Ivy's POVLooking down at Sylvia and Beta Wilson’s unconscious bodies, resolve builds in the pit of my stomach. I can’t let them get hurt. “You’ll have to catch me first!” I shout, turning away from them. “Fat, stupid, ugly wolves that you are–”I take off in the other direction, hoping my taunts landed enough to draw them away from Sylvia and Beta Wilson. I start to sprint furiously through the woods, wind tangling my hair and branches snagging my dress. The thin sandals I’m wearing are hardly ideal for such a strain, and I can already feel my feet starting to hurt. I can hear the werewolves running behind me, snapping twigs and leaves on their fur. Their enraged howls fill the air as they pursue me with snapping teeth and razor-sharp claws. They’re closing the distance fast. I can feel them at my heels. Too soon, my lungs start to burn, and my legs ache. As the adrenaline pumps through my veins, the forest landscape a blur around me, I start to weigh my options. They’re much fa
Ivy's POVThe two wolves close in on me from either side, moving faster than before. My heart thuds in my chest like a marching band’s drum. I spin in quick circles, looking in either direction, but there’s no escape.They’re too close for me to run, and I don’t have my weapon anymore. Still, I raise my fists, kicking the wolves back as they circle me and snap their jaws. My right foot connects with the muzzle of one of the wolves, and I feel a burst of satisfaction as he recoils. “Ha!” I grin in elation. “Take that!”Just as I try to run past him, though, I feel an excruciating pain in my left forearm. I let out a scream, whirling around to see the other wolf pulling his bloody mouth away from my muzzle. Arcs of pain lance up and down the limb, and I cradle my arm against my chest, lookin down in horror at the puncture wounds oozing blood freely. As I press my palm against the wounds, trying to staunch the flow of blood, I suddenly feel a wolf’s jaws clamp around my waist–not wi
Ivy's POVThe sounds of battle filter into the wood cabin’s thin walls with astounding clarity. What I can hear makes me wince–cut flesh, snapping teeth, torn-out fur. Wolf’s feet padding along the round frantically. Bodies tossed into the trees. Every sound is familiar and distinct to me, and I hate how well I’ve come to recognize all the different sounds of violence. I listen intently, fixated on anything that’ll break the monotony that I’ve been forced through. I can’t see anything in the cabin’s darkness, but my mind can conjure a million different terrible images. What’s happening out there? Does it involve me?Am I finally going to get out of here?As I continue my theorizing, a girl’s anguished cry suddenly cuts through the air. The voice sounds familiar. As soon as I figure out whose voice it is, my heart plummets. It’s Delilah. “Delilah? Is that you?” I scream out desperately. “It’s me, Ivy, I’ve been taken hostage and I’m stuck in this cabin!” But there’s no answer–ju
Ivy's POVAs blood continues to drip from the gaping wound in Delilah’s stomach, I have to hold her up for us to be able to leave the cabin. We lean against its rough wooden boards. I scan my surroundings intently, frowning as I look out over the bare grass clearing. “Where are the warriors you fought?” I ask Delilah. I know I heard the sounds of combat, and flecks of blood and tufts of torn fur littler the ground. But the warriors themselves are gone–there’s no sign of them. “Delilah?” I say, nudging her shoulder gently. “Mmmmmm…” she groans, face ashy. She looks ghastly. “It hurts.” I rub her shoulder soothingly, brow creased with worry. “I know it hurts. I’m so sorry. I’m sure help will be here soon, though.”She did say everyone has gone out looking–I’m sure someone knows where she went. Spencer and Beta Wilson wouldn’t leave Delilah alone to figure out how to rescue me.I press my hand against Delilah’s forehead as she slumps against my shoulder. Her skin is the right tempe
Ivy's POVI want to join the warriors’ training. At the sound of my bold declaration, loud laughter immediately erupts among the warriors, making my face flush angrily. I fold my arms across my chest and glare them down, but at the sight of my frustration, their laughter only grows loudly. Spencer clears his throat, and the laughter stops at once.I want to be able to command that sort of respect. “Ivy,” he begins gently, “I can see why you’d want to get your strength up, but unfortunately, I don’t think warrior training is the route for you. For starters, without a wolf, you lack the basic conditions for training. Plus, all the Lycan Royal Family’s warriors are men. Our training is intense, and–please don’t take this personally–you won’t be able to keep up.”I take a long look around the barracks. There’s training equipment as far as I can see. Along with basic combat equipment–swordifghting dummies, archery targets, climbing courses and ranges–there’s also much of the equipment y
Ivy's POV“Return to your ranks!”At the sound of Gamma Everly’s stark command, everyone’s shock is quickly buried. All the patrolling warriors nod once before swiftly arranging into their legions. She walks up and down the rows of warriors, inspecting each one. “As if any of you would be able to understand who can and can’t choose to fight,” Gamma Everly scoffs. “I’m a she-wolf too, and I could fight every man here at once without faltering. I’m not just the strongest she-wolf here, I’m the strongest wolf here. Are you going to stand here and tell me I couldn’t make just as fine a warrior out of the mate of Prince Spencer himself? An Alpha’s daughter who’s made it off multiple battlefields unscathed? Who are you to tell anyone what they should do?” Gamma Everly’s words ring across the barracks, easily filling the space, and the warriors all avert their gaze. It’s clear how much they respect her–her voice carries real weight. A spark of gratitude fills my heart as I look over at Gam
Ivy's POVAt the sight of Sylvia, Gamma Everly nods in approval, a slight smile on her face.I wonder how long she’s waited for something like this–the opportunity to speak about what it’s like being a she-wolf and a warrior. To try and subvert the expectations forced upon her. I don’t know how long Gamma Everly has held her position for, but judging by how much her warriors respect her, I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s been at this for a while. She has all the poise, grace, and confidence of a truly seasoned warrior. How many years has she spent all alone in this? “Honestly, at this point, it’d be just plain foolish to not let she-wolves train,” Sylvia says bluntly. “I mean, I’ve had to encounter loads of enemies out in the world before.” She grabs the neckline of her shirt and pulls it down to her collarbones, revealing a horror show of scar tissue. “And this is what it did to me.” She pauses for a moment, allowing her words to settle over the crowd before continuing. “I didn’t h
Ivy's POVThe moment the challenge passes my lips, every warrior in the barracks falls deathly silent. They look towards Spencer as one, eyes all wide with fear. They’re not afraid of me, I know–I bet they’re terrified of what Spencer would do to them if they actually took me up on my offer. A strange calm comes over me at their stunned faces, a satisfaction at being able to do something none of them could have predicted. Slowly, steadily, voices thin and brittle with trepidation, the warriors begin to chatter again. They look up at me occasionally in shock and disbelief. The more the volume of the conversation rises, the more concerned Spencer looks, a deeply serious expression taking over his features. Even Gamma Everly and Sylvia look a bit unsure, their gazes fixed onto me as though trying to figure out what to do. I understand everyone’s concern–I really do–but I think a challenge is what I need. After all, how else is anyone going to take me seriously?In the code of honor
Spencer’s POVMost of my skin has already been covered by my day clothes, but in the few places I’m not, I can feel the hazmat suit’s crinkly plastic resting against me uncomfortably. I shudder as the plastic continues to shift. It clings uncomfortably to my skin and is far from stealthy, causing a loud rumpling sound to ring out with every step. I’d hoped that we could carry out this surveillance with at least the slightest bit of stealth and decorum, but as the entire haphazard team of us begins to make our way into the Sunclash pack, it becomes more and more evident that that’s just not going to happen. Through the suit’s bulbous plastic dome, I make eye contact with Doctor Danbury, clearly far from amused. She purses her lips, and I can see my own frustration mirrored on her face as we continue to lug equipment around. “I know,” she says, coming up to walk beside me. “Believe me, I hate the suits too. Easily one of my least favourite parts of this job. But whatever wiped this p
Spencer’s POVAs we all sit in the back of a sleek, high-speed limo, I can’t help but feel thick tendrils of dread curling throughout my stomach. Every second I spend away from Ivy feels like I could be missing her final moments, and the fear over what could happen to her is making me sick. “The hazmat suits will be uncomfortable,” Doctor Danbury warns, holding up a hideous yellow baggy bodysuit. The plastic crinkles under her touch. “And the tanks on the back are going to poke weirdly. It’s no fun to wear, I know. But we still don’t quite know the extent of the toxicity of the environment we’re about to enter, so right now, safety is of the utmost importance. It’s possible that we’ll be able to take the suits off once I’ve run a couple tests and deemed the area safe, but I have no idea yet.” “Whatever it is, it seems to be highly contagious,” Alpha Fierro says somberly. Doctor Danbury nods. “The last thing we want to do is bring an uncontained plague back to the Lycan Kingdom, so
Spencer’s POVJust as Beta Wilson and Alpha Fierro make their way out of my office, I see Alpha Leo slip through the doorway. He looks much better than he did the last time I saw him–there are still the occasional cuts and bruises marring his skin, a couple ridged scars in the process of forming, but Alpha Leo seems to be walking without much pain. His posture is straight and his gaze is keen. He looks at me tentatively as he approaches my desk, and I can tell he’s just the slightest bit on edge. “Your Highness,” he says uncertainly. “Alpha Leo,” I reply. “Um, what can I do for you?” Alpha Leo asks nervously. I shuffle a stack of papers on the desk together. “As I’m sure you know, we’ve suffered considerable gaps in our staff,” I begin. “Specifically in our military and guard positions. One of the most notable absences is Captain McAndrews, as I’m sure you remember quite well.” Alpha Leo blanches. “Right,” he mutters. “The work you did during Elder Jet’s invasion was exceptiona
Spencer’s POV“The Lycan Kingdom will come to your aid at once.” Clearly, the ease with which I offer my support comes as something of a shock to Alpha Fierro. His eyes widen, and his face breaks into an expression of gratitude. His posture already seems straighter, like a great weight has been lifted from his shoulders. “Really?” Alpha Fierro breathes out. “Thank you, Your Majesty. Truly, I’d nearly given up hope on receiving any sort of aid at all–I’d almost started believing the rumours…” My eyes narrow. “The rumours?” I repeat coldly.” Alpha Fierro blanches. “Well, I–of course, I never really believed them. But I’m sure it hasn’t escaped your vast reach of influence that some werewolves have been saying things about the Lycan Royal Family that have been rather… out of line. Ever since Elder Jet and his rebellion, things have been different. But I–that’s not important! What I’m trying to say to you right now is thank you, Your Majesty. From the bottom of my heart.” I remain si
Spencer’s POV“Tell me everything you know about this plague.” The command is sharp and electric, crackling with urgency. At Alpha Fierro’s mention of this strange plague taking lives–not to mention its unfortunate coinciding with the Blood Moon–I can’t help but feel nauseous thinking about what could happen to Ivy. There’s been no confirmation that she’s sick with any sort of plague, of course, and there haven’t been any reported cases of illness from those who have come into contact with her so far. But all of that could change at any given moment, and when it comes to Ivy’s life–or the lives of anyone in my kingdom, for that matter–I have no intention of taking it lightly. Alpha Fierro hesitates for a moment. “I’ve been having my Beta send me reports tracking the symptoms he’s seen from some of the infected pack members we’ve got under observation,” he says. “But my Beta is–well.” He stops speaking abruptly, gaze momentarily taken over by sadness. “He’s deteriorating rapidly, to
Spencer’s POVAs I tear my way through the hospital and back towards the place, a million thoughts are racing through my mind. “Where’s he been staying since I turned him away?” I ask Beta Wilson, moving as quickly as I can. The day of my wedding, he’d somehow managed to fistfight his way past all my staff and slip past the wedding chaos to my penthouse. He’d knocked on my door like a madman before pleading with me to take his meeting–the only reason I even did was because I hold a fair amount of respect for the Sunclash pack. But the man had been blabbering on and on about some sort of curse rained down from hell that had overtaken his punishment, and he’d seemed all but mad, and I’d had a million other things on my mind since. “He’s been staying in a hotel within the kingdom for the past week,” Beta Wilson replies. “I’ve done my best to reach out to him over the past couple days, but he’s remained adamant that he only wanted to speak with you. At first I thought it best not to le
Spencer’s POV“No matter what happens to me, swear you’ll always take care of Tala.” Something in the solemnity of Ivy’s words jolts me right back to reality. Immediately, I realize just how unstable I’m acting–threatening the very doctors and nurses who are trying to save Ivy couldn’t be a more impractical use of my time, and it’s certainly not the kind of support Ivy needs right now. What’s happening to her would be terrifying enough even without all the uncertainty–my own overreaction certainly isn’t something she needs to be worrying about right now. Above all else, she needs to know I’m there for her. “Oh, Ivy, of course I’ll always take care of Tala,” I tell her gently. “You don’t need to worry about that at all. She’s my daughter, and I love her. I swear I’ll do everything in my power to make sure she never has a care in the world. Jason, too–I want him to be my son as well. I know I haven’t always been as reliable as you’ve needed me to be in the past, but I’ll always be he
Ivy’s POV“That is unacceptable!” At the roar of Spencer’s voice, the ferocity of his tone and the growl rumbling in his throat, the nurses and Doctor Danbury both back away in fear as they look up at him with wide, horrified eyes. I’m not even the designated target of Spencer’s ire–hell, I’m the person he’s doing everything possible to protect–but I still feel an instinctive shiver of panic run through me at the sound of such evident threat and disapproval. I can feel Spencer’s Lycan Aura, only more powerful now that he’s king, just on the precipice of being unleashed. It crackles through the air red hot and electric as he continues skewering the doctor and the nurses with his severe gaze. “Spencer,” I try to say, reaching out and grabbing his hand. Another cough hits me, though, and I’m hacking and wheezing as I try to speak. “Spencer, please, it’s not their fault–” “Their job is to heal!” Spencer protests. He turns to look at me, and much to my surprise, I can see the tears spr
Spencer’s POVThe more time Ivy and I spend in the hospital, the more the days begin to blur. When Ivy is deemed stable enough to move out of the delivery room, we’re quickly moved to a much nicer room in the hospital, and it’s a brief respite from the monotony that’s overtaken our days. I’m able to move most of my work from the palace to the hospital, though I do go back every so often to transfer files or spend some time with Tala. “It’s just a postpartum fever,” Doctor Danbury assured us initially, looking over her files with a wrinkled brow. “Queen Ivy, I know you’re feeling sensations right now unlike anything you’ve ever experienced before, but I promise it’s all a fairly natural–albeit unpleasant–aspect of the postpartum healing process. We’ve got you constantly monitored now. Just do your best to keep eating and drinking. The best you can do is build back your strength.” “Yes, Doctor,” Ivy said demurely. But as we exchanged dissatisfied glances, I could tell neither one of