Ivy's POVThe room was quiet, but the silence wasnât comforting. It felt thick, like a woolen blanket suffocating the air, making it hard to breathe. I stood just a few feet in, arms still tucked around my body as if I could physically hold myself together. My wrists ached from where Iâd hit the table earlier, but I ignored it. The pain in my chest far outweighed anything my body could feel.Ronan leaned against the edge of the desk, arms crossed, his eyes unreadable as they rested on me. Elias sat in one of the leather chairs beside the bookshelf, his fingertips pressed together in thought, elbows resting on the arms of the chair like he was a king weighing judgment. And Kiernanâhe stood near the window, the dim afternoon light casting half his face in shadow. He hadnât looked at me yet, not fully. He stared out like the world beyond the glass was somehow more tolerable than being in this room with me.The door had closed behind me, sealing me in. It wasnât locked, not physically, bu
Ivy's POVThe air in the room was thick, like breathing through a veil of smoke. Everything felt louder, and nerve wreckingâthe hum of the lights, the rustle of shifting bodies, the pounding of blood in my ears, the dizziness slowly creeping up. But somehow, when Kiernan stepped forward, all of that noise ceased, and I maintained my composure. His glare was lethal, locked onto Selena like a predator circling its prey, he stared at her like he was searching for the truth, deep within her soul. Like he could literally see through her.I barely felt the pain in my wrist anymore. Not because it wasnât thereâit pulsed with every throb of my heartbeatâbut because every ounce of me was focused on what was happening in front of me. I wasnât sure if I was terrified or hopeful. Maybe both. Maybe neither. I just knew this was it. Whatever happened next could decide everything.Kiernanâs voice sliced through the silence like a whip. âDid you scratch yourself, Selena?âHis tone was low and cold, a
Ivy's POVThe Alphaâs presence swept through the room like a storm, silencing every voice in its wake. One second, there had been chaosâpack members whispering, others glaring at me with scorn and confusionâand the next, nothing but the echo of the Alphaâs boots on the polished floor as he stepped into the hall, he was revered, and nobody dared speak while he was speaking. Heck, it felt as though nobody was even breathing, the other people that could square up with alpha Magnus were the triplets.I felt it instantly, that commanding energy that rolled off him in waves. It pressed down on me like a weight, wrapping around my lungs and choking the breath from my throat with my head feeling heavy. Even Selena, who just moments ago had worn a smug, victorious smirk, flinched under the weight of his gaze. That was how much influence he had on everyone present in the room.His eyes swept over the room, taking in every detail. His daughter with her artfully smudged makeup and a faint scratch
Ivy's POVThe room stood frozen, the silence so thick it felt like a physical weight pressing against my chest. I fought hard to maintain my balance and composure. Selenaâs face had gone pale, her earlier arrogance slowly bleeding out as her eyes flickered from the Alpha to me and back again. For a moment, she didnât say a wordâshe didnât need to. The crack in her mask was enough. She thought that just by being the Alpha's daughter, her words mattered more than others. But she had no idea that the Alpha was unjust, and wouldn't favor her just because she was his daughter.Meanwhile, my wrist throbbed in dull, sharp waves. I tried to adjust my grip on it, tried not to look weak, but it was hard to pretend I wasnât still trembling inside. I could feel my guts failing me. My gaze stayed locked on the Alpha, willing him to see the truth, begging the goddess silently thatâfor onceâsomeone would believe me, I couldn't stand Selena's bitchiness, just because she was the Alpha's daughter.The
IVYâs POVThe Alpha's office was colder than Ivy remembered. Not in temperature, but in presence. The walls, though tastefully adorned with portraits of past Alphas and heavy, velvet curtains, felt as though they were closing in on her. The scent of aged wood and leather from the furniture was heavy in the air, mixing with the sharp metallic tang of her own blood still trickling from her wrist. Her heart thundered in her chest, so loud she wondered if the Alpha could hear it.He gestured toward the chair across from his desk. "Sit."But Ivy didnât move. Her legs were stiff, locked in place from fear, pain, and uncertainty. She clutched her wrist closer to her chest, trying to still the trembling. She didnât trust her knees not to give out beneath her.The Alpha noticed but said nothing about it. He leaned forward, elbows resting on the edge of the desk, fingers steepled before his chin. His eyes, a deep stormy gray, pinned her in place.âYouâve been accused of attacking Selena,â he sa
Ivy's POVThe silence in the guest quarters was suffocating.Ivy sat motionless on the edge of the bed, her injured wrist cradled against her chest. The dull throb had become a rhythm, steady and maddening, pulsing up her arm and into her skull. The room was modestâsimple bed, wooden dresser, a small table with a flickering oil lampâbut no matter how soft the bedding or how warm the fire, it felt like a prison. A prettier cage was still a cage.She glanced at the door for the third time in under a minute.Where was the healer?Each second that passed weighed heavier than the last. Her thoughts spiraledâwhat if Selena had already concocted another lie? What if the Alpha changed his mind? What if the maid recanted her statement out of fear? Ivy wasnât safe. Not really. Not yet.A soft knock finally came, and she straightened, her heart leaping with hope. The door creaked open, and she forced herself to sit still, bracing for the healer.But it wasnât the healer.Kiernan stepped inside w
Ivy's POVThe hallways outside Kiernan's quarters were far too quiet for this time of night. Every creak in the walls, every gust of wind that rattled the windows made me feel like the world was holding its breath, waiting to see what would happen next.I sat in the same place, unmoving, my injured wrist now wrapped tightly in cloth thanks to a passing maid Kiernan had ordered to assist me. The healer still hadnât come. I was starting to wonder if they ever would.Kiernan hadnât said much after sitting down across from me. His eyes remained steady, dark, thoughtful. Occasionally they flicked to the door, but mostly they were on me, like he was trying to read my thoughts before I even spoke them.I hated the silence. It let my fears grow teeth."How long until the Alpha comes?" I asked quietly, staring down at my lap.Kiernan didn't move. "Soon."I swallowed hard. That one word hit like a rock to the chest. Soon meant I had very little time left before everything could fall apart. Agai
Selena POV.The pain in my stomach was sharp and sudden, like someone had stuck a knife into me and twisted it slowly. I didnât even get the chance to call for help. One moment, I was standing by the mirror in my chambers, brushing out my hair, and the next, I was on the floor, gasping for breath.Everything around me spun. My vision blurred, and my limbs turned heavy, like they werenât mine anymore. My skin felt cold, too cold. I heard my own heartbeat in my ears, loud and frantic. Then nothing.When I opened my eyes again, I was in my bed, covered in blankets, with the healer hovering over me. His face was pale, and his hands trembled as he touched my wrist. I didnât speak. I couldnât. My throat felt dry, raw, like I had swallowed sand.The Alphaâs voice came next, low and tense. "What happened to her?"The healer shook his head. "Poison. Something slipped into her food or drink. Itâs not fatal, but itâs enough to knock someone out and mimic organ failure. Iâve only seen this once be
IVYâs pov,I kept my eyes on the fire, letting its low crackle fill the silence in my head. It was late. Everyone else had already gone inside, but I couldnât sleep. Not with the way my thoughts kept spinning, nor with the way my heart kept pulling in three different directions.Iâd told Ronan I loved him. And I meant it. But love didnât stop the ache in my chest when I thought of Elias. Or the steady calm Kiernan gave me, like a lighthouse in the storm.I didnât know how to love them all. I didnât know how to stop either.The sound of footsteps made me turn. I expected Kiernan. Maybe even Elias. But it was Ronan again, a blanket over one shoulder, two mugs in his hands.âYou left without tea,â he said, sitting beside me.âI didnât want to wake you.ââYou didnât.â He handed me a mug. The scent of chamomile drifted up, soft and familiar.We sat in silence for a while. The kind that stretched, but didnât hurt, not with Ronan. With him, quiet was easy.âI donât regret last night,â I said
Ronanâs Pov,The wind had a bite to it that morning, a sharp edge curling around the keep's corners and slipping under collars. I stood in the training yard, arms folded, watching the younger wolves run drills. They were too fast, forgetting the importance of patience, of reading your opponent before striking. I shouldâve corrected them. But I didnât.Ivy hadnât come down yet. I told myself I wasnât waiting for her, but that was a lie, and I no longer believed it.The dream from nights ago still haunted me. Not the image of her in the stormâthat had fadedâbut the way she called my name. Not with love. With fear. With anger. It had etched itself into me, deeper than any scar.When I finally saw her, it was like the air shifted. She wore that heavy coat again, with the fur lining that brushed her jaw when she walked. Her hair was braided to one side, simple and loose. But her eyesâgods, her eyesâheld something that made my heart stutter. Determination. And something else. Sadness maybe.
Ronanâs POV,I left Ivy in the garden with her hair tangled by the wind and her eyes turned toward the stars. She didnât say much after resting her head on my shoulder. She didnât need to. There was a quiet peace to her that I hadnât seen in days. Maybe weeks. And Iâd take whatever pieces of calm she could find in this place.I couldnât sleep again. Not that I expected to.I tried. I lay there, staring at the cracks in the ceiling, listening to the sound of my breath. But every time I closed my eyes; I saw her face. Not the peaceful one from the gardenâbut the one from the dream. Wild. Afraid. Calling for me in the storm.So I got up, dressed in silence, and walked until my feet led me somewhere new.The eastern edge of the territory was quiet this time of night. Cold, even though spring had started to thaw the ground. The moon hung low, half-shrouded in clouds. The air smelled of frost and pine. And I walked.It wasnât the kind of walk that had a destination. It was the kind that hel
Ronan's pov.The sky was painted in dusky gold when I stepped out onto the back terrace. The garden below glistened with dew that hadn't burned off from the morning. It had rained just before dawn, leaving everything soft and damp. The air smelled like pine and wet stone. And something sweeterâlike a promise just waiting to be broken.Ivy was already there. Barefoot, in an oversized shirt that didnât belong to her. I knew because it was mine. Iâd left it in her room last night, folded neatly at the foot of her bed before I slipped out just before the servants stirred.She didnât say anything when she saw me. Just looked. Like she was memorizing something small and quiet. Like she needed to carry it with her a little while longer.âYouâre up early,â I said, softening my voice.âI didnât sleep.â Her words were low, brushed with something heavy. Not sadness. Just tired.I moved to her side, close but not touching. Not yet.âYou okay?âShe hesitated. âI keep asking myself that too.âI nod
Ronanâs Pov,I stood by the window longer than I meant to. The sun was already past the ridge, bleeding color across the trees like spilled wine. Ivyâs scent still lingered on my shirt, soft and warm like wild violets crushed in the heat. I hadnât changed. I hadnât moved. My hand was still tingling from where she held it last night, curled beside me like something fragile and breakable.I knew I shouldnât let it get to me.But it already had.I didnât hear the knock until it came again, louder this time. I turned away from the window and opened the door to find Kiernan leaning in the frame like he owned it. He didnât smile. Just looked at me, slow and quiet.âWe need to talk,â he said.I stepped back and let him in.Kiernan paced once, twice, then turned on me. âWhat are we doing?âThe question was short, blunt, sharp enough to cut bone.I didnât answer right away. He crossed his arms, waiting.âI donât know,â I said truthfully.âShe was with you last night.âIt wasnât a question. It
Narrator's POV.The morning mist clung low to the ground, curling between the tree trunks like a secret. Ivy stood barefoot in the clearing behind the main house, the grass cold and wet under her toes. She wasnât sure why she came out here. Maybe to breathe. Maybe to remember what it felt like to be something other than caught.She wrapped her arms around herself and stared up at the grey sky. Everything felt too quiet. As if the whole world was waiting.Behind her, she heard a step. Slow. Careful.âI thought Iâd find you here.âKiernan.She didnât turn around. She didnât flinch either. He always moved like a shadowâquiet but strong, like the storm inside him had learned to walk soft.âI couldnât sleep,â she said.âMe either.âHe stopped just beside her, close enough she could feel his heat, but not touching. He never touched unless she let him. That used to frustrate her. Now it felt like kindness.âWhatâs wrong?â he asked.She didnât know how to answer that without giving too much a
Eliasâ Pov.I havenât seen Ivy all day.Not since that moment in the hall. When I passed Ronan and didnât say a damn word. He didnât either. But his silence said everything. Theyâre getting closer. Iâm not blind.And itâs killing me.I shouldnât care. I told myself Iâd let her go if thatâs what she needed. If it made her happy. But I didnât mean it. Not really. Not when every breath feels heavier without her near. Not when I can still hear the way she said my name the night she almost kissed me.Iâm losing her.I go to the training yard. I hit the dummies until my knuckles bleed. Then I shift and run. Fast. Hard. Until the trees blur and the air burns in my lungs.But I canât outrun this.Ivyâs in my head. Sheâs under my skin. Sheâs every damn heartbeat.By the time I shift back, itâs dark. My clothes are soaked with sweat. My body aches. But itâs not enough.Nothing is.I make my way back to the house and stop at the river trail. I smell her before I see her.Ivy.Sheâs sitting on a
Narrator's Pov.The storm rolled in slow, creeping like a secret across the mountains. By mid-morning, the clouds had settled thick over the valley, muffling sound, muting light. Ronan stood at the edge of the training yard, the steady drizzle soaking into his cloak and boots, but he didnât move.He was waiting.Ivy had said she wanted space. That morning, she'd left early without a word. No note. No goodbye. Just gone. It wasn't like her, not anymore. Not after last night.He had barely slept. Her warmth had lingered on his skin like a ghost. The scent of her hair still clung to his pillow. But when he opened his eyes, she was gone.Now, the absence felt louder than thunder.Footsteps behind him pulled him from his thoughts. Kiernan. Ronan didnât have to turn to know. The younger twinâs presence always came with quiet tension, like a wire pulled too tight.âSheâs at the chapel,â Kiernan said without greeting.Ronan glanced back. âAlone?âKiernan nodded. âShe wouldnât let me stay.âTh
Ronanâs POV.I donât dream much anymore.When I do, itâs usually of the past. Of fire. Of blood. Of the sound my father made when he told me I would never be enough.But tonight, I dream of Ivy.Not in the way I expected.Sheâs not smiling. Not glowing in sunlight or dancing through wildflowers. No, sheâs in the middle of a storm, soaked and shaking. Her eyes are wild with something between fear and rage. And sheâs calling my name, but I canât reach her.I wake with a sharp inhale, chest tight.The room is dark. Still. Cold.I sit on the edge of my bed and drag my hands down my face. Itâs been days since I got real sleep. Days since the fight between Elias and Kiernan. Since Ivy came back from the ridge with her heart caught between them.I stayed out of it.Thatâs what I do.The steady one. The logical one. The heir. The one who doesnât get involved.Except I am involved.More than I want to be.More than Iâm supposed to be.I see her the next morning outside the training yard. Sheâs