The night was quieter than it should've been. Too quiet.
Ivy lay wide awake in the unfamiliar guest room, cocooned in thick furs that smelled faintly of pine and something masculine—probably Killian. The fire crackled low in the hearth, casting golden shadows that danced along the wooden walls, but the warmth did little to chase away the chill under her skin.
She couldn't sleep. Not after everything.
Not after finding out she was mated to the brother of the man who'd broken her.
She turned on her side, gripping the blanket tighter. Killian's words echoed in her mind.
"If you still want to leave after the full moon, I won't stop you."
It sounded merciful. Rational. But nothing about this situation was either.
Why hadn't he told her sooner?
Why hadn't her wolf warned her?
Why was there a growing part of her that… didn't want to run anymore?
Ivy sat up, throwing the covers off and padding to the window. It overlooked the mountain ridge, shrouded in mist and moonlight. Somewhere in the trees below, wolves patrolled—protecting the pack from intruders… and maybe keeping her in.
The wind stirred, howling low and mournful.
Then—a knock.
Three soft taps against her door.
Ivy's heart thudded. "Yes?"
No response.
She frowned. "Hello?"
Cautiously, she approached and cracked the door open.
A young girl—barely more than sixteen—stood nervously outside, wrapped in a knit shawl, clutching something to her chest.
"I'm sorry to bother you, Luna," she whispered.
Ivy blinked. "Luna?"
The girl flushed. "I-I mean… I wasn't sure what to call you. But Alpha Killian said I should bring you some tea. To help you sleep."
Ivy stepped aside. "You can come in."
The girl entered and placed a steaming mug on the bedside table. Her hands trembled slightly.
Ivy watched her. "What's your name?"
"Marin," the girl said softly.
"Thank you, Marin. That was kind of you."
Marin nodded, then glanced toward the door, clearly anxious to leave.
Before Ivy could ask why, the girl blurted, "He never brings anyone up here, you know. Not even other wolves."
Ivy's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"
"I mean…" Marin bit her lip. "Alpha Killian—he's… he's strong. Respected. But he's also distant. He keeps to himself. Even before Alpha Liam went rogue, Killian didn't let anyone close. People thought he couldn't bond. Or wouldn't."
Ivy's pulse picked up.
"But when he found you in the woods, injured and unconscious, he didn't just carry you back. He fought half the pack who thought you were a spy. Then he stayed by your side for three nights straight."
"I didn't know," Ivy murmured.
Marin smiled faintly. "Now you do. Goodnight, Luna."
She slipped out before Ivy could ask anything else.
Luna.
The word settled over her shoulders like a cloak made of fire and frost. She didn't know whether to accept it or run from it.
She didn't feel like a Luna. She felt like a girl who had just survived hell—barely.
But she couldn't deny something was shifting inside her. Like her wolf was stirring, waking from a long slumber.
The mate bond wasn't just about love. It was instinct. Protection. Power.
And Ivy… was starting to understand that power could run both ways.
She turned back to the tea. Steam rose from the mug, curling into the air like smoke from a forgotten dream.
With a deep breath, she took a sip.
Meanwhile… deep in the forest
Liam prowled between the trees, every inch of him seething.
His claws were half-extended, his breath coming in low, controlled growls.
He'd been searching for days, following the flicker of the bond he thought he'd claimed—but it was gone now. Something was wrong. Something was interfering.
He stopped and sniffed the wind. Pine. Fog. Snow. And—
Killian.
His brother's scent was faint but unmistakable.
Liam snarled, snapping a branch with one hand.
He took her.
He knew it. The moment the bond between him and Ivy began to fray, Killian must've marked her to cut it off.
It wasn't just betrayal.
It was war.
"You always get in the way, brother," Liam hissed to the trees. "But not this time."
This time, he wouldn't just take her back.
He'd destroy everything Killian ever cared about—and make Ivy watch.