Ivy POV:
I slid into the backseat of the limousine. The interior was cool leather and silence. The driver, a Blood Moon warrior named Marcus, nodded respectfully at me through the rearview mirror.
"To the hotel, Luna?"
"Yes, Marcus. But drive slowly."
My hands were shaking. Not from fear, but from the adrenaline. My white wolf was pacing, agitated. Seeing Clayton had stirred up old memories, old hurts. I needed to anchor myself.
I pulled out my secure phone and dialed.
The screen lit up, and a face appeared.
Collin Richardson.
Even through the pixelated screen, his power was undeniable. He had sharp, predatory features, dark hair, and eyes that burned like molten gold. He was sitting in a high-rise office in New York, the city skyline blurring behind him.
He was the Alpha of the Blood Moon Pack. The Supreme Alpha. And he was my Mate.
"Ivy," he said. His voice was deep, a rumble that settled in my bones and calmed my wolf instantly. But his eyes were narrowing as he looked at me. "You look... agitated. Did he touch you?"
His tone dropped an octave. "Did that mongrel touch you? Do I need to fly there and tear his throat out?"
"Calm down, my love," I said, leaning back. "He tried. He failed. I broke his wrist."
Collin's lips curled into a dark, satisfied smirk. "Good. But I wish I had been there to hear the bone snap."
"You promised to let me handle the first round," I reminded him.
"I know," he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "But my wolf is going crazy knowing you are near them. They hurt you once. If they try again..."
"They can't hurt me, Collin. I'm not that girl anymore."
Suddenly, a small, chaotic blur jumped into the frame.
"Mama!"
My heart melted. Leo, our four-year-old son, shoved his face into the camera. He had Collin's dark hair and my eyes.
"Hi, baby," I cooed.
"Mama, are you hunting?" Leo asked, his eyes wide with excitement. He opened his mouth and tried to growl, showing off his little canines. "Rawr!"
"Yes, Leo. Mama is hunting bad wolves," I said, smiling.
"Bite them!" Leo advised sagely.
"I will," I promised.
Another face appeared behind Leo. It was Alaric, Collin's father and the former Alpha King. He looked stern, leaning on his wolf-head cane, but his eyes were warm when he looked at Leo.
"Ivy," Alaric said. "Did you secure the perimeter?"
"I made contact with Clayton," I reported. "He knows I'm alive. The Silver Lake Pack will be in chaos by tonight."
"Good," Alaric nodded. "Remember, you have the documents?"
"The inheritance papers? Yes."
"That land belongs to you through your mother," Alaric said firmly. "Don't let Donnell Dillard intimidate you. You are a Richardson now. You have the entire Blood Moon Pack behind you. If they try any pack law nonsense, call me. I wrote half those laws."
"I know, Dad," I said, calling him the title he had earned by saving my life five years ago.
"And Ivy?" Collin's face returned to the screen, filling it. His eyes were intense, burning with that possessive fire that defined our bond.
I love you, his voice echoed in my head through our link, even though he was hundreds of miles away. The Supreme Alpha bond ignored distance entirely.
I love you too, I linked back.
"Be careful," he said aloud. "I'm finishing up here. I'll be on the jet in an hour. I'll see you at the 'dinner'."
"I'll be waiting," I said.
I hung up. The connection severed, but the warmth of the bond remained. I touched the mark on my neck, hidden by my hair—the place where Collin had bitten me, claiming me as his.
It pulsed with heat.
I wasn't alone. I had a mate who would burn the world for me, a son who was a born king, and a father-in-law who was a legend.
I looked out the window as the car entered the city center.
"Okay, Silver Lake," I whispered. "Let's see what you've got."
