Ivy's POVI wake up to find myself lying naked in Spencer’s strong arms, his hands clasping mine tightly. I blush immediately, pulling my hands out of his. Much to my surprise, thick beads of gold blood run down both our wrists. I wipe my cut palm frantically on the bed sheets before wriggling my way out of Spencer’s embrace. Just as I’m about to leave the bed, pondering how I could’ve possibly ended up where I just was, a muscular arm wraps around my waist and pulls me back down onto the bed. Spencer lets out a low chuckle as I land next to him on the sheets, together once again. “Just came back to life and you’re already leaving me?” Spencer questions, looking me over intently. My blush somehow intensifies, and I look away from his piercing gaze. “I…”Back to life? The memories hit me all at once, a relentless wave. Suddenly, I remember what had happened back at the Werewolf Council’s chambers, and how I’d ended up collapsing in Spencer’s arms. I take a look around the room an
Ivy's POVSweat dampens the hair on my forehead. I whimper, not quite sure what to do. I want him to hit me again. I know that much. “I’ve taught you what I want to hear,” Spencer reminds me patiently, lightly biting my earlobe and eliciting another moan at the slight sting of pain. My mind reels, struggling to figure out what my next move should be. I’ve never felt this excited–or helpless-before. I respond instinctively to Spencer’s kisses. Everything we’ve done so far has felt completely natural. But I have no idea how to answer his question. As Spencer continues to pleasure me with his free hand, teasing and toying but never actually applying direct pressure to that sweet spot where I want his fingers the most, I can feel both my mind and my body becoming clumsy. Finally, I settle on an answer. “Prince Spencer,” I moan. He would want me to respect him, right?Plus, even if my answer is wrong–and I have a sneaking suspicion that it is–I think I quite like what my punishment
Ivy's POVI can’t believe what a jerk Spencer is being right now. He continues to fuck me shallowly, and it feels so, so good, but it’s not enough. He’s torturing me. He’s torturing me, and he knows it. I look up at him with a resentful gaze, not quite sure what to do. My face is bright red. Catching my frustrated expression, Spencer smiles indulgently. He reaches forward and brushes the pad of his thumb against my lips, as if to say, “come kiss me.” I don’t need any further encouragement. I wrap my arms around him tightly, pulling him close and crushing my mouth against his. Spencer moans into my mouth as he starts thrusting into me again, ramming me into the bedsheets. I can feel myself getting closer and closer, completely lost in my own pleasure as he continues to fuck me. “Beg me,” Spencer urges between thrusts. I can barely form words. “I… I…”“Come on, Ivy,” he says, thrusting me especially hard. I moan, digging my fingers into his shoulders for balance. “Just beg,” S
Spencer's POV“Is Miss Ivy Bell your mate?”My father’s face darkens in disappointment as he asks the question. I know he already knows the answer. He just wants to hear it from me. His hands grip the sides of his chair angrily, knuckles white. I can feel just how enraged he is even at the mere prospect. No Lycan Prince should be with a lowly girl like Ivy, and we both know it. And yet, here we are. “She is,” I admit, looking him squarely in the eyes. My father sighs, rubbing his temples with one hand. He glowers down at me. “Have you gone mad? Why did you lie to me about this, Spencer?” He asks in frustration. “I had no intention of actually acting upon our Mate Bond,” I explain calmly. “I wasn’t planning on holding any sort of Mate Ceremony. While it’s true that Ivy is my mate, I figured nothing else in my life would change–she would simply remain by my side. And so, as far as anyone was concerned, no one else needed to know. Not even her.”It’s strange to think–I mean what I’m
Ivy's POVThe maids don’t seem to have any intention of treating me well as they escort me through the palace. They sneer and glower at me, pulling me along harshly. My body is still weak from everything that happened in the Werewolf Council’s halls, and I find myself stumbling along, disoriented, as they continue to drag me forwards.At least they let me get changed before they dragged me out of the hospital room. Still, though, the thin paper gown leaves me far more revealed and vulnerable than I’d like to be. I haven’t endured such a cruel treatment from the palace staff since Spencer made me his personal maid. Which means that something in my standing must have changed. Fear seeps into me as the maids bring me to the doors of a luxurious hall. Two of them pull the doors open, revealing stunning royal chambers. A regal middle-aged woman sits in the middle of the room, lounging on a gilded gold throne. She’s clearly been waiting for me. The maids throw me to the ground. I cry
Ivy's POVEven though I’d never even imagined becoming Spencer’s Luna, the Lycan Queen’s rejection still stings. Only since my father’s death have I truly realized just how much malice exists in the world. Once, I’d been my father’s pride and joy, the crown jewel of my pack–cherished and pampered and adored from such a young age. But now, there’s no one on my side. I have to face these challenges alone. The maid’s whip lands on the already-bleeding wounds, causing me to gasp sharply again. Thinking about Spencer makes me feel a bit better, though. Even just imagining him is something of a comfort. I fight the urge to scream at the queen. I won’t give her the satisfaction. “I never thought I could… become Spencer’s Luna…” The gaps between my words are interspersed with sharp hisses. “But I am his mate. The choice of who his Luna is should be made by Spencer himself…”The queen narrows her eyes at me in anger, and I feel proud of my small rebellion. No doubt she had hoped to see m
Ivy's POV“You won’t kill her, Mother.”Spencer’s defiant command rattles around the hall, causing the queen’s face to tighten with rage. How many more orders can he defy for me? My gaze shifts nervously towards the maids and their whips, wounds aching even more at the sight of them. I know the maids won’t dare attack me with Spencer in the room, but if somehow he ends up leaving… I shiver and try to tear my thoughts away from worst-case scenarios, returning my focus to the Lycan Queen. “You are being insubordinate, Spencer!” She shouts. “Although you may be my son and the Crown Prince, you have no right to disobey me over and over again. She will die today.”I tremble in Spencer’s arms, but he still looks completely unfazed. “We’ve sworn a Blood Oath together,” Spencer says calmly. A Blood Oath. What is that? Spencer’s voice may not be raised, but it crackles through the hall like a thunderclap, causing the queen to shrink back into her chair in shock. A pair of maids step fo
Ivy's POVThe room is empty except for Spencer and I.Spencer lays me down gently on his bed and starts to remove my hospital gown. I find myself blushing, body heating up. “Wait,” I say suddenly. I know we’ve been… intimate before. And considering the deep wounds biting into my back, I’m sure he’s only trying to see how I’m doing. And yet, I still find myself embarrassed about undressing in front of him. My gaze drops to the bottle of ointment in his hand. He’s only trying to heal me. “Just apply the medicine, please,” I say shyly. “You don’t… you don’t have to…” I trail off, not quite sure how to finish the sentence. Spencer raises an eyebrow. “No saliva this time?” He asks, clearly picking up where I left off. My face flushes. “Yeah,” I reply, nodding slightly. “As you wish.” Spencer’s voice is gentlemanly, but his smirk says otherwise. I lay down on my stomach as he gingerly peels away the thin fabric. The cold air feels good against my injuries. Soothing, almost. When hi
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