Chapter 14The flickering candlelight danced across the table, casting an ethereal glow on the carefully arranged spread. Delicate china glimmered under the soft light, adorned with an array of tantalizing dishes. Aromatic steam rose from the perfectly cooked entrees, filling the air with a mouthwatering fragrance. Ivy stared mouth agape at the wonder before her. She had lived her entire life as an Omega and had never had a good meal like this on a table that looked like it was meant for kings. Marco never gave her that opportunity either.As ivy took her seat, her eyes widened in sheer admiration. Her gaze swept over the table, marveling at the culinary masterpiece before her. The vibrant colors of the dishes, each a work of art, beckoned to her senses. At this point, she felt as though it would be a crime to eat this beautifully displayed buffet. It probably should be kept in a museum instead.Bruce, noticing her awe, couldn't help but smile at her reaction. "Impressive, isn't it?
Chapter 15Ivy paced the room, her hands behind her back. She still hadn't gotten herself to forget the conversation she just had with Bruce. He left with his Beta before she could ask any further questions so she had been left hanging, mulling over what he had said."Luna, may I come in?" Amy's cheerful voice rang from outside.That's right! Why had she been worrying about this when she could have just asked Amy. She brought it up first. Ivy sprung from the bed and opened the door, pulling Amy inside."Okay, I didn't think you'd be so excited about cake..""Forget the cake. Tell me about the crimson moon." Ivy replied, her voice sounding more high pitched that it usually did."Ouch. Sorry cake." Amy said, placing the pastry on the side stool. Her mother ran a bakery, the best in black heart territory. And after bragging about how good her mother's cakes were, ivy had asked her to get one on her way to the pack house."How can you not know about the crimson moon? You've been mated bef
Chapter 16Cassandra had a puzzled look on her face. She had just dropped a bombshell and Bruce just looked at her like he hadn't heard her.Beta Zeke and Gamma Isaiah stepped away from them when she had barged in on their discussion. They definitely sensed the heat of Sandy's anger and wanted to avoid getting involved at all cost.When they had left them alone, she had gone ahead to tell Bruce all he had heard ivy say and he just stood there, staring at her."Did you not hear what I just said or are you too stunned for words?""I am stunned for words...""Exactly! I told you she was bad news from the start. She's just a lowly Omega desperate to change her status by leaching off of you despite her Inadequacies. I'm glad I caught her before..""I'm stunned at the lengths you'd go to ruin this for me." Bruce finished. "You're spying on her now?"It was Cassandra's turn to be speechless. Did he actually know about all of this? What kind of spell had ivy used to trap her lover? "Did you
Chapter 17The arena was large and circular with an open space in the middle. It was surrounded by ascending rows of seats. Humans called it a stadium.Left and right, people trained and engaged in friendly battles but in their human form. No one was allowed to shift at the arena unless during one on one training with the Gamma keeping watch. Wolves needed to be strong physically for their wolves to be powerful too. That was probably why wolf men were always so fit.Ivy walked behind Bruce, following him slowly whilst looking around and talking in the view. Black heart pack really had state- of-the-art weapons. No wonder they were feared.And ivy was afraid. The people here looked like they had been training for quite a while. They would devour her.Ivy's head bumped against Bruce's sturdy back. He had suddenly stopped walking and she wasn't looking."Are you okay?" He asked with a chuckle. They had been walking through the rows of seats so no one has noticed their presence."I'm oka
Chapter 18Cassandra paced her glamorous looking bedroom that was furnished to impeccable taste. Her room wasn't within Bruce's pack house but was only a few meters away. For some reason, Bruce had requested that she be provided her own space where she could stay and be tended to as she pleased. She realised now that that space was Bruce's way of telling her that they still had boundaries and he wanted to maintain them. She never showed up to his room unannounced.But ivy lived there.Ivy lived with Bruce in the same building and shared the same space. So she was his fated mate, but that was no reason to throw it in her face that she had always been his seconded option, his back up plan. Cassandra was livid. She bit into her nails as she paced, plans forming in her mind."What if I expose her for who she really is? A worthless Omega who didn't even have her wolf? Surely the people will hate her and make her leave. Better still, they might let me take her as my personal maid."A sinist
Chapter 19The maids busied themselves with setting the table and serving the dishes. They were more cautious than usual, saying nothing but working in sync, as if they could read each other's minds. In truth, they were communicating with their eyes and heads, a language that they all understood.The atmosphere was tense already,with the trio sitting at the table. A meal between people caught in a love triangle. How chaotic was it going to be?Amy did her best to avoid eye contact with ivy. She was afraid to read her emotions because she could, no matter how much she tried to hide it.She carefully placed the salad next to her and turned around to serve the curry and rice, placing it in the middle. She lifted her eyes and met Cassandra's icy gaze. A grin sat pretty on her face.She knew exactly what she was doing.Kate nudged her slightly when she noticed Amy had been staring longer than she should and her expression was cold, just like Cassandra's."Wine." She whispered and Amy nodde
Chapter 20The chaos in the room made Amy's head spin. She needed to convince the frenzied ivy to calm down and think her actions through. But she was too overwhelmed to listen. She was shocked by the revelations too but she saw right through Cassandra. She was trying to guilt trip ivy so she would leave. It wasn't her fault that ivy found her mate or that the goddess was merciful towards alpha Bruce. She had no right to blame ivy."Listen to me, you're being very emotional and you're not thinking straight." Amy said, holding ivy by the shoulder. "I need you to calm down and take a deep breath okay? Can you do that?"Ivy shook her head in the negative but she stopped moving and just sobbed. "Bruce is my second mate and yet Cassandra will never have one.""That's her fate. It has nothing to do with you.""My leaving can turn things around. If I'm not in the picture, she would have a chance at happiness.""Why is that your responsibility? You already have a lot on your plate Luna, don'
Chapter 21Amy was unsettled and so were the other maids. No one had seen ivy for thirty minutes now and the crimson moon was up. She would be sick without her mate and knowing that ivy was weaker than most wolf because she couldn't shift yet, the ordeal would be even more painful for her.Where had she gone to? She promised not to leave the pack house so why had no one seen her?Alpha Bruce was worried and downstairs, he was passing out orders to the guards to go look for her. Bruce dialed her phone again and the same voice told him that the number wasn't available. "Fuck!" He yelled and tossed the phone on the couch.Amy came back downstairs, ready to face his wrath. She was dead for sure. He wouldn't forgive her this time."She's nowhere to be found Alpha. She told me she wouldn't go far and insisted on going alone." she explained shakily. Tears rolled down her cheeksBruce said nothing and nodded. "I'll find her, don't worry." He replied, shocking her.The old Alpha Bruce was sho
EPILOGUEIvy opened her eyes and shut it again, her eyes flinching from the intense sunlight. She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands and opened them. Sitting up, she removed the blankets from her body and wore her slipper."It's today!" She said excitedly and hurried downstairs. The entire pack house was in a frenzy. The house was full already even though the party hadn't started. How could this number be involved in the decorations?Today was both her Luna ceremony and Amy's naming ceremony. She had been in a coma for months after her encounter with Anika. When she woke up, Athena made sure to explain everything that happened. During the fight, Ivy had let Amary take over her body and used her powers to drain Anika's powers till she had nothing left. It was a risk she had had to take even though she knew that much power could kill her. She slipped into a coma after.Ivy felt a hand wrap around her waist and she turned to see Bruce standing behind her, a smile on his face. "Y
Chapter 76Bruce rushed at Marco and lifted him up by his collar, suspending him mid air. His eyes burned with anger, his gaze murderous."Are you alright?" Bruce asked Ivy, not taking his eyes from Marco.Ivy breathed deeply, relief washing over her. He was back. Whatever spell or mind game Anika was playing, it was nothing compared to their bond and their love. "I'm fine." She replied.Cassandra rushed in just then, her eyes widening in alarm. Bruce had suddenly flared up and broke everything on the table, rushing out of the dining in rage. She had no idea what had happened and followed him only to end up in the maid's quarters."Marco!" Evelyn yelled. She had followed them here too when she noticed her mate had disappeared. Anger was visible on her face. "What the hell are you doing here Marco? You left me out there to come be with this woman?" She yelled, looking him over. Her eyes rested on his open zipper and it dawned on her just what he was after."You shameless piece of shit!
Chapter 75"Are you sure this is alright?" Evelyn asked, a little nervous. She was scared of Bruce ever since the day he almost choked her for attempting to hurt Ivy. If Marco hadn't come for her, he would definitely have killed her. Both their packs weren't on good terms. They weren't at war, but they weren't allies either."Don't worry, Anika has them trapped in her own world and they only remember whatever she's put in their minds. It's Anika we should be weary of, her powers are incredible. Sometimes I ask myself if we're even in our right minds or if she's using us too.""She's not. If you suspect it and question it, then you're in your right mind." Evelyn replied.The stopped talking and plastered a smile on their faces when Cassandra walked towards them, her hands intertwined in Bruce's. She smiled radiantly and bowed in greeting, grinning from ear to ear. They read her expression. She was excited, having gotten everything she ever wanted. Bruce was hers now and Ivy had been re
Chapter 74Heels clicked in the distance and a faint taps echoed on the floor and through the hall as the footsteps approached. A light, happy him trailed the footsteps and Bruce immediately knew who it was. Cassandra had been in a chatty mood all day."Did you like the dinner that much? Or is it the wedding that's making you all giddy?" He teased as she opened the door and walked in."Both." She replied, planting a soft kiss in his cheek. "Why are you always cooked up in your study?" She asked, a playful frown on her face."I've just got a lot to settle so I won't have to much to do on our honeymoon." He said, causing her to smile brightly."You're a smart man." She replied, strangling him. "But still, can I steal you for thirty minutes? There's something I really need to show you." She said, a sexy smile on her face."You got me baby." Bruce replied, pushing the paperwork to a corner of the table. Cassandra kissed him hungrily in his lips and ran her fingers throubj his hair. Bruce
Chapter 73The floor was cold and damp and the halls echoed her screams to be let out of the prison. The warriors guarding the prison gate made sure to ignore everything she said as though she wasn't even there.Ivy sat down on the floor, exhausted from her futile protests. She buried her face in her hands and her shoulders shook with the wave of anguish that hit her. Bruce's eyes had held anger and no trace of the love it once held for her reflected in his gaze. 'It wasn't his fault,'' he was under a spell" she told herself repeatedly but it hurt her still. How could he not recognize his own mate?"Ivy?" Lana called, her eyes the colour of burning amber."Lana! Thank goodness you're here, I'm so frustrated right now. What are we going to do?""It seems Anika has them all fooled. They're lost inside this world Anika has created and they have no idea. We need to find a way to get them out of that world. It's the only way to bring them back or they'll be lost in there forever.""How do
Chapter 72Fighting them wasn't an option, it would only make Bruce more angry and he wouldn't listen to her explanations. It wasn't their fault anyway. No one had thought Anika would attack them this way. It was supposed to be her. Now, they were trapped. How would she get out of this and find a way to help them?She looked at Bruce's dark expression and saw disgust in his eyes. How could he look at her that way? His eyes had only held love and devotion for her.It wasn't his fault, but she couldn't help but feel bad about it. She was his mate no matter what. How could he not recognize her? "Take her and lock her away in the dungeon. She'll pay for attacking her Luna and threatening her!" Bruce ordered.The warriors bowed and began to pull her away. She thought of what to do in that instance. She could fight them off if she wanted to and could easily escape but if she did, they would realize that she wasn't just a regular wolf. She would have to use her wit h powers too. It worried
Chapter 71Something was off. There was definitely something different about the pack house but ivy couldn't quite figure out what it was.The place was unusually quiet and it was already evening. Bruce would be in his study and Amy said she was going to wait for her at the pack house. With Amy around, there was bound to be some chatter. But it was silent.She entered the pack house and found the maids busy, serving the tables and decorating the dining with scented candles and rose petals. What was going on?Ivy smiled realizing that she had probably walked into a surprise proposal from Bruce. Was he going to officially ask her to marry him? She was his mate and it was a given that they would be together, but, what woman wouldn't want a romantic proposal and an even more romantic wedding?With everything going on, they hadn't been able to focus on themselves and the life they wanted together. She was pleased that despite all this, he still found the time to prepare something so beauti
Chapter 70Thelma lived at the outskirts of the realm, away from everyone. The woods was her home and nature her companion. She sat down on a fallen tree branch staring out into the open, her feet playing with the water beneath her. She had always enjoyed sitting by the lake."Athena." She called immediately they walked in. She still had her back turned to them and it made Ivy wonder how she knew who they were."Thelma, I see you haven't lost your touch." Athena replied.Thelma got up on her feet and picked up her wooden staff that laid next to her. She turned to face them and ivy's mouth hung open. Her eye balls were blue, but a white veil covered it she was blind."You brought the half blood with you." She said with a smile. "Amary kept her promise and returned after all." "You live here by yourself?" Ivy found herself asking. How could a blind woman survive out here in the forest on her own?"Yes, my dear. I've lived here for over a hundred years." She replied. "I know this place
CHAPTER 69"What's taking them so long?" Amy asked, pacing from one end of the room to the other, a worried look on her face. They had been gone for hours now and no one had heard anything from them. Amy had tried to mind link Ivy and so had Bruce, but none of them could get through. There seemed to be a force blocking them.The door opened and Ivy walked in, Athena behind her. They stood up on their feet, when they saw them entering."How did it go?" Keisha asked. She must have been the most anxious because from the moment Luna Eloise handed Ivy to her the night of Anika's attack, protecting ivy and getting her ready to fight Anika had been a responsibility that weighed on her.Ivy reached Into her bag and brought out the book. She placed it on the table and everyone stared at it in confusion."This is the book we found at your place." Bruce said. "Have you been able to read it?""Open it." Ivy said, her expression clipped.The others exchanged confused glances but Bruce reached for