IVY
Rejected. Banished. Executed.
The words carved themselves into my soul, a cruel mantra that wouldn’t stop echoing. They consumed me, growing louder and sharper until I couldn’t bear it anymore.
So, I jumped. I hurled myself off the cliff because I wanted to end it all, letting the wind whip against my skin, and for a fleeting moment, there was silence. Peace.
And then, nothing.
I thought it was over. I thought I was free.
But I was wrong.
My wolf’s agonized howl ripped through me as light pierced my eyelids. Pain seared through every inch of my body as I tried to move, only to realize that I couldn’t. Chains bit into my wrists and ankles, their cold, unyielding grip a harsh reminder that I was still alive.
Or something close to it.
I blinked, forcing my vision to focus, and as the room around me swam into view, I heard it—a voice, smooth and mocking, cutting through the haze.
“Well, well, look who decided to rejoin the living.”
My head snapped up, and my stomach churned as my eyes landed on him. Marcus Stone. Alpha of the Black Fang Pack—and Caleb’s biggest rival.
“You,” I rasped, my throat raw from screaming or sobbing—I couldn’t remember which. “What is this? Why am I in chains? Why am I here?”
He smirked, the kind of smug, slimy expression that always made my skin crawl. “You’re not really in a position to ask questions, now, are you?” His tone dripped with disdain, his eyes scanning me like I was something unpleasant stuck to his boot. “You still reek of him so don’t worry—I’ll keep this brief.”
“Let me go,” I growled, my voice steadier than I expected, even though the pain clawed at me. “Whatever sick game you’re playing, Marcus, I don’t have time for it. Caleb will—”
Marcus’s laugh rang out, sharp and cruel, echoing off the walls. “Caleb?” He mocked, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “Save your threats, Ivy. Everyone knows you’re nothing now. Rejected. Banished. Disgraced. That’s why you threw yourself off that cliff, isn’t it? Poor little Luna couldn’t handle her fall from grace.”
I bit down on the lump rising in my throat, forcing myself not to flinch. “What do you want, Marcus?”
“Oh, it’s not about what I want,” he sneered. “It’s about what the entire realm needs and I don’t need to ask you if you are aware of the tradition. You see, this year, it’s our turn to send a maiden to Hybrid Alpha King and you just fell right into our hands.”
My heart stopped.
“No,” I whispered, my voice trembling.
His grin widened, cruel and predatory. “Oh, yes.”
The blood drained from my face as the horrifying reality crashed over me. For years, every pack had been forced to send a maiden to the Hybrid Alpha King, Knox Thorne—a monstrous creature cursed with a wolf so feral, so bloodthirsty, that no one could control.
The maidens sent to him never returned. And so far none has managed to do that and the cycle is never ending.
It was whispered that to appease his wolf, he tortured them, feasted on their hearts, leaving no trace of their existence. A barbaric sacrifice to keep his wrath from destroying the packs. It was a tradition I hated and had tried so hard to stop when I became Luna and had to watch one of our own sent away but there was so little I could do in four years for a tradition that has been for decades.
Being sent to Knox Thorne was said to be a fate worse than death itself.
But no one could stop it. And now I was to be the next victim.
“Marcus,” I croaked, panic tightening my chest. “You can’t do this. You can’t.”
He leaned in closer, his breath hot against my face. “Why not? You wanted to die, didn’t you? Think of this as your chance to do something useful before you go. And the best part?” His voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. “No one will care.
Your life is worthless now, Ivy. And I’ll relish the thought of sending Caleb’s former Luna to her death.”
“No,” I whispered, shaking my head, my voice cracking as I begged. “Marcus, don’t do this. Please. I beg of you.”
But he was already turning away, his expression hard with finality.
I thrashed against the chains, my wolf weak and silent in my mind, the betrayal and exhaustion weighing me down.
“Marcus!” I screamed, my voice raw. “You’ll regret this! You hear me? You’ll regret this!”
He paused at the door, throwing a glance over his shoulder like my words meant nothing. His next words sent a cold wave of terror crashing through me.
“His men will come for you tonight. And Ivy?” His lips curled into a sneer. “What happens next will be worse than anything you can imagine. He’ll make you beg for death—and when you do, it’ll be a mercy.”
