Hunted by the Wolf, Claimed by Three Bears

chapter 17

Hudson POV

There was something in Aiden’s eyes I didn’t like one bit. I’d had a tight knot of anxiety in my chest ever since I left the date, encouraging Aiden to take Olivia to the police station.

“Thanks for meeting me,” Aiden said seriously, already frowning. “I think we need to discuss Olivia and everything that’s happening with her.”

“After that date? Yeah, there’s a lot we need to talk about.”

I threw my hands in the air in frustration. “I just can’t figure out why you were there. Did you seriously not realize she was talking to you as if you were me?”

He stared at me in shock before he replied. “I wasn’t really talking about that. I meant the fact that she thinks it’s her ex-fiancé who killed the woman who was found in the lake.”

Guilt flooded me. I was a little too worked up about the whole date thing, causing me to put the real issue on the back burner. Of course we needed to focus on the murders first. Especially since Olivia was likely in a lot of danger.

“Right, right, of course.”

I nodded as if I hadn’t forgotten all about Olivia’s sad confession. “So, what happened when you got to the police station? What did the chief say?”

Aiden sighed heavily. “He’s going to look into it. I’ve also got him convinced that it might be linked to the burglaries.”

“And how is Olivia coping with all of this? Is she doing okay?”

Aiden shrugged. “I don’t know. I think she’s struggling with it all. She doesn’t feel safe.”

“We should do more to protect her,” I muttered. I really did feel like s**t for the way I hadn’t cared enough about anything other than the competition with my brother. I really was an asshole. I was starting to wonder if I even deserved her. Not that it was enough to make me back down.

“I was going to suggest the same thing, say that we should ask her if she wants us to be around more so she isn’t alone. I mean, she’s new here in town, she doesn’t know anyone but us. Well, I mean, she probably does, but I still think we should—”

“Before we get to all of that, I think there is something I should say,” Aiden interrupted me, and my chest felt tight once more. I had a feeling I knew exactly what Aiden was going to say, but that didn’t make it any less of a bitter pill to swallow. “After I took Olivia home once she’d talked to the police, she was all emotional and worked up. I went inside with her and things… got heated.”

Fuck. I wanted to scream. This was all too f*****g much. I was the one who originally met Olivia and had an instant connection with her. If she hadn’t accidentally run into Aiden in Deon’s Diner and mistook him for me, Aiden wouldn’t have even been at the trattoria. Olivia and I would have had a nice date and I would have been the one who went home with her.

I gritted my teeth, trying to keep my cool as rage rolled through my body. It wasn’t f*****g fair. I really liked Olivia. She was the first person I had really felt that spark with in a very long time. Maybe I should have taken this moment to bow out and let Aiden take his shot with her, but I honestly did not want to give up on Olivia. I just knew she was worth fighting for. Even if I had to have this battle with my brother.

“Before you lose your mind, Hudson, just know that Olivia really does like you. I know things got a little crazy with me and her, but I know she has feelings for you too.”

All the anger I held toward Aiden shone in my eyes. He had to feel it, had to sense it was there, but he didn’t back down. He glared right back at me, accepting the challenge.

“Well, whatever,” I said with a blasé shrug, as if I hadn’t just stared my brother down with contempt. “We need to concentrate on keeping Olivia safe. Also on making sure the cops catch this killer. What do you know about it? Did you find out if the burglaries are linked?”

“The fingerprints are being tested as we speak. The system just takes time.”

That always frustrated me, but now it made my teeth grind together with a burning hot rage unlike anything I’d ever felt before. How could the police take such a long time to deal with s**t when there were actual lives in danger here? Olivia’s life at that. There had to be other she-wolves out there frightened as well, waiting for the predator to chase them down.

“Okay, well, I will go to Olivia first.”

I needed to see her. To really see her. I couldn’t let Aiden anywhere near her until I knew what was going on with us. “I’m sure you have work to do. I can head over to Olivia’s now and let her know we are going to be there for her so she knows she’s safe. I don’t want her to worry anymore.”

Aiden nodded, accepting this, but I wasn’t sure he was happy about it. This awkward tension between us wasn’t going to shift until we knew what was going on. I wasn’t about to pressure Olivia, but I really hoped she didn’t take a long time to pick me.

We separated, him going his way, and me going mine. Hopefully this awkwardness wouldn’t last forever, and with a bit of luck, it would even bring us closer. It would be nice to have an actual twin bond with him. It had been a long time since we’d gotten along so well.