5. Run away

Ivy’s POV

After what seems like a long time, the ambulance stops. The three men carry me into the mental hospital. I’m surprised to see Theodore already inside waiting for me. He’s with a woman who I quickly learn is the hospital administrator.

“Here she is,” Theodore says. The administrator nods.

I’m surprised to see he’s also with the Sterlings, the people I once thought were my parents, Grace and Ethan. Why are they here?

“We heard what happened at the hospital,” Grace says. “Our son was out of line. I can see now how sick you are, Ivy. Jonathan should have never done that to you when you’re so sick.”

“oh? So he should have done it when I’m healthy?” I say. “Should he beat me in public, humiliate me in front of the pack, but only when I have a clean bill of health?”

“I’m not saying that, Ivy, you’re getting me wrong. You know we still love you even if you’re not out real daughter,” Grace says. She tries to put her hand on my cheek and I move my head out of her reach.

“Why are you here anyway? You’ve had nothing to do with me through all of my troubles. Did Tiffany send you? So that you can report back to her that she’s won?”

Ethan steps in. “Ivy, you shouldn’t talk to us in that way. We raised you.”

“Oh okay, Ethan, you tell me how I should talk to the people who kicked me out of their house, welcomed in a liar and killer, and now come here to gawk at me in my weakest moment.”

“You really are mad, Ivy.” Ethan takes Grace’s arm. “Let’s go. There’s nothing we can do here.”

He turns to Theodore. “It’s clear you’ve done the right thing bringing her here. You have our full support, Alpha.”

Theodore says nothing as they leave. Something in his face tells me the Sterlings have fallen out of his favour. At least he’s wise enough to see them for who they are — opportunists who only want power however they can get it.

The three men put me on a gurney and push me into a room. Theodore and the administrator follow us. There they remove the straightjacket and put my hands in restraints attached to the bed. Then the three men leave.

“She’ll remain here until I say she can be released,” Theodore says. “You must take care because I can’t have her escape. It could be very dangerous to her and to others. If it happens, I will hold you personally responsible.”

The woman nods. “I understand completely, Alpha. I’ve already ordered two guards for the door and, if she must be unrestrained, I have an additional guard available to help the nurses.” Theodore is satisfied and the woman leaves.

“Ivy, this is your home until you’re better. It’s best you accept that. Let them help you. Fighting will only make the time here more difficult.”

“Thanks for the advice, Theodore, but I don’t think it’s wise to take advice from my own kidnapper.”

Theodore shrugs his shoulders. “Well, you do what you want. I’ll check on you when I get a chance.”

“Don’t bother. Why do you want to waste your time on a crazy liar? You put me exactly where you wanted me. You’ve won. Tiffany will be overjoyed.” I look at Theodore and for the first time in my life I think I might hate him.

“It’s not about winning or losing. I need to protect the pack. Because of that, until you are better, Tiffany will be the Luna.”

I laugh. “Of course she will! I never had any doubt about that. You’re the weakest Alpha that has ever existed! This will cost you, Theodore. Your poor decisions, pushed by that evil woman will come to haunt you. Remember my words!”

He leaves without saying another word.

Moments later two nurses and the guards at the door enter. The nurses are preparing an injection.

“What is that?” I ask.

“Just something to make you relax so that you can get used to your new home,” one of the nurses says.

“I don’t need any injection. I’m fine.”

“Don’t fight us. We only want to help you. Your cooperation will go a long way to help you heal.”

She nods at the two guards to hold me. The other nurse steadies my arm as the first nurse injects me with a burning liquid.

I feel my mind spin. My thoughts are a tangled mess. I shake all over, my head bounces back and forth. I’m losing myself. I fear that now I will actually go crazy.

“What have you given me? This is awful!”

“Don’t worry, you’ll feel better soon,” the nurse says, and they all quickly leave, locking me inside.

For hours, I swirl in the chemically-created madness. Shaking, rolling back and forth on the bed, sweating profusely.

Finally I collapse in exhaustion and everything goes black.

***

I wake up and it’s dark. I feel weak and very groggy. Whatever was in that injection, I never want in my body again.

I look around the room trying to see how I can escape. The windows have bars. The door is locked with the guards outside. And, in any case, my hands are still restrained to the bed. It’s hopeless.

A nurse looks in the window of the door then disappears. She’s soon back again with the guards.

“It seems we need to top up your meds,” she says. I look at her and say nothing. This is not going to happen; she’ll not inject me with that poison again.

The guards hold me as she prepares the injection. I look out the window and see the full moon. I feel the Moon Goddess’ energy fill me up. Then, I feel something shift in my body.

I can smell the musky scent of the guard nearest to me and the nurse’s menses. Everything is crystal clear: my hearing, my sight, my smell. A surge of power pushes through me and I know I can overpower anything, everything. My wolf has finally emerged!

The nurse comes near and I can no longer contain what is happening to me.

I lift first one hand and the other, breaking the restraints as if they’re weak pieces of gauze. The nurse’s eyes widen in fear.

The guards try to hold me and I push them away. They fly through the air, hit the wall, and fall like crumpled lumps, unconscious.

I jump from the table. I look down and see my beautiful wolf body. I stretch my arms out and they are muscled and furry and I smile. I jump up and my leg muscles are so strong, pushing me to the ceiling; the power in my body is amazing!

I am a wolf after all! A beautiful, majestic powerful wolf!

“Please, please don’t hurt me,” the nurse begs.

I take the injection from here hand. “It won’t hurt you; it’s medicine. It will help you.”

Then I inject her with the very poison that was meant for me and she collapses.

I kick the locked door open and run for the front exit. No one stops me until I get to the door. There I see the administrator.

“The Alpha said you should not leave,” she says.

“The Alpha says many stupid things. That was one of the worst.”

I push her to the side. I pull the bars from the door and kick the outer door open. I am free! Where I’m going I don’t know. I’m more powerful than I ever imagined I could be.

I am finally my true self — a werewolf! I knew she was in there all along. That was why I survived the car crash. Now I know I can survive anything.

Outside I run. I run and run. I am free and finally happy.

***

In the far north, an old woman leans over a chart with her pendulum, a purple amethyst crystal weights the end of the silver chain. Something has been uncovered and she needs to tell the pack.

“What do you see, Prophet Alexia?” Dawson asks shortly after arriving.

The old prophet looks up. “There is something. This is why I called you.”

Dawson, the Alpha of the Ice Moon Pack, tries not to hope. It has been too long. He tries to keep the faith, but in some ways he believes that his granddaughter is gone from them forever. Still, he is here.

Prophet Alexia picks up her quartz pendulum, the more powerful of the two, and lets it swing over the chart. She nods her head, confirming in her mind what her pendulum has told her. When she looks up she’s smiling.

“What? Tell me!” Dawson is impatient as always.

“Our Ice Moon Princess has been found.”

The gathering erupts in cheers.

“Where is she?” Dawson asks, desperate to bring her home as soon as possible.

“She lives among the Silver Claw Pack in the South.”

“We must leave right away. Prepare for our journey, Dylan,” Dawson orders his adopted grandson.