Chapter three

The morning was too bright, too bright for her mood. The morning air was crisp and the warm light filtered in though the wooden window. 

The resounding knocks on the door woke her up and she let out a tired yawn. 

“Come in,” She replied, still half-asleep. 

The door burst open and Tessa walked in, sunshine and chaos. 

“Still in bed?” She asked, plopping beside her with a grin that could light up the entire room. 

“What made you so happy this morning?” Ivy raised an eyebrow, her voice muffled as she buried her face in her pillow. 

“You” Tessa pointed at her. 

“Me?” Ivy yawned again, unimpressed 

“Tired?” Tessa said, a teasing smile playing on her lips. 

“You're acting weird today” Ivy observed. 

“I saw you last night” Tessa smiled. 

“Where?” Ivy's sleepy eyes peeled open 

“With… Your Alpha” Tessa teased and Ivy chuckled. 

Ivy groaned, throwing a pillow at her. “I was just passing by!”

“I know” Tessa sang, dodging the pillow. 

“Crazy girl! What on earth are you thinking?” 

“Hey, I'm innocent” Tessa raised her hands in mock surrender. 

Ivy yawned for the third time and pushed herself up on the bed to a sitting posture. 

“An uninformed person will think you stayed up all night playing” Tessa chuckled. 

“You're annoying” Ivy smiled and stood up walking into the bathroom. 

By the time Ivy returned from the bathroom, her hair still damp and her eyes more awake, Tessa was picking berries from a bowl on the table. 

“You missed dinner” Tessa stated, matter of factly. 

“I'm not yet hungry but I would catch a plate at Grandmother's” Ivy said, slipping into her jacket. 

A knock on the door made them jump. 

“Come in” Ivy called after a moment. 

A soldier walked in and gave a small bow. 

“I think Zeke is the only one rejecting you at this point” Tessa whispered. 

“The Alpha summons you to his office” The soldier said. 

“Wow, interesting” Ivy let out a small smile and nodded at the soldier who slowly retreated away. 

“I gotta go” Ivy said. 

“Go attend to his needs” Tessa pushed her lightly, her tone implying something else entirely. 

“I don't know what to do with you” Ivy face-palmed. 

“I love you too” Tessa chuckled and pushed the door open, giving her a mock bow and walking out of the room. 

Alone, Ivy let out a sigh and ran her fingers over her hair, trying to arrange it properly before giving up and tying it into a high ponytail. 

She left her quarters, the corridors quiet but for the echo of her steps. Guards along the hallway bowed slightly, and she nodded back before pushing open Zeke's office door 

“Miss me already Stoneheart” She casually flung herself onto his couch. 

“You've been assigned to assist Mika at the greenhouse” Zeke instructed, not raising his head from the papers spread across the table. 

“You should have told me to get you flowers. How romantic!” Her voice sounded, a cutting edge in it. 

“You can leave now” He said, his tone clipped and final 

“What? You can't be serious” It finally dawned on her that he wasn't joking. 

“You thought I was playing around?” He asked, eyes finally lifting to meet hers - cold, unreadable and far more intense. 

“Oh Stoneheart. You can't do this to me right? I'm your mate after all” She groaned standing up. She walked up to him and grabbed his hands, swinging it about teasingly. 

Zeke pulled his hands away and looked down at her “Come on, the plants won't water themselves” He said, lips twitching slightly in amusement. 

“You're really heartless” Ivy straightened up, her hands on her waist. 

Zeke's eyes softened for the briefest moment - too quick for her to catch - before he returned to his papers. 

Ivy sighed softly and turned on her heels, walking out of the office. 

“Ivy” He called when she reached the door. 

She turned, arching a brow. 

“Don't start a fire there” 

She smiled sweetly. “Can't promise that” She replied, tossing a wink at him as she walked out of the office. 

***

The greenhouse smelled of earth and rain. Sunlight poured in through the glass panes, falling on rows of flowers, herbs and vines that shimmered with dew. 

Mika stood at the far end, watering lillies. Her silver hair caught the light, her posture graceful and wise. 

“Hi Ivy” She didn't realize when the woman walked up to her. 

“Heh… Hello Mika” She let out a small smile.

“You're early” 

“Wasn't exactly given a choice” Ivy rolled her eyes. 

Mika chuckled. “You never are, dear” 

“Your plants are beautiful” She commented. 

“Yeah, they are” Mika replied with a soft tenderness that could easily be missed. 

Ivy's fingers brushed past the roses beside her and their petals shone with a blinding light. 

Ivy stepped back “Does it always react like this?” 

“No, this is the first time” Mika said, her eyebrows furrowed into a mild frown. 

“I guess they like me” Ivy chuckled nervously. 

“Hmm” Mika nodded. “You can say that” Her eyes shone with unsaid words. 

“You're always here, it's not just the beauty of the plants right?” Ivy asked. 

“Plants don't talk, I love my peace” She replied, filling the water can with water. 

“I will try not to” Ivy replied and Mika laughed. 

“There are things you're incapable of” Mika chuckled. “Don't lie to yourself child, I heard your stories” She added and Ivy let out a small sigh, rubbing the back of her neck. 

“I'm not how the stories put me to be” She tried clarifying. 

“We would get to know that soon enough” Mika smiled. “Come on” She patted her back “Those seeds won't plant themselves” Ivy nodded and picked up a bowl of seeds walking away. 

Mika stayed behind, her eyes flickering between Ivy and the dark roses which had just shone blindly a moment ago.