Ivy’s POVThe weight of their words pressed against me like a heavy chain."No more cells. No more isolation. From now on, you stay with us."They weren’t letting me go.I swallowed hard, my mind racing. This wasn’t about claiming me as their mate—not really. This was about control. They wanted me close, not because they cared, but because I was something they weren’t ready to lose.Even if they had treated me like nothing before, I was something to them now.And I didn’t know if that made things better or worse.I forced myself to take a deep breath, keeping my voice steady. “And if I refuse?”Kieran chuckled, shaking his head. “That’s cute, sweetheart. But you don’t really have a choice.”My stomach twisted. “I do have a choice. You don’t own me.”Elias’s expression didn’t change, but his voice was quiet, firm. “We aren’t giving you the chance to leave again.”Ronan stepped forward, his golden eyes burning into mine. “We’re keeping you safe.”I let out a dry laugh, shaking my head.
Ronan’s POVIvy’s disobedience wasn’t surprising.It was expected.But that didn’t mean it wasn’t frustrating.She didn’t trust us. And honestly, she had every right not to. We had hurt her. We had broken her. And now, we were trying to fix it.But she wasn’t making it easy.“Fine,” I finally said, my voice even. “You don’t trust us. I get it. But that doesn’t change the fact that you’re staying here.”She scoffed. “And if I try to leave?”Elias, who had been silent for most of the conversation, leaned forward slightly, his piercing blue eyes locking onto hers. “Then we’ll stop you.”Her lips parted slightly, her breath hitching for just a second before she quickly masked it with anger. “So I am a prisoner.”Kieran let out a short laugh. “You really don’t listen, do you?”I shot him a look before turning my attention back to Ivy. “You’re not a prisoner, Ivy. But we will keep you here.”Her hazel eyes flashed with anger. “That sounds like the same thing to me.”I exhaled slowly. “Look,
Ivy’s POVI sat in silence, my back pressed against the window, watching them.Ronan, Kieran, and Elias.The three men who had ruined me. The men who had made my life miserable for years. The same men who had rejected me without a second thought.And now, they wanted to keep me.I clenched my fists in my lap, nails digging into my palms. I wouldn’t let them win.Kieran stretched lazily on the couch, his smirk never fading. “So, sweetheart, how long are you going to keep up this little act?”I glared at him. “What act?”“That whole I hate you thing.” His blue eyes gleamed with amusement. “We get it, Ivy. You’re angry. But let’s be real—you feel the bond just as much as we do.”My stomach twisted.I refused to give him the satisfaction of a response.Elias, standing near the fireplace, finally spoke. “Kieran.”His brother shrugged. “What? I’m just saying what we’re all thinking.”“You’re an idiot,” Ronan muttered, rubbing the bridge of his nose.I swallowed hard, keeping my expression n
Ivy's povI felt as if it was the stupidest thing I had ever decided on, and I knew it as the words left my mouth. A challenge? Against them? Against him? I must've lost my mind. I stood still, my fingers clenched into fists, as my eyes darted between the three of them—Ronan, Elias, and Kiernan–the infamous triplets who wore their arrogance like armor. The air around them practically sizzled with mischief and ego.I could already feel my skin heating from the silent mockery in their gaze.Ronan's smirk was the worst of it. That lazy, smug curl of his lips that said I know exactly what you're thinking and it's cute you think you'll win.I narrowed my eyes at him, my teeth grinding. I refused to let myself be toyed with. Elias was grinning like an idiot, his dimples so deep it made my stomach churn. It wasn't that I hated them–not really. It was just the way they carried themselves. Like the world bent to their will, like they were invincible.Well, they weren't. At least, I hoped they
Ivy's POVI had lost. As much as it bruised my pride to admit it, there was no sugarcoating the truth—I’d been outmatched. Ronan had bested me in the duel, fair and square. I tried to blame it on the mate bond that had happened out of nowhere, and untriggered too, but it didn't make sense. As Ronan had already won two rounds before the mate bond happened. It didn't matter how hard I had fought, or how much anger and determination had fueled me. He was stronger, faster…and I was still just me.The terms were clear: if I lost, I would remain in the pack house.And so, I stayed.At first, I thought it would feel like a prison. That I'd feel caged, watchedz stripped of my freedom like a wild creature behind bars. But the truth was…it didn't feel that way. Not entirely. I was allowed to go about my days like any other pack member. I could train if I wanted to. Eat with the others. Walk around the grounds. Sleep in my quarters. No one chained me or locked me away.But there was a catch.I w
Ivy's POVThe room had never felt so cold. The moment the triplets stepped in, the energy shifted, heavy with authority and confusion. All heads turned, including mine. I watched as Selena's face changed in an instant—dirst started, then innocent and vulnerable.Ronan's voice cut through the murmurings like a blade. “What's going on here?”Selena turned to him immediately, her hands pressing dramatically to her chest like she'd just survived a horrific attack. “Thank the Moon Goddess you're her,” she breathed. “Ivy…she tried to hurt me. I don't know what got into her. She brought a knife in here, said it was for cutting apples but then she—she lunged at me. I barely got away.”Gasps filled the air, and some of the pack members nodded, already wrapped around her words.Ronan looked at me. His expression was unreadable. “Is that true?” he asked, his voice even, but not cold. Not yet.I raised my head slowly, my body trembling. “No,” I said quietly. “It's not true. I was only cutting app
Ivy's POVThe door slammed shut behind Selena, and for a moment, I could still feel the weight of her lies clinging to my skin like smoke. I had never been so upset in my entire life, and no one was happier that her lies were exposed than I was. The room remained frozen, tense, and charged, as if even the walls were waiting for something else to explode. No one moved. No one spoke. The silent tension tore through my skin like melted glass. I was silently observing the room from the corner of my eyes, I could look, I couldn't move, I could speak. I was too overwhelmed.Then, slowly, the triplets turned their gazes on me.Tiger gazes felt so judgmental that I had braced myself for more judgment, more cold stares, more accusations. My heart was still thudding wildly in my chest, and my wrists throbbed where I'd caught the edge of the table. I wanted to run, to disappear, to have the ground swallow me whole, to not have every eye in the room pin me in place like I was some dangerous creat
Ivy's POVThe room was quiet, but the silence wasn’t comforting. It felt thick, like a woolen blanket suffocating the air, making it hard to breathe. I stood just a few feet in, arms still tucked around my body as if I could physically hold myself together. My wrists ached from where I’d hit the table earlier, but I ignored it. The pain in my chest far outweighed anything my body could feel.Ronan leaned against the edge of the desk, arms crossed, his eyes unreadable as they rested on me. Elias sat in one of the leather chairs beside the bookshelf, his fingertips pressed together in thought, elbows resting on the arms of the chair like he was a king weighing judgment. And Kiernan—he stood near the window, the dim afternoon light casting half his face in shadow. He hadn’t looked at me yet, not fully. He stared out like the world beyond the glass was somehow more tolerable than being in this room with me.The door had closed behind me, sealing me in. It wasn’t locked, not physically, bu
Selena's POVThe first thing I felt was cold.It crept under my skin like icy fingers, stiffening my limbs, wrapping around my lungs. I opened my eyes slowly. My body was weak, heavy like stone. Every breath hurt. Every blink sent a throb through my head. But I was alive. That meant my plan hadn’t gone completely wrong.The ceiling above me was unfamiliar. Wooden beams, old and cracked. Not the luxurious ceiling of my father’s home or the healer’s hut in the center of the pack grounds. This was a side room, one of the less important healing chambers. Hidden, quiet, empty.I moved slightly and regretted it. My side ached, and my mouth tasted of metal and dirt. Poison, I realized. The bellroot worked faster than expected.I had used only a small dose. Just enough to scare them. Just enough to make me look like the victim. Just enough to make Ivy look guilty.Ivy.Her name flared inside my mind like fire. I hated her more than anyone. Her presence, her voice, her soft eyes that fooled ev
IVY'S POVThe morning light crept through the thin curtains like a quiet whisper. I sat up slowly, my muscles sore from another night of restless sleep. Kiernan hadn’t said much since the meeting with the Alpha. He stayed close though—always nearby, always watching. It was strange having someone care, even a little. I wasn’t used to it.The events of the last few days swirled in my mind like a storm. Selena poisoned. A forged letter. A trap meant for me. The pack still watched me like I was dangerous, like I might snap any second. But now they whispered behind their hands instead of shouting in my face. That was progress, I guessed.I sat by the window with a piece of bread in my hands, chewing slowly. I wasn’t hungry. Food tasted like ash when you didn’t know who wanted you dead.Kiernan sat in the corner, arms crossed, eyes trained on the door. He hadn’t slept either. I could see the tired lines under his eyes."You don’t have to babysit me all day," I said quietly.He didn’t move.
Ivy’s POVThe morning came slowly, dragging a pale gray light through the thick clouds outside the window. I hadn’t slept. My body was tired, but my mind had stayed wide awake, thoughts turning over again and again. Everything felt too loud inside my head—Ronan’s words, Kiernan’s silence, Selena’s lies.I sat curled on the edge of the bed, knees pulled to my chest, a blanket wrapped tightly around me. The air was cold, and the fire in the hearth had died sometime during the night. Still, I didn’t move to relight it. I just watched the flames that weren’t there.I didn’t know what time it was when the door opened softly. Kiernan stepped in without saying a word. He looked like he had been up all night too. His shirt was wrinkled, and his hair was messier than usual.He walked over and placed something on the small table. A bowl of soup. Warm bread. A cup of tea."You should eat," he said, voice quiet.I nodded, though I didn’t move.Kiernan walked to the window, arms crossed as he star
Ronan’s POVThe training grounds were nearly empty when I arrived. Just the dull thud of fists meeting sandbags and the occasional shout from warriors sparring in the distance. The cold wind bit at my skin, but I welcomed the sting. It kept me grounded. Focused.I needed to be focused.My brothers didn’t know I’d come here alone. Elias was probably off somewhere brooding like always. Kiernan… well, he had his own reasons for hiding things. But me? I had no excuse.I tightened the wraps around my knuckles and threw a punch at the practice dummy. Again. And again. Harder each time until the sound of flesh meeting leather drowned out the thoughts in my head.Ivy.Her name had burrowed deep under my skin since the moment our bond had awakened—and I’d rejected it.Foolish.The moment I looked into those eyes of hers, soft hazel that turned silver when she was angry or afraid, something inside me cracked. But I did what I was trained to do. I crushed it. Shut her out. Denied what the moon g
Ronan’s POVThe training grounds were nearly empty. Just a few warriors still practicing as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the dirt. My knuckles were bruised, my shirt clung to my back with sweat, and my muscles burned with exhaustion. Still, it wasn’t enough to clear my head. I landed one more punch into the training dummy, watching the way it swayed from the force."That thing didn’t insult you, brother."I didn’t have to turn to know it was Elias. His voice always carried that edge of sarcasm that grated on my nerves."I needed to hit something."He walked closer, tossing me a water bottle. I caught it without a word."You’ve been out here for hours. Trying to forget about her?"I didn’t respond.Elias exhaled and leaned against the fence, his blue eyes watching me carefully. "She’s still under Kiernan’s watch. The Alpha hasn’t made a public decision yet.""He will," I said. "He’s just waiting to see which way the wind blows."Elias was quiet for a mo
Ivy’s POVThe air outside was thick with frost, but the chill that clung to my skin wasn’t from the cold. It came from the truth still settling into my bones—someone wanted me gone. And they were willing to go far enough to poison one of the most powerful women in the pack to make it happen. Or maybe Selena had gone that far herself. The line between victim and villain was so blurred now, I didn’t know what to believe.I sat cross-legged on the window seat of Kiernan’s quarters, my wrist still wrapped tightly. The healer finally came and left, murmuring instructions to rest, to stay calm. As if calm was even possible anymore.Kiernan hadn’t said much since we left the Alpha’s study. He stood near the door, arms crossed over his chest, his gray eyes focused on the hallway as if expecting trouble to walk right in.The silence stretched between us, heavy but not uncomfortable. It was strange, how his presence made me feel more secure than anyone else ever had in this place.“You’re still
Selena's POVA week passed.The days were quiet now, but it wasn’t peace—it was silence before the storm. Anastasia had been exiled. Not killed, not locked up, just sent away. Banished, like I had been. It should’ve been enough.But it wasn’t.I walked through the village again, my hood pulled low, eyes alert. Whispers followed me wherever I went. Some still didn’t trust me. Others looked at me like I was some sort of tragic hero. The girl who took the fall for her maid. Who forgave her father. Who came back stronger. I let them think what they wanted. Let them believe what they needed.I was back. That’s all that mattered.I avoided Ivy for the first few days. Not out of fear, but because I didn’t want to rush. Revenge isn’t loud and messy. It’s slow. Quiet. Like poison in water.But on the seventh day, we crossed paths.She was outside the healer’s tent, gathering herbs in a woven basket. Her hands trembled as she moved. She looked tired. Pale. Haunted.Good.I slowed my steps just
Selena's POVThe morning came gray and still. Fog clung to the trees like a ghost refusing to leave. I woke on the old couch in the corner of the cabin, my back aching and my mind already spinning. Magnus had left without another word, and I hadn’t slept well since. I didn’t trust him. But I needed him. That was the difference between being desperate and being foolish.I pulled on my coat and stepped outside, the cold air biting my face. The forest was quiet. Too quiet. My breath came in short puffs, and I listened for any sign of life. Nothing. No birds. No wind. It felt like the world was holding its breath, waiting.Inside, I started a small fire and boiled water in an old kettle I found buried in a cupboard. The cabin had been abandoned for years, but it still held traces of a life long gone—dusty books, broken furniture, a cracked photograph of a family I didn’t know. This place had stories, like me. Forgotten stories.As I sipped the hot water, the bitterness reminded me of the
Selena's POVThe air was cold in the forest, colder than I remembered. The tall trees loomed overhead, their skeletal branches clawing at the gray sky as if nature itself sought to imprison me. My breath puffed out in quick, angry huffs, my boots crunching against dead leaves as I trudged up the narrow trail to the cabin hidden deep within the woods. It had been days since I was exiled from the pack. I didn't have anywhere to go, so I made my way to the cabin. It had been days since I had been exiled from the pack, and stripped of all my titles and rights. No one knew about this place except me—and now, it would be my haven. My lair. My prison.I slammed the door behind me and leaned against it, trembling. Not from the cold, but from the rage that twisted inside me like a venomous serpent.Ivy.That name echoed in my mind like a curse. The perfect little omega with her sad eyes and soft voice. The one who stole everyone's sympathy. The one who made me look like the villain. My fingers