IVY’s 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 couldn’t sleep. Not with the way my thoughts kept spinning, nor with the way my heart kept pulling in three different directions.I’d told Ronan I loved him. And I meant it. But love didn’t 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 didn’t know how to love them all. I didn’t 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.“You left without tea,” he said, sitting beside me.“I didn’t want to wake you.”“You didn’t.” 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 didn’t hurt, not with Ronan. With him, quiet was easy.“I don’t regret last night,” I said
Ivy's Pov.I was nothing.Just a weak, pathetic omega. A servant. Someone to be ignored, laughed at, or used as a punching bag when higher ranks needed entertainment. I had learned to keep my head down, to move quickly and quietly, to accept the insults and humiliation like they were part of my skin.That was my life. That was all I would ever be.I had grown used to it, used to waking up every day knowing that nothing would change. Until today.But I didn’t know that yet.I woke up to the sound of voices outside my small room in the omega quarters. The walls were thin, and I could hear the other omegas moving around, getting ready for the day. I pushed off my thin blanket, feeling the morning chill bite at my skin. The small window above my bed let in only a sliver of light, barely enough to see by.I dressed quickly in my usual uniform—a plain black dress that reached my knees, marking me as an omega worker. My hands trembled slightly as I laced up my worn boots, knowing what today
Ivy's Pov.I moved through my tasks like a ghost, ignoring the lingering stares and whispers.Everyone had seen what happened.Everyone had seen me humiliated.Again.But that was nothing new.I kept my head down, scrubbing dishes in the kitchen while the dining hall slowly emptied. The triplets and Selene had left first, laughing about something as they walked out. Probably me.By the time the dining hall was completely cleared, my hands were raw from scrubbing. My stomach growled, but I ignored it. Omegas weren’t allowed to eat until the rest of the pack had finished, and even then, there was rarely anything left.I dried my hands and stepped outside for a breath of fresh air before heading back to my room.The cold morning air wrapped around me, and I inhaled deeply, trying to shake off the unease that had been clinging to me since I woke up. Today was my birthday.Today, I was supposed to sense my mate.But the only thing I had felt all day was exhaustion.Maybe I didn’t have a ma
Ivy’s POVI stood there, my heart pounding against my ribs, as the triplets walked away. Their rejection settled in my chest like a stone, heavy and suffocating. I knew they didn’t want me. I had always known. But hearing it, feeling it in my soul, made it real.I wrapped my arms around myself, my body trembling as the bond tugged tightly inside of me , demanding I chase after them, beg them to accept me. But I wouldn’t. I couldn’t.The Moon Goddess was cruel.Pairing me, a weak, insignificant—with them? The future Alphas? It was a joke. A sick, twisted joke.I took a shaky breath and turned toward the omega quarters. I needed to get away. Away from their scent, away from their voices echoing in my head. But before I could take a step, a sharp, familiar voice cut through the silence.“Pathetic.”I stiffened. I didn’t have to turn around to know who it was.Selene.She stepped in front of me, arms crossed, a slow smirk spreading across her face. Her green eyes gleamed with cruel amusem
Ivy’s POVI was leaving.There was no future for me here. No place. No love. The triplets didn’t want me. The pack saw me as nothing more than a burden, a joke. Staying would only bring more pain. And I had enough of that to last a lifetime.The timing was perfect.Tonight, the pack was hosting a grand ceremony. The triplets would officially announce Selene as their Luna, binding her to them in every way that mattered.It didn’t surprise me. I had known it was coming. Even before I found out about the mate bond, I had known Selene would end up as their Luna. She was strong. She was powerful. She was everything I wasn’t.And the entire pack would be there to celebrate.Which meant they wouldn’t be watching the borders.It was the perfect chance to escape.I just had to make it that far.I spent the rest of the day avoiding everyone. I kept to the omega quarters, doing my usual tasks, acting like nothing had changed. But inside, I was counting down the hours.I forced myself to eat, eve
Ivy’s POVThe cell was cold.The scent of dirt and stone filling my nose. I sat on the hard floor, my back pressed against the rough wall, my knees drawn to my chest. My wrists ached where the warriors had grabbed me, their grip bruising, unrelenting.I had known this would happen.I had known the moment they caught me that they wouldn’t let me go easily.But I had still hoped.I had still prayed that maybe, just maybe, they would let me disappear. That I could leave and never look back.Now, I was trapped.And I had no idea what they were going to do with me.Footsteps echoed down the stone hallway. My body tensed. I didn’t look up, but I could feel them. The power rolling off them. The familiar presence that sent chills down my spine.The triplets.I squeezed my hands into fists, forcing myself to stay still as the heavy iron door creaked open.Silence stretched between us.Then, finally, Ronan spoke. “You really thought you could leave?”His voice was calm, but there was something
Ivy’s POVThe damp chill of the cell seeped into my bones, making it impossible to get comfortable. I had lost track of time—days, maybe even weeks had passed since I was thrown in here. The silence, broken only by the occasional scrape of a food tray being shoved under the door, was suffocating.I wasn’t sure what was worse—the isolation or the anticipation of whatever the triplets had planned for me.Selene’s last words still echoed in my mind."The triplets aren’t going to let you go."Why? They had rejected me, humiliated me, made it clear that I was nothing to them. If they truly wanted me gone, they could have exiled me or killed me. But instead, they had locked me away.And for what?The sound of heavy boots approaching snapped me out of my thoughts. My body tensed. I knew who it was before the cell door creaked open.Ronan.He stepped inside, his tall frame casting a long shadow against the dim torchlight. His golden eyes glowed in the darkness, unreadable as they swept over m
Ivy’s POVSilence hung heavy in the air. The triplets watched me with unreadable expressions, their words still echoing in my mind."You belong with us.""We’re going to earn it."My fingers curled into fists at my sides. I didn’t believe them. I couldn’t believe them. They had spent years tormenting me, making my life unbearable, and now they expected me to stay? To suddenly forget everything they had done?No.I refused to be their plaything.I lifted my chin, meeting Ronan’s intense golden gaze. “You can’t just decide this now. You rejected me. You made it clear I was nothing to you.”Ronan’s jaw tightened, but before he could respond, Kieran chuckled. “And now, you’re everything to us. Funny how things change, huh?”My stomach twisted in anger. “It doesn’t work like that.”“Doesn’t it?” Kieran stepped closer, his icy blue eyes gleaming with amusement. “The mate bond is still there, sweetheart. No matter how much you try to fight it, you feel it.”I did feel it. Every breath I took
IVY’s 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 couldn’t sleep. Not with the way my thoughts kept spinning, nor with the way my heart kept pulling in three different directions.I’d told Ronan I loved him. And I meant it. But love didn’t 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 didn’t know how to love them all. I didn’t 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.“You left without tea,” he said, sitting beside me.“I didn’t want to wake you.”“You didn’t.” 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 didn’t hurt, not with Ronan. With him, quiet was easy.“I don’t regret last night,” I said
Ronan’s 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 should’ve corrected them. But I didn’t.Ivy hadn’t come down yet. I told myself I wasn’t 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 storm—that had faded—but 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 eyes—gods, her eyes—held something that made my heart stutter. Determination. And something else. Sadness maybe.
Ronan’s POV,I left Ivy in the garden with her hair tangled by the wind and her eyes turned toward the stars. She didn’t say much after resting her head on my shoulder. She didn’t need to. There was a quiet peace to her that I hadn’t seen in days. Maybe weeks. And I’d take whatever pieces of calm she could find in this place.I couldn’t 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 garden—but 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 wasn’t 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 sweeter—like a promise just waiting to be broken.Ivy was already there. Barefoot, in an oversized shirt that didn’t belong to her. I knew because it was mine. I’d 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 didn’t 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.“You’re up early,” I said, softening my voice.“I didn’t sleep.” Her words were low, brushed with something heavy. Not sadness. Just tired.I moved to her side, close but not touching. Not yet.“You okay?”She hesitated. “I keep asking myself that too.”I nod
Ronan’s 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. Ivy’s scent still lingered on my shirt, soft and warm like wild violets crushed in the heat. I hadn’t changed. I hadn’t moved. My hand was still tingling from where she held it last night, curled beside me like something fragile and breakable.I knew I shouldn’t let it get to me.But it already had.I didn’t 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 didn’t smile. Just looked at me, slow and quiet.“We need to talk,” he said.I stepped back and let him in.Kiernan paced once, twice, then turned on me. “What are we doing?”The question was short, blunt, sharp enough to cut bone.I didn’t answer right away. He crossed his arms, waiting.“I don’t know,” I said truthfully.“She was with you last night.”It wasn’t 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 wasn’t 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.“I thought I’d find you here.”Kiernan.She didn’t turn around. She didn’t flinch either. He always moved like a shadow—quiet but strong, like the storm inside him had learned to walk soft.“I couldn’t sleep,” she said.“Me either.”He 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.“What’s wrong?” he asked.She didn’t know how to answer that without giving too much a
Elias’ Pov.I haven’t seen Ivy all day.Not since that moment in the hall. When I passed Ronan and didn’t say a damn word. He didn’t either. But his silence said everything. They’re getting closer. I’m not blind.And it’s killing me.I shouldn’t care. I told myself I’d let her go if that’s what she needed. If it made her happy. But I didn’t 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.I’m 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 can’t outrun this.Ivy’s in my head. She’s under my skin. She’s every damn heartbeat.By the time I shift back, it’s dark. My clothes are soaked with sweat. My body aches. But it’s 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.She’s 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 didn’t 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 didn’t have to turn to know. The younger twin’s presence always came with quiet tension, like a wire pulled too tight.“She’s at the chapel,” Kiernan said without greeting.Ronan glanced back. “Alone?”Kiernan nodded. “She wouldn’t let me stay.”Th
Ronan’s POV.I don’t dream much anymore.When I do, it’s 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.She’s not smiling. Not glowing in sunlight or dancing through wildflowers. No, she’s in the middle of a storm, soaked and shaking. Her eyes are wild with something between fear and rage. And she’s calling my name, but I can’t 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. It’s 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.That’s what I do.The steady one. The logical one. The heir. The one who doesn’t get involved.Except I am involved.More than I want to be.More than I’m supposed to be.I see her the next morning outside the training yard. She’s