Ivy's POV“We need to go.”I look up at Beta Wilson in surprise. He’s spent the past little while taking care of Princess Sylvia–applying bandages, cleaning out wounds, and speaking to her in a hushed voice–but there’s a concern to his voice now that takes me off guard. “We don’t know how many more enemies are out there,” Beta Wilson says. “I’ve managed to get the princess stabilized enough for transport now, but I don’t want to risk us staying here any longer.”I nod. I’m about to ask what our next steps are when suddenly I realize that Beta Wilson is here alone with us–there aren’t any more of our warriors in sight. “Why isn’t anyone with you, Beta Wilson?” I ask. “Where are the others?”“They’re on their way, but I scouted ahead,” he explains, scooping Princess Sylvia up into his arms. He cradles her head gently, brushing his fingers through her matted hair, and walks towards the cave entrance. “I was worried about their safety, so I figured I’d have a look around first. I’d only
Ivy's POV“Take her.” Beta Wilson rushes over to me as the two werewolf warriors advance on us, pressing us closer and closer together. They grin as they circle us, clearly confident they’ve got their prey cornered. I gasp as Beta Wilson hoists Princess Sylvia into my arms. He turns his sharp gaze to the enemies in front of us, sizing them up warily. The princess’s body feels heavy in my arms, damp with sweat and blood. Her eyes are shut, moving back and forth rapidly behind closed eyelids. Her skin is ghostly pale and glossy. Her lips open and close, murmuring words no one can understand. She’s clearly fallen unconscious, well beyond reach now. She’s burning red-hot with fever. The moment Princess Sylvia is out of his hands, Beta Wilson steps away and shifts into a large brown wolf. With a roar that shakes the treetops, Beta Wilson launches himself into combat, hurling himself at the first werewolf in a flurry of fangs and snapping teeth. The sounds of battle quickly fill the ai
Ivy's POVThe pain never comes. I crack an eye open, surprised that the enemy’s claws haven’t landed on me. As the enemy frantically swings his massive paw towards me, claws out, a mysterious gray wolf suddenly lunges towards me and knocks the enemy away. I scream, stumbling backwards at the sight of the wolf. He doesn’t even bat an eye at me, taking advantage of the enemy werewolf’s disorientation. His jaws lock around the werewolf’s throat, and in an instant, he’s dead. Blood splatters onto the gray wolf’s fur, but he doesn’t seem concerned with it in the slightest. I lock eyes with Beta Wilson. ‘Who is he?’ I mouth. ‘No idea,’ Beta Wilson mouths back. The gray wolf shifts fluidly into his human form–tall and broad-shouldered, with tousled black hair and piercing hazel eyes. He doesn’t spare myself or Beta Wilson a second glance, turning instead to the deceased wolf lying at his feet. “Useless trash!” He spits at the fallen enemy, snarling viciously. “Even with the potion’s he
Ivy's POVThe moment I step out from the bushes, the gray wolf’s eyes lock onto me with the intensity of a thousand suns. “There you are,” he says, voice suddenly as slickly smooth as oil and honey. I start to tremble, taking a step back in fear. As I do, though, he takes another step towards me. I look back at Princess Sylvia–the weak rise and fall of her chest, the unconscious slump of her body in Beta Wilson’s arms, the blood that’s stained her clothes so red they look black. The sight of her strengthens my resolve. I return my gaze to the strange man, steeling myself for whatever is to come. “Is your promise genuine?” I ask the stranger. My voice sounds frail and small as it drifts through the cold night air. “Will you spare them?”“Oh, I’m not interested in anyone else. I only want you.”The gray wolf looks me up and down, and I find myself resisting the urge to shrink back again. I don’t know what this stranger wants with me, but I’m all out of options at this moment–Prince
Ivy's POVAs we walk through the dark woods, I find myself trailing behind Alpha Leo.It’s not my intention to move slowly–I’m completely and utterly lost in thought, a storm of anxiety racing through my mind. I’m worried about Princess Sylvia, about Spencer out there on the battlefield up against who knows what, about Alpha Leo and what he may have in store for me. The unknowns are building up to an excruciating high. The more stressed I get, the more my gaze lingers on the dark trees surrounding me, and my feet move slower and slower along the forest floor. Alpha Leo looks back at me in mild annoyance, tugging my arm to indicate I need to pick up the pace. “Hurry up,” he complains, rolling his eyes. “Do you really think you’ll be able to escape? Please. Quit wasting your energy scheming and just follow me.”Alpha Leo’s words catch me off-guard, and suddenly, I find myself frozen in place. “I wasn’t scheming–”My words die in my mouth as, in a split second, Alpha Leo shifts fluidly
Ivy's POVWhile I’m still reeling from Elder Jet’s presence, another man steps out of the pack house and walks up behind him. I narrow my eyes at the other man. His hair is light brown and cut short against his scalp, and there’s a steeliness in his frosty blue gaze that makes me inherently mistrustful of him. Despite the clearly over-exaggerated swagger he walks with, he looks remarkably worse for wear–a purple patchwork of bruises mars his face, and his nose has clearly been broken. I wonder if the awkward attempted bravado in his gait is a failing attempt to hide a limp or some other sort of injury. While I don’t recognize him, something in the way he moves suggests a similar amount of inherent power to what I’ve seen from Alpha Leo. Another Alpha, surely. And considering his presence here, among Alpha Leo and Elder Jet, I’d say it’s safe to assume he’s the Alpha of the other pack that betrayed the Lycan Royal Family. The other Alpha quickly surpasses Elder Jet, stalking towar
Ivy's POVThe longer Alpha Leo’s arm remains wrapped around me, the more I struggle. It’s no use, though. His hold on me is firm. But the moment we step past the pack house doors and out of Alpha Jameson’s line of sight, Alpha Leo lets go of me. I recoil from him immediately, moving a couple paces away and skewering him with a glare. “I’m sorry,” Alpha Leo says apologetically. I raise a disbelieving eyebrow at him. He crosses the room and twists open a door, gesturing for me to step inside. I follow him over reluctantly, staring into the room. My stomach sinks. It’s a bedroom. The room is sparsely furnished–a small twin bed, a desk, and a chest of drawers shoved in the corner. A cold, utilitarian bedroom. I can feel myself starting to detach from reality as I look up at Alpha Leo. I know what this is. “Oh,” I say quietly, hesitating in the doorway. “It’s not like that!” Alpha Leo clarifies immediately, pulling away hastily. He shakes his head in disgust, quickly realizing w
Spencer's POVThe anticipation of combat hangs heavy over the camp. About two hundred meters outside of the camp’s borders, Gamma Everly and her warriors are busy training. I can see them fighting in the distance, can hear the rough clang of weapons and armor. The air feels tense, like the world itself is holding its breath. Everyone here is bracing themself for a fight that’s about to come. The only question left is when. I frown as I walk through the camp, feeling a deep sense of unease well up in me as though something bad is about to happen. While I’m hoping it’s just the usual pre-combat foreboding, I can’t help but fear it has something to do with Ivy. Our fates are entwined now, after all. All I want is to finish whatever battle needs to be fought and return to the palace, where I can see her once more. “Your Highness!”I’m jolted from my thoughts as a scout rushes towards me. I recognize him as the young soldier I’d send to check the borders of the enemy’s territory. T