CHAPTER 2

IVY POV

I did not sleep.

I lay still in the guest room all night, staring at the ceiling with my eyes burning and my throat sore. The sheets smelled wrong. Everything smelled wrong.

When the gray morning rats if sunlight filtered their way through the curtains, I felt so empty and hollow, lile someone had carved out my heart and left nothing behind.

But Miles needed me. He always needed me.

I pushed myself off the bed weakly and landed on shaky legs, then I caught my reflection in the mirror and the woman staring at me was pale with dark circles under her eyes, but I did not care.

I walked down the hallway towards Miles room. The house was quiet. Too quiet.

But when I reached his door, I stopped dead.

It was already open.

I stepped inside and my heart fell out of my chest.

Serena was there.

She was kneeling in front of Miles, and buttoning his school shirt. Her blonde hair was perfect with a soft smile on her face. She looked like she had been doing this forever.

Miles was laughing. “Mummy, that tickles!”

Serena giggled and patted his head softly. “Sorry, baby. Let me finish so we can go have breakfast.”

Mommy. Baby. We.

My hands shook terribly.

“What are you doing here?” I shrieked sharply.

Serena looked up in with fake surprise on her face. “Oh, Ivy. Good morning. I am just helping Miles get ready for school.”

“Helping?” I scoffed and stepped closer. “He is my son. I get him ready every morning. For five years.”

Mikes looked at me in confusion. Then at Serena and moved closer to her.

“I want Mummy to do it.” He said in a small voice. “Not you.”

The words hit me hard on the head like a slap.

“Miles, I am your mother—”

“No.” He shook his head. “Mommy is Mommy.” Then he pointed at Serena and cried. “I want her.”

Serena smiled. For the first time, a real victorious smile appeared on her face.

“Sweetie, go and pick up your back. Mummy will be right there.”

He ran off and did not look at me. He did not even say good bye.

I turned to Serena and cried shakily. “What did you do to me son?!”

“I did nothing.” She shrugged and stood up. She looked at me with coldness in her eyes. No more fake sweetness. “He just knows who loves him more.”

“You do not love him. You are chasing him.”

“Maybe.” She stepped closer and dropped her voice into a whisper that only I could hear. “But he calls me Mummy. And soon, the whole pack will too. So why do you just leave? You have already lost.”

I wanted to slap her. But before I could move—

“Ivy.”

Damon’s voice. Cold. Hard.

He stood in the doorway with his arms crossed and his gray eyes were icy cold.

“What are you doing here?” he asked.

“This is my son’s room. I came to take him to school.”

“No.” Damon shook his head. “Serena is taking him. From now on, she handles his mornings. You are done.”

“Done?” I croaked. “I am his mother—”

“You were his mother.” Damon said in a low deadly voice and stepped closer. “Now Serena is. She is better at it anyway. You were always tired. Always complaining. She actually wants to be here.”

My eyes became teary. I sobbed. “That is not true—”

“Do not cry.” He barked sharply. “You are embarrassing yourself.”

Serena walked to his side and wrapped her arms around his waist. Then she looked at me and smiled.

“Ivy, just go.” Even though her voice sounded sugary sweet, her eyes were cold. “You are not wanted here anymore. Not by Damon. Not by Miles. Not by anyone.”

“Get out.” Damon hissed. “Go back to your guest room. Or leave the pack. I do not care. Just get out of my sight.”

Serena laughed coldly. “Yes, get out, bitch. Before I make you.”

The word hit me deep like a knife.

Then Miles came running back with his backpack and ran straight to Serena’s arms. He did not even look at me.

“Mommy, I am ready!”

Serena picked him up. Kissed his cheek. “Good boy. Let us go.”

They walked past me and Damon followed.

At the door, Miles turned his head briefly to look at me with confusion etched on his little face.

“Why are you crying, Ivy?”

Ivy. Not Mommy.

Serena bounced him on her hip, and said calmly, “Do not worry about her baby, she is just sad because she has to leave.”

“Leave?” Mikes asked. “Where is she going?”

“Far away.” Serena replied sweetly and smiled at me. “Isn’t that right, Ivy?”

Damon did not say anything. He just looked at me with cold eyes. Like I was nothing. Like I had never been anything.

They walked out and closed the door behind them.

I stood in the middle of Miles’s empty room. His toys were scattered on the floor. His little bed was unmade and his shoes were by the door.

I sank to my knees.

Then the tears came. Hot. Fast and I could not stop them.

I cried until my chest hurt. Until I could not breathe. Until there was nothing left.

When I finally stood up, my heart was numb and my heart was far gone.

I walked back to the guest room, closed the door and locked it.

And for the first time, I realized the truth.

I was nothing to them anymore.