Spencer's POVWhen I get to my father’s office–the office of the Lycan King–I already know I’m in trouble.“Spencer!” My father says when I walk into his office, fixing me with his usual stern expression. “We need to talk.”I close the door behind me and take a seat opposite him. “Yes, Father.”“Did you buy a girl from the Omega auction?” My father asks. I simply nodded, not intending to say much more.“And did you bring her back here to the palace?” Once again, I nodded. He looks at me in shock. “Two years ago, a maid tried to seduce you, and you had her executed immediately. Since then, every she-wolf in the kingdom has been too scared to even approach you. Every one of them desires you, but don’t dare disturb you. Simply put, the women of this kingdom are terrified of you. No she-wolf has ever been held close to your heart. Could it be… is this girl your mate?”My father’s words remind me of the first time I saw her. Ivy. It was at the wedding of that Alpha and his wretched Luna
Ivy's POVAfter Spencer leaves, I abandon all pretense of etiquette and begin to devour my food hungrily. I eat as if there’s no tomorrow, trying to consume as much as possible. As the food slides down my tongue, tears involuntarily stream down my face. It’s been ages since I’ve tasted such fresh and plentiful food.When I finally finish my meal, I make the decision to head back to my room. The moment I leave the dining hall, though, I realize I have absolutely no idea where I am. The castle is so large, I get lost in the winding hallways and corridors in no time. It’s built like the maze–every hall looks the same. Just as I’ve given up hope on trying to navigate the palace, I spot a slight maid polishing a picture frame.“Hello?” I call out tentatively.The maid turned around. Surprise flashed in her eyes when she saw me, but she quickly regained her composure. “Yes, ma’am,” she smiles politely, softly inquiring, “What can I do for you?”“Oh, that’s so kind of you, thank you,” I sa
Ivy's POVI don’t understand why the maids hate me so much.I pace the floor of the room restlessly, frustrated tears pooling in my eyes. The dust covering the floor and hovering in the air makes my nose itch, making it a horrible place to pace in, but what else am I supposed to do? I’m trapped, completely and utterly. I haven’t done anything to any of the maids–they shouldn’t have any reason to despise me based on any of my actions. Is it because I’ve been labeled as an auction girl? Or maybe it’s because I don’t have a wolf? But all of that is based on rumors, and far from the actual truth. None of what’s happened to me has been my fault. I’m an Alpha’s daughter, and I once had a wolf–I only lost that connection because I was forced to drink wolfsbane. Maybe it’s because I’m so weak now that they all hate me so much? But I’ve never done anything to harm them. Or maybe it’s because of Spencer. He is, after all, incredibly charming. And handsome. I wouldn’t be surprised if every
Spencer's POVIvy is missing.I stare at the doorway of her room, which is wide-open and vacant. All the lights were off when I got here, bed still freshly made from this morning. There was a glass of water on her nightstand. Her pajamas were folded neatly under her pillow.Simply put, the bedroom is exactly as it was when we left for breakfast.And Ivy hasn’t returned.I pace back and forth frantically. I’d returned to the room to see her–I wanted to see her, but she’s nowhere to be found.Is she lost? It’s a big castle, sure, but there are plenty of staff here who’d be able to take her to her room. Even if Ivy had wandered outside to explore the grounds a bit, surely she’d have returned inside by now. It’s dark outside–it’s been dark for awhile now.Has she left the castle? No. There are guards everywhere, and they would have reported to me immediately if she had left.‘Beta Roger’ I quickly mind-link my Beta, ‘the girl I brought back from the auction is missing. Seal off the castl
Ivy's POVI’m on the run, and I need to move.Fast.Though my wolf is gone now, my senses are still sharp, and I can hear the voices of warriors in the distance shouting directions to one another. As I crouch in the grass, fear grips my heart in a tight fist.The voices are getting closer.And I have no idea where to go.I need to consider where Spencer thinks I am–whether he thinks I’m missing, or whether he knows I’m running away. The consequences of those two possibilities would be wildly different in terms of how he treats me. While Spencer has been good to me so far, I know that running away would most likely make him angry. He did buy me, after all–I’m under no delusions that he truly cares for me. Maybe I’m just some toy he picked up at the auction, something he can play with patiently for as long as I’m obedient. Maybe he gets off on spoiling me. But if it’s all under the condition that I play nice, I have no idea how he’d react to my escaping. I’m not following orders now.
Ivy's POV“How about you let me fuck you, and then I’ll let you go?”My mind races a mile a minute, formulating my plan.“Deal,” I reply breathily, looking up at the warrior through my lashes.He grins and pushes himself closer against me. I’m already pinned to the tree, and he’s only minimizing the distance between us–I can already feel much more than I want to, but I grit my teeth and bear it. I remember the combat techniques my father had taught me, his insistence that I learn how to fight. I pray silently to the Moon Goddess and my father for strength. I’m going to need all the help I can get. As the warrior’s rough hands start to caress my waist, I reach for a hard, thorny branch nearby. I wince uncomfortably as his fingers poke and prod into my sides, waiting for the moment when he’s the most distracted.He hums in contentment, grabbing me particularly roughly.Anger and indignation spark in the pit of this stomach.Who is this man to touch me like he owns me? I’ve had quite
Ivy's POVI stare helplessly at the lifeless body of the warrior, trembling from head to toe.He’s dead. He’s dead, because of me.Finally, with a great amount of difficulty, I force myself to tear my gaze away from the corpse. Looking at it won’t change anything. This is my situation, and it couldn’t be worse. Tears stream freely down my face as I look back at Spencer. What happens now? He found me. Does he know I tried to escape? Will he kill me for it? Or does his killing that warrior mean he thinks my disappearance was someone else’s fault?Spencer locks eyes with me, and something heavy clouds my expression. I feel like I’m destined to fail.“You ran away,” Spencer states confidently.A chill runs down my spine. How does he know?Now, the Lycan Prince will surely kill me as ruthlessly as he killed that warrior.“The maid lured you to the punishment room. You managed to escape, but you didn’t come to find me,” he calmly states, slowly approaching me. With each accurate statement
Ivy's POV“The forest is full of danger, but my warriors can move through it easily and cover every inch of the grounds.” Spencer’s voice is casual and relaxed, as though we’re discussing the weather, but his eyes lock on me with a warning glint. “So, naturally, you have no chance of escape.”Ice cold fear floods me. My heart starts to pound as I nod quickly. So long as Prince Spencer doesn’t kill me, I can afford to be more or less compliant. No–completely compliant. After all, I have more important things to do than incur his wrath.While I’m still lost in thought, Spencer suddenly scoops me up into his arms. I gasp and let out a small shriek, wrapping my arms instinctively around his neck and clinging to him to keep from falling. He starts to walk back down the path he came from, and my last hopes of escape slip away as I realize he’s carrying me back to the castle. “I can walk back on my own,” I whisper to him. “Your ankle is sprained.” Spencer dismisses me with that same infur
Ivy’s POV“Are you ready?” I whisper the question to Spencer as we stand behind a huge set of double doors. I’ve known him as the Lycan King for several weeks now, and been referred to as the Lycan Queen since our wedding, but today is the day it becomes official. Today is the day of the coronation. And I couldn’t be more excited. Every citizen of the Lycan Kingdom physically able to be in attendance is seated just beyond those double doors, dressed in their finest attire. I can hear the waning sounds of the band playing our anthem triumphantly, can hear the heavy steel-toed footfalls of our military as they carry out their grand display. It’s a show of strength and endurance–everything about today has been structured to portray power and confidence, from the massive outdoor ceremony in the palace’s courtyard to the full military regalia on display. “Ready as ever,” Spencer replies. “This is what I was born to, after all.” There’s a firm set to his jaw and iron in his posture. E
Spencer’s POV“Congratulations, Colin!” My mother is the first one to acknowledge the news, smiling gleefully as she looks towards her son and his fiancée. Now that their secret is out, Delilah is positively beaming as she slips the engagement ring out of her pocket and onto her finger, waving her hand back and forth. I chuckle lowly as the happy couple kisses tenderly. I just know they’re going to have the most unnecessarily extravagant wedding possible, and they’re going to adore every second of it. “I’m telling you, they’re only together because Delilah and I were engaged,” I murmur to Ivy out of the corner of my mouth. She rolls her eyes, but she’s grinning. “If you say so, Spencer.” “Must be something in the air,” Sylvia remarks. “I heard Gamma Everly and Captain Leo got engaged, too!” At that news, I smile genuinely. After all the heartbreak she’s endured over the years, I’m glad Gamma Everly has finally found a man who can match her. It seems that my wedding to Ivy was on
Spencer’s POVIt’s been a couple days since I returned from the Sunclash pack and Ivy began recovering from the plague, and things have finally had a chance to settle into a routine. Beta Wilson and Doctor Danbury have been working restlessly to distribute the antidote to those in need far and wide. We’ve eradicated it completely from the Lycan kingdom and have almost finished scrubbing it from the outer packs. All of Elder Jet’s rebels have been placed in our custody, with trials pending. Based on the reports from other packs as well as the newly-formed Werewolf Council, it seems as though Elder Jet’s toxic ideology has been defeated for good. We still have lots to do to repair our relationship with the werewolves, of course, but we’re in a good place to begin that work. And as soon as Ivy returns to her full strength, I’m excited for us to begin that work together. I set down the last stack of papers on my desk and push open the door to my office, wandering back into the main bo
Ivy’s POV“What is it?” Those are the last words I hear, spoken in Spencer’s soothing, familiar voice, before I slip into an uneasy half-sleep. I can feel blankets being shifted and jostled around me, the vibrations from wheels being rolled across a bumpy floor. But my mind is distant, dreaming. I see fire. Magic. Blood. Frantic voices cry out, but there’s someone else, promising that I’m stable–just exhausted. My body is lifted up from the uncomfortable mattress and laid down somewhere much more soft and padded. There, finally, as the terrible burning recedes from my skin, I’m able to fall into a quiet, restful sleep. I’m not sure how much time passes before I finally come to. As my eyes plink open slowly, blearily, the first thing I see is Spencer sitting at the edge of my bed, eyes crinkling at the corners. “Good morning, Sleepyhead,” he says softly. I let out a quiet chuckle. “What time is it actually?” I groan, dragging a hand down my face. Suddenly I realize that everythin
Spencer’s POVAs I push past the double doors and into the hospital’s foyer, I’m struck by the absolute chaos everywhere. There are patients being pushed and shuffled in every direction, and the entire hospital staff looks criminally overworked, worry lines and downcast expressions almost completely hidden behind thick airtight filters. I realize the yellow suits all the staff are wearing match the protective suits Doctor Danbury gave us when we were investigating the Sunclash pack. And if everyone is in plague equipment now…I can only hope we’ll have enough of the antidote to deal with all the infected. That’s an issue for later, though. Right now, my focus is solely on Ivy. “Where’s the queen?” I shout, looking around the foyer frantically. A nurse rushes over towards me hurriedly, gaze darting back and forth. “She–she’s in the quarantine wing, Your Majesty,” the nurse says. “Quite a few patients are, unfortunately. Before I can take you there, I’m going to have to ask you to
Spencer’s POVAs soon as I pass the threshold of the Lycan Kingdom, I hear a frantic message from Captain Leo echoing in my mind. ‘–and they’re here!’ Comes the call, which has surely been repeating over and over again for ages now, if I’m hearing it as soon as I’m able. Captain Leo’s voice is frantic and desperate. ‘Please, Your Majesty, we have to get this under control. We need you here.’ I grit my teeth and keep my gaze peeled on the road ahead. We’re on our way to the palace now, to deliver the antidote to Ivy and whoever else may need it, but we’re still a matter of minutes away at least. ‘We’re in the kingdom now,’ I assure him. ‘Who’s here?’‘The rest of Elder Jet’s rebels, Your Majesty. It seems they were waiting for you to leave.’ I scowl in displeasure as I watch the scenery continue to blur around us. Of course that was the witch’s final plan, coward that she was. To poison my wife and lure me out to the middle of nowhere knowing how desperate I’d be to cure her… It’s
Ivy’s POVAs I lay in the quarantine room, I can feel the growing sickness continuing to spread through my body. Alongside all the typical postpartum symptoms, which would be horrendous enough on their own, the burning is horrible in its unrelentingness. The pain meds feel more like an empty consolation than anything else now. I’m more fatigued than I’ve ever felt before, but I can’t bring myself to fall asleep, because the agony simmering just beneath my skin is impossible to ignore. Am I being punished for something? ‘What am I going to do?’ I ask Venetia hopelessly. There’s no one else to talk to but her. ‘You’ll pull through,’ Venetia assures me, though I can hear the reluctance in her tone. ‘You heard the rumours–Spencer is out there right now, searching desperately for a cure! He loves you. He’s not going to let you die. You matter too much to him.’ I chuckle bitterly. ‘At a certain point, it doesn’t matter how much he doesn’t want me to die. I’ll die or I won’t.’ Venetia
Spencer’s POVAs my claws tear through the ice-cold flesh of the witch’s body, a bloodcurdling scream suddenly pierces the air. With a fierce cry, the witch tries to wrench herself from my grasp, but she only succeeds in dragging her body along my claws, worsening her own injuries. Blood splatters on the ground and onto my paws. It doesn’t feel like blood normally does, though–it’s cold like freshwater and feels oddly slick, almost oily. I pull my lips back over my teeth and growl viciously, searching for the witch’s neck in this darkness. “You beast!” The witch wails like a banshee. I can see her eyes glinting reflectively like a cat’s in the darkness. As we hit the ground, one of her antlers breaks and falls off. “Do you have any idea how powerful I am? You don’t have the faintest whisper of a chance against me, you brute–” I curl my claws inward, deepening the wounds further, and the witch lets out another ragged scream. Suddenly, the darkness in the room all seems to slither t
Spencer’s POV“Run!” My warning to Alpha Fierro echoes through the darkened office seemingly unheard. As the shadows continue to creep around my field of vision, obscuring everything from view, my heart thuds in my chest. Never before had I been scared of an enemy until encountering the witch. I shift fluidly into my wolf form, powerful arms and legs rippling with muscles, fangs and teeth sharp as daggers. My growl is a low, warning rumble in the base of my throat. Despite my heightened sentences as I continue to peer ahead, ears trained to detect the slightest sense of movement, I still have no idea where the witch is. “Reveal yourself, coward!” I shout, my voice echoing through the room. “You betray your honour by slinking around in the shadows.” The witch’s laugh, low and melodious, fills the air. There’s a haunting coldness to it. “Honour is a werewolf construct,” she says. “And it’s so unlike a proud, foolish warrior to consider it a cowardly action to win a battle with intel