Chapter-20

                                                                         Asher

This has literally got to be the most unromantic proposal ever. Ivy’s eyes were wide as she stared at me and, even after minutes passed away, that was all the response I got from her. A plain, blank stare.

“Will you marry me?” I repeated and inwardly kicked myself for not bringing a ring.

But then again, this wasn’t really a proposal. It was more like asking her to help me out. Dad was going to ride my ass non-stop if I didn't find a Luna before the reawakening ceremony. A mating ball was definitely not an option because first this wasn't the thirteenth century, and second, I didn’t want to end up a laughing stock. Plus, it wouldn’t be right to Ivyanka, regardless of her sentiments towards me. Or mine towards her. After giving this an entire afternoon and evening of thought, the best conclusion I came to was to ask her for help. However, now I realize I should have given it more thought, because I really can’t see how we can make it past a day without killing each other.

“Say something,” I repeated, holding my breath, not just with anticipation, but I didn’t want to spend another night twisting and turning because I was haunted by her scent.

More minutes passed by, and finally she opened her mouth. But of everything I expected her to say, her bursting into hysterical laughter wasn’t the reaction I expected. I blinked as Ivy bent over, laughing so hard that she had to wrap her arms around her stomach for support. I stepped back a bit, wondering if she was alright because I didn’t know… but with that scowl that had been plastered on her face, it was hard imagining her laughing.

“Oh goddess,” she choked, shaking her head. I scowled, but instead of getting mad, I was shocked to find my lips twitching in a smile. Her blue eyes twinkled, making her somehow look younger, and I noticed a single dimple on her right cheek which made her look…adorable?

“Sorry…” Ivy finally calmed down, the smile still on her lips, though. “But…what did you say?”

“I asked, will you marry me?” I grimaced.

“Oh…you were serious.”

“You think I would drag you all the way up here to joke with you?

“It’s surprising that after everything, you actually would have the audacity to even imagine asking me that,” she replied, the dirty scowl returning.

“I don’t have a choice,” I grimaced. “You wouldn’t give me a chance to explain…”

“No, there is no explanation needed. I will never marry you,” Ivy hissed. “Or anyone else, for that matter, but specifically you. How could you even expect that after the way you abandoned me followed by your pathetic attempt at trying to make things right earlier? You think I would agree to …marry you?”

“I know and trust me, I am on the same page, but I am desperate here, Ivyanka. I need your help, please. Just hear me out before you jump to any conclusions. And yes, that was a very bad way to apologize, but I just don’t know what to do. I have admitted I fucked up, and I told you my side of the story, which you aren’t ready to believe. And yes, I could have tried harder, but it was a fleeting glance I got that night. I didn’t even know if the woman I was chasing was even real,” I was panting as I spat all that out. When was the last time I ever explained myself to anyone? Never. Yet here I was, trying to explain myself to a woman I have known for all but a day.

“She deserves it,” Mac commented. “That doesn’t make you any less of an alpha,”

“And that’s your excuse?” Ivy grimaced, her brows furrowing together, red lips puckering into a pout.

“That’s my truth,” I said softly. “And I know it’s not enough, but I am not going to lie and spin stories to make you believe me. It is what it is, and I fucked up, but so did you. Why did you never come looking for me? You never tried to find me, either. It takes two to tango, Ivy… anka and I am as much your mate as you are mine, whether we like it or not.”

Ivy pursed her lips, her cheeks turning red slowly, and I knew she knew I wasn’t entirely wrong. As we both gazed at each other, with barely any space between us, I had to fight hard to stop myself from reaching out and caressing her cheek or brushing away her cinnamon locks as the soft, cool breeze danced through them.

“Please listen to me,” I said. “This isn’t really what you are thinking it is.”

“So you are not asking me to marry you?” she mumbled.

“No…I am, kind of,” I said, scratching my head. “But...well, hear me out. I don't know how else to explain.” Ivy gave me a long, hard look before finally sighing.

“Fine,”

“Thank you,” I muttered, moving back a bit to give us both some breathing space because I could see and feel she was struggling just as hard as I was. “I don’t know how much you know about GrayCrest but…it's ancient. We have our own beliefs, rituals, and ceremonies that we still follow today. And one of the most important ceremonies, the Reawakening Ceremony, is set to take place two months from now.”

“The what?” Ivy frowned.

“Uh, the Reawakening Ceremony,” I responded and reflexively, I have no idea why, I walked over to the car and grabbed the spare jacket from the backseat.

“Our ancestors used to believe, and we still believe that every pack has a soul in itself. They believe the soul is made up of those who have passed away, the very first Alpha and Luna who built the pack, and everyone who has passed away after them,” I continued as I handed her the jacket. Ivy looked a bit surprised and wrapped her arms tighter around herself, turning her face away.

“I am not cold,” she grumbled and, again, instinctively, I knew she was lying.

“You might get cold. We are up in the hills and the air is chilly here.”

“No, thanks.”

“Are you going to fight over this, too? Seriously?” She dragged her blue eyes to me and I raised a brow, holding out the jacket for her. Making a face, she took it nevertheless and then shrugged it on. It was obviously too big for her, but somehow I felt peace inside that she wasn’t cold anymore.

“You were saying,” she muttered.

“Yeah, so, we take the whole pack soul thing very seriously, which is why the Reawakening Ceremony is very important. This is a sacred event that takes place every fifty years. The last one took place, well, fifty years ago. In this ceremony, the Alpha and Luna worship the pack soul to seek the blessings of our ancestors, and their protection for the years to come.”

“And what has this got to do with me marrying you?”

“GrayCrest has three Alphas, which means it also has three Lunas. This has actually never happened before because there had always been one alpha, one male heir, if you go by our family lineage. But this is the first time in fifty years that the pack has three Alphas and that means all three of us would need to participate in the ceremony.”

“I still don’t get it,” Ivy frowned.

“The ceremony demands both the Alpha and the Luna. Now, my brothers already have their Lunas but that isn’t enough because mine is…still missing. And without her, the ceremony wouldn’t be complete. And like it or not, but rightfully so, that missing piece is you. You are my mate and that gives you the right to be the third Luna of GrayCrest. But to make you my Luna, I need to marry you. Just accepting each other is not enough.”

“So, you want to marry me for the ceremony?”

“Precisely,” I nodded. “The ceremony is very important, and I need my Luna before that. If I don’t, my father is going to kill me or make me marry someone of his choice and…” I trailed off, not wanting to say more.

“And?” Ivy demanded, raising a brow. I took a deep breath and moved closer, fixing my eyes on her to let her see what I was going to say next. I meant it. And though I was indeed a player with little to no regard for emotions and feelings, I wasn’t the monster she perceived me to be. When I wanted to be honest, I could.

“And I don’t want to marry someone of his choice…” I replied, finally caving and reaching out to tuck the stray tendrils behind her ear.

“Why?” she mumbled, her voice husky, her skin turning warmer.

“Because you are my mate, and only you have the right to be my… Luna.”