won.
Relief flooded through me, so powerful that I had to excuse myself. I hurried to the refreshment room, tears of joy streaming down my face.
“Lily,” I whispered, leaning against the wall. “We did it, baby. You’ll have your resting place.”
I allowed myself to imagine it – the peaceful clearing, the sacred ground, the small memorial marker I would place there. Lily’s spirit would finally have a proper home.
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After campesing myself, I dalbed at my eyes and left the refreshment room, planning to gor something to eat before the ceremony
As I walked through the confider, a familiar scent caught my attention pine and interi Ethan’s distinctive cologne
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