Asher“I am glad you guys decided to visit at this time,” Jordan said as we headed to the infirmary once all the celebrations were done and things quieted down. Throughout the day we avoided talking about the vampire attacks even though, in all honesty, I wanted to dive right back into business.But it was Lia who made it firmly clear that the pack had been through enough shock in the past two days. She wanted them to have a reason to rejoice once again, regardless of what happened along with the shitty winter on the horizon. And what better than celebrating the newly crowned Alpha and Luna? But now that it was all done and both women had gone to bed, it was back down to business for the men.“It has been a long time and there are certain things that need to be discussed urgently,” I said.“Why don’t I like the sound of that?” Jordan grimaced.“Because you aren’t supposed to,” I muttered. We reached the infirmary, fog making it very hard to see anything and was greeted by two pack doct
With a heavy heart, I also headed back to my room, dearly hoping that Ivy would be fast asleep by now. I felt exhausted mentally and really didn’t want to deal with the uncomfortable silences and the pain we both were carrying at the moment.Halfway through the stairs that led to the second floor which was allocated entirely to us, a piercing scream halted me in my steps. The voice was so familiar that before I knew it, I was dashing up the stairs at top speed. Anxiety rushing through my veins, I slammed upon the door and before I could spot Ivy, another scream from her filled the silence in the room.“Ivy!” I cried out, rushing towards her.She was lying on the bed but it seemed like she was experiencing some kind of sleep paralysis. Tears pooled down her eyes and she screamed again, the sound filled with fear and pain.“Ivy,” I slapped her cheeks, trying to shake her awake. Her body was hard and cold as ice and she was struggling to breath, almost like someone maybe strangling her.
Asher“So who do I include in this meeting?” Jordan asked, crossing his arms across his broad chest. It didn’t seem like he got a lot of sleep last night.“Do you trust your Beta and Delta?” I demanded. “Like really trust.”“Of course. Cooper and Waylon are like brothers to me. You need not worry about them. I can assure you about that,”“Well, then, them and Lia, if you like. She is your Luna after all,” Jordan nodded and for a moment his face went rigid with concentration. I knew he was calling his Beta, Delta and mate through the mindlink. And I was right as a few moments later Cooper and Waylon arrived, followed by Lia. Her pretty face was etche
AsherApparently, the situation was much worse in WillowCreek. The damage done there was brutal, with the loss of a little boy barely older than eight. The motherfuckers had also done quite a bit of damage to the Willow Creek property, but thankfully they had been stopped, or they just left before they could enter the primary perimeter of the pack. Unlike Jordan, Alpha Archer wasn’t really in the welcoming mood.“My people are scared, Alpha,” Archer growled as we visited the families of the dead ones. “There is nothing I can do but watch them suffer miserably. Tell me, what should I say to that young mother who lost her son? Or any of the mothers and mates, for that matter.”He was angry. Not at m
Asher“Missing werewolves?” Logan muttered, his voice laced with irritation. “Isn’t that what Minister Ashford mentioned at the Council meeting?”“Exactly. We completely forgot about it,” I snapped, rubbing my face in frustration.“What’s Archer saying about this?” he asked.“I haven’t had a chance to discuss it with him yet. It’s too late, and we only arrived half an hour ago.” Logan sighed, and I could hear Cora lecturing Theo in the background. It almost made me chuckle.“This trip isn’t turning out to be much fun, is it?” Logan remarked.“I didn’t expect it to be,” I shrugged. “But things are getting more complicated than we could’ve imagined.”“Maybe the missing wolves have nothing to do with Killian. Remember, Minister Ashford mentioned it’s happening to other, smaller packs that aren’t part of GrayCrest,” Logan suggested.“Maybe, but Willow Creek is still a subsidiary of GrayCrest, so we’ll need to help however we can,” I muttered. “Archer isn’t as open as Jordan. Never has been
IvyThe morning air was crisp as Shae led me through the pack, giving me a tour since we arrived so late last night. I tried to keep up with what she was saying while jumbled thoughts swirled in my mind. Last night had been… difficult, to say the least. Asher’s touch still lingered on my skin, and I could almost feel the warmth of his breath against my neckI had felt his desire, his need, but the wall he had built between us seemed to be insurmountable. My betrayal still hung between us like a dark cloud, casting a shadow over every moment we shared. His absence made my body seem to crave his touch more than ever, a dull aching restlessness lingering through me. But there was no time to dwell on that now—not with the duties of a Luna pressing down on my shoulders.As Shae and I walked toward the gathering area where the pack awaited, I noticed how everyone’s eyes followed me, filled with awe and respect
IvyThe weight of the ring in my palm was heavier than it should have been. My mother’s ring—the one she always wore, the one I’d thought lost forever—now sat in my hand like a cruel reminder of everything I’d been robbed of. The smooth, cold metal against my skin sent chills through me. How had Killian gotten it? And why did he send it to me now?I couldn’t stop staring at it, even as tears welled up in my eyes. This wasn’t just a wedding gift; it was a message. A taunt. He knew something—something I didn’t. And maybe Asher did too.Killian’s words still echoed in my mind—Your mate can fill you in more. What had he meant by that? Why would Asher know anything about my mother? What could he possibly have kept from me? The thought twisted my insides with fear and anger. Had he known something all along and chosen not to tell me? Had he lied to me, too?Tears trickled down my eyes as I clutched the ring tighter, the
IvyI literally ran out, tears blurring my vision. My chest hurt, and I felt so sick that I needed to find a place to throw up. The truth about what happened to my mother, the fact that Asher knew and chose to hide it until he felt he could have the emotional capacity to console me…it was too much. Tonight I had reached my breaking point, and it was just not the pain in my chest, my entire body hurts, revolting against the haywire of emotions that tore through me.Ever since that night at the mating ground, Asher has said and done all he could have to hurt me. But I have silently endured it because I knew I had hurt him and if hurting me made him feel bett
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
IvyHybrids? Did he just say hybrids? We all fell into stunned silence as Silas broke out into his maniacal laughter. Out of everything, we never expected this to happen.“Hybrids?” Joseph exclaimed. “What?” Silas nodded his head.“Yes, hybrids,” he grinned. “Killian has an army of hybrids, and he’s going to destroy you all with them. Hybrids are ten times stronger and faster and more lethal…”“But how the fuck did he even create an army of hybrids?” Asher asked. “It’s not possible…”“It is possible and Killian has done it,” Silas hissed. “That’s why he had taken the young wolves. They were at a vulnerable place and terrified by the pain of the first shift…and you know how it is? The breaking bones, the boiling blood scorching their veins…it’s hell.”“And how does this have anything to do with hybrids?” Logan demanded.“That’s a mystery you can solve by yourselves,” Silas spat. “I have told you enough…”“It w
Asher“Let the truth potion work,” Noah muttered.“Sabrina asked to wait three to five minutes and then it should be good to go,” Ivy said. Silas threw her a glare and ended up getting another punch from me.“Don’t you dare…” I hissed. “Now, enough with your shit…it’s time you spill. Tell us, why did you come here? What was the plan, and exactly what happened after the Cold War? Tell us everything…”“Come on…get talking,” Logan slapped his cheeks.“Patience, Logan,” Noah said.“The fact that he isn’t dead yet is enough sign of my patience,” he responded.“Tell us…what happened after the Cold War,” I repeated. Silas looked up, his eyes turning red, the gash on his cheek from Logan’s punch turning purple already.“When we saw that we were losing the war…Alpha Roman asked me to take Luna Charlotte and run,” Silas croaked. “She was pregnant and just a few days away from delivering the baby. I followed his order and did as he asked.”“We know all that…tell us what happened after Charlotte g