Ivy's POV.The days were slipping through my fingers like sand, and with each one that passed, the pressure in my chest grew heavier, sharper, like a slow suffocation I couldn’t escape.Demi’s words haunted me and looped in my head like a broken record.You’ll come over next weekend. My friends will be there too. To watch.I wanted to believe he was bluffing. That he was just testing me, pushing to see how far I’d let him go before I finally snapped.But I knew better.Demi never made empty threats.He had planned it already. He was waiting for that day. And the more I thought about it, the more the panic wrapped around my throat like a noose.I couldn’t focus. I couldn’t eat. I couldn’t breathe.At school, my mind drifted, eyes glazing over as teachers spoke, their voices melting into nothing but white noise.At home, I’d sit at my desk, staring blankly at my open books, the words blurring into an unreadable mess.And at night? There was no relief. No sleep, just the same cycle of fe
Ivy's POV.Planning Amari's party with her was the only thing keeping me sane.Everything else was suffocating. But when Amari and I sat together, talking about decorations, music, and themes, I could almost forget.Over the past few days, Amari and I had grown closer. She had an effortless way of making people feel comfortable, a kind of charm that made it impossible to dislike her. And even though we came from different worlds, for once, I didn’t feel like I had to keep my guard up.After school, she invited me over to her place to go over plans for the party. We sat on her bedroom floor, sketching out ideas in a notebook, throwing around different themes and decorations. She had a clear vision—something elegant yet fun, and I helped fine-tune the details, adding small touches that would bring everything together.For the first time in what felt like forever, things felt normal. No pressure, no tension, just easy conversation and lighthearted planning. It was a brief escape, a momen
Ivy's POVIt was the day. The day I had been dreading, the day I had been desperately hoping wouldn’t come.Every second dragged me closer to the inevitable, a slow, agonizing countdown to something I couldn’t escape.No amount of deep breaths or forced distractions could dull the suffocating dread pressing down on my chest. It was there—heavy, relentless, and curling around my ribs like a vice.My phone buzzed on the nightstand, the screen glowing in the dim light.Wear something sexy.Of course, it was from Demi.I let out a slow, shaky sigh, pressing the heels of my palms into my eyes while hoping for a miracle that I knew wouldn’t come.Standing in front of my closet, staring blankly at the rows of clothes, I reached for a black, short dress that clung to my figure in all the ways I hated. I had worn it once to a family friend’s party, and even then, I had felt uncomfortable. But this was what Demi wanted.I pulled it over my head and slowly zipped it up by the side.I had already
16.Ivy's POVDinner felt like a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from.I sat stiffly at the dining table, my fingers curled into my lap, every muscle in my body coiled tight with tension. Across from me, Demi lounged in his chair like he belonged here, like this was his home, and not mine.He had spent the last thirty minutes charming my mother, slipping into the role of the perfect boyfriend with disgusting ease. And she had fallen for it completely.It was infuriating.But more than that, it was terrifying.I poked at my food, my appetite long gone. My hands felt ice-cold, but my face was burning, heat crawling up my neck as the weight of the room pressed down on me.And then there was Brandon.I could feel his gaze on me, quiet and heavy, like he was trying to read something from me. He had barely spoken all evening, but I could feel his anger. It lingered in the air, thick and suffocating.My mum turned to Brandon’s dad, practically glowing with excitement.“Baby,” she said, beaming,
17.Ivy's POV As soon as the front door shut behind him, my entire body screamed for release. The tension in my shoulders, the tightness in my chest. I wanted to collapse right there in the hallway, sink to the floor, and let the exhaustion swallow me whole. I barely had a second to steady my breathing before my mother’s voice cut through the silence behind me.“He’s really something, isn’t he?”I turned with a smile on instinct.“Yeah,” I said, forcing the word out.Her eyes gleamed with excitement as she stepped closer, practically vibrating with enthusiasm. “I knew something was up, Ivy. You’ve been so secretive lately, and now I know why!”Before I could react, she reached forward and grabbed my hands, squeezing them between her own. Her warmth should have been comforting, but it only made me feel more trapped.“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me!” she gushed. “My daughter, the little bookworm, finally dating? I never thought I’d see the day.”I swallowed hard, nodding along, pr
18.Brandon’s POVSomething about Ivy’s relationship with Demi didn’t sit right with me.I noticed it when Demi started making them sit at our table during lunch, always keeping her tucked under his arm, right next to him, like she was some kind of accessory. And Ivy always sat there, stiff and silent, barely touching her food.The way her shoulders were always tense, like she was bracing herself for something. The way she flinched when Demi touched her, even when it was just a hand on her arm or a brush of his fingers against her neck.The way she never laughed anymore.Not that she was ever loud or outspoken before, but at least she used to exist in a space without looking like she wanted to disappear.And yet, week after week, she was still there. Sitting beside him. Quiet. Uncomfortable. Trapped.When I actually asked her about it, she tensed so fast, so obvious, like I’d just caught her off guard. Then came the hesitation, the brief flicker of something behind her eyes before she
19.Brandon's POV.The image of what Demi did to Ivy wasn't out of my head yet, and I hated it.I should have been happy that someone else was making Ivy’s life miserable. As a human, she deserved it. If anyone was going to make her life hell, it should be me and me alone.But somehow, watching Demi do it didn’t feel right. It pissed me off in a way I couldn’t explain, like someone was taking something that belonged to me. I had never been a fan of sharing.She hadn’t been the same since that night during dinner. Not that she had ever been confident around Demi, but it was worse now. She was constantly looking over her shoulder, barely speaking. She jumped at the smallest sounds, flinched when someone called her name too suddenly. It was pathetic. And it made it way too obvious that something was wrong.Even her Mom noticed.I had come down to the living room and saw Ivy. She sat there at the dining area with her Mom. They seemed to have been discussing something.Her fingers curled
20.Ivy's POV.I can’t do this.The thought circled in my head like a vulture as I stood in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection.My face was pale, my lips pressed into a thin line, my eyes dull and tired. I barely recognized myself anymore.I had done exactly what Demi wanted.The lingerie was already on, delicate and lacy against my skin, hidden beneath my clothes. But it felt like a second layer of shame, wrapping itself around me, suffocating me.I ran my hands down my thighs, pressing out imaginary creases in my jeans, but the movement did nothing to ease the tightness in my chest. My stomach churned, and the thought of what I was about to do made my skin crawl.Then, as if on cue, my phone vibrated on the dresser. I swallowed hard, already knowing who it was.I picked it up, my hands clammy as I read the message.Demi: It’s finally the day.Demi: Don’t even think about chickening out.Demi: Unless you want your mother and the whole school to know what you’ve been up to.
69.Ivy's POV."Did you enjoy the date?"I scoffed, crossing my arms tightly over my chest. "That’s none of your business. And since you clearly don’t understand boundaries, get out. I want to undress."His smirk deepened, his gaze dropping lower, lazily dragging down my body, like he had every right to look at me that way. "I’ve seen you naked before."My jaw clenched. My fingers dug into my arms, but I refused to react, refused to let him know he was getting under my skin. Instead, I turned sharply on my heel, heading straight for the bathroom. I wasn’t doing this with him. Not tonight.I took my time cleaning up, dragging out every second, hoping that by the time I came out, he’d be gone.But of course, he wasn’t.He was still seated here and waiting.I exhaled sharply, gripping the towel wrapped around me a little tighter. "Seriously?"His eyes flicked over me, slow, deliberate, unapologetic before he met my gaze again. "Do you like Aaron?"I rolled my eyes. "Again, none of your
68.Ivy's POV.By the time Saturday rolled around, Jackie was already at my house, tearing through my closet like a woman on a mission. Dresses flew onto my bed one after another, her brows furrowed in concentration as she appraised each one."You have to look absolutely stunning," she said, tossing another dress my way. "This is your first ever real date, Ivy. We can’t mess this up."I sighed, sitting at the edge of my bed, watching helplessly as my room turned into a fashion battlefield. "It’s really not that serious."Jackie spun around, hands on her hips, eyes narrowed like I had just committed a crime. "Not that serious? A guy transferred across the country for you, and you’re telling me it’s not serious?"I pressed my lips together, unable to argue. She had a point. The whole week had passed without a single word from Brandon. No weird mind games, no taunts, no tension-filled stares. Yes, It was exactly what I’d wanted, to be left alone. But instead of relief, it left this dull
67.Ivy's POV.Seeing my mother again made my stomach twist with guilt. The moment she stepped into the house, all bright smiles and full of travel stories, I felt like the worst person alive. If only she knew what I had done, what I had let happen, under this very roof while she was away.I could barely look at her as she hugged me, her warmth wrapping around me like a comfort I no longer deserved. She asked if I had eaten well, if I had missed her. And I had, desperately. But not in the way she thought. I had missed her in the way a prisoner misses freedom, in the way someone drowning misses solid ground.Brandon, on the other hand, was unreadable. He greeted his father with his usual cool composure, nothing out of place, but there was something off about him. Something quieter than usual. It unsettled me more than his teasing ever did.On the way to school, that silence stretched between us, thick and heavy. Normally, he’d poke at me, provoke me, find some way to make me react. But
66.Ivy's POV.I was already breathless, my mind hazy from what he had just done to me, but then Brandon placed his lips on mine and kissed me deeper, slow and deliberate.“Taste yourself.”And I did. Sweet and salty.A soft sound caught in my throat as he took his time with it, letting me feel everything, the heat, the possessiveness, the unspoken claim. His hands roamed my body, tracing the curves he’d memorized with his touch, and I shivered under his attention.My fingers curled against his shoulders, holding onto him, because I didn’t trust my legs to keep me steady even though I was on the desk.His lips left mine and moved down my neck, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. I moaned softly, my fingers tangling in his hair as I pulled him closer and arched my back, craving more. His hands cupped my breasts, his thumbs brushing over my hardened nipples. I gasped, my head falling back as pleasure coiled low in my belly.Then he stopped and pulled back just enough to look at me,
65.Ivy's POV.After eating dinner alone, I made my way back to my room, my footsteps echoing through the quiet house. It had been like this ever since my mom and Brandon’s dad left for their trip right after the engagement. Just me, and Brandon.As soon as I stepped inside, I stopped dead in my tracks.Brandon was sitting at my study desk, with his long legs stretched out. My laptop was open in front of him, the screen casting a faint glow on his sharp features. He looked entirely unbothered by the fact that he was somewhere he absolutely should not be.“What the hell are you doing?” I snapped, taking a few steps closer.He didn’t even flinch. If anything, he looked amused as he lazily turned his head towards me, his lips curling into that infuriating smirk, the one that made my hands itch to throw something at him.I frowned, my eyes flickering to the laptop. He was reading something, and whatever it was, it had his full attention. A sudden, uneasy feeling coiled in my stomach as I
64.Ivy's POV.I couldn’t believe it.Aaron Vaughn was standing in my classroom like he belonged here, flashing that same dimpled smile I remembered all too well. He looked even better than before, taller, and still carrying that effortless confidence that he had approached me with at the oratory competition.But what really had my mind reeling was what he had just said.He transferred because of me?I tried not to let my shock show as the teacher turned to me. "Ivy, why don’t you show Aaron around the school?"I swallowed, forcing a polite smile. "Sure."Mrs. Reynold gave one last approving nod before turning and walking out of the classroom, leaving behind a low hum of murmurs as everyone whispered about the new guy.Aaron wasted no time making his way over to my desk, his usual confident grin in place as he adjusted the strap of his backpack."Shall we?" he asked, his tone light and expectant.I hesitated for half a second before nodding. "Yeah."Pushing back my chair, I stood up,
63.Brandon's POV.I hadn’t been able to sleep.No matter how hard I tried to shut it out, the images kept coming back, those bastards cornering Ivy, her struggling against them, and the sheer terror in her eyes. My wolf had never reacted like that before. It wasn’t just some vague instinct or a general awareness of danger. It was clear, sharp, like an alarm going off inside me, screaming that she needed me. I had never felt anything like it. Nothing else had mattered in that moment.And when I saw them touching her, something inside me broke.The rage had been instant, uncontrollable. My wolf had taken over, and I hadn’t cared who was watching. I wanted them dead. I should have killed them.I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling sharply as I pulled out my phone. If I couldn’t get the images out of my head, I could at least make sure those bastards never forgot what they did. I dialed a number, pressing the phone to my ear as it rang."Need you to track some people down," I said the
62.Ivy's POV.I woke up gasping, my body jerking upright as the remnants of a terrible nightmare clung to me like a second skin. My heart pounded in my ears, my breath coming in sharp, ragged pulls. My skin was damp with sweat, my fingers twisted in the sheets, and for a moment, I couldn’t tell what was real and what wasn’t.The room was dark, still, but something felt off. A strange prickling sensation crawled up my spine, the kind of feeling that told me I wasn’t alone.I turned my head sharply, my gaze landing on a shadowy figure standing at the foot of my bed.My stomach dropped.Panic surged through me before I could stop it, my body moving on instinct as I scrambled backward, nearly tumbling off the bed. My pulse roared in my ears, my fingers gripping the sheets like they were the only thing keeping me tethered to reality.The figure shifted slightly, stepping into the faint moonlight spilling through my window, and the breath caught in my throat when I saw his face.Brandon.H
61.Amari's POV.This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.I had done everything right. Strengthened the mate bond just like I was told. Played my part perfectly. Yet, even as I sat beside Brandon as his fiancée, the only person he was supposed to be drawn to, I could feel the distance. A wall between us that I had no idea how to break through.Because his eyes were always somewhere else.On her.Even through the engagement party, as everyone toasted to our union, as I smiled and played the perfect mate, he was barely present. He responded when spoken to, held my waist when expected, kissed my temple when cameras were pointed our way. But his gaze, his focus, kept drifting toward Ivy.It was infuriating.At the club, it only got worse.I was all over him, my fingers tracing slow circles on his chest, my lips brushing against the curve of his neck. I had whispered things in his ear, soft, teasing words, offering exactly what any man in his position should want. And yet, nothing. His shoul