Are you Inlove with me?

Chapter 10

Ivy’s POV

“Who’s Aria?” I asked, my voice low but steady.

He didn’t answer. He just stood there, frozen.

His whole body stilled like I’d spoken a curse. His eyes darted behind the mask…wild, unsettled. Like a secret had just clawed its way out of the grave and stared him in the face.

Who was she?

Why did that name shake him like that?

But then…

A pull. Like a soft whisper brushing against my soul.

And suddenly, I wasn’t there anymore.

I was back… in the library.

The moment replayed like a memory not quite mine. The heavy scent of old parchment. Dust swirling in the light. Silence. Then… that paper.

It had drawn me in like gravity. I couldn’t explain it. I just had to open it.

And when I did…

Tears fell. Hot, unexpected, wild.

Why was I crying over a stranger?

She was sketched so delicately, her face graceful yet fierce…like royalty. A noble wolf. A Luna, maybe. But it wasn’t just the drawing.

It was what came next.

Laughter. A woman’s joy echoing faintly. A man’s voice joined hers. Deep. Soft. Full of love.

I didn’t see his face clearly, but I felt it…he was an Alpha. And they were in love. Deeply. Tragically.

Then…darkness. The vision snapped away.

And I was back. Standing there. Reeling.

I turned to him. I needed answers.

“Who is that lady?” I demanded. “

“You don’t need to know who she is!” he snapped. But there was a tremble in his voice. Not anger. Pain. Fear.

“That wasn’t a memory,” I said softly. “It… it felt like a vision. Like her life played out inside me.”

He took a step toward me.

“What else did you see?” His voice was barely above a whisper now, but it cracked like thunder.

I backed away, my heartbeat loud in my ears.

“Nothing,” I lied.

He didn’t believe me. His steps matched mine, closing in, closing space, eyes searching my face like he could pry the truth from my soul.

“Tell me the truth!”

“I’ve told you!” I yelled, heart racing, breathing ragged.

“Lord,” Selene's voice cut through the tension like a knife.

We both turned. She stepped forward and bowed. “The doctor is here.”

Without another word, Damon brushed past me and followed her, his cape sweeping behind him like a shadow.

And I just stood there. Staring.

My mind spun.

Could that woman be the one the maids whispered about? The one he loved for years? The reason he never looked at another woman?

I didn’t waste time. I darted through the hallway, spotting one of the older maids.

“Please,” I rushed to her. “Do you know anything about the woman in that painting…”

“Shhh!” she hissed, eyes wide as she yanked me into a shadowy corner.

Her face tightened with fear. “You can’t talk about that out loud.”

“Why not?” I whispered.

“Because,” she leaned closer, “every maid who did… ended up dead.”

A cold wave slammed into my chest. I pressed my hand over my mouth.

Dead?

“But who is she?” I begged. “Please. I have to know.”

The maid glanced over her shoulder, lips trembling. “She was the Lycan’s mate… his bride. She was murdered by demons during the Dark Rise.”

My heart clenched.

“He never got over her,” she added, backing away. “Be careful.”

And with that, she was gone.

I stood there, frozen.

His mate. His first love.

Killed.

And he’d been carrying that grief in silence… for how long?

I exhaled shakily, my chest tight.

He must’ve loved her so much…

My wolf growled low within me, like she had something to say.

“Vivian, what is it?” I asked silently.

Her voice echoed in my mind, fierce and raw.

“Derek. He’s near. He’s alive. And we must get our revenge!”

My fists clenched.

That name. Derek. The one who ruined everything. The one who destroyed my destiny.

But why now? Why this sudden surge?

My legs felt weak. The injection’s effects still hadn’t worn off. I stumbled slightly, grabbing the wall.

Wasn’t it the Moon Goddess who saved me that night? When should've I died? But if she was the one that really saved me, why did the injection still had effect? Just why? It just didn't make sense. Unless it wasn't her. but who?

I shook the thought away and rushed back to my room, needing to lie down.

I had nothing to do. No tasks. No purpose. Just silence.

I used to be everything. The Savior. The Hope. The Girl the Moon Blessed. I dropped out of college for that damn title.

And when Derek betrayed me… he crushed it all.

Now? No education. No life plan.

Just this strange palace. These secrets. A grieving Lycan king.

And me. Bored. Alone.

Again.

Maybe… maybe I should just go to college.

I muttered the thought to myself, barely above a whisper. It sounded foreign on my tongue…normal, even. The kind of dream I used to have before everything shattered.

But before I could sit with it for too long…

“What’s college?”

His voice came out of nowhere, deep and curious, and I jumped.

I spun around. “Could you not always appear like that? It’s creepy!” I pressed my palm to my chest, my heartbeat racing.

He didn’t even flinch. Instead, he leaned against the wall with that maddening calmness.

“You’re scared? You? A wolf who was trained her whole life to be the Savior?” he teased, the edge of a smirk playing beneath his mask.

“I was injected,” I shot back, narrowing my eyes.

His smile faded slightly. “Yeah... I noticed that when I sa…”

He stopped mid-sentence.

I took a step closer, frowning. “When you what?”

“Nothing,” he said too quickly. He looked away. “You said you were bored. And I’m the reason you’re stuck in this place. If college is what you want… maybe I’ll let you go. Tell me about it.”

“No!” I snapped, heart thudding. “Don’t change the damn topic! Were you the one who saved me that night in the forest? Was it you?”

His gaze locked with mine…but he didn’t answer.

And then…

Pain.

A sharp stab behind my eyes. My knees buckled, and I clutched the side of the table. A voice echoed in my head.

“Hmmm… look at that wolf. Let’s save her. I don’t know why… but I’m drawn to her.”

It was his voice.

My eyes flew open, and I stared at him. “It was you. You saved me.”

He didn’t move. Didn’t deny it.

“What does it matter?” he finally said, voice rough. “Whether I saved you or not… you’re alive now. That’s all that counts.”

“I didn’t know,” I whispered, guilt crawling up my throat. “If I had known it was you… I wouldn’t have said the awful things I did. I wouldn’t have judged you.”

“I don’t care,” he said flatly. “I’m used to people judging me.”

His words hit me harder than I expected. I swallowed hard.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I’ll repay you… I swear. I’ll stay by your side until the chains are gone. No matter what.”

He tilted his head. “If I had known you’d suddenly become so cooperative, I would’ve told you from the start.”

He exhaled slowly, walking toward the window. “That night, I was just wandering when I heard a wolf whimpering. You were crying… begging the Moon Goddess. Something about you pulled me in. So I carried you out, left you somewhere safe. Then I saw you again at the auction. And I bought you. I couldn’t let anyone else have you.”

I was quiet for a moment, processing everything. The way he said it…it wasn’t possessive. It was protective.

Still, my chest ached.

“I’m sorry,” I said again.

He shook his head. “No need to feel bad. Just… tell me about this ‘college’ thing.”

I blinked. “You’re serious?”

He nodded.

“It’s an education,” I said slowly. “I want to go to school, learn like a normal person. I want to be… something more than just a pawn in some prophecy.”

“Really?”

He considered it for a moment, then nodded. “Alright. You’ll go. But with a guard. I’ll assign someone.”

My jaw dropped. “Wait, are you serious?!”

Without thinking, I threw my arms around him. “Thank you!”

He stiffened under the hug like I’d just shocked him. We both froze.

I pulled away awkwardly, cheeks burning.

“We’ll get you enrolled tomorrow,” he said quickly, turning on his heel and striding out of the room.

He saved me.

And now, he’s giving me this chance.

The first thing I have to do is focus on breaking his chains. Then… Derek. When I’m strong enough, I’ll make him pay.

Morning came fast. The wind brushed against my skin as I sat in the sleek black car beside him.

The gates opened into a massive supernatural college…wolves, Lycans, witches… all kinds of students. I stepped out, and my breath caught.

This was a whole new world.

He helped me handle the paperwork, gave final instructions to the school. Then he turned to me.

“I’ll send your guard after lunch,” he said before disappearing into thin air…again.

I huffed. “Why does he even bother with cars if he teleports like it’s nothing?”

I headed toward class, still trying to process everything, when…

BAM!

I collided hard with someone.

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” I said, rubbing my head.

He looked up, and for a moment, I forgot how to breathe. Ocean-blue eyes. A jawline that could cut glass.

My heart skipped.

Damn.

How could someone be this handsome?

“Handsome?”

The deep voice rang behind me. Before I could even blink, Damon was beside me…no, in front of me, teleporting us to a quiet hallway.

“What are you thinking?” he growled. “You’re mated to me. You belong to me. I’m the only one you’re allowed to call handsome, understand?”

His tone sent shivers down my spine.

“If you ever pull that again, I’ll pull you out of this college. Got it?”

I nodded, lips parted in shock. “Y-yeah… got it.”

He straightened. “And don’t forget the rules…never fall in love with me.”

I blinked.

“I know, Damon. My job is to remove your chains, not fall for you.” I hesitated, staring at him. “But then why stop me from meeting anyone else?”

My voice dropped. “Are you by chance in love with me?”