"Your feelings for me are real?" I pushed Ethan away. "Then what was all that coldness for the past year? All that ignoring me?""It was to protect you," Ethan said, looking into my eyes. "Logan was watching us constantly. If he found out I cared too deeply for you, you would have been in danger.""What danger?""Used as leverage against me," Ethan's voice was soft. "Just like Jessica."I remembered that beautiful human secretary."Jessica... was she really pregnant?""Yes. But not with Logan's child." Ethan sat down next to me. "It was Marcus's, one of Logan's men. When Logan found out, he threatened to kill Jessica and the baby unless Marcus obeyed his commands.""So you were worried that I would also...""Yes," Ethan nodded. "If Logan knew how important you were to me, he wouldn't have hesitated to use you."I was starting to understand."Then why did you mark me later?""Because the plan had started," Ethan said, taking my hand. "Sarah's family decided to fight back against Logan.
"Misunderstood?" I scoffed. "What could I have possibly misunderstood?""About Jessica." Ethan released me and took a step back. "She's lost her influence. Logan doesn't need her anymore, and he doesn't need that half-blood pup either."I frowned. "What do you mean?""I mean, right now, Logan needs Sarah more," Ethan's gaze became unreadable. "He needs that pure-blood pup in her belly.""So?""So Sarah has to go back," Ethan looked at me. "She's not safe here.""Not safe?" I almost laughed. "And she'll be safe back with Logan?""Safer than here."I didn't understand him."Ethan, what are you trying to say?"He was silent for a long time."Some things... I can't tell you right now," he finally said. "But trust me, Sarah going back is the best option.""I don't trust you," I shook my head. "You Alphas are all the same, full of lies.""Ivy...""Don't say my name!" I cut him off. "You're taking Sarah, right? Fine, take her. But I'm not going back with you."Ethan looked at me, a pain I cou
"Sarah!" I hissed, keeping my voice low. "Grab your stuff, we're going out the back!""What?" Sarah was still wiping her tears. "Why?""Ethan's here!" I snatched my backpack. "We have to leave, now!"Sarah rushed to the window, took one look, and her face went instantly white."What do we do? How did he find us here?"My heart was pounding like it was going to explode."It has to be Dr. Greene!" I seethed. "He must have told them where we were!"Knock, knock, knock.The sound echoed through the cabin."Ivy." Ethan's voice, low and commanding, came through the wooden door. "I know you're in there."Sarah and I stared at each other, fear in both our eyes."Open the door," Ethan's voice turned colder. "Don't make me kick it in.""The back door!" I whispered. "We run out the back!"But before we could move, the back door was kicked open.Two tall men walked in, exuding strong Alpha pheromones."Elite Pack guards," Sarah whispered, trembling.We were surrounded."Since you won't open the do
"Split up?" Sarah shot up from the couch. "Why would we split up?"I looked at her panicked expression, the suspicion in my heart growing heavier."Sarah, do you think any of this is normal?""What?""Our pregnancies," I said, enunciating each word. "Logan said your genes weren't compatible, yet you're pregnant. Ethan never touched me, yet I'm pregnant too."Sarah's face turned pale."Maybe... maybe it's fate?""Fate?" I scoffed. "Sarah, since when did you become so naive?""I don't understand what you mean.""Then let me be blunter." I walked up to her. "We've been tricked. Tricked from the very beginning."Sarah took a step back."What are you talking about?""Logan made you calming tea every night, right?""Yes... yes, he did.""Dr. Greene said that was likely the carrier for fertility drugs," I said, looking her in the eyes. "Which means Logan has been secretly drugging you to get you pregnant."Sarah shook her head."Impossible. Logan loves me. He wouldn't lie to me.""Loves you?"
"I'm not having second thoughts," I said, looking firmly at Sarah. "We've come this far, we have to keep going."Sarah nodded, but worry still clouded her eyes."Then let's start our new life," she said, pulling me on a tour of the cabin. "Look, two bedrooms, a kitchen, and a little garden."The cabin was simple but cozy. Outside the window was the lake and the forest.It really did look like a place from a fairytale."It's nice," I said, putting down my backpack. "How long can we stay here?""As long as you want," Sarah said, her eyes shining. "Rose took care of everything. The rent's paid for a year."For the next two weeks, we lived a secluded life.Morning walks by the lake, afternoons gardening, evenings reading by the fireplace.No pack rules, no Alpha dominance, no complicated politics.Just peace and freedom.But my health was getting worse.The pain from the broken mark didn't lessen; it actually got stronger.I’d wake up every morning around three, the tearing pain so bad I a
I woke up before dawn.The mark on my neck throbbed painfully, and my whole body felt weak, like I had a low fever.This was the aftermath of being marked.I forced myself out of bed, quickly washed up, and changed into the clothes I’d laid out.Ethan was already gone. Breakfast was on the table.Fried eggs, toast, and a glass of warm milk.A note was tucked under the glass: "Eat up. Get some rest."I stared at the note for a long time.Then I tore it up and threw it in the trash.At nine o'clock sharp, I drove out of the city.My target was the winding mountain road, a stretch where accidents happened a lot.A text came in from Sarah: "Everything's ready. Waiting for you."I replied: "See you in an hour."The mountain road was narrow, with a sheer cliff on one side and a deep valley on the other.I pulled over at the pre-arranged spot and got my backpack from the trunk.The person Rose had arranged was already waiting."Miss Ivy?" a man in a baseball cap walked over. "I'm Jack.""Yeah