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🌕 Chapter: Shadows of Blood and Bone
The Red diamond pack grounds pulsed with quiet tension.
Ivy stood at the edge of the training field, her violet eyes scanning the morning drills below. Warriors moved in disciplined formations, sparring and shifting beneath the sun's amber light. Jayden stood a few paces behind her, speaking with his Beta while Ivy watched the warriors glance at her—some curious, others skeptical.
She didn't care.
Not anymore.
She had faced their tests. Proved herself not just through combat, but through heart. And though she hadn't asked for acceptance, the seeds of it had begun to grow. Even now, some of the younger wolves whispered her name like a myth.
Ivy turned to Jayden. "They're strong," she said softly. "But they fight like they're afraid of what's coming."
"They are," Jayden replied. "And they're right to be. Something's stirring beyond the mountains. Something older."
Ivy didn't respond. Her fingers flexed, and a shimmer of wind danced around her wrist.
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Back at home, Xander ran barefoot through the garden outside Ivy's house, a handmade sword in hand.
Jake sat on the porch, watching with a smile. His wolf senses were sharp, but his gaze softened as he watched the boy make imaginary battle sounds.
"Who are you fighting today?" Jake asked, leaning back.
"Rogues," Xander said. "But nice ones."
Jake laughed. "Nice rogues? That's new."
Xander paused, tilting his head. "You're a rogue, right?"
Jake's smile faded, but only slightly. "Something like that."
"Then you're one of the nice ones," Xander said easily, then darted off again.
Ivy stepped out of the house, carrying a plate of sliced fruit. She caught Jake's expression and passed the plate to him. "You okay?"
He took it, nodding. "He's smart. Brave."
"He's everything I didn't know I needed," she whispered.
Jake watched her for a moment. "You're doing a good job, Ivy."
A silence lingered between them before she spoke again.
"Tell me more about them," she said quietly. "My parents. What you remember."
Jake's smile turned sad. "Our mother was fierce. The kind of Alpha who didn't need to speak twice. And our father… he could shift in seconds, faster than anyone I've seen."
Ivy's breath caught.
"They were royalty in their way. Not just leaders. Protectors. You were born in the middle of chaos. And after they died… I was taken. You were left behind."
"I don't remember them," she said, staring into the horizon.
Jake leaned forward. "They gave everything to keep you alive. Including the truth. They sealed your wolf away to protect you."
A soft breeze passed between them, carrying the scent of rain.
Jake's voice turned thoughtful. "I thought I lost you. But now that I've found you again… I see it. The Alpha blood. The fire. You were never meant to be hunted. You were meant to rise."
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Later That Night – At Crimson Dusk Pack House
Jayden walked with Ivy through the corridor, holding her hand as they neared the great hall. The warriors nodded respectfully now, their skepticism slowly shifting.
"I don't want a throne," Ivy said.
Jayden looked at her. "You don't need one to lead."
They passed into the Alpha Hall where Jayden's parents stood with a few high-ranking wolves. His mother greeted Ivy with a measured nod.
"She carries the scent of legacy," one elder said quietly. "Not born of us—but born for this."
Jayden's father approached Ivy, placing something small in her palm. A medallion carved with the ancient rune of protection.
"Welcome," he said. "To more than just our home."
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At the School – Monday Morning
Ivy walked the halls of her college campus, the chatter and footsteps familiar, almost comforting. Jayden walked a few steps behind her, his usual dark aura a silent warning to anyone who looked too long.
James stood near the entrance, leaning against a wall. He hadn't spoken to her since their last strange encounter. His once-kind eyes had grown colder.
When Ivy passed, he spoke without looking at her. "You ever wonder what happens when you forget who you are?"
She stopped but didn't turn.
"I remember everything," she said. "Even what I've tried to bury."
He smirked faintly. "Not everything."
Jayden's low growl was enough to make James walk away.
Behind them, hidden from view, a dark-eyed man in a long black coat observed. The same man who had stepped off the jet days ago. He moved through the crowd like smoke, blending in.
He approached James later that day behind the art building.
"You've stalled long enough," the man said. "She's growing stronger. We need her broken."
James flinched. "She trusts me—barely. But if we push too hard, she'll burn us all."
The man tilted his head. "Then earn her trust back. Or I'll find someone who can."
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In the Woods – Later
Jake sat with Aslam near a fire just beyond the territory line. The stars above shimmered, and Aslam, ever strong, stared into the flames like they were a puzzle she hadn't solved.
"You keep watching me," she said without turning.
Jake chuckled. "Because I don't understand you yet."
Aslam raised a brow. "What's there to understand? I was born to fight."
"So was I. But now I feel something when I look at you. Something new."
She looked at him slowly. "You feel the bond too."
He nodded. "I don't know what to do with it. But I don't want to ignore it."
Aslam smirked. "Then don't."
From the trees, Ivy watched them in silence. She stepped forward.
"You should follow your heart, Jake," she said. "Even when it terrifies you."
Aslam stood. "You're good at sneaking."
"I've had a lot of practice."
The three of them stood under the stars—warriors, survivors, siblings, bonded by blood and fate.
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Closing Scene
In her dreams that night, Ivy saw the dark-eyed man. His voice echoed in her soul I'm coming for you ivora . The forest burned behind him ivy didn't run she stood taller