23.Brandon's POV.As Ivy lost consciousness, I carried her up the stairs, adjusting her weight effortlessly in my arms. She was lighter than I expected, and her body was slack and warm against mine. Her head lolled slightly against my chest, and a faint sigh escaped her lips. Soft, almost content.Carefully, I laid her down on the bed, taking extra care as I pulled the blanket over her. And I stood there, staring down at her.Her face was peaceful, framed by dark waves of hair that fanned out over my arm. Her long lashes brushed against the curve of her cheek, and her lips. Christ, her lips, were parted just slightly, as if inviting something they weren’t even aware of.She looked different like this. Very peaceful.Just Ivy. Just a human.And I couldn’t look away.My pulse thrummed in my ears, an unfamiliar heat settling in my chest. I told myself it was nothing. Just an observation. But it didn't feel like nothing.I let my fingers brush against the soft strands of her hair, pushin
Ivy's POV.The party was perfect.With loud music pulsing through the house like a heartbeat, the air was thick with energy and the scent of sweat, perfume, and alcohol. People filled every available space. Amari had truly outdone herself, and I knew she was ecstatic about it. I should have been too. After all, I had helped plan this.But I wasn’t.Instead, I was stuck in my own head, completely bored out of my mind and detached from everything around me.I leaned against the wall, staring blankly at my untouched drink. The red plastic cup sat between my hands, growing warm from my grip. Around me, people laughed, shouted over the music, moved in waves that never stopped. I wasn’t really seeing them. My mind was elsewhere.I’d told Amari that parties weren’t my thing, and that I wasn’t in the mood, that I had a million other excuses lined up to avoid it. Even using Demi's unfortunate condition as one excuse.But she didn't listen. She dragged me here and practically threatened to ti
Ivy's POV I feigned confusion, trying to make my voice steady. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”Brandon didn’t buy it for a second.He shifted closer, his body brushing against mine in the smallest, most deliberate movement. It wasn’t even a touch, not really, just a slow, careful invasion of space. His hand hovered near my hip, so close that I could feel the heat radiating off of him, and could sense the exact distance between his fingers and my skin.My pulse kicked up, but I forced myself to hold my ground.“I smelled you the second you got there,” he murmured, his voice low, almost thoughtful.My stomach tightened. I knew exactly what he meant, but I wasn’t about to admit that.“I don’t—”“I smelled you,” he repeated, cutting me off, his tone quieter now, almost amused. Savoring. Like he was rolling the words around in his mouth just to enjoy how they tasted. “And I smelled what watching did to you. That little pulse of arousal you tried to fight.”I went still.Every
Brandon's POV.I hadn’t planned on this.Teasing Ivy had started as just that. Just teasing. To watch her squirm, to prove that no matter how much she tried to act unaffected, she wasn’t. Because I knew it.I saw it in the way she stiffened when I got too close, in the way her throat bobbed with every sharp swallow, in the way her breath hitched even as she was trying so hard to stay indifferent.But this time, the second my eyes dragged down her body in that little black dress, something shifted.I felt it.The sharp pull in my gut. The sudden heat curling through my veins. The way my own breathing faltered without permission.She smelled too fucking good.Like something soft and sweet, vanilla and honey, with the faintest trace of that lotion she always wore, something subtle, something dangerous in how easily it wrapped around my senses. But beneath that, beneath the innocent surface, was something else.Something raw and undeniable.Her arousal.It clung to her skin, subtle but in
27: His WorstIvy's POV.Calling Brandon’s bluff had been a huge risk. A dangerous, reckless, stupid risk. And now, as I sat in class, staring blankly at the equations the teacher was writing on the board, my mind refused to let go of that moment.I had looked him in the eye and told him I wouldn’t let him control me. That he should do his worst.Then I turned around and walked away. And the craziest part? He let me. He didn’t grab me, didn’t drag me back, didn’t do a damn thing.Not that day. Not the next.Two whole days passed, and nothing happened.No threats. No calculated acts of revenge. No slow, creeping punishment meant to remind me who was really in charge.By the time the second morning rolled around, relief had started to settle in my chest, warm and hopeful.Maybe he had let it go. Maybe, despite everything, Brandon had enough of a conscience to leave me alone.Maybe, just maybe, I had actually won.But of course, I was wrong. Because on the third day, the second I stepped
28.Ivy's POV.I thought I knew what it felt like to be humiliated, to feel powerless. Demi had made sure of that, treating me like I was disposable, something to be used and discarded whenever he felt like it. But this? This was worse.This was my future.My entire life’s work, every late-night study session, every extra credit assignment, every moment I had sacrificed just to make sure I made it out of here, all of it was now at risk because of one video. One carefully planted, perfectly timed move by Brandon.And the worst part? He didn’t even care.While I was drowning, and gasping for air, he walked through the house with that same arrogant ease, that same air of control. His world remained untouched, unshaken, while mine crumbled beneath my feet. He had thrown my life into absolute chaos, and he didn’t even spare me a second glance.I wanted to hate him. I did hate him. More than I had ever hated anyone. But hate felt useless when he had already taken everything from me.And I c
29.Ivy's POV.The air in the room was suffocating. The fluorescent lights buzzed faintly overhead, but all I could hear was the pounding of my own heart. My hands were clammy, gripping the hem of my sweater so tightly my knuckles ached. I kept my eyes fixed on the table in front of me, too ashamed to look anywhere else.My mother sat beside me, silent but rigid. She hadn’t spoken a word to me since we arrived. Not on the drive here, not while we waited. Nothing. But she didn’t have to. The disappointment radiating off her was enough to make me feel like I was being suffocated from the inside out.Across from me, the disciplinary committee sat in a row, their expressions unreadable. Principal Gladstone sat at the center, her hands neatly folded on the table, eyes steady and assessing."Evelyn Hughes," she began, and my stomach twisted violently.I forced myself to meet her eyes."There is no excuse for what you did," she said, voice firm but not unkind. "No reason that justifies acade
Ivy's POV.Blackmail?I stared at them, completely lost, my mind scrambling to make sense of what I was hearing. My heart pounded in my chest, but my thoughts couldn’t catch up. Blackmail? The only blackmail between me and Demi was a one-way ticket to expulsion, something I had been desperately trying to avoid.So why was everyone looking at me like I was the victim?I turned to Brandon, my confusion morphing into something colder, sharper. He was watching me with a lazy, triumphant smile, completely at ease like he had just won some twisted game.What the hell had he done?The principal sighed, folding her hands on the desk like this was some kind of heartfelt intervention. “Ivy, you should have told us that Demi was blackmailing you with your tapes.”My stomach dropped. My mouth went dry.Tapes? What tapes?She softened her voice, like she was speaking to someone fragile. “We have a counselor here. You didn’t have to deal with this alone. If you had come to us, we could have handled
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