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
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
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
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,
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
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,
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
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
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