Ivy's POVElder Jet quickly ducks behind Alpha Leo and several other werewolves like the coward he is. Still standing near Alpha Jameson, I follow Elder Jet’s movements with my eyes, bracing myself for whatever his next move is. Alpha Jameson–as I've already been able to ascertain–may be burly, but he also seems like something of an idiot. Elder Jet isn’t so dim-witted, though, and I’m afraid of what his retaliation may look like. He fixes his shrewd gaze on Spencer, eyeing him with caution. I can almost hear the gears whirring in his mind as he plots out his next angle, some other way to make Spencer look like the villain even as his own warriors threaten the very life of his mate. Suddenly, his eyes gleam with a menacing light. My stomach twists. “Prince Spencer showed our warriors that very same disdain the day he killed them!” Elder Jet shouts, cupping his palms around his mouth to project his voice. He speaks with the passion and fury of a luminary, but I can tell he doesn’
Ivy's POVAll I can do is watch helplessly as the werewolf warriors begin to shift. Their muscles swell rapidly, thick bands of sinew contorting unnaturally underneath their clothes and armor. As the werewolves shift into their wolf forms–now a horrifying mass of twisted muscle and matted fur–they expand to nearly the size of Lycans. The chilling sound of bones twisting and grinding fills the air as their skeletons grow to accommodate their newly bulked-up bodies. As I watch the transformations, fear flooding my body, scenes of the werewolves who’d chased me and Princess Sylvia earlier flash through my mind. I remember their mindless bloodlust, their utter lack of any reason or logic. I understand now that while these werewolves may gain immense strength under the influence of the potions, they pay a steep price: their sanity. The red potions aren’t any sort of so-called secret weapon. They’re a poison that will ultimately destroy any werewolf who consumes them from the inside out
Ivy's POVBy the time I look back at where I’d just been standing, Spencer has already been surrounded by werewolves. He’s locked in fierce, chaotic battle. Screams and howls flood my ears inescapably, and my nose fills with the bitter iron tang of blood. As I watch Spencer fight, though, my gaze suddenly drifts to the golden pillar, where Alpha Jameson is slowly struggling to his feet. Alpha Jameson looks like he’s in terrible shape–blood leaks freely from his mouth, and his jaw is bruised and clearly broken. The pain in his expression is both horrifying to see and impossible to miss. His eyes are dazed, suggesting a concussion, and the limb with which he walks makes me think he’s broken quite a few bones. His gaze fixates on Spencer, and I can see the burning loathing he’s harboring. He seems to be muttering something under his breath–curling swears and curses at Spencer, no doubt. He seems hell-bent on a revenge so vicious it makes my stomach churn. Suddenly, Alpha Jameson’s ga
Ivy's POVI’m shocked to learn that someone as reckless and shameless as Alpha Jameson could have such a tragic past. But I also don’t believe that Spencer or anyone else in the Lycan Royal Family would betray their allies. While certain parts of his story ring true–I certainly don’t doubt that his parents were killed–the rest of the narrative seems highly implausible, especially the Lycan Royal Family’s involvement. And considering all the despicable lies Elder Jet has told so far…Well, his words can’t be trusted. I have a feeling that, like Alpha Leo, Alpha Jameson has been led terribly, terribly astray. “You’re lying, Jameson,” Gamma Everly cuts in sharply. There’s a bitterness to her expression as she looks at Alpha Jameson that I can’t quite place. “The Lycan Prince wouldn’t betray his allies. And you know that Elder Jet has spent his entire life trying to stir up conflict between the Lycan Royal Family and the werewolves–are you really going to let Elder Jet manipulate you?”
Ivy's POVIn just a split second, Alpha Jameson shifts into a monster. The transformation is uncannily quick this time–in a surge of muscle and flesh, all of a sudden a massive brown wolf stands before me with blood dripping from his fangs and murder in his endless eyes. Alpha Jameson shakes his head back and forth, clearly adjusting to his new, well-muscled form, and a chill runs down my spine when I see the ease with which he’s moving. It’s as though the red potion has cured all his injuries. Or–that’s not quite right. Looking at him a little more closely, I can still see the evidence of Alpha Jameson’s wounds, except they don’t seem to be hindering him anymore. The potions, full of power as they are, must have somehow numbed his pain. Alpha Jameson stands before me. I tremble, taking an involuntary step forward. His massive body is even larger than Gamma Everly’s. He throws his head back and roars, releasing a thunderous howl that echoes all his pent-up fury. I feel stunned b
Ivy's POVAlpha Leo looks shocked to find me sprinting through the middle of the battlefield. His gaze fixes onto me, lips pursed in confusion. He’s looking at me like a question he doesn’t quite know how to answer. I can tell that he’s weighing his options, and whatever he’s deciding seems to be quite the tough choice. Hoping I can slip past him before he makes up his mind, I do my best to step around him, but he quickly mirrors my motion, blocking me off. My heart sinks. But deep down, Alpha Leo seems like a kind soul. Maybe all hope isn’t lost. After all, he hasn’t tried to grab me yet. “Leo, please,” I beg. My instincts are telling me that Alpha Leo isn’t a cruel person–on the contrary, he seems to be upright and kind-hearted, just led astray but Elder Jet’s scheming. But even in the middle of combat, I can see those glimmers of a good person shining through the battle-hardened rebel personal Elder Jet has forced onto him from what I assume was quite a young age. At this po
Ivy's POVAlpha Jameson charges at me with his fangs bared and his claws extended. My adrenaline kicks in, acting for me. I draw in quick, labored breaths as I scan everything in my vicinity. Moving faster than I ever thought I could, I quickly slip into a gap to my right that was created by a fallen stone slab that must’ve been knocked over at some point earlier during the battle. Shards of marble dig into my skin, drawing tiny pinpricks of blood. As my sweat drips into the wounds, they begin to sting even more fiercely. Inside the crack in the stone, I can feel rough marble edges pressing into me. The gap is just big enough to fit me, but will no doubt be too small for any wolf to get into–let alone Alpha Jameson or any of the other potion-jacked werewolves outside. Still, though, the stone walls are fragile, and no doubt they’ll be able to find their way inside sooner or later. For now, though, I’m safe.Even if it’s temporary. Alone in the darkness, I rock back and forth, trem
Ivy's POVThe whistles are what control the werewolves. Armed with this knowledge, I quickly plot my next move. If I can control any of these werewolves, what should I focus on first? How can I possibly untangle the mess of combat stretching out before me?I suppose, looking up at Alpha Jameson’s charging form, that my first priority should be to halt his approach. I stand up straight and place my fingers in my mouth. I squeeze my eyes shut and whistle, a shrill sound that cuts through the battlefield. Sure enough, a look of profound confusion crosses Alpha Jameson’s face. He ceases his charge, staring at me as though he’s not quite sure what to do. He walks in slow circles, padding back and forth atop the stone rubble. Small shards of marble tumble to the ground and land around me. My eyes widen as the realization dawns on me. It makes sense now! Any of the werewolves who are under the influence of the red potion will have to follow the command of the person blowing the whistle.
Spencer's POV“Elder Jet!”My roar cuts across the battlefield like a hurricane. I don’t even realize that I’m doing it, but my Lycan Aura rolls off of me in droves, sending every single werewolf except for Elder Jet to their knees. I narrow my eyes at him. Elder Jet remains standing, smiling smugly. A ripple of unease shoots through me. He should be on his knees by now, unable to resist the power of my Lycan Aura, but it doesn’t seem to be working on him. I set my jaw and march towards him. There’s iron in my posture and ice in my veins. I don’t care what sort of blasphemous witch’s magic Elder Jet is using to fortify him—the rest of his forces are now out of commission, and in a fight between him and I, I’d be the obvious winner. “Where’s Ivy?” I snarl at Elder Jet. Elder Jet lets out a wicked chuckle. “Oh, she’s not far,” he replies. “But if you want to see her alive ever again, you’ll kindly refrain from killing me.”The anger washes over me in a sudden, white-hot burst. It ta
Spencer's POVAs we enter what will hopefully be the final stretches of combat, my search for Ivy only becomes more desperate. There are only so many places to look–all the buildings in the barracks have been thoroughly sealed off, and I trust Wilson to have inspected each and every one of them carefully. If Ivy was stashed away in any of them, Wilson would have found her by now. The watchtower, as far as I know, is still under our influence. All that’s left now is the training area, the wide grassy sprawl with bleachers all around the perimeter. It’s a flat, open expanse, and by now I think I’ve searched the whole thing over at least three times. Still, I continue to walk around restlessly, I’m scanning eagerly for Ivy with every step. Now that the stress of the battle has simmered to a background concern, she’s consumed me once again. I need her. Like oxygen, like food, like water.She’s a fundamental and visceral need. But as I’m once again looking over the grassy expanse, the
Spencer's POV“Attack from behind!” My command ripples sharply through my troops. Before Elder jet’s forces even get the chance to pull away from the reserve forces and focus their attention where it’s really needed, The rest of the world slips away as I launch myself into the mass of rebel werewolves. My claws slash wildly, finding purchase in every direction. The thick smell of blood is quick to overtake the air as the battle begins in full force. Of course, as I push through the battlefield, I’m trying to take out as many of the rogue werewolves as possible. But beneath it all, there’s a single goal raging in my heart like a wildfire. I have to find Ivy. I don’t know what the odds are that Elder Jet or anyone else would have brought her here. But for all my trying, I can’t sense her. I can’t mind link her. Our mate bond, which was only ever strengthened by the Blood Oath Ceremony, has been guiding me on like a lighthouse ever since I met Ivy. To have it dimmed so suddenly has
Spencer's POVAs the entire Lycan Army begins to tiptoe through the forest, I’m convinced that almost every warrior among us is a spy. It’s not a rational series of fears, I know. But after everything that’s happened, it’s hard to abandon them. Every misstep a soldier makes, every stepped-upon branch or heavy-footed tread on dead leaves, every clank of armour upon armour–with every sound, I’m certain beyond logic that it’s just another attempt to clue our enemies into our location. ‘We’re almost back at the barracks,’ Gamma Everly tells me over the mind link, giving me a furtive glance. I raise an eyebrow and examine our surroundings. True to her word, she’s done an excellent job of taking us around the woods in a way that we normally wouldn’t go, so that any of the traitors in our midst wouldn’t be able to determine our final location. As I look over the treeline, however, I begin to recognize familiar dips and ridges, and a faint flickering torchlight just beyond our view. There
Spencer's POVJust as Gamma Everly are about to return to the troops to lead them onward, Wilson’s voice crackles through my mind. I freeze in place as his words echo through my head, an almost imperceptible tinge of panic to them. ‘Prince Spencer, Elder Jet’s forces are heading towards the barracks,’ Wilson warns. ‘They’re advancing rapidly. We’ve got the reserve forces stationed here, but he…’ For the first time in my life, I can hear a tremor in Wilson’s voice. ‘He’s bringing his entire army, and it’s massive.’ ‘We’ll be back soon, Wilson,’ I assure him quickly. ‘How far away is Elder Jet and the rest of them?’ ‘They’re still only visible from the watchtower, but I think they’ll be in our line of sight soon,’ Wilson replies. ‘We’re willing to do whatever it takes to defend the palace, but what if…’ ‘What if it’s not enough?’ ‘Exactly,’ Wilson says softly. I grab Gamma Everly’s arm. “We need to go back to the barracks now,” I hiss at her quietly. “Get everyone moving, but don’
Spencer's POV“Keep this to yourselves.” The words spring from my mouth like a gunshot as I look between all the warriors who’d followed me into this small segment of the woods. I fix each of them with a harsh, steely glare, sharp as a knife, until they all nod once. At this point, I have no idea who I can trust. It seems as though virtually everyone I’ve encountered by now has let me down. But the trembling of the three warriors is enough for me to believe that they won’t be able to do anything too bad for the time being. Before any of the warriors can question my order or ask any questions, I quickly turn on my heal and make my way out of the clearing without sparing the bodies so much as a second glance. This area isn’t important–I can tell by the blood tracks on the ground that the bodies were dragged here. This wasn’t where the warriors were slaughtered. I’m a bit worried by how easily they seem to have been slaughtered–the depths of their wounds points to quick, brutal kills
Spencer's POV“We need to return to the palace!” My thunderous command tears through the ranks of soldiers, and in mere instants, the entire army has begun marching all the way back in the direction of the palace. Gamma Everly and Alpha Leo bring up the head, but I linger near the back, frantically getting in touch with Wilson. ‘Are you at the palace?’ I ask him. His response is quick. ‘Sylvia and I are stationed at the front doors, Your Highness. We’ve also got all the guards ready to defend the palace as soon as it’s necessary.’‘Well done, Wilson,’ I say. ‘I’ve got another task at hand for you, though. The rogue werewolves have just attempted to lead the entire Lycan Army out into the middle of the woods–likely to leave the barracks, and thus an entrance to the palace, undefended. Fortunately we’ve still got reserve soldiers stationed there. I need you to head to the barracks, investigate the scene, and mobilize the reserve soldiers as needed. Can you do that?’ ‘Of course, Prin
Spencer's POV“Don’t trust him!”The words burst out of Alpha Leo’s mouth in a jumbled rush as he comes to a stop in front of Gamma Everly and I. He doubles over in exhaustion, hands resting on his knees. His breath comes in ragged, wheezing gasps, clearly plagued by trauma to his lungs. I can still see him suffering from the remnants of his injuries from earlier today—no doubt they’ve slowed him down considerably. I raise an eyebrow, studying Alpha Leo intently. “Don’t trust who?” I ask. “The—the centurion!” He gasps out. There’s a faint wheeze tugging at the edge of Alpha Leo’s breath. He stands up slowly, spine popping. “The man who… who told you to come here—he’s not who he said he is.”I breathe out a slow sigh. As much as I’d hoped Alpha Leo would have more positive news to bring, Alpha Leo’s words are only confirming what I’ve previously assumed, much to my disappointment. “How do you know this?” I ask. “I saw him emerge from the edge of the woods while I was at the watchto
Spencer's POVAs I lead my warriors boldly into the night, I feel more determined than I’ve ever felt before. I'm well accustomed to hatred. To loathing. To the sort of burning fury that aches like hot coals in the pit of my stomach, a relentless pain that consumes my every waking thought. Such anger is not unfamiliar to me. But the sheer volume of it I’m experiencing now, knowing that Elder Jet is out there somewhere holding Ivy hostage and hoping to topple the entire Lycian Kingdom in one fell swoop…A quick death would be too kind a fate for Elder Jet. I want to pick him apart slowly and excruciatingly. I want to feel his blood between my fingers and to hear every scream of agony. I want to invent new depths of suffering just for him. “Be ready, soldiers!” I say, keeping my voice hushed as I look back at my army. Gamma Everly and I are leading the troops onward. We move silently and swiftly, scanning the trees for any signs of threat. The trees are tall, branches stretching upw