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 POVI stare at Veronica in shock. “We once made a promise, remember?” Veronica sniffles, wiping her eyes and smiling up at me brokenly. She’s still on her knees, and even though she can’t be more than a few weeks pregnant, I find myself momentarily worrying about the baby’s safety. “We promised that when we became mothers, we’d be godmothers to each other’s children. You and me, Ivy. We were supposed to be in this together.”Veronica’s voice is filled with sincerity, making my heart ache, but I can’t bring myself to trust her just yet. Of course I remember that promise. I’d believe in it when we made it, too. It’s because Veronica’s friendship was so dear to me that I can’t forgive her betrayal. “Once the Thunderclaw pack takes over the Obsidian pack, I’ll have no value to Erick anymore,” Veronica continues, whimpering. “Both packs will be in his name. He won’t need me for anything else. He’ll discard both me and my baby!”Discard. I know that pain all too well–I’d been disca
Ivy's POVI’m on my way out of the pack house when I see Erick hovering by the doorway.My heart plummets, and I suddenly feel myself filled with panic at the sight of him. I lower my head and avert my gaze, trying to walk past him quickly so he has no idea I’m here. I have no intention whatsoever of talking to him–unless the words I’m speaking are the last words he’ll ever hear. Just as I’m about to pass him by, though, I feel the barest brush of fingertips on my shoulders. Mood Goddess, save me.“You look beautiful today, Ivy,” Erick says in that casually flippant tone of his as he leers at me, looking me up and down with a gaze that makes my skin crawl. I purse my lips and do my best not to dignify him with a response. I don’t want to engage with him. By the look in his eyes, though, he’s eager to keep engaging with me, and I can already feel the awkward sting of whatever horrible pickup line he has locked and loaded. Just as Erick opens his mouth to speak again, though, Veron
Spencer's POV“We need to return to the palace!” My thunderous command tears through the ranks of soldiers, and in mere instants, the entire army has begun marching all the way back in the direction of the palace. Gamma Everly and Alpha Leo bring up the head, but I linger near the back, frantically getting in touch with Wilson. ‘Are you at the palace?’ I ask him. His response is quick. ‘Sylvia and I are stationed at the front doors, Your Highness. We’ve also got all the guards ready to defend the palace as soon as it’s necessary.’‘Well done, Wilson,’ I say. ‘I’ve got another task at hand for you, though. The rogue werewolves have just attempted to lead the entire Lycan Army out into the middle of the woods–likely to leave the barracks, and thus an entrance to the palace, undefended. Fortunately we’ve still got reserve soldiers stationed there. I need you to head to the barracks, investigate the scene, and mobilize the reserve soldiers as needed. Can you do that?’ ‘Of course, Prin
Spencer's POV“Don’t trust him!”The words burst out of Alpha Leo’s mouth in a jumbled rush as he comes to a stop in front of Gamma Everly and I. He doubles over in exhaustion, hands resting on his knees. His breath comes in ragged, wheezing gasps, clearly plagued by trauma to his lungs. I can still see him suffering from the remnants of his injuries from earlier today—no doubt they’ve slowed him down considerably. I raise an eyebrow, studying Alpha Leo intently. “Don’t trust who?” I ask. “The—the centurion!” He gasps out. There’s a faint wheeze tugging at the edge of Alpha Leo’s breath. He stands up slowly, spine popping. “The man who… who told you to come here—he’s not who he said he is.”I breathe out a slow sigh. As much as I’d hoped Alpha Leo would have more positive news to bring, Alpha Leo’s words are only confirming what I’ve previously assumed, much to my disappointment. “How do you know this?” I ask. “I saw him emerge from the edge of the woods while I was at the watchto
Spencer's POVAs I lead my warriors boldly into the night, I feel more determined than I’ve ever felt before. I'm well accustomed to hatred. To loathing. To the sort of burning fury that aches like hot coals in the pit of my stomach, a relentless pain that consumes my every waking thought. Such anger is not unfamiliar to me. But the sheer volume of it I’m experiencing now, knowing that Elder Jet is out there somewhere holding Ivy hostage and hoping to topple the entire Lycian Kingdom in one fell swoop…A quick death would be too kind a fate for Elder Jet. I want to pick him apart slowly and excruciatingly. I want to feel his blood between my fingers and to hear every scream of agony. I want to invent new depths of suffering just for him. “Be ready, soldiers!” I say, keeping my voice hushed as I look back at my army. Gamma Everly and I are leading the troops onward. We move silently and swiftly, scanning the trees for any signs of threat. The trees are tall, branches stretching upw
Spencer's POVNow that we know how we want to move forward, things are quick to fall into place. The centurion who gave us the tip has fallen out of sight completely–I’m assuming that by now he’s getting the medical treatment he needs. I’ve mind linked all the surviving centurions to bring their search parties back to the barracks, too, and now I’m just watching the last remaining warriors trickle back into our camp. The plan is simple. We aim to strike first, and to strike with such overwhelming brute force that no matter his schemes, Elder Jet will be left completely and utterly unable to recover. “If we move through the woods along here, I think we can follow the natural curve of the river without detection,” Gamma Everly says slowly. She traces her fingers along the map and shows me her outlined path. “There’s enough space for all of us to move around the region relatively freely, but the topography will make it harder to corner us. We could use their camp location to our advan
Spencer's POV“What happened?” I reach down and grab the fallen centurion’s shoulder firmly. Beneath my fingertips, the fabric at the joints of his armour is thick and bloody, and the warrior groans as I make contact. He’s not dead yet, though, and that gives me hope. With a little help from Gamma Everly, the two of us manage to bring the man up into a sitting position. He’s moving slowly and unsteadily, eyes clouded with unforetold terrors. I can see his limbs tremble and shake, the clear difficulty of every moment. “I… I was out surveying the area…” the centurion murmurs slowly. “And I was–and there was–” I still can’t see the full details of his face, but beneath his mask, his gaze is darting back and and forth anxiously. “It’s okay,” I tell him. “You’re safe here now.” Comforting people certainly isn’t my strong suit, but he has the information I need. And besides, it feels like something Ivy would do. She’d speak to him softly, gently. She’d nurture him carefully. She’d ma
Spencer's POV“What do you need me to do?” Alpha Leo’s expression is solemn as he faces me. All at once, I can see just how deeply he’s changed over the course of today–just earlier this morning, he was breaking out of our dungeon, not caring who he killed or whose lives he drastically affected. He was ready to return to a wicked, traitorous man and help him take us all down. But now Alpha Jet looks at me with respect and admiration. There’s still a lot more work to do, but he’s reckoned with Elder Jet’s fundamental evils and cruelties. He’s not just ready to change–he’s at a point where he’s more than willing. I smile at him, taking his question as confirmation that he would indeed be interested in aiding the Lycan Army. I point to a large building on stilts right near the back of the barracks. Alpha Leo follows my gesture with his eyes, tilting his head in confusion as he looks the structure over carefully. “Is that… a grain silo?” He asks. I smile. “We’ve got a herd of cattle
Spencer's POVAs the centurions lead their recruited parties out into the distant woods, I can feel the cold hand of horror slowly clamping around my heart. Of course, my main goal with sending out these search parties is to determine just how much of a threat Elder Jet truly is right now. Of course that’s what I’m trying to do. But in sending out all of these patrols, there’s something else I may be able to figure out, too. I’m hoping against hope that one of the parties will be able to figure out where Ivy is. But with that hope, there’s fear, too. What if they find Ivy, but it’s too late? What if all I can rescue now is her corpse? Or what if she’s alive, but broken and hurt beyond measure? I don’t want to see her injured. She’s been through so much–I don’t know how many more traumas she can take. Especially with the baby. Oh, Moon Goddess above, please protect Ivy and my baby. The warriors that aren’t members of any of the search parties spread through the forest, lying in
Spencer's POVAs Gamma Everly and I walk through the amassed ranks of the full might of the Lycan Army, all I can think about is Ivy. Where is she? What’s happening to her? I have no way of getting into contact with her–what if Elder Jet did something? How would I know? There’s a part of me that wants to take Elder Jet up on his offer of surrendering, if only to guarantee Ivy’s security. But I can’t do that. I can’t trade away my kingdom for her. If I did, what sort of king would I be? Besides, I wouldn’t put it past Elder Jet to break his end of a hostage exchange. Alpha Leo is the only piece we have to trade back, but Elder Jet doesn’t seem too attached to his spies, likely for this exact reason. No. The only way to ensure Ivy’s continuous and lasting security is to fight for it myself, tooth and nail and wickedly sharp claw. I can’t let anything bad happen to her. I lock eyes with Gamma Everly as we complete our sweep of the battalions. We have a massive military, easily big
Ivy's POV“You’ll never get away with it!” I’m gripping the bars of my cage as tightly as I can, but even despite my pointed efforts, I can feel myself beginning to slip. My hands feel like they're made of gelatin, and I can’t force myself to move them how I want to. My knuckles unclench, and my fingers are as useless as limp noodles. Elder Jet lets out a cold chuckle and pulls away from me. He takes a couple steps back, clearly enjoying the sight of me doing my very best to regain control of my body. I’m doing everything in my power to try and suppress the potion’s effects, but what can I do, really? I can feel it coursing through my body, bubbling into my stomach before being absorbed through the lining and into my bloodstream like some sort of sick, infested stain. I lie back on the ground, chest heaving. Grass tickles the back of my neck, and I can feel the particles of dirt clinging to my skin. I have no control right now. I don’t have anything. I’m completely and utterly u