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
Brandon's POV.Sleeping with Ivy should have satisfied something inside me. Should have burned out the obsession, sated the hunger. But it only made it worse. Now, I wanted her more, needed her more. It was maddening, the way she filled every damn thought, every moment of silence, like she had carved herself into my bones.And worse, I had to watch her cozy up to Aaron Vaughn like he was the best thing to ever happen to her.I hated him.Hated the way he made her laugh, the way she leaned into him like he was her safe place. Hated the way everyone else seemed to think he was perfect, that he was the best match for Ivy. Hated the way he was always near her in school, drawing attention with his grand gestures, making sure everyone saw how much he wanted her. His name was on every student’s lips."Aaron did this," "Aaron did that," "Aaron is so romantic."And Ivy?She was warming up to him. Smiling more. Looking comfortable.It made my blood fucking boil.Lunch was unbearable. The four
Ivy's POV.The announcement had caught me off guard. Lunch was already over when the speakers crackled to life, calling my name and instructing me to report to the principal’s office.I didn’t understand why. I hadn’t done anything, at least, nothing that would warrant a trip to the office. My heart pounded as I made my way through the hallway, my mind racing through every possibility. Maybe it was about my grades? No, that didn’t make sense. Maybe it was about Aaron? But why would the principal care about that?By the time I reached the office, my palms were slightly clammy. Taking a breath, I knocked once before pushing the door open.Principal Gladstone was seated at her desk, but she wasn’t alone.Two unfamiliar figures sat across from her. A man and a woman, both dressed sharply in dark suits. There was something official about them, something that immediately put me on edge. The woman had her hair pulled back into a neat ponytail, and the man had the kind of expression that ma
HERAThe rogue wolf’s claws were mere inches from my face when I thrust my hand forward, my magic in a surge of golden light that exploded from my palm. It slammed into the creature, halting its attack mid-air and throwing it against the wall. The rogue growled, snapping its jagged teeth as it struggled against the invisible force holding it at bay. “You won’t escape me, Luna. I’ll rip you apart!”“Bold words coming from an animal that is about to eat the book shelves,” With a flick of my wrist, I hurled the wolf across the room, crashing it into the towering shelves, breaking it in the process. Wood and books rained down as the rogue tumbled to the ground in a heap.The door burst open, and Atticus, along with Kai, the Alphas of other packs, and the Elders. Their eyes darted to the wreckage and then to me.“Hera!”Atticus made to lunge forward but I created a barrier between us“Stay back!” I commanded. “I’ve got this.”The rogue staggered to its feet, its green eyes blazing with
Ivy's POV I didn’t want to go. Every part of me resisted, a heavy weight settling in my chest at the thought of spending the day pretending everything was fine, especially around Amari. After what happened with Brandon again, I could barely look at her without heavy guilt twisting inside me.But when Amari showed up at my house, practically glowing with excitement, I knew I had no way out.She hugged me the second I stepped outside, squeezing my arm like we were best friends. “Come on, Ivy! You look like you’re heading to your execution, not a fun date.”I forced a smile, my jaw tight. “I’m just tired.”“Well, this will wake you up.” She grinned, bouncing on her heels. “Treasure hunt at the fun park. It’s gonna be amazing.”Amazing. Right.With no excuse strong enough to get me out of it, I found myself in the backseat of Brandon’s car as we drove toward the fun park.The place was massive, a mix of carnival rides, neon-lit game booths, and themed escape rooms scattered throughout.
Brandon's POVIvy had been quiet since we left the room, her gaze distant, her expression unreadable. She walked a few steps ahead of me, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, like she was trying to hold herself together.And I didn’t know what to do about it.I told myself to walk away. To leave Ivy alone. To focus on Amari, my mate. The girl I was supposed to be bound to for life. The one fate had supposedly chosen for me. It should have been simple. Natural.But it wasn’t.No matter how much I tried, I couldn’t bring myself to do it.Nothing about Amari stirred anything in me. Not her scent, not her touch, not the bond that was supposed to make her the most desirable person in the world to me. Instead, all I felt was… nothing.And yet, Ivy, fuck, Ivy consumed me.Her scent got under my skin, her voice lingered in my head long after she was gone, she drove me insane in a way nothing else ever had. I could feel her, even when she wasn’t near. She was like an itch I couldn’t scratc
Brandon's POV.The moment we stepped into the house, Ivy and her mom started gushing about Aaron like he was the greatest thing to ever happen to her.I barely had one foot through the door before her mom’s eyes landed on the massive teddy bear in Ivy’s arms. Her reaction was instant, her face lit up, and she practically squealed, clapping her hands together like an overly excited schoolgirl.“Oh my God, Ivy, this is adorable! He won this for you?”Ivy nodded, shifting the bear slightly in her arms, a small, almost shy smile tugging at her lips. “Yeah, he’s actually really sweet.”Sweet.I tightened my grip around my keys, the metal digging into my palm as my jaw locked in place.Her mom wasn’t done. “I like him already,” she continued, her voice full of genuine excitement. “And he likes you, too. You can see it all over his face. This boy is head over heels.”Ivy hummed softly, trailing her fingers absentmindedly through the teddy bear’s fur. There was a pause, just long enough for s
Ivy's POV The week had me and Aaron getting closer in ways I hadn’t really anticipated.We started doing assignments together, bouncing ideas off each other, explaining things when the other didn’t understand. It was easy with him, lighter. He had this way of making even the most boring subjects seem interesting, spinning facts into jokes, turning late-night study sessions into something I actually looked forward to.One free period, we ended up in the biology lab, going over notes for an upcoming test. It started with a playful argument over the classification of some species, with Aaron being annoyingly smug about his answer.“I’m telling you, Ivy, I’m right,” he said, leaning forward on the desk, his grin infuriatingly confident.I scoffed. “You’re not.”“I literally just proved it.”“You think you proved it.”“I did.” He tapped the textbook between us, eyes glinting with amusement. “And do you know why?” He paused dramatically. “Because I’m brilliant.”I rolled my eyes. “That’s d
Ivy's POV.It was Brandon.He came out of nowhere. Just stepped into the chaos like it didn’t faze him at all. For a second, I thought I was seeing things. My head was spinning, my body barely hanging on, but when his eyes met mine, wide with worry, blazing with fury, and knew I wasn’t hallucinating.Aaron’s face twisted into a smirk. “Well, look who finally decided to show,” he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “Lover boy to the rescue. If you don’t want front-row seats to Evelyn’s final moments, I’d suggest you turn around and walk right back out.”Brandon didn’t even blink. “You’re the only one who’s going to die today.”Aaron chuckled like he found that hilarious. “Just because I can’t kill you doesn’t mean I can’t break you into pieces.”But before he could finish, Brandon bent down and grabbed a rock off the floor, flinging it at him with deadly speed.Aaron caught it mid-air like it was nothing. He stared at it for a beat, then crushed it in his palm like dust.“Cute,” he
Ivy's POV.My head was pounding. Not just like a little headache you could push through, this was the kind that pulsed behind your eyes and made it feel like your skull might crack open.Everything around me was blurry at first, like I was trying to wake up underwater. But slowly, things started to piece together. The room was dim, lit by a single bulb way off in the corner. It didn’t do much, but just enough to throw some weak light around, barely letting me see more than a couple feet ahead.When I tried to move, I realized fast that I couldn’t. My arms were stuck behind me, wrists tied up tight with some rough rope that scraped against my skin. Same with my ankles. I was stuck on some old wooden chair that groaned every time I shifted even a little. The ropes were digging in already, and the more I struggled, the worse it got.Panic kicked in hard.And suddenly, it hit me all at once. The drive, Aaron’s voice, the fear, the punch to my face.Shit.I twisted, trying to get out, but
96.Ivy's POV I couldn’t shake Brandon’s words from my head. No matter how hard I tried to push them away, they clung to me, in my every thought, every moment. There was no future for us, and I knew that. I had accepted it. And yet, knowing didn’t make it hurt any less.Then there was Aaron. Sweet, kind, thoughtful Aaron, who had done nothing but try to make me happy. He cared about me. Even loved me. But I didn’t love him. I never had. I had only agreed to be with him in a pathetic attempt to erase Brandon from my heart, to overwrite feelings that refused to die.It wasn’t fair to him.So, on our way back from our date, I made a decision. It had to end.The ride was quiet, with only the soft hum of the radio filling the silence between us.“I hope you really enjoyed yourself,” Aaron said, his voice warm, glancing over at me as he drove.“Yeah,” I murmured, offering a small smile. “I did. Thank you.”He turned to me briefly, his eyes shining with something so pure it made my chest a
95.Amari's POV I was drowning in pain, buried so deep in it that I couldn’t tell where my body ended and the agony began. Every inch of me throbbed, a relentless, searing ache that refused to dull, refused to let me rest. My skin felt stretched too tight over my bones, raw and hypersensitive, every breath I took sent sharp, stabbing pain through my ribs.The burns covered my arms, my legs, angry, blistering reminders of my father’s fury. He had made sure I wouldn’t forget this lesson. And every movement sent a fresh wave of fire through me, the heat still radiating long after the flames had disappeared. I wanted to curl into myself and disappear, but even the thought of shifting made my stomach turn.But worse than the physical pain were the words. The ones that clung to me like smoke, suffocating, and poisoning.Your fault.You failed.You were supposed to have him wrapped around your finger by now.I squeezed my eyes shut, but it didn’t help. The flames were still there, flicker
94.Ivy's POV.I was not prepared for this.The second Brandon opened the door, my mind just blanked. Completely.He stood there, freshly showered, damp hair falling messily over his forehead. Water still clung to his skin, glistening in the dim light, dripping down the sharp lines of his collarbones, trailing over the hard ridges of his abs before disappearing beneath the loose waistband of his sweatpants. Every inch of him looked like something out of a damn magazine, and I couldn’t stop staring.My throat felt suddenly dry, my grip tightening around the tray in my hands.Brandon smirked, clearly amused. “Are you just going to stand there gawking?”His voice snapped me out of it. My eyes jerked up to his face, and heat rushed to my cheeks so fast I thought I might combust on the spot.“I—no, I—” I stammered, struggling to gather a single coherent thought.His smirk deepened.I swallowed, trying to shake off the embarrassment. “I brought you food,” I muttered, shifting the tray in m
93.Ivy's POV Brandon had been gone for two days. Not that I was keeping track, or that I cared.I wasn’t noticing how quiet the house felt without him. I wasn’t catching myself glancing at the door of my room every night, half-expecting to hear his footsteps. I wasn’t wondering where he had gone or why he had left without saying anything. It wasn’t any of my business.I kept telling myself that. Over and over again.But by the second night, the silence was gnawing at me.I finally gave in while helping Mom clean up after dinner. She washed the dishes and I dried, with the warm scent of dish soap filling the air. I tried to keep my voice casual, like I wasn’t fishing for information.“Mum, where’s Brandon?”She hummed as she rinsed a plate. “Oh, he went on a weekend getaway with Amari.”My fingers clenched around the dish towel. “Oh.”Just like that, my mood shifted.Mom didn’t notice. She kept talking, smiling as if it was the sweetest thing in the world. “It’s nice that they’re spe
92.Brandon's POV Amari spun around the second I stepped inside, her face instantly paling.She looked startled, like a kid caught sneaking out past curfew, like she had been in the middle of something she didn’t want me to see. Her hands twitched at her sides, fingers curling slightly as she took a small step back.“W-what are you doing here?” she asked, her voice unsteady. Her wide eyes flicked from me to the hallway, like she was already calculating an escape route.Before I could answer, her father turned to me, wearing a warm, practiced smile. Completely unfazed.“Brandon,” he said with an approving nod. “Amari told me you two went on a weekend getaway. That’s good. It’s nice to see you both spending quality time together.”I didn’t respond.I was too focused on her. The way she wouldn’t meet my eyes. The way her shoulders were drawn tight, her stance stiff like she was waiting for something, dreading something.Her father didn’t seem to notice the tension radiating from her. Or
Chapter 91My mind was a tangled mess, thoughts twisting in every possible direction, colliding and unraveling all at once.The witch’s death wasn’t some freak accident. Someone had killed her, ripped her heart out before she could finish the ritual. That wasn’t just a coincidence. That was deliberate. That meant there was something to find, something someone didn’t want me knowing.If the mate bond was real, there would be no reason to stop me from checking it. No reason to go as far as murder just to keep me from questioning it.Which meant there was something off about it.I exhaled through my nose, gripping the wheel a little tighter. This should have unsettled me, should have made me feel worse than I already did. But beneath the frustration, beneath the questions and the chaos, there was something else.Relief.Because if this mate bond wasn’t real, if it had been manipulated, then I wouldn’t have to be bound to Amari. I could sever it completely. I could be free of it.The thou
90.Brandon's POV Amari didn’t say a word for the rest of the drive.She just sat there, arms crossed, staring out the window. Her expression was unreadable, but the way her fingers gripped her sleeves told me enough. She was holding something in, whether it was anxiety, anger, or fear, I wasn’t sure.By the time we reached Hex Hollow, the town was draped in mist, making the narrow roads seem endless. It was smaller than I expected. The trees by the road side weren’t normal. Their trunks twisted like they were in pain, and their bark were covered in strange carvings.What the hell is this place?The witch’s house sat at the very edge of the area, partially hidden behind some trees. It was old, the wood had darkened with age, and the windows concealed by heavy, dust-coated curtains. The place had a presence, something subtle but undeniable, like the house itself was watching us.I knocked once.The door creaked open just enough for a woman to peer out from the shadows. Her face was s