Ivy's POV“You jerk!”I look up at Spencer in surprise, trying to push him away again, but he’s quick to grab my hand. We both know my attempts to push him away are futile anyways. He brings my hand to his lips and kisses every fingertip tenderly, gazing at me with adoring–if also amused–eyes. Spencer continues to thrust into me as he presses a gentle kiss against my cheek. “Do you want me, baby?”My mouth falls open, and I try to formulate the words, but I keep coming up blank. I’m still embarassed by Spencer’s blunt words just moments ago. Squeeze him?I know it shouldn’t be a shock considering what we’re doing right now, but it certainly still caught me off guard. I’m still seeling from it when suddenly, Spencer speeds up again. Every thrust is perfectly angled , making me grip the bedsheets tighter and tighter. My eyes nearly roll back into my head as I start to moan louder and louder. “Fuck, please, just like that–” I cry out. “You feel so good for me, Ivy,” Spencer breathes
Ivy's POVSpencer and I are tangled up in the bedsheets, slowly cooling down together. His fingers stroke my shoulders gently, a soft, soothing motion that tugs at my heartstrings. Spencer kisses my body tirelessly as I breathe in and out, trying to pull my thoughts together. I’m still reeling from the waves of pleasure that swept through me, and it’s taking all my effort not to slip into slumber pressed against Spencer’s warm, reassuring body. As Spencer leans over me to kiss my forehead, my hands skim his back, and suddenly he lets out a sharp hiss of pain. My eyes widened. I sit up straight and look at Spencer’s back, and my heart drops. Now that all his injuries from the battle have been cleaned in the shower, his wounds are no longer mixed with grime–the deep cuts on his skin are fully exposed, revealing raw, red flesh that’s shocking to behold. It’s obvious that he hasn’t received any sort of medical attention for his injuries. “Oh my goodness, Spencer!” I cry out, pulling
Ivy's POV“You look beautiful.”I look up at Spencer with a grateful smile, fiddling with the long, flowing sleeve of my red dress. “You don’t look so bad yourself,” I say, admiring Spencer’s elegant black suit. His pocket square matches my dress exactly. “Unfortunately, considering it’s my family, this banquet is going to be dreadful no matter how dashing we look,” Spencer says with a long sigh. I laugh. “Oh, I’m sure it won’t be that bad. Let’s go.”Spencer reaches for my hand and squeezes it tightly as he leads me out of the room and into the hallway. Together, we walked to a wing of the palace that I’ve never seen before. We stop in front of a large set of double doors, a guard standing on either side. When they see Spencer, they both bow deeply before simultaneously drawing the doors open. Spencer looks at me reassuringly as we walk into the banquet hall. My sleek silver heels click on the marble floor with every step as Spencer and I approach our seats hand in hand. The Lyca
Ivy's POV“From here on out, Delilah will be Prince Spencer’s fiancée.”I feel like I’m in shock, the words replaying in my mind over and over again. I can hear a faint ringing in my ears, can feel the start of a headache splitting the base of my skull. Spencer’s fiancée?How is this possible? Judging by the stunned, angry expression on Spencer’s face, he’s every bit as shocked as I am.“Spencer can’t marry Delilah!” Princess Sylvia blurts out, looking at the queen with an expression of surprise that mirrors my own. “Ivy is Spencer’s mate, and the two of them share a special bond that can never be broken.”At Sylvia’s reminder of the Blood Oath Ceremony, I feel somewhat reassured. She’s right–Spencer and I share something that no one else could ever share with him. No one can take that from us.But even still, I’m terrified of losing him. The Lycan Queen glares daggers at me from across the room. “A she-wolf without a wolf has no right to become the Prince’s Luna,” she declares. Th
Spencer's POVAt the sound of Delilah’s words, I can’t help but wonder if maybe, like me, she’s only here because of the arrangements her parents made for her.After all, marriage alliances between powerful pack figures certainly aren’t uncommon, and Alpha’s daughters are the most sought-after girls in the world. Delilah’s youth, as well as her pack’s strength, put her in an ideal position to be used in the most optimal and high-strength alliances. An Alpha’s daughter is considered lucky if she gets a say in who she’s married off to, so it certainly wouldn’t come as a shock to me if Delilah is just as unwilling a participant in this whole scheme as I am. I look at Delilah’s wide, shining eyes. She wants to be friends with me and Ivy? I figure friendship is much more in Ivy’s wheelhouse than mine, but nevertheless, it’s a harmless enough request. I nod at her, granting her request. “We should leave now,” I tell Ivy quickly, grabbing her arm. Just as the two of us are about to leave
Spencer's POV“You need to reject your mate.” I look over at my mother in irritation, crossing my arms over my chest. We’ve only just swept out of the banquet hall and into a small private meeting room, but my mother is certainly not one to beat around the bush, and I can see from the steely look in her eye that she's absolutely made up her mind. She hates Ivy, and there’s nothing I can do to get around that fact. As much as I hate it, I might as well let go of the notion of my family opening up to accept her. For as long as Ivy remains in this palace, I know my mother will do everything she can to make her life a living hell. “You know I’m not going to reject her, Mother,” I say impatiently, already turning to leave. This is a waste of time, and I want to be with Ivy now. I don’t need to entertain her cruelty any longer, and I have no interest in seeing how many other people she can rope into her schemes. “Wait!” She cries out, grabbing my arm. I turn around and look down at m
Ivy's POVA day after the disastrous banquet, as I’m decompressing in my room, I suddenly hear a knock on my door. I set down the book I was reading and rush over to my door in a hurry, wondering who it could be. Spencer’s off training for now, and I know he’ll be busy for a while longer. I’m not sure who I’m expecting, but when I open the door to find Delilah Devereaux–Alpha Maverick’s daughter–standing in the doorway, I’m caught off guard. “Um, hello?” I say uncertainly. “Can I help you…” Delilah smiles politely, hands clasped neatly in front of her. “I’ll be in the area for a short while longer,” she says, voice sweet and lilting like bells. “And I was wondering if, during my stay here, the two of us could be friends?”“Oh!” I reply, slightly taken aback. It’s not Delilah’s fault–since arriving at the palace, no one here has made an effort to befriend me. More often than not, I’ve been met with upfront cruelty, especially at the hands of other women here. So Delilah’s offer is
Ivy's POVOnce Delilah has left the palace and Spencer has returned to his training, I walk through the winding palace halls to invite Princess Sylvia to the picnic. I knock on the door, rocking back on my heels as I wait for the princess to let me in. When the door finally opens, Princess Sylvia looks surprised to see me. “Ivy!” She exclaims. “Um, is there something you need…?”“Hi, Princess Sylvia. Spencer, Delilah, and I were going to throw a picnic,” I explain. “I was wondering if you’d like to join us?” “Delilah–oh, that Alpha’s daughter?” The princess seems utterly shocked by the invitation. She hesitates for a moment, staring at me with wide eyes. I wait patiently for her answer. Her surprise makes sense, I suppose–after all, virtually every one of our interactions have involved her bullying me in some way, shape, or form. She’d even gone so far as to accidentally get us dragged into the enemy’s trap. I can tell Princess Sylvia doesn’t dislike me anymore, after everything w