Ivy's POVThree days becoming his personal maid, I find myself on Spencer’s arm as he leads me into the Thunderclaw pack.As soon as Spencer steps into the pack house’s main hall, he becomes the center of attention. Every werewolf in the room bows to him with fear and respect, while the she-wolves gaze at him with open lust and admiration. When they see me by his side, though, jealousy fills their eyes.The Alphas approach us one by one to approach Spencer, quickly surrounding him. I’m overwhelmed by the chaos and break off from the group quietly, slipping through the crowd. I snag a flute of champagne to sip slowly. As soon as I leave Spencer’s side, though, I can hear the murmurs from the crowd:“Is that the auction girl Prince Spencer bought?”“I heard she doesn’t have a wolf!”“She’s the prince’s personal maid now.”“Isn’t the prince supposed to hate she-wolves?”“Her dress is beautiful–the prince must be treating her well.”“Is there any chance the prince actually likes her?”“No
Ivy's POV“You don’t deserve to say the word ‘friendship,’” I tell Veronica, enunciating each word carefully. Once upon a time, when I was young and naive, I’d given my heart to Veronica with a purity and passion she’d never deserved. I really thought we were close when we were kids. I’d believed foolishly that we would be friends forever. But she betrayed me in the most brutal way possible. “I’m sorry. I won’t mention it again,” Veronica apologizes quickly, looking away. Her desperate expression, surprisingly, doesn’t seem the slightest bit fake. And seeing my refusal to comply with her wishes seems to have her on the verge of breaking down. Good. I want to see her suffer.I want to see her suffer before I kill her. “I promise, I have no intention of hurting you,” Veronica adds. “I swear I don’t have any ulterior motives here. I’m not… what Erick and I did to you–I–I just–can we talk? That’s it. I just want to talk.”I don’t understand what we could possibly have to talk about
Ivy's POVErick is the one who kidnapped my father.“What?” I ask in shock, gaping at Veronica.My first thought is to assume she’s making the whole thing up. I honestly wouldn’t put it past her at this point. I know by now that Veronica can’t be trusted in the slightest. She doesn’t seem like she’s lying now, though. Her eyes don’t have that gleam they get sometimes–that joy of deception. Plus, it adds up. My mind is suddenly flooded with thoughts–Erick’s announcement today about Beta Kinney’s health, his absence during the opening statements, Veronica’s desperation as she asks me for help…Something is desperately wrong with this strange pack alliance, I can tell that much. I’m beginning to piece things together, I think. But I have no way of knowing for sure.“What’s going on?” I ask Veronica sharply. “Shortly after we got married, Erick and my father started having reoccuring arguments about pack affairs.” Veronica’s voice is heavy with pain. She lowers her gaze in sadness. “On
Ivy's POVI stare at Veronica in shock. “We once made a promise, remember?” Veronica sniffles, wiping her eyes and smiling up at me brokenly. She’s still on her knees, and even though she can’t be more than a few weeks pregnant, I find myself momentarily worrying about the baby’s safety. “We promised that when we became mothers, we’d be godmothers to each other’s children. You and me, Ivy. We were supposed to be in this together.”Veronica’s voice is filled with sincerity, making my heart ache, but I can’t bring myself to trust her just yet. Of course I remember that promise. I’d believe in it when we made it, too. It’s because Veronica’s friendship was so dear to me that I can’t forgive her betrayal. “Once the Thunderclaw pack takes over the Obsidian pack, I’ll have no value to Erick anymore,” Veronica continues, whimpering. “Both packs will be in his name. He won’t need me for anything else. He’ll discard both me and my baby!”Discard. I know that pain all too well–I’d been disca
Ivy's POVI’m on my way out of the pack house when I see Erick hovering by the doorway.My heart plummets, and I suddenly feel myself filled with panic at the sight of him. I lower my head and avert my gaze, trying to walk past him quickly so he has no idea I’m here. I have no intention whatsoever of talking to him–unless the words I’m speaking are the last words he’ll ever hear. Just as I’m about to pass him by, though, I feel the barest brush of fingertips on my shoulders. Mood Goddess, save me.“You look beautiful today, Ivy,” Erick says in that casually flippant tone of his as he leers at me, looking me up and down with a gaze that makes my skin crawl. I purse my lips and do my best not to dignify him with a response. I don’t want to engage with him. By the look in his eyes, though, he’s eager to keep engaging with me, and I can already feel the awkward sting of whatever horrible pickup line he has locked and loaded. Just as Erick opens his mouth to speak again, though, Veron
Ivy’s POVMy fiancé is having sex with my best friend, in my room, on my wedding day. For just a moment, I stand frozen in the doorway, staring at them. My fiancé Erick is still mostly clothed, save for the dress pants bunched around his knees, and my best friend Veronica’s skirt is bunched up at the hip as he thrusts into her roughly from behind. Erick’s got one arm wrapped around her waist, and he holds her tight as he fucks her. Veronica’s eyes are squeezed shut in pleasure, and she’s clearly enjoying herself–Erick has to clamp a hand around her mouth just to keep her from moaning. And they’re fucking on my bed. Somehow that’s the biggest insult of them all. “What are you doing?” I shout, snapping out of my shock and bursting into the room. My wedding dress nearly trips me up, and my cheeks burn as I confront the pair. Erick laughs cruelly. He doesn’t even have the decency to pull out–his hips snap lazily, thrusting in and out of Veronica as she continues to stifle her moans.
Ivy’’s POVI’ve spent every day since my father’s death in excruciating pain. “Please!” I sob out desperately as a Thunderclaw warrior lashes a whip against my skin. I barely register the feeling at this point, I’ve become so used to it. They’ve whipped me relentlessly every day since my wedding went so dreadfully awry. My skin is made of little pieces of cracked flesh at this point. The sticky feeling of blood coating my body is inescapable. I feel like I’m coming undone.And after what happened to my father, I don’t think I’d mind if they finish me off once and for all. The Thunderclaw warrior raises the whip again, smiling evilly. Just as it’s about to hit me, a cold voice cuts through the room.“Stop,” Erick says smoothly, striding into my dungeon cell. I’m imprisoned in my own pack house’s dungeon. As if my humiliation could become even worse. The warrior lowers the whip. “Leave us,” Erick commands.The warrior bows his head once, then leaves the dungeon.It’s just the two
Ivy’s POVI sit naked in the bathtub as the Omega maid scrubs my skin pink, staring straight ahead. It’s Veronica and Erick’s wedding day–the day they’ve chosen to solidify my final humiliation. The maid gives me one last scrub, hauls me out of the water, wraps me in a towel, and dabs rose oil onto my skin. Wordlessly, she drags me towards my miserable rotting mattress of a bed, where a lacy bra and skimpy miniskirt have been laid out for me. I stare at the clothing in shock. “Where’s the rest of it?”The maid shakes her head sadly.My stomach plummets. The maid starts to dress me, and I struggle at first, but it’s no use. When the maid is done stuffing me into my clothes–little more than underwear, really–I look into the rusty old mirror before me. As I’m distracted by the plunging scooped neckline of the bra, the maid clamps shackles around my wrists and ankles. Even though I’ve already lost touch with my inner wolf thanks to the wolfsbane, it’s not enough.Veronica never misses