All Chapters of The Bastard Wolf: Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

* Ivan *Something was not right when we journeyed towards the far eastern border for patrol. It looked like rogues had just passed the area. I remembered that night when Royal warriors said they would take care of the fight and later reported that the rogues had been eliminated.Did the Royal warriors lie to us? When Alpha Fredrick was formed, he said it's alright, I trusted him. But now, I could still smell the enemies of the Green Meadows pack in the air."Alpha Ivan, did you smell it too?"Mikael asked me. He had changed after the war, now he was focused and well trained, soon enough I would declare him as my Beta. We walked further.The tracks at Miller's Creek were nothing. But it doesn't mean it's safe, in fact, it's what made them something.It was very clean. But there was a single set of prints, big, male, and heavy in the snowmelt. It came up to our eastern marker stone, pissed on it like it owned it, and left. No foraging or circling. There was no sign of hesitation. It me

* Ivan *My love for Dorina never changes, even with the fact that his father might be behind my troubled past. I love her but it doesn't mean I would let go of the justice that my family deserves. Now I am halfway to finally learning the truth.The next morning came with good weather like any usual day but Dorina received an important invitation from the Palace. I saw her holding a letter with the Palace seal while standing barefoot in the kitchen.A celebration of her brother and sister-in-law for their new pup. I remembered my last impression of the Prince was bad, however, I had to go with my Luna because she wouldn't miss it for the world."Dorina."She didn't look up. "It's from my mother. Well, from her scribe."I took it from her. I had to read it twice because my eyes kept sliding off the words.Alpha King Daemon and Luna Arriane request the presence of Luna Dorina Cross and Alpha Ivan Cross at the Palace for the Blessing of the new pup born to Prince Douglas and Princess Man

* Ivan *She called me in my real name Ivan Vanir like she's trying to tell me that it doesn’t matter who I am. That maybe if she says it enough times the hatred that I felt won't come back.It does anyway, no matter how I tried to control it. My eyes change color when we cross through these gates. I keep my hand on the small of her back because if I don't, I will put her behind me. And I know that Dorina hates being put behind me.The Royal guards mentioned our names Alpha Cross and Luna Cross. I heard the way my name sounded in their mouths and it is better now. They sounded respectful enough.When we were inside, I felt the Palace warm on my skin. It might be too much fire, or maybe more perfume trying to cover the scent of old blood in the stone. I spent ten years learning not to flinch in this area.Then I see him coming towards us.Alpha King Daemon. Dorina's father. He is standing by the hearth in the great hall of the Palace, holding the new pup in his arms wrapped in blue and

* Dorina *The people in the hall are too loud to hear a conversation in the mind-link. I keep that beautiful smile on my face while Ivan's hand slides off my back. He thinks I don't notice how his fingers linger a second too long, his way of making sure I'm with him all the time."Go ahead,” I whisper to him, not on the mind link, just breath. "My nephew has been waiting to meet you I knew you wanted to hold the baby."He looks at me with those bluish eyes I love, then nods once. I followed him with my gaze as he crossed the stone floor to where my mother Queen Arriane is holding the bundle. My brother, Prince Douglas, is already there, making ridiculous faces that make the baby squint. Ivan doesn't make a face when he sees them. He just stops.And stares at the pup.My mother sees it instantly. A Queen Luna felt him. She lifts the pup without a word. That small, red, furious face, fists punching air, smelling of milk and clean linen."Alpha Cross," she says softly, for the hall, "w

* Dorina *I know forgiveness is hard even when Ivan said he won't kill my father anymore. But his eyes became cold and his hand moved away from me. When words are not enough to know how he truly feels I asked him if I could stay in the Palace while he went back to the Green Meadows alone.And I did not expect that he would actually agree.Silently it feels like my heart breaks from the inside. What I expected him to do was grab me and snarl while saying no. To say I am his Luna, and he won't let me stay, even if he says cruel words just to take me, even if it was through gritted teeth. I expected his wolf to be possessive of me. To be angry that I even asked such a stupid question.Instead, Alpha Ivan looked down at me. My bloody fist was still on my father's hand. And my father's cold hand was over it. My dress was torn at the shoulder from when I ran after him. Barefoot on the cold council stones. And I asked just a small, stupid, question of him."Can I... can I stay here tonight?