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 POVThe moment I hear the word ‘punishment,’ alarm bells go off in my mind. Cold fear grips my heart. Right away, I try to explain myself. “I didn’t mean to offend–”“Didn’t mean to offend?” A hint of a smile plays on Prince Spencer’s lips, a mischievous look that makes my heart pound in sudden excitement. Is he mad at me?If he’s mad, he’s certainly not letting on. In fact, if I didn’t know better, I’d think he’s every bit as excited as I am. His hand starts to move slowly from my ankle up to my calf, and all of a sudden, it’s the only thing I can focus on. His questioning continues. “Your foot ends up on the Lycan Prince’s chest, and you’re denying that it’s intentional?”“I… I… I’m really sorry, but–I truly didn’t mean to!” I stammer out nervously. I know, on some level, that I’m in trouble.But Spencer’s wandering hand makes it hard to think about anything else. His hand, rough and calloused from years of training, grazes my soft skin as light as a feather. I bite back
Ivy's POVWhen I feel his fingers enter me, I reach instinctively for Spencer’s white shirt and clutch it desperately, my body tensing up. I pull him as close against me as I can and take comfort in the feeling of his heart pounding in his chest. My heart is racing, too. My legs start to shake as he fingers me relentlessly, every deft curl of his fingers causing a new wave of pleasure more powerful than the last. I bury my face in the crook of his neck as I let out one soft, uncontrollable moan after the other. I’ve given up on trying to be quiet. He makes me feel too good for that. As his fingers move rhythmically in and out of me, a brutally fast pace that leaves me with quivering thighs and ragged breaths, I can feel damp wetness trickling into the cushion beneath me.Some part of me is worried about making a mess, but mostly it occurs to me how easily Spencer was able to slip his fingers into me–how ready I was for him. I’ve never been this wet in my life. Every part of me wants
Spencer's POV“Wait for me in the office,” I growl at the door. Beta Wilson’s footsteps retreat back down the hallway. Slowly, I pull my fingers out of Ivy, calming down ever so slightly. She moans, just a little. I look at her splayed out on the loveseat. Her face is still flushed, chest heaving, and her dress–still bunched up at her waist–is in tatters.She’s the only thing I want to look at.As I continue to admire Ivy, I begin to realize how completely she has me captivated. I resist the urge to run my hands along her soft skin, to soothe her. She looks tired. Drained. I’ve never desired anyone so intensely. Her scent is intoxicating. Her lips are sweet and lush. And just now, as I unraveled her on the loveseat…Oh, the noises she made are the most beautiful sounds I’ve ever heard. Ivy’s chest continues to rise and fall raggedly. She seems to regain her bearings somewhat, and quickly pulls her dress back down her legs. I look away quickly, adjusting my clothes and dodging her ga
Ivy's POVI can’t believe Spencer got me off with just his fingers.My face turns beet red as he turns to speak to his Beta. He pulls his fingers out of me, and I can’t help but moan at the loss. Spencer’s gaze rakes over me for a few moments, eyes flooded with lust and admiration, but he tears his attention from me quickly as though it hurts him to look at me. I pull my skirt back down my legs, blush deepening. The space between my legs is still slick. At that moment, I’d like nothing more than to disappear on the spot.Slowly, slowly, my breath steadies out. I’m still recovering from everything Spencer did to me by the time he slips wordlessly out of the bedroom without so much as a goodbye. Still shaky, I sit up straight and look around the bedroom.What am I supposed to do now?I smooth out my skirt and stand up. The moment I look back at the loveseat, heated images flash through my mind–how Spencer looked as he pressed me down into the bed, how his hands felt as they trailed up
Ivy's POVThree days becoming his personal maid, I find myself on Spencer’s arm as he leads me into the Thunderclaw pack.As soon as Spencer steps into the pack house’s main hall, he becomes the center of attention. Every werewolf in the room bows to him with fear and respect, while the she-wolves gaze at him with open lust and admiration. When they see me by his side, though, jealousy fills their eyes.The Alphas approach us one by one to approach Spencer, quickly surrounding him. I’m overwhelmed by the chaos and break off from the group quietly, slipping through the crowd. I snag a flute of champagne to sip slowly. As soon as I leave Spencer’s side, though, I can hear the murmurs from the crowd:“Is that the auction girl Prince Spencer bought?”“I heard she doesn’t have a wolf!”“She’s the prince’s personal maid now.”“Isn’t the prince supposed to hate she-wolves?”“Her dress is beautiful–the prince must be treating her well.”“Is there any chance the prince actually likes her?”“No
Ivy's POV“You don’t deserve to say the word ‘friendship,’” I tell Veronica, enunciating each word carefully. Once upon a time, when I was young and naive, I’d given my heart to Veronica with a purity and passion she’d never deserved. I really thought we were close when we were kids. I’d believed foolishly that we would be friends forever. But she betrayed me in the most brutal way possible. “I’m sorry. I won’t mention it again,” Veronica apologizes quickly, looking away. Her desperate expression, surprisingly, doesn’t seem the slightest bit fake. And seeing my refusal to comply with her wishes seems to have her on the verge of breaking down. Good. I want to see her suffer.I want to see her suffer before I kill her. “I promise, I have no intention of hurting you,” Veronica adds. “I swear I don’t have any ulterior motives here. I’m not… what Erick and I did to you–I–I just–can we talk? That’s it. I just want to talk.”I don’t understand what we could possibly have to talk about
Ivy's POVErick is the one who kidnapped my father.“What?” I ask in shock, gaping at Veronica.My first thought is to assume she’s making the whole thing up. I honestly wouldn’t put it past her at this point. I know by now that Veronica can’t be trusted in the slightest. She doesn’t seem like she’s lying now, though. Her eyes don’t have that gleam they get sometimes–that joy of deception. Plus, it adds up. My mind is suddenly flooded with thoughts–Erick’s announcement today about Beta Kinney’s health, his absence during the opening statements, Veronica’s desperation as she asks me for help…Something is desperately wrong with this strange pack alliance, I can tell that much. I’m beginning to piece things together, I think. But I have no way of knowing for sure.“What’s going on?” I ask Veronica sharply. “Shortly after we got married, Erick and my father started having reoccuring arguments about pack affairs.” Veronica’s voice is heavy with pain. She lowers her gaze in sadness. “On
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