Silver Rain

Chapter 16

There was no doubt in her mind that Calvin and Felix weren't trying their best to find the Coven of Witches.  She had seen the tired expressions on their faces at meals, the lines of exhaustion etched into their features as they poured over maps and research late into the night. It was clear that they were doing everything in their power to find the elusive witches, but so far, their efforts had been in vain.

The feeling of unease that had settled over the pack house in the days following their encounter with the shadow body was hard to shake. Despite Felix and Calvin's best efforts to track down the Coven of Witches, progress had been slow.  And those around her were starting to question things.

Pack members had started to wonder about Olivia's extended stay.  She had met a few random members as they flitted through the pack house either on business or leisure.  Each gave her a look of uncertainty or reproach.

On one of her treks through the pack house, she couldn't help but overhear snippets of conversation from the other pack members, their voices low and guarded as they discussed her presence.

"Isn't she human?"

"I heard she's been spending a lot of time with Alpha Felix."

"Do you think she's hiding something from us?"

"I bet she's a pet,"

The questions swirled around Olivia's mind, each one stinging like a fresh wound. She wanted to confront them, to set the record straight and prove that she meant no harm, but she knew that it wouldn't make a difference. The seeds of doubt had already been planted, and no amount of explanation would be enough to erase them.

Instead, Olivia kept her head down and tried to focus on research, throwing herself into books and journals. She knew that she had to be ready for whatever came their way, whether it was the shadow bodies or the Coven of Witches. She couldn't afford to let her emotions get the best of her, not when the safety of Brookside was at stake.

It was a shock to Olivia that Felix had still let her go to classes.  Only this time, one of the boys stuck next to her like glue.  Every time she was on campus, she was acutely aware of the eyes that followed her every move, the whispers that seemed to echo in the silence of the room. She tried to ignore them, to focus on the task at hand, but it was hard not to feel like she was being scrutinized from every angle.  And it wasn't just because she was human, but because it was the looming shadow of either the beta or alpha standing over her.

Much like today, Olivia was seated at the back of the classroom in her lecture hall.  Physical chemistry wasn't necessarily her favorite class and it definitely didn't help with Calvin taking up the seat next to her.  

She tried to lose herself in her studies, burying herself in her books and notes. But no matter how hard she tried to concentrate, she couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the air, the sense that she was being watched and judged by her classmates. As the lesson progressed, Olivia found herself growing more and more restless, the weight of her previous encounters with the shadow bodies and her findings pressing down on her like a heavy burden. She wanted to scream, to lash out at the injustice of it all, but she knew that it wouldn't change anything. She was alone, surrounded by strangers who saw her as nothing more than her humanity.

Sarah smiled at her.  Even when Olivia came back from her short hiatus, Sarah tackled her and squeezed her until her eyes nearly popped out.  She said had told her that she knew she was okay, but not hearing from her didn't settle any anxiety about Olivia missing for those few days.

The attack in her apartment felt like it was only yesterday, and yet it was nearly a month ago. Despite the passage of time, the memories of that harrowing night, and those after, continued to haunt Olivia, casting a long shadow over her thoughts and actions. She couldn't shake the feeling of vulnerability that had settled over her since the attack, the constant fear that lingered in the back of her mind like a silent specter.