MasukIVY Days passed, but I still couldnāt accept the reality that my mother was gone. No matter how much I tried to convince myself, the truth refused to sink in. The world felt quieter now, too still, as if even the air mourned her absence.Uncle Amos had come to mourn with me, his presence filling the silent corners of this place. I had arranged for her body to be transported back to the Risemoon Pack. That was where she belonged."But Risemoon has fallen," Uncle Amos said when I told him. "What dignity would it be if she were buried there?"His words struck me like a dull blade. I turned toward the window, staring at my reflection; black hair that fell across silver eyes drained of emotion. I barely recognized the woman looking back. Her shoulders carried too much weight, her gaze hollowed out by loss. That woman was me."I would rather bury my mother in the pack she fought for," I said quietly, "than in the pack that wasted her strength and that of her ancestors."Uncle Amos sighed a
IVYAll of a sudden, Vladimirās eyes widened like heād just been struck by something impossible through the mind link. The color drained from his face. Unease slithered into my chest, cold and sharp.I sat up instantly, my heart racing. "Vladimir?"He turned to me, his expression fractured between disbelief and despair."What happened?" I asked, dread curling around every word."You need to come to the hospital," he said, voice low but trembling, as he gently pulled me from the bed.My heart froze. No. No, please, no.Adrenaline surged through me as I stumbled to my feet. The sick, twisting feeling in my gut told me everything my mind refused to accept, something was horribly wrong.The drive blurred into fragments, flashes of headlights, the engineās low growl, the way Vladimir gripped the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white. I kept begging him with my eyes for answers. What happened? Whatās wrong? But he only looked away, jaw tight, voice barely audible when he final
IVY"Right," Veronica said smoothly, crossing one leg over the other. Her voice carried that polished superiority only she could master. "Like where did you two even meet? What made you like her? Why did you think she was the one you needed to marry?"Her words dripped with disbelief, every syllable emphasizing how absurd the marriage was to her.They were fair questions, painfully fair. Why did Vladimir choose to marry me? Why not someone else? Was it just to spite my pack for the past feud between ours?Vladimir said nothing.Veronicaās chuckle cut through the silence like the ring of fine crystal. "I knew it," she said, turning to him. "This is just some staged love story, isnāt it? A way for you to dodge settling down and having a real family."Yes. Thatās exactly what it seemed like, at least to everyone but him."No, itās not," Vladimir said finally. His voice was deep, measured. "Regardless of our packsā enmity, I married her because sheās my woman. My mate."Mate?The word hit
IVY "You already did," I said, shoving his hand away from mine. The look on Vladimirās face was torn, part wounded, part unreadable. I turned from him, forcing my legs to carry me away as quickly as possible. My only focus was on reaching my motherās ward.The polished floors of the hospital reflected the fluorescent lights above as I made my way through the quiet corridors. When I finally reached the VIP ward, I hesitated before pushing the door open.Inside, my mother sat upright on her hospital bed, her posture steadier than I remembered. A woman in scrubs stood beside her, speaking softly. Their quiet exchange stopped the second I stepped in.I closed the door gently behind me, the click echoing faintly. The nurse turned, her expression shifting to polite neutrality."Ivy," Mum said, her eyes brightening with surprise."Is that your daughter you were speaking about?" the nurse asked, glancing back at her.Mumās smile softened her tired features. "Yes. Thank you for your help.""Y
IVYA steady beep threaded through the room, punctured by the soft patter of rain against the window. The air tasted of antiseptic and wet earth, a strange blend that anchored me somewhere between hospital and storm.My eyes fluttered open. At first everything was a blur, then my gaze found two men standing at a distance, their backs turned as they spoke in low voices.Straight, smooth, muscular backs. Who were they?When my focus sharpened, I recognized the black T-shirt: Vladimir. He was talking with one of his men.The bed shifted beneath me with a rustle. Vladimir turned quickly. I tried to sit up; Craig came to my side and propped pillows behind me, moving with that efficient, practiced care that made him seem almost part of the furniture.I felt a soft, searching gaze settle on me. I glanced up, Vladimirās blue eyes flicked over me and then back to Craig as he adjusted the pillows. It was definitely not a look of tenderness.After he set me up, Craig bowed his head and slipped f
IVY The car rolled to a stop in front of the Mancini Pack hospital. I climbed out and stepped across the threshold; the building breathed with muted sobs and hurried footsteps. A hollow, shared grief hung in the corridors. I paused, the sounds pricking at some small, vulnerable place inside me. "Did someone die?" I asked Craig, my voice barely more than a thread. He answered simply, "Yes," then nodded toward the inner wing. My pulse knocked against my ribs. My nightmare had delivered death into waking life again, an ugly déjà vu that left guilt simmering in my chest. I forced my feet to move. As I made my way toward the VIP ward, murmurs folded around me like cold drafts. "Isn't she the one?" one woman whispered. "The daughter of our Alpha's enemy, the one he married." Word of my origin pack had spread so quickly that even hospital corridors held it now. I had never thought my origin pack was a secret worth hiding; apparently, others did. Before I could step forward, three wom
VLADIMIRFor the sake of the plan I had in mind, I married the daughter of my enemy. The ring that now bit into my finger felt like a brand pressed against my skin. The wedding ceremony was over. What remained was drinking and a show of celebration, though it felt hollow.I had no intention of siri
IVY The right side of the corridor opened into a wide dining hall, where a long, polished table stretched beneath the soft gleam of chandeliers. Omegas moved quickly around it, setting down dishes in a practiced rhythm. Steam curled upward from platters of roasted meat, fresh bread, and bowls of
IVY Colorful. Loud. Tsk. The words rolled through my mind like old echoes, and for a fleeting second, Vivianās pinched, judgmental face blurred into another, Ericaās. My stepmother. That vicious woman who could never stop pushing, always digging her claws in deeper just to see me flinch. "Give
VLADIMIRIvy shot me a filthy look. I scooped her up and settled her into the car. She flung herself through the other door, collapsing to the floor again. The whole time she moaned, trying to gather strength."And now she is crawling away," I scoffed.Growing more irritated, I hauled her up and pu







