Chapter 30


    I sat with Ivy on the pier that overlooked the man-madeke by the stables. Ivy ate very little despite


    my trying to encourage to eat. We enjoyed the morning sun, enjoyed the rays heating my cold skin. I


    told her everything that happened in the castlest night. Though I Don’t think she was really listening,


    she seems stuck in her head no matter how hard I tried to pull back to the present moment. I hated


    seeing her like this.


    Ivy leaned against one of the logs on the pier, watching me, yet I drew closer to the water. I Wished I


    was swimming with Gannon or even just going for a run; it was strange to me to have the freedoms we


    had here. Another thing I hadn’t told her about. I wanted to tell her, yet I couldn’t bring myself to


    because I didn’t want to risk upsetting her more.


    “Abbie!” Ivy hissed as I sat on the edge and tossed my legs over the side and into the water.


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    “Gannon is right there,” I tell her, pointing him out, and she lets out a sigh. I wade my feet through the


    water, loving the feel of the water between my toes. Looking up, Gannon was smiling at me, and I


    couldn’t help the blush at the knowing look on his face. However, what impressed me most is that he


    kept his word and didn’t leave Ivy’s side all night, as he said. She was supposed to shift, but now doubt


    had crept in. I believed, along with Ivy, that the king was wrong about her birthday. But still the question


    remained: if that were true, how could she recognize him as her mate?


    More shocking was learning of De’s crimes. De was Ivy’s mother before Alpha Dean’s pack killed


    her. Though now we have learned that wasn’t even her real name. And that De Hunley was, in fact,


    Marrissa Talbot.


    A notorious hunter and the woman responsible for not only killing the King’s sister but also an entire


    Kingdom that used to reside in the mountains. The Landeena Kingdom, Knowing this information and


    realizing her childhood was a lie, that her mother was a monster I could see weighed heavily on Ivy. It


    broke her, a woman she loved. Her mother was a monster and serial killer. used of unspeakable


    crimes, and now Ivy was paying the price for them.


    Thoped there was some mistake. The De I remember was kind, loving, and dotted on both Ivy and


    me. She was strict, but protective of us growing up. She was my mother’s best friend. We had


    stumbled upon their little camp after my mother fled the back we were part of.


    I have no memory of being in a pack, though I do remember having a biggler family once. My mother


    was a twin, and we were forced to go into hiding after her twin and my grandmother died.


    with me.


    “I have to head back soon. I have to go into town with rice to grab some supplies,” I tell lvy, not


    wanting to go. Tears filled my eyes, not knowing when I would get to see her next, but I had chores to


    do, so I knew I needed to leave her.


    Lifting my legs from the water, I wander over to her, lean down, and clutch her fingers gently. “Maybe I


    could ask if you coulde?” I told her hopefully, but I knew it would never be allowed. Ivy doesn’t get


    the chance to answer when we hear screaming from the castle’s direction. My head whips toward the


    direction of the woman’s screams, and I see Ester thrashing and screaming her head off while two


    guards drag her across the manicuredwns. I try not to smile, well, they finally found her! I stand up,


    and Gannon turns to look up the hill in the direction of the castle, a re on his face.


    “Ha, it serves her right,” I huff, and I curse at myself when I turn back to see Ivy watching me.


    “What did she do?” Ivy asks curiously. I can’t believe how stupid I was to say that! I look down at Ivy


    before her head turns to Ester, still thrashing as they lead her toward the front of the castle, toward the


    enormous iron gates.


    “I worry it may upset you, but nothing happened. The King woke up before she could do anything,” I tell


    her while looking down at my hands, picking at her nails. Nervously I steal a peek at her, hoping she


    doesn’t ask more.


    “Before she did what?” Ivy asks. I chew my lip, not wanting to answer, but I wouldn’t lie to her, and she


    would eventually find out. I just wished it wasn’t me giving her the news.


    “The king woke early this morning in his office to Ester fondling him,” I tell her. Ivy pales, almost turning


    green at my words, and my eyes widen when she sucks in a breath, a look of pure panic on her face.


    She gasps as if she can’t catch her breath and her eyes prick with tears.


    “Hey, hey. Nothing happened, I promise. I heard the guard talking this morning. When he woke, he was


    livid and tossed her out. He then banished her from the castle, so I guess they finally found her. He


    didn’t do anything with her, Ivy. I promise you,” I tell Ivy. moving quickly to grab her face in my hands.


    She sucks in a breath, and I breathe with her, trying to calm her.


    “That’s it. Breathe, Ivy. He didn’t betray you,” I whisper to her repeatedly as I try to stop her panic


    attack. When she calms down, I brush my hands over her face to clear her tears. Why did I stupidly say


    something? I mentally scold myself.


    “So he didn’t sleep with her?” Ivy asks, letting out a breath finally.


    “No, she ran naked from his office crying like her bum was on fire,” I tell her remembering the sight


    making her snicker, she really took a walk of shame, and she should feel shame because not a single


    person was happy with her little act.


    Yet the look on her face told me she didn’t see any funny side. I was about to say something else when


    a whistle caught our attention. We looked to the hill, and we saw rice wave to us.


    “I gotta go, but I will try to visit youter,” I tell Ivy as I lean down, briefly hugging me before rushing off


    back down the pier and up to rice, who is waiting for me.


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