Ivy
“Ready?” I peeked up at my mate, his fingers firmly wrapped around mine, and managed a nod. Anxiety loomed in my belly as Asher opened the sleek double wooden doors at the far end of the polished, marbled corridor.
I blinked and immediately instinctively moved closer to him as we faced a large assembly hall crowded with unknown faces peering back at us. In front of me, on a raised platform, sat three older men and on either side of that platform, sitting in long rows, were the Alphas. There were only two women present out of so many men. As my eyes scanned the faces, a part of me almost expected to see Killian. But thankfully, I didn&rsquo
Once the meeting was over, everyone gathered around in another hall for drinks. Asher introduced me to the Alphas and the Ministers, the most common reaction among them that of surprise that Asher Gray has a mate now. They wanted to ask questions about me, about my pack and what blood I was, but I was in no mood to answer. Asher agreed with me because he waited long enough to make basic introductions and then pulled me away, all the while holding my hand.When we were finally done, we looked for Noah and Asher and found them talking to a woman. She was accompanied by a young man who stood a few steps behind her.“Beta,” Asher greeted him and the woman gave him a nod. She was gorgeous but also held an aura of power to her with her silver pixie-cut hair, grayish-blue eyes and freckles dotting her cheeks and nose. She had a sharp, angular face which screamed no-nonsense."Alpha Asher. Nice to see you after so long,” she gave him a polite smile. &l
Ivy"Can we talk in private?" Minister Ashford muttered, glancing at me with uncertainty.“She is my mate,” Asher said, his voice firm. “You don’t have to worry about her. Ivyanka is family.” The guilt that hit me was almost nauseating and I inwardly screamed not to let me into whatever discussion they needed to have.“Of course,” Ashford said, much to my dismay, and headed down the corridor. Asher gave me a look, beckoning me to follow.“I can stay here…” I said.Please don’t take me!“You should know about these things,” Asher said. “You are to be the Luna of GrayCrest soon. I am sure my brothers will fill their mates in when they get home later. You should get used to this, Ivyanka.” I pursed my lips as he motioned me to lead the way, silently trailing behind me as I followed Noah and Logan.“So, what is it, Minister?” Noah asked as Asher shut the door to the Minister’s office.“This news has been un
Ivy“I like that,” Silver chimed in. “He’s trying!”“And even though this whole thing is an arrangement between us and maybe after a few months we will part ways or, I don’t know…maybe we can be a bit more amiable towards each other?” he added.“You want us to be friends?” I couldn’t help but sound sarcastic. “We can barely stand each other. Friends are not tempted to kill each other every second of the day.”“I get your point, but at least we can try. It would save us a lot of pain,” Asher grumbled.“Well, if you learn to behave, I will try,” I said flatly.“What do you mean you learned to behave?” he demanded, almost petulant.“I am not the problem here, Alpha. You are,” I pointed out, crossing my arms across my chest. “Ever stopped to take a look at yourself? How furiously annoying, egoistic, typical Alpha male you are? It’s like the entire universe revolves around you. I get it, you have the looks, the money…”“So you think I am good-looking?” he grinned, giving me a side-eye.“See
Ivy“This looks amazing on you,” I didn’t have a response.All I could do was gawk at the woman staring back at me in the mirror, looking like she was going to be served on a platter to be fucked. After making me try a million different things, Lexi finally narrowed it down to the lingerie department. She made me wear a sheer black bra with pretty blue flowers on it and a matching thong. It barely covered anything and as appalled as I was, I have also never felt sexier.“You can show Asher if you like,” Lexi offered. “It’s a private area. Every time Logan and Cora come, she shows him every single piece of clothing she buys. Especially
IvyI blinked at Asher, my heart lurching to my mouth with fear. He held his gaze, staring squarely into my eyes as if staring at my soul.“The tr…truth?” I mumbled, trying my very best to stay calm.“Yes,”“I don’t understand,” Was he suspecting me? Maybe Eli really told him about last night. Maybe he saw me climbing out of that car? How was I going to explain myself? Will he even understand why I was doing what I was doing?“I want to know the truth about you,” Asher said. “Who is Ivyanka? What happened to you…I want to know about your past. My brothers filled me in somewha
Without waiting for his response, I turned on my heels and stuttered inside. But before I could make it to the bed, I felt his warm fingers curling around my arm. I turned around and there was something unspoken in his dark eyes as he peered back at me. Even in the darkness, the gigantic bedroom bathed in the moonlight, he seemed to be glowing. And he was so masculine…so freaking gorgeous. Startling me a bit, he gave my arm a tug and pulled me into his arms, wrapping them around me. I didn’t know how to react. I just stood there, my face pressed to his broad chest with his intoxicating, potent Alpha scent spinning a web around all my senses.“I am so sorry you have to face that,” he said gently. “And go through all that on your own. I really am. And I know I haven’t given you many reasons to even remotely trust me, but I hope you find a home and a family in GrayCrest. And I don’t know about myself but I assure you my family will neve
AsherThis was not normal. The way this woman makes me feel, the intensity with which the unspoken pain in her eyes hit me, making every inch of my soul go crazy with the need to protect her, none of it was normal. I knew there was something pulling me to her that was beyond the dirty thoughts she evoked in me. But the moment we accepted each other, it was then it hit me full force—the bond. It felt like I had touched a live wire, pulsating with current.I needed to devour her right now. It doesn’t matter if I was breaking my promise to her, it doesn’t matter if it would make me seem needy and desperate, I just couldn’t care any less. To hell with it all. We can go back to hating each other tomorrow. But tonight, I wanted her.And I knew she did too. Her eyes were dark with need, lips parted and there was no way I would miss the sweet scent of her arousal and desire for me. She can’t hide it even if she wanted
AsherNeither of us spoke much as we headed back home after breakfast the next morning. There was a silent pact between us that we weren’t talking about what happened last night. It happened, with both our consent, and that was it. However, I did idly wonder how many men she has been with. Ivy was definitely not a virgin, not that it mattered. But I noticed how her voice had become softer when she mentioned her Alpha last night, her eyes sparkling with tears when she told me that he died in her arms.Was she and him then…?“Can I ask you something?” Ivy finally spoke, distracting me from my errant thoughts.“Of course,” I nodded.“Who is Alpha Natalie?”“Oh, right. Nata
AsherKillian’s army was a flood of darkness, their silhouettes stark against the snow. Rogues, hybrids, and vampires, all moving in perfect unison, their eyes glinting like red-hot embers. They were spread thin at first, testing our defenses, but I knew better than to think it was random. They were probing us, looking for weakness.“Hold fast,” Logan’s voice rumbled through the link. “Stay focused.” Noah’s wolf, Noel, was at my right, his massive form solid and unyielding. His deep growl vibrated through the ground as we waited for the first strike.To our left, Cora and Catalina led the charge on the flank, their wolves sleek and fast as they darted through the snow. The left side was tight, their warriors moving like a well-oiled machine, cutting off any attempts by Killian’s forces to circle around us.Then, I saw it—the telltale signs of their strategy. A group of vampires, positioned in the trees on the far
AsherThe wind howled, carrying a bitter chill as we marched toward the battlefield. Snow whipped through the air, stinging like icy shards against my wolf’s fur. Mac's paws crunched through the thick blanket of snow that coated the ground, the cold barely registering in my mind. The forest loomed ahead, its dark silhouettes blurred by the blizzard.At my sides, the pack moved in perfect formation. GrayCrest wolves formed the vanguard, their steps steady and deliberate. To our left and right, allied forces spread out, forming a crescent that stretched into the treeline. Despite the storm, every movement was precise, every warrior holding their position with discipline.Logan’s black wolf, Axel, massive and imposing, led the charge at the center. Beside him, Noah’s wolf, Noel, kept pace, its bulk matching Logan’s, his ears twitching at every sound carried by the wind. I took my place beside them, Mac surging for
IvyI stepped closer, my dagger glinting in the dim light. “What were you doing here? What was the ritual for?”Thalora’s lips curled into a smile as if she were savoring some private joke. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”Sabrina’s magic flared, and the chains constricted sharply. Thalora hissed in pain but laughed again.“You’re standing in the middle of it and you don’t know? Typical. Always so blind to the bigger picture. Fine, fine. You disrupted it anyway, but you might as well know what you’ve doomed yourselves to.” Her gaze flicked to me, dark amusement dancing in her eyes.
IvyThe tunnel opened into a dimly lit corridor, damp and suffocating. The walls were carved from rough stone, and the air carried a mix of mildew and iron—the unmistakable scent of blood. My boots scraped softly against the uneven floor as Sabrina and I moved forward, her magic casting a faint glow that barely pierced the oppressive darkness. I knew this place. This was the Crescent Moon dungeon.“Stay alert,” Sabrina whispered, her sharp eyes scanning ahead.A faint noise—shuffling footsteps and low murmurs—pricked my ears. We slowed, pressing against the cold stone walls.“They&rsqu
IvyI armed myself with whatever possible weapon I could—wolfsbane in small vials, a wolfsbane laced dagger and even small blades laced with wolfsbane. My heart was pounding in my chest as I took deep breaths, pulled on my gloves and headed downstairs. The weather outside was turning darker by the second and Sabrina predicted a blizzard to hit soon.The last update Asher gave me through the mindlink was that the armies have gathered and the glimpse he tried to give me of Killian’s army…things were really not looking good for GrayCrest. We literally had half of what he had apart from the vampires and the hybrids. The only hope now was tha
Christmas morning was filled with the comforting smell of roasted meats, warm bread, and the spice of mulled cider as pack members gathered around the tables for a feast. No one talked about the war, even if between us, we knew that Silas was dead and Noah had actually sent his dead body over to the Crescent Moon—a Christmas gift Killian would remember. Sabrina told me that she has managed to create the antidote and tomorrow she and Avery will start injecting the warriors and everyone else with it before leaving for the battlefield.Cora, Rose, and I had gathered gifts over the past weeks, and together, we made our way through the pack, handing small wrapped bundles to every member. The omega children squealed with delight as they tore into theirs. Stacks of gifts piled up for Aurie and Theo, each pack member contributing something to bring joy to the children. I glanced at Shae and Lia as they added their own contributions to the ever-growing pile. Everyone’s gestures, big or small,
Ivy“How could they even decide that without asking us what the truth was?” Cora growled as Asher’s eyes scanned the letter, turning dark with rage every passing second.“Natalie must have been very convincing,” I grimaced. “Does Logan and Noah know?”“Yes, I told them,” she nodded.“Are they still working on Silas?” I asked. “It’s been long enough.”“None of what Silas told them is of any use to use. And apparently, even he doesn’t know Killian’s war strategy. Logan has tried enough…you wouldn’t want to see what he has done with him. I have never seen Logan this angry in all my life and I have seen a lot…” I pursed my lips. If it scared Cora watching what Logan had done to Silas, then I definitely didn’t want to know.“Well, if we get through this the Council is fucked,” Asher hissed, crumbling the paper in his hands.“Now what?” Cora asked.“Now we fight with all we have got,” he said. “This isn’t going
Out of all the places, I didn’t expect Asher to take me to a tattoo parlor. Did he want to get a tattoo now?“I don’t think this is an appropriate time to get a tattoo…” I muttered as he headed inside.“I’m not here to get a tattoo, but this is where I have got all my tattoos done, in case you were curious. And when all of this shit is over, I have a matching tattoo planned for us as well,” Asher said. “Now…this is why I am here,” I frowned as he pointed to a woman in black standing by one of the booths. She had pink hair tied in a ponytail and looked pissed as fuck as she watched an artist work on a guy.“Ruby,” Asher called. The woman turned around and I blinked. She was typically not the kind of female I could imagine Asher being friends with.“Hello Alpha,” her scowl instantly turned to a grin as she walked over and gave Asher a hug before turning her eyes covered in kohl and liner to me. “Wait…don’t tell me…it’s her, isn’t it? The Silver wolf?” I frowned.How did she know that?“
Ivy Reed, dad and I were gathered in the common study to discuss war strategy. We had spread out maps and charts and all that stuff and now my father was deep in talks with Reed as he explained the old strategies of the army to him. My father looked much recovered now, very much like the alpha he was. If there will ever be a second in my life where I won’t be grateful for Eli’s sacrifice, then I hope the Moon Goddess kills me right there.“Hmm. I believe Killian’s forces will be advancing from this side…” Dad muttered, deep in thought.“Yes,” Reed agreed, his expression serious as he analyzed the map. “And we’ll be positioned here.” He tapped a cluster of trees on our side of the field. “It’ll be steep and treacherous, but we can use that to our advantage. If Killian’s vampires try to attack from higher ground, the slopes and snow will slow them down.”“They’ll likely position their main forces here—vampires an