Ivy’s POVThe snow comes early this year.It drifts slow and silent through the Blackwood trees, landing in soft clumps on the stone paths and rooftops. It makes everything look gentler than it is. Like the cold world is trying to be kind.I sit on the balcony outside my room, wrapped in one of the thick wool blankets from the east hall. My breath clouds in the air. The sky above is pale and endless.I like the cold. It numbs the parts of me that ache too loud.There’s a knock on the door behind me. Soft. Hesitant.I don’t answer.A pause, then it creaks open anyway. Only one person waits after knocking like that.Elias.He steps out onto the balcony without a word, his boots crunching softly in the snow that’s gathered along the edges. He’s carrying something small in his hands—wrapped in a cloth.He sits beside me, close but not too close. He always leaves space for me to choose.“I brought this,” he says, holding out the cloth. “Thought you might want it.”I unwrap it slowly. Insid
Elias Pov.It was snowing again.The kind of snow that falls slow, soft, quiet. The kind that makes the world feel like it’s holding its breath.I stood in the west corridor, watching Ivy through the window. She was in the courtyard, boots crunching through the fresh powder, scarf pulled up to her nose. Kiernan’s scarf. The one he swore he didn’t care she stole.She looked peaceful, even though I knew she wasn’t. Ivy never really rested. Not fully. Not with everything going on. Not with Selena still whispering behind walls. Not with Magnus lurking in the shadows of our world.Still, she tried.And I loved her for that.I didn’t say it out loud—not yet. Not even to myself, most days. But I felt it. In the way my chest ached when she smiled. In the way I caught myself memorizing her laugh like it was something fragile.I walked out into the cold.She didn’t turn when I approached. Just kept walking through the snow, her steps light. Her hand brushed the bare branches of the garden trees
Kiernan’s PovI heard their laughter before I saw them.It was light, drifting through the stone halls like sunlight through trees. Ivy’s laugh. Followed by Elias’s. And something sharp twisted in my chest.I didn’t go looking for them. Not really. But when the healer told me Ivy had gone out without a coat and Elias had followed, my legs moved on their own. Down the corridor, past the courtyard, toward the forgotten path behind the west wing.I knew where they were going.Elias had taken me there once, years ago. When we were just boys trying to grow into men. It was his place. I should’ve known he’d share it with her.I stayed behind the trees, hidden by the quiet hush of falling snow. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. But then Ivy laughed again, and I saw her lean into him. Saw Elias pull out a blanket. Saw their heads lean together.And then he kissed her.It was soft. Hesitant. The kind of kiss that doesn’t ask for anything but gives everything.She didn’t pull away.I looked away firs
Ronan’s POV.I don’t dream much anymore.When I do, it’s usually of the past. Of fire. Of blood. Of the sound my father made when he told me I would never be enough.But tonight, I dream of Ivy.Not in the way I expected.She’s not smiling. Not glowing in sunlight or dancing through wildflowers. No, she’s in the middle of a storm, soaked and shaking. Her eyes are wild with something between fear and rage. And she’s calling my name, but I can’t reach her.I wake with a sharp inhale, chest tight.The room is dark. Still. Cold.I sit on the edge of my bed and drag my hands down my face. It’s been days since I got real sleep. Days since the fight between Elias and Kiernan. Since Ivy came back from the ridge with her heart caught between them.I stayed out of it.That’s what I do.The steady one. The logical one. The heir. The one who doesn’t get involved.Except I am involved.More than I want to be.More than I’m supposed to be.I see her the next morning outside the training yard. She’s
Ivy's Pov.I was nothing.Just a weak, pathetic omega. A servant. Someone to be ignored, laughed at, or used as a punching bag when higher ranks needed entertainment. I had learned to keep my head down, to move quickly and quietly, to accept the insults and humiliation like they were part of my skin.That was my life. That was all I would ever be.I had grown used to it, used to waking up every day knowing that nothing would change. Until today.But I didn’t know that yet.I woke up to the sound of voices outside my small room in the omega quarters. The walls were thin, and I could hear the other omegas moving around, getting ready for the day. I pushed off my thin blanket, feeling the morning chill bite at my skin. The small window above my bed let in only a sliver of light, barely enough to see by.I dressed quickly in my usual uniform—a plain black dress that reached my knees, marking me as an omega worker. My hands trembled slightly as I laced up my worn boots, knowing what today
Ivy's Pov.I moved through my tasks like a ghost, ignoring the lingering stares and whispers.Everyone had seen what happened.Everyone had seen me humiliated.Again.But that was nothing new.I kept my head down, scrubbing dishes in the kitchen while the dining hall slowly emptied. The triplets and Selene had left first, laughing about something as they walked out. Probably me.By the time the dining hall was completely cleared, my hands were raw from scrubbing. My stomach growled, but I ignored it. Omegas weren’t allowed to eat until the rest of the pack had finished, and even then, there was rarely anything left.I dried my hands and stepped outside for a breath of fresh air before heading back to my room.The cold morning air wrapped around me, and I inhaled deeply, trying to shake off the unease that had been clinging to me since I woke up. Today was my birthday.Today, I was supposed to sense my mate.But the only thing I had felt all day was exhaustion.Maybe I didn’t have a ma
Ivy’s POVI stood there, my heart pounding against my ribs, as the triplets walked away. Their rejection settled in my chest like a stone, heavy and suffocating. I knew they didn’t want me. I had always known. But hearing it, feeling it in my soul, made it real.I wrapped my arms around myself, my body trembling as the bond tugged tightly inside of me , demanding I chase after them, beg them to accept me. But I wouldn’t. I couldn’t.The Moon Goddess was cruel.Pairing me, a weak, insignificant—with them? The future Alphas? It was a joke. A sick, twisted joke.I took a shaky breath and turned toward the omega quarters. I needed to get away. Away from their scent, away from their voices echoing in my head. But before I could take a step, a sharp, familiar voice cut through the silence.“Pathetic.”I stiffened. I didn’t have to turn around to know who it was.Selene.She stepped in front of me, arms crossed, a slow smirk spreading across her face. Her green eyes gleamed with cruel amusem
Ivy’s POVI was leaving.There was no future for me here. No place. No love. The triplets didn’t want me. The pack saw me as nothing more than a burden, a joke. Staying would only bring more pain. And I had enough of that to last a lifetime.The timing was perfect.Tonight, the pack was hosting a grand ceremony. The triplets would officially announce Selene as their Luna, binding her to them in every way that mattered.It didn’t surprise me. I had known it was coming. Even before I found out about the mate bond, I had known Selene would end up as their Luna. She was strong. She was powerful. She was everything I wasn’t.And the entire pack would be there to celebrate.Which meant they wouldn’t be watching the borders.It was the perfect chance to escape.I just had to make it that far.I spent the rest of the day avoiding everyone. I kept to the omega quarters, doing my usual tasks, acting like nothing had changed. But inside, I was counting down the hours.I forced myself to eat, eve
Ronan’s POV.I don’t dream much anymore.When I do, it’s usually of the past. Of fire. Of blood. Of the sound my father made when he told me I would never be enough.But tonight, I dream of Ivy.Not in the way I expected.She’s not smiling. Not glowing in sunlight or dancing through wildflowers. No, she’s in the middle of a storm, soaked and shaking. Her eyes are wild with something between fear and rage. And she’s calling my name, but I can’t reach her.I wake with a sharp inhale, chest tight.The room is dark. Still. Cold.I sit on the edge of my bed and drag my hands down my face. It’s been days since I got real sleep. Days since the fight between Elias and Kiernan. Since Ivy came back from the ridge with her heart caught between them.I stayed out of it.That’s what I do.The steady one. The logical one. The heir. The one who doesn’t get involved.Except I am involved.More than I want to be.More than I’m supposed to be.I see her the next morning outside the training yard. She’s
Kiernan’s PovI heard their laughter before I saw them.It was light, drifting through the stone halls like sunlight through trees. Ivy’s laugh. Followed by Elias’s. And something sharp twisted in my chest.I didn’t go looking for them. Not really. But when the healer told me Ivy had gone out without a coat and Elias had followed, my legs moved on their own. Down the corridor, past the courtyard, toward the forgotten path behind the west wing.I knew where they were going.Elias had taken me there once, years ago. When we were just boys trying to grow into men. It was his place. I should’ve known he’d share it with her.I stayed behind the trees, hidden by the quiet hush of falling snow. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. But then Ivy laughed again, and I saw her lean into him. Saw Elias pull out a blanket. Saw their heads lean together.And then he kissed her.It was soft. Hesitant. The kind of kiss that doesn’t ask for anything but gives everything.She didn’t pull away.I looked away firs
Elias Pov.It was snowing again.The kind of snow that falls slow, soft, quiet. The kind that makes the world feel like it’s holding its breath.I stood in the west corridor, watching Ivy through the window. She was in the courtyard, boots crunching through the fresh powder, scarf pulled up to her nose. Kiernan’s scarf. The one he swore he didn’t care she stole.She looked peaceful, even though I knew she wasn’t. Ivy never really rested. Not fully. Not with everything going on. Not with Selena still whispering behind walls. Not with Magnus lurking in the shadows of our world.Still, she tried.And I loved her for that.I didn’t say it out loud—not yet. Not even to myself, most days. But I felt it. In the way my chest ached when she smiled. In the way I caught myself memorizing her laugh like it was something fragile.I walked out into the cold.She didn’t turn when I approached. Just kept walking through the snow, her steps light. Her hand brushed the bare branches of the garden trees
Ivy’s POVThe snow comes early this year.It drifts slow and silent through the Blackwood trees, landing in soft clumps on the stone paths and rooftops. It makes everything look gentler than it is. Like the cold world is trying to be kind.I sit on the balcony outside my room, wrapped in one of the thick wool blankets from the east hall. My breath clouds in the air. The sky above is pale and endless.I like the cold. It numbs the parts of me that ache too loud.There’s a knock on the door behind me. Soft. Hesitant.I don’t answer.A pause, then it creaks open anyway. Only one person waits after knocking like that.Elias.He steps out onto the balcony without a word, his boots crunching softly in the snow that’s gathered along the edges. He’s carrying something small in his hands—wrapped in a cloth.He sits beside me, close but not too close. He always leaves space for me to choose.“I brought this,” he says, holding out the cloth. “Thought you might want it.”I unwrap it slowly. Insid
Ivy’s POVThe wind at Blackwood always smells like pine and smoke. Like something old. Like a warning.I stand at the edge of the training yard, watching the others spar. Their movements are sharp, practiced. The sound of blades clashing echoes against the trees. I try to focus, but something feels off. Like I’m standing on the edge of something I can’t see.Kiernan glances at me from across the yard. His expression is unreadable, but I know he’s watching. He always is. I pretend not to notice and turn my attention back to Ronan.He’s moving too fast for the boy he’s paired with. A blur of strength and control. He doesn’t smile when he wins. He doesn’t gloat. He just helps the other kid up and nods once.That’s how Ronan is.Always the leader. Always the rule.Elias joins me after a while, quiet as always. I don’t look at him, but I feel the shift in the air when he stands next to me. He doesn’t speak. He doesn’t need to. I can feel the weight of his thoughts, the silence between us f
Selena’s POVMy mouth still tastes like ash.It’s been days—maybe longer. Time means nothing when you’re locked in a cold room with no windows and your own thoughts clawing at your skin. I sleep when the pain makes me, wake when the nightmares do. They blur together now. Dream, reality, memory—they all taste the same.Bitter.I thought I had more time. I thought I’d planned everything. The poison was only supposed to weaken me, just enough to look like a victim. Just enough to make them hesitate. Make them doubt Ivy long enough for me to twist the blade.But I pushed it too far.Magnus warned me. He always warns me, in his slow, heavy way. Words like chains, soft and cold around the neck. I thought I was ready for it. Thought I could play sick, play weak, and still stay in control.I was wrong.Now my skin is pale, my limbs tremble when I stand, and my vision swims more often than not. I try to eat, but everything tastes wrong. I try to speak, but my voice is cracked like old glass. T
Elias’s POVI’ve always been the other one.Not Ronan, the Alpha’s favorite. Not Kiernan, the stoic shadow with all the answers. Me? I was the one who slipped through the cracks. The one people laughed with but never looked to. I kept things light. I joked. I acted like nothing ever touched me.Truth is, everything touches me. And when it does, it goes deep.Like Ivy Gray.The first time I saw her, I thought she was just another mess waiting to happen. A stranger with haunted eyes and secrets that didn’t belong in our territory. I watched her with suspicion, with doubt. Hell, I probably said things I shouldn’t have, made her feel smaller than she already did.I didn’t see her. Not really.But I do now.And I hate myself for not seeing her sooner.She walks through the court like someone who’s been through war and still chooses to keep fighting. She doesn’t flinch at the way people look at her. Doesn’t bend under the weight of their judgment. There’s a fire in her now—burning hotter ea
Ivy's pov.I’ve learned how to disappear even when I’m standing in the middle of the room.It’s a skill that comes from years of practice—keeping my shoulders still, my face blank, my voice quiet.I’ve watched others laugh and fit in while I sat silently in the background, pretending I didn’t care.Pretending I wasn’t aching to belong. But now, that silence feels heavier. Not because I want to be noticed, but because I already am. And not in the good way.The moment I step out of my room and into the long hallway, I feel the weight of it pressing down on me. The whispers don’t stop when I walk by—they get louder. The glances aren’t quick anymore—they’re lingering, judging. I know what they’re all thinking.She doesn’t belong.I grip the strap of my bag tighter and keep walking, chin up, shoulders square. If they’re going to look at me like I’m a threat, then maybe I should start acting like one.But now everything has changed. Though there are still some whispers but at least I was no
Ivy's Pov.The moment his eyes met mine across the court, I knew he was watching again. He always did. Quietly. From the shadows. I used to think it was annoying—paranoid, even—but now, it feels different. It feels like something deeper is hiding behind those guarded stares. Something even he doesn’t want to admit.I pretended not to notice him and kept moving, trying to stay focused on the task in front of me. There were still bruises on my wrists from yesterday’s training session with Victor. He didn’t hold back—not that I wanted him to. I needed the pain. It reminded me I was still here, still fighting. Still proving myself.This pack didn’t want me here.Not really.To them, I was still the outsider. The daughter of a man they all hated. The bloodline they feared might ruin everything. They didn’t say it outright. Most of them didn’t need to. Their glares, their whispered conversations, the way they stepped aside like my skin carried a disease—it all said enough.And yet, I wasn’t