Ivy Icy silence settled over the room, stretching between Lila and me like razor wire, each second slicing deeper into old wounds. My heart pounded so hard I thought it might break through my ribs. Her words hung in the air, venomous and final.What makes you think I like you now, Aria?I had expected cruelty—this was Lila, after all—but hearing my old name from her lips felt like a blade twisting in my chest. Aria. Not Ivy. That name belonged to the girl who had died long ago, buried beneath betrayal, rejection, and loss.How many times do I have to remind her not to call me that?!I stiffened, my jaw tightening as I met her gaze. “Don’t call me that. Ever.”She smiled, but it was sharp, all teeth. “Why? Does it hurt? Does it remind you of everything you lost?” Her eyes gleamed with something dark—satisfaction, perhaps. Or maybe something worse. “Good.”My nails bit into my palms. I refused to give her the satisfaction of seeing me break. Not again. I had clawed my way out of hell—o
IvyMy fingers trembled slightly as I thought of calling my father and uncle, knowing they would be worried sick. But a call right now would only open the floodgates of emotions I wasn’t ready to face right here. I’d call them when I was home, where I could breathe, where the walls wouldn’t feel like they were closing in. But every second I lingered in this pack, the past pressed down harder, threatening to pull me under.A soft knock on the door made me pause. I turned to find Connor standing in the doorway, his gaze filled with an emotion I couldn’t quite place.“You’re leaving,” he stated rather than asked, his voice rough with something akin to regret.“I need to,” I replied, moving away from the mirror after fixing my hair.Connor stepped forward, blocking my path. “Ivy, please. This is your home. You belong here. With me.”I let out a humorless laugh, shaking my head. “This place ceased to be my home a long time ago, Connor. I don’t belong here anymore.”His jaw tightened, and
IvyI blinked against the darkness of the room, my heart pounding for a second before I registered the sound. It was coming from the door.The voice on the other end called me again. It was Joe.Joe came in and handed me the new phone. With trembling fingers, I dialed my father’s number. The moment he picked up, my composure crumbled. “Dad,” I choked out, my voice breaking as tears streamed down my face. “Oh my God, Ivy!” he screamed instantly, his voice thick with unshed tears. “Are you okay? Talk to me. Where are you?”“I—I’m fine now,” I managed between shaky breaths. “The police are handling it. I just—I just wanted to hear your voice.” He let out a slow, heavy breath. “I’m so sorry,” he said, his voice raw with guilt. “I’m sorry your uncle and I weren’t there when you needed us.” A sob escaped me before I could stop it. “I was so scared, dad,” I admitted. “I know, baby,” he murmured. “But you’re safe now. That’s all that matters.” He paused. “Tell me what happened. Who
IvyI took a deep breath and steadied myself. Shaking off the remnants of my nightmare, I moved toward the bathtub, turning the shower on to let the hot water wash away the lingering unease.Once I was clean, I wrapped myself in a plush towel and stepped in front of the mirror. My reflection stared back at me, pale but composed. I couldn't afford to look fragile. I couldn't afford to look like my nightmares.I picked an elegant black pantsuit from my wardrobe, pairing it with a silk blouse in a muted shade of blue. The structured blazer sat perfectly on my shoulders, a protective armor of its own. After fastening a delicate silver bracelet around my wrist, I slipped on a pair of sleek heels. My fingers worked through my hair, styling it into a sophisticated low bun—sharp, professional, controlled. Light makeup followed—just enough to conceal the exhaustion beneath my eyes. A soft nude lipstick finished the look. With one last glance in the mirror, I straightened my posture. Whatev
Leo"Can you all excuse us, please?" Ivy said, her voice calm, collected—too collected. The members of her board exchanged glances before rising from their seats. Some murmured under their breath as they exited the room, their whispers grinding against my nerves. But I didn’t come for them. I came for her. How could she be here? How could she not tell me? I had spent the last week unraveling, losing my mind as I scoured every inch of the forest, every desolate place, searching for her. My men combed through the darkest corners of the city. I even consulted the sorceress, desperate to track her down, to find out if Dina had taken her. But there was nothing. No trace. No scent. Nothing. The sleepless nights, the hunger, the ache—it all consumed me. The darkness became my companion, pressing into me, sinking into my bones. Every second without her was agony. And now, here she was, seated as though I wasn’t standing right in front of her. As though my very presence didn’t burn th
Leo Why the fuck is she here? Isn't she the reason we're in this mess in the first place?"Um, Mr. Ashton. I think you need to leave. You have a guest, and I would like to have a moment with my guest," I heard Ivy say as she took her seat, arranging the files closest to her on the desk.A moment with Connor? Like hell am I supposed to let that happen?!"Isabella, what are you doing here?" I demanded angrily, turning towards her.Isabella is my friend, no mistaking. She was one of the people that knew I was the Alpha King before I revealed my face. She had been at her modeling academy, and I should be happy she's back after so long, but how could she think of spewing such nonsense to Ivy? This past week, I've been nothing but hard on her. She joined the manhunt and was deprived of proper rest as well. How could she dare to be all cozy when my mate is out there, possibly in danger?"Leo? Did you hear what I just said?" She asked, tugging at my shirt. The action made my wolf flinch bac
IvyI had misunderstood Leo. That much was clear now, and guilt gnawed at my insides. But what choice did I have? I had been betrayed before, left to pick up the shattered pieces of my trust. So when the woman claimed to be his mate, when the world whispered doubts in my ears, I assumed the worst. And now? Now, as Leo held my hand, leading me toward the exit, I should have felt relief. Instead, unease crawled up my spine. The ding of the other elevator echoed behind us, and hurried footsteps approached from my left. “Connor?”His name left my lips before I could stop it, my voice betraying an excitement I hadn't expected. Why was I so happy to see him? All of a sudden, Leo’s presence became suffocating. The warmth of his grip, once reassuring, now made my skin crawl. My mind screamed that this was Leo—the man I loved—but a deeper instinct recoiled, repulsed and... scared. I tried to pull away, but Leo’s grip tightened. He ignored Connor entirely, dragging me outside. At th
Ivy's POV John Rodney. I hadn't seen him in years, but I could never forget that face. The greasy, stringy hair, the hollowed-out cheeks, the nervous twitch of his lips—he was another ghost from my nightmares, standing right in front of me in handcuffs. I couldn't breathe. The room shrank around me, the past crashing over me like a wave, dragging me back to a time I had fought so hard to forget. The café.The smell of roasted coffee beans and caramelized sugar had once been comforting—a small piece of normalcy I had clung to.I once loved working at that café, pouring lattes and wiping down counters, believing that with every shift, I was proving something. Proving to my father and uncle that adopting me wasn’t a mistake. Proving that I wasn’t just some broken girl, a discarded thing left to rot in the shadows of her past. They had given me another chance at life, a home, a family. And I was desperate to show them I deserved it. That I wasn’t useless, like everyone in my
Meanwhile, inside the palace.Raul’s eyes widened as his sorcerer’s spell faltered. He stared at the empty space where Ivy had stood, and then back at the guard who shot the arrow.“How dare you shoot an arrow at your Luna?! My queen?!” He roared.“I’m sorry…Alpha. I—”But he never got to finish his statement. Raul tore through his throat with his claws and watched with empty eyes as the man struggled to breathe.“She's gone...” Raul whispered in defeat, his voice shaking, as though the very idea of her escaping was too much to bear.His sorcerers cursed, their eyes darting frantically around the room. “She... She’s strong. But she’s wounded.” The tone was unsettling. There was both fear and reverence in the man’s words.“And you, Anto,” he barked, turning to look at the new sorcerer that came in. “I sent for you two nights ago. Why are you just showing up now?”“Your majesty, I wanted to make sure that…”“What now?” Raul demanded, cutting him off, his voice dangerously cold.“We will
Ivy’s POVRaul stepped in front of me like a shield.Pathetic.“She came to kill you, my Nyxara," he snarled, voice booming off the stone walls. "But I won't let that happen. I won't lose you. Again. You must be mine.”His hand lifted, two fingers snapping sharply.A low rumble answered.From the smoke outside, figures entered — this one robed in red and silver, face obscured by a bone-white mask.Another of his personal sorcerers? Or some kind of demented cult leader?"Seize her," Raul commanded.The new sorcerer, together with the one from earlier, raised their staff. Runes carved in old, forgotten tongues shimmered to life, burning through the air in spirals of light and sound.Chains of searing blue magic shot toward Dina.But she only laughed — a cruel, knowing laugh that made the walls seem to shudder."You fool," Dina hissed, her arms thrown wide as if embracing the chaos. "I only came to help you. But instead, you just dug your own grave!"The chains wrapped around her wrists
IVY'S POVNo. This can’t be happening. The figure drifted forward through the shattered doorway, her form blurred by the black smoke that oozed from her steps, as if the shadows themselves bowed to her. The air grew thick, sour with memory. I knew her. How can I forget?Every night since the forest, she had crept into my dreams—no, my nightmares. The Keeper. The one who had chained me, broken me, left scars on my spirit deeper than any wound to my flesh. The child in me, the Aria I once was, shrieked and recoiled, curling into the farthest corner of my mind, clutching invisible knees to her chest, sobbing without sound. But not Nyxara. No. Nyxara straightened, her lips curling into a feral grin. The Keeper drifted closer, the folds of her dark robe trailing embers along the floor, black flames licking the stone, humming that lullaby. That cursed lullaby. The one that had driven me to madness when I was nothing more than a helpless, trembling girl.Nyxara bared he
IVY'S POV“No!” I thrashed, every limb rebelling as I strained against the chains. “Get your filthy hands off me! You’re all monsters!”The burn of the restraints cut deeper, but I didn’t care. My voice tore through the chamber like a wounded beast. “You think this makes you powerful? You think having your way with a chained woman makes you a king? You’re nothing, Alpha. Nothing but a coward too weak to accept rejection. Your mate despised you. I despise you too!”The Alpha stood in front of me, unshaken. His eyes gleamed—not with rage, but something worse. Hunger. Satisfaction. Humor.He turned to the sorcerer, his voice low, almost casual. “If I spill my seed into her… will it hold?”The sorcerer’s breath caught, then his face lit up as if struck by divine revelation.“Oh… oh, my King,” he murmured, sinking to one knee. “You are brilliant beyond compare. A true leader. Of course! Of course! If she bears your heir, the bond will be forever weakened. No Alpha would dare claim a woman
The estate loomed into view like a palace of memories she wanted to bury. The towering gates, the long marble driveway, the manicured hedges. To anyone else, it looked like luxury.To her, it looked like a trap.A trap that could destroy all her plans.The moment they stepped inside, staff rushed to greet her. She didn’t recognize any of them despite their attempts to be friendly. They all wore the same annoying expression—concern mingled with curiosity.As if wondering what had really happened to Miss Ivy.Lila smiled.Fake. Perfect. Practiced.She had no choice now.“It’s good to be home,” she said smoothly.Richard narrowed his eyes slightly but said nothing.They led her up to her room, the unfamiliar halls pressing in around her like the walls of a tomb. The maids bustled in behind her, changing the sheets, restocking the drawers, pretending not to notice the tension radiating from her.When they left, she stood in the center of the room, staring at her reflection.Ivy stared bac
The scent of antiseptic hung thick in the air, cold and suffocating, clinging to the sterile white walls like a ghost that refused to leave. The room, though bathed in daylight streaming through a narrow, barred window, held no warmth. The only sounds were the distant echo of shoes on tile and the low, mechanical hum of machines monitoring the fragile boundary between sanity and madness.In the center of it all lay Lila.Or as the staff here knew her: Ivy Blackwood.Her brown hair was disheveled, matted to her forehead with sweat. Her pale skin, once radiant with carefully curated poise, now looked wan and haunted. Her eyes, wild and rimmed with exhaustion, flicked around the room like a cornered animal searching for an escape. But there was none. The straightjacket bound her arms tightly to her torso, and leather restraints anchored her ankles to the bed frame.She hadn’t spoken since the screaming stopped.The nurses whispered when they thought she couldn’t hear. Said she was mad. T
Leo’s POVThe battlefield quieted, save for the crackling fires and the groans of the dying. My pulse still thundered in my ears, but the bloodlust began to ebb, leaving behind a sharp, aching clarity.I stood among the ruins of Malrik’s failed rebellion, blood soaking my skin, teeth still stained from the life I had ripped from their veins. The night was far from over—I could feel it, like a splinter in my mind. Something dark was coming.The air shifted.Colder. Heavier.Even my warriors sensed it. Their post-battle roars died out, one by one, and an unnatural silence swallowed the clearing. Connor’s lips curled into a snarl, Zane’s claws still dripped red, but their eyes darted to the treeline.Then I saw her.She stepped out of the shadows like smoke made flesh.Dina.The last time I saw her, she stood in front of my throne room, asking me to sacrifice my mate. She hadn’t changed—still dressed in her dark robes that rippled like oil in the wind, her face pale and ageless, her eye
Ivy’s POVThe fourth day turned out to be the worst.Worse because I am still alive. Worse because every time Alpha Raul marked me, the pain got sharper. Deeper.And every time, my wolf—valiantly, defiantly—rejected him.The room stank of sweat, old blood, and Alpha Raul’s scent—thick and clinging like rot. My body was raw, my neck a patchwork of torn flesh where Raul had tried to mark me over and over. But my wolf—the last spark of resistance I had left—rejected him every time. And each rejection felt like death.The mark was slow to heal, and before it could fully fade, Alpha Raul would sink his teeth into the same spot—reopening the wound and claiming it all over again.Each time he sank his fangs into me, it was as if my soul was being torn in half, only to be stitched together by burning wire. I would scream until my voice gave out, until my throat was ragged and raw, until the pain folded me into unconsciousness. But every time I came back, chained and shivering, he would try a
Leo’s POVThe air crackled with energy as I stepped onto the battlefield, the scent of war thick on the wind—blood, sweat, steel. The moon hung low, bloated and red like it was thirsty for carnage. Good. It would feast tonight.My boots crushed charred earth as I led my warriors across the eastern border of the palace, where Malrik’s pathetic rebellion had gathered like a swarm of diseased rats. I could hear their howls echoing in the distance, could hear the roar of their chants—wild, desperate, undisciplined. Fools.Zane met me at the front lines, blood already staining his cheek and his blade. “They’ve broken through the outer ring,” he said breathlessly, “but they’re sloppy. No formation. Just brute force.”I sneered. “Then let’s show them what real force looks like.”I shifted.Bones cracked, flesh tore, and a searing fire ignited in my veins as my wolf burst free. My muscles expanded, fur black as shadow blanketing me, claws gleaming like blades. But it wasn’t just my wolf—my va