Ivy's POVSpencer moans ever so slightly as I straddle his lap, and I can feel his body tense up just a bit. I grin devilishly, certain he’s reacting to me. His gaze rakes along my body hungrily, moving from my chest to my lips to my eyes. I continue to boldly tug Spencer’s tie, my fingers working their way along the fabric until they’re right at the base of his throat. His heartbeat races, a steady thrum through his jugular. Our bodies are pressed flush together, and I can feel his chest heaving against mine as he looks me up and down. That familiar heat grows in the pit of my stomach, and I can feel my heart start to race in anticipation. Just as I lean forward, ready to press my lips against Spencer’s, he draws in a deep breath and pulls his gaze away from me abruptly. He shifts his gaze towards the window instead, expression distant. I can sense his withdrawal, and the sharp sting of rejection hits me right in the stomach, a bitter pang of disappointment. Did I do something w
Ivy's POVAs I try to piece together the story of what might have happened to the boy–Jason, that was his name–I can’t help but think back to when I first arrived at the Lycan royal palace. Just like him, I’d just witnessed the devastating death of a parent, and I was alone and aimless in a strange new place. I didn’t get even the smallest bit of kindness–Spencer had been distant, the maids had bullied me, and every member of the Lycan Royal Family hated me. I’d felt overwhelmingly lonely and lost, unsure of what to do.All I’d wanted was someone who could love me unconditionally. I bet that’s what Jason wanted, too. And I could have been there for him–I could have provided that for him. But I didn’t.I wasn’t there. I’ve been neglecting him these past couple days, and as I realize more and more the depths of my negligence, I feel wracked with guilt. He’s so young, and he has no one else. Have the maids been giving him attention? Affection?Jason’s mother was a maid. Do the palac
Ivy's POV“We think you should expel him from the palace permanently.”At the sound of the maid’s words, my eyes flash with anger. “Why should we take your word for it?” I snap immediately, glaring at her. I stand up straight, meeting her cruel, conceited glare dead-on. “All we know right now is that the boy was entrusted to your care, and now he’s missing. That’s not such a good look for you, is it?”The maid’ mouth falls open in shock. “That’s not–” “We just need to wait until the soldiers find Jason,” I say insistently, cutting the maid off. “Then the truth will come out. It always does eventually.”“What do you even know about him?” The maid sneers. “It was so easy for you to rescue him, sure, but you haven’t visited him once since he got here. You just got to be his hero then pawn him off on us. We’re the ones who actually know him, not you. Who are you to speak to his character?” “She’s my mate,” Spencer growls, a low warning hum. The maid’s face blanches. “Of–of course, Prin
Ivy's POVThe boy lays quietly in Gama Everly’s arms, completely and utterly unmoving. Jason has already passed out, and I’d be glad that he’s escaping the terrible pain he must be in, except that he looks like he’s on the verge of death. I’m shocked to see his body covered in bruises and blood. These look like injuries a grown man would incur in a fight, not the sorts of wounds that should be mottling a child’s body. “What… what happened?” I breathe out quietly, pressing my hand against my mouth in horror. I feel sick to my stomach, utterly disgusted by the sight before me.Who could do such a thing to a sweet, innocent child? “I was out on patrol when I stumbled upon a group of soldiers harassing a child at the border,” Gamma Everly begins, voice full of thinly-veiled rage as she looks at the warriors in the room. She holds the boy closer to her chest. “As I got closer, I realized I recognized the boy. The soldiers were kicking and beating him–it was obvious they planned on kill
Ivy's POVSpencer, the maids, the soldiers, Gamma Everly, and I are all gathered in the interrogation room. I gaze around the room, sitting at Spencer’s side. My back is ramrod-straight against the chair, hands curled into iron fists as I look at the warriors and the soldiers. I know they did it. I just need to make them confess it now. “The boy is still unconscious for now,” I say, speaking first and breaking the eerie silence that’s settled over the room. “But once he wakes up, the truth will surely come out. Now is your last chance to come clean on your own terms.”“The boy bit us!” One of the maids protests, rolling up the sleeves of her shirt to reveal her injuries again. “His behavior was reckless and self-destructive. He was mad! Who’s to say he didn’t injure himself?”“Your argument is that he gave himself all those injuries?” I repeat incredulously. My voice echoes like a vow. “Really?”The maid falls silent, staring down at the table with red cheeks. “I saw soldiers att
Ivy's POV“The Lycan Royal Family has a duty to protect all werewolves.”Under the force of Spencer’s bold declaration, spoken as though Spencer is scolding an unruly group of schoolchildren, the guilty maids and soldiers all keep their gazes glued to the floor. Their bodies start to tremble, necks almost certainly aching. I’m sure all of them know the obligations Spencer is explaining already.“We may deal with enemies on occasion, as the laws of battle dictate,” Spencer continues. “But we never go out of our way to bully anyone on purpose. This child is young, a victim of war. He’s young, a victim of war. He deserves to be cared for and taught the right way. Are you not ashamed?” The maids and warriors continue trembling in silence, and a slow, satisfied smile starts to stretch across my lips. There’s an undeniable power to the united front that Spencer and I present, and something about that power fills me with contentment. I’ve had just about enough of not being taken seriously
Ivy's POVOnce Spencer and I return to his room, he pushes me onto the loveseat playfully, grinning down at me. “Why didn’t you punish the maids and soldiers more severely?” He asks curiously, tilting his head down at me. I hesitate for a moment, struggling to explain. “I did give them a punishment.” Spencer raises an eyebrow. “You told them they have to do their usual job with the kid until the kid actually forgives them. That counts as punishment?” I laugh, letting my body relax against the soft cushions of the loveseat. “You don’t have to hurt or kill someone to make the punishment count,” I reply, sprawling out. “When I was young, I used to be one hell of a troublemaker. I mean, I was awful.”“Somehow, I can believe it,” Spencer replies with a grin. I snap my teeth at him playfully before continuing. “Oh, I was insufferable. I was definitely a nuisance to the whole pack. I’d prank all the pack members, interrupt their work, break all their things… honestly, it’s a small wonde
Ivy's POVThe next day, after wrapping up my training session with Sylvia and Gamma Everly, I go to visit Jason at the pack hospital. As I approach the room, I hear commotion coming down the hallways. My heart starts to race, and I quicken my footsteps. I get closer and closer to Jason’s room and the noise only gets louder. Is it Jason? Is everything okay? Did I make a mistake by instructing the palace staff to take care of him? Moon Goddess, if something else is happening now, it’d be all my fault–Are the maids and soldiers abusing him again? I was merciful when I issued my punishment the first time. If I open that door to find out the palace staff have laid even a finger on him–I throw open the door, panting and looking around wildly to see what’s going on. Muchb to my relief, no one seems to be attacking anyone. But I spot Jason huddling in the corner with wide, terrified eyes. He’s tucked behind a wooden chair, gripping the legs tightly as he glares warily at the maids and sol
Ivy’s POVAs Spencer’s words ripple through the ground of battle-hardened rebels and warriors, at first, all I can hear is the deafening sound of silence. I look around, watching with bated breath. I understand the weight of what we’re trying to do here–after all, for the Lycan Royal Family to suggest surrender, especially after such a horrific bloodbath, is a truly unprecedented thing to occur. I can see that it’s still taking everyone a couple moments more to process what has just transpired. But above all else, I believe in the inherent goodness of people. One way or another, kindness will win. It has to. When the first werewolf steps forward, head lowered and arms folded behind his back in a clear display of acquiescence, I can hardly stop myself from beaming. “I surrender,” the werewolf announces softly. The words echo through the battlefield, a whisper somehow amplified over and over again by all the history in the making of this one moment. With a flick of his wrist, Spenc
Spencer’s POVThis time, as I walk out onto the almost-still battlefield, I can feel the full force of my power returning to me. Heads swivel in my direction as I approach the center of the battleground. My Lycan aura crackles around me, a silhouette of pure power that follows behind me everywhere I step. Thanks to the Moon Goddess’s blessing as well as Ivy’s rejuvenation, I feel good again. Strong. I know I could control everyone on this field right now if I wanted to, but I don’t need to. Not yet. Right now, the gentle coercion of my Lycan aura around me is all I need. Ivy follows behind me. I can tell by the rhythm of her gait that she’s anxious to get out of here as soon as possible. I can’t see her, but I know her well enough by now that I can guess her gaze is darting around anxiously, eyeing every enemy in sight. But the longer I walk, the more confidence in my step, the more the sounds of battle start to quiet. Soon enough, the only sound to be heard is the soft pad of my f
Ivy’s POVWhile the scattered sounds of combat continue to fill the air, by and large, it seems that the battle has begun to come to a close. The last werewolf rebels are continuing to attack every Lycan warrior they see, but our enemy’s numbers have been considerably thinned. Now, the rebels are few and far between, sticking out like sore thumbs as they attempt to take down our ranks. It’s clear that we could still lose quite a few more lives at this point, but it would be meaningless. The battle has been won. It’s over. Anything else that happens now is just tying up the loose ends. “What happens now?” I ask Spencer softly, taking a look around. Wilson is still on the ground, writhing in agony as the silver spray continues to worm its way into his skin. My heart twinges with sympathy for him, but there’s nothing Spencer or I could do to alleviate the pain. Nearby, I can see Gamma Everly kneeling over Alpha Leo’s unconscious–hopefully unconscious, that is–body. Everywhere I look
Ivy’s POVI leap towards the witch without a moment’s hesitation. She lets out a shrill scream and tries to angle her antlers towards me. The side of one of the antlers cuts into my left arm, but it’s a shallow enough wound not to faze me, and I’m able to use the momentum against her and send her tumbling to the ground. The witch’s body is cold, uncannily so, and I can feel shivers starting to run through me as I press my paw against her throat. But the blood spilling from her severed hand is warm, and beneath all the strange magic etched into her being, she does seem to be alive. Which means she could, feasibly, be killed. “You’ll never get away with this!” The witch shrieks. Her voice seems to be going up to unnatural heights that I’m only able to hear due to my enhanced senses. “Jason is my son. You’ll never understand him like I could. He’ll never belong with you! You’re sentencing him to life as an outcast. Put your own cruelty and selfish wants aside for just one second. The
Spencer’s POVIvy and I exchange a single look, and it’s like we can read each other’s minds. Without even having to speak the words aloud, we turn away from Elder Jet’s corpse in unison and rush towards the ongoing scuffle. After having spent so long stuck on this battlefield together, and thanks to the months we’ve spent learning more and more about one another, strengthening our bonds, it feels like we’ve moved past typical forms of communication in so many ways. Ivy and I don’t need to tell each other our strategy–as I make my way behind the witch, and as Ivy swiftly leaps in front of her, I know what she’s trying to do. Ivy throws her body between the witch and Wilson. “Stay back!” She snarls, teeth snapping wickedly. Her snow white fur is streaked with blood, like berries crushed underfoot on a cold winter day. “Elder Jet is dead now. His cause is ruined. There’s nothing for you here.” “Foolish girl,” the witch rasps, extending her free hand and pointing one long finger towar
Ivy’s POVAs I scan the battlefield impatiently, doing my best to figure out where I could be the most helpful, all I can see is need. Spencer’s announcement on how to best take down the rebel werewolves has certainly been incredibly beneficial to the Lycan warriors. As I watch the battle continue to play out, the warriors are now employing tactics more or less reliant on grace or dexterity to make sure they can have the upper hand as much as possible. And while it’s encouraging to see the warriors continuing to make the best of the situation they’re in, adapting to the difficulties of such ruthless and magically enhanced opponents, there’s still so much death here. The Lycan warriors are getting more and more exhausted with each second that passes, and one side effect of those blasted potions seems to be enhanced stamina. Despite all our efforts to make sure the warriors have as much support as possible to do what they need to do and conclude this battle once and for all, we’re sti
Spencer’s POVThe skin of Elder Jet’s throat splits like silk beneath my claws. The last sound he ever makes is a small gasp, as though even after everything he’s said about accepting his fate, he’s still somehow surprised that I’d actually do it. For just a few moments, blood gushes liberally from the ragged wound in his throat–his weak heart pumping out blood with its last bits of strength. But as soon as his heart gives out, the blood flow stops its torrent. I raise my gaze back up to Elder Jet’s face. I want to feel something as I look over him–the wounds marring his features, his matted, stained fur, the glassy lifelessness in his eyes–but I don’t feel a thing. I pull away from Elder Jet slowly, staring at his corpse splayed out on the grass. This is the man who tried to kill me. Who tried to kill Ivy. Who succeeded in killing my father. He’s twisted and manipulated the minds of countless young werewolves, many of whom are no doubt dead thanks to him. Every action in his miser
Spencer’s POVWhen I see Elder Jet pinned beneath Ivy’s strong hold, the first thing I feel is pride. Over the course of knowing her, I’ve seen Ivy reclaim her own strength and power against all odds. When no one else believed in her, she believed in herself, and she’s been able to accomplish amazing things because of it. The sight of her now, able to so easily control such a powerful and influential man despite having been teetering on the verge of death so long ago… I’m so proud of her. I stalk towards Ivy and Elder Jet with a bold grin. “Thank you for taking care of him, Ivy,” I say. “Would you like me to handle things from here?” “It would be my pleasure,” Ivy replies. She strikes him across the face–just once, swiftly and harshly enough to open up a rather sizeable welt on his upper right cheek. As Elder Jet is still reeling from the blow, Ivy releases her hold on him and allows me to take her place. Before Elder Jet can even register the switch, I’ve got him firmly in my gr
Ivy’s POVThe sensation of Elder Jet’s skin tearing beneath my claws is one of the best things I’ve felt in a long, long time. Elder Jet lets out a sharp cry of pain as my claws rip into him. I can feel hot splashes of blood splattering up onto me, and I only curl my talons deeper. Elder Jet’s cry bleeds into a shout as I rip my paw back, tearing a ragged hunk of flesh out of his shoulder. “You,” Elder Jet snarls, looking up at me with an expression of profound loathing as he curls his lip at me and takes a step back. “Me,” I repeat with a smug grin, shaking the bits of viscera out of my claws. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Gamma Everly doing her best to limp away. Elder Jet doesn’t pay her any mind, though. His gaze is focused on me like a laser, and I can tell I’m his only focus right now. “You should be dead right now,” Elder Jet stammers out. His speech is already starting to slur from the blood loss. “After that potion we gave you, after the injuries, after–I killed