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Chapter — Bloodlines and Shadows (Extended)
The pack house was awake long before dawn. The deep rumble of warriors training outside carried through the walls, but Ivy sat at the kitchen table, staring into a cup of coffee gone cold. She wasn't really tasting it. The truth Jake had revealed last night — about her parents, about her blood — was still clawing at her chest.
Jayden's footsteps were light, but she felt him before she saw him. He came up behind her, hands resting gently on her shoulders.
"You didn't sleep," he said quietly.
"No," she murmured, eyes fixed on the swirling darkness in her mug.
"You want to talk about it?"
Her fingers tightened around the ceramic. "If I talk about it, it's real."
Jayden didn't push. Instead, he crouched beside her so she had to meet his eyes. "It was real before he told you, Ivy. This… doesn't change who you are to me. Or to Xander."
Her throat tightened. "But it changes who I am to me."
Almost on cue, a burst of laughter rang from the hallway. Xander came running into the kitchen, his tiny arms flailing as two pack warriors pretended to chase him.
"Mama, I won!" he announced proudly. "They tried to catch me, but I'm too fast!"
Jayden ruffled his hair. "Looks like you're part wolf after all."
Ivy smirked faintly but stayed silent. Her heart still ached, but Xander's grin felt like the only light cutting through the storm in her chest.
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Training Grounds — Midday
The clang of weapons filled the air. Jake was in the center of the field, sparring with two seasoned warriors at once. His movements were efficient, calculated — not just fighting, but testing them.
Aslam stood at the edge, arms crossed, watching every strike. There was something softer in her eyes than Ivy had seen before.
Jayden led Ivy over, a few warriors nodding respectfully as she passed. Since her earlier confrontation with them, no one dared question whether she belonged here.
Jake noticed her instantly. Disarming his opponent with a sharp twist, he stepped back and gave her a faint smile.
"We should talk," he said, glancing briefly at Jayden.
Before Ivy could reply, a small voice interrupted.
"Uncle Jake!" Xander came charging toward him, eyes shining. "I punched the training dummy and it fell over!"
Jake crouched and gave him a high five. "That dummy never saw it coming."
Jayden watched, his expression unreadable, though there was the faintest softness in his gaze.
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After the Training — River Path
Jayden didn't say a word until they reached the narrow path leading toward the river, away from the noise of the pack grounds.
"You've been holding back," he said finally.
Ivy gave him a sharp look. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"You're scared," he said simply. "Scared of what you might be. Scared you'll… become like them."
She didn't answer, just stared at the flowing water.
"Ivy," Jayden stepped closer, brushing his fingers against hers, "you are nothing like the wolves who destroyed your family. You could shift tomorrow, grow claws and fangs, and you would still be you. The woman who raised a boy when she had nothing. The woman who fought for strangers without hesitation."
Her chest tightened, eyes stinging. "You make it sound so simple."
"It is. I know who you are, even when you doubt it."
Something in her cracked at that, and she leaned into him. He held her like she was both a warrior and something fragile he couldn't afford to lose.
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College Courtyard — Afternoon
The day had warmed, the courtyard buzzing with students rushing between lectures. Ivy's steps slowed when she spotted James leaning against the fountain.
He wasn't alone.
A tall hooded man stood beside him, his face shadowed. Something about his stillness made the hairs on the back of her neck rise.
James said something quietly, and the man's head tilted slightly — a gesture too controlled, too deliberate. Then, as if sensing her, the hooded stranger turned his head.
His gaze locked on hers from across the courtyard. Cold. Measuring.
Jayden's voice cut into the tension. "Stay close to me today."
Ivy didn't argue.
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Pack House — Night
The Alpha's office smelled faintly of pine and smoke. Maps were spread across the desk, dotted with markers indicating rogue movement.
"They've been circling the outskirts for weeks," Aslam said, tracing a finger along the edge of the territory.
"If they keep to this route, they'll hit the southern border in three days," Jake replied. His voice was tight, controlled — but his eyes were fixed on Aslam rather than the map.
"You've changed since you got here," she said without looking up.
"Maybe I've started listening," he admitted.
Aslam finally met his gaze, something unspoken passing between them.
Outside, beyond the window's glow, the hooded stranger stood in the treeline, watching the pack house. His lips curled into a slow smile before he vanished into the dark.
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Elsewhere — That Same Night
In an abandoned warehouse on the city's edge, James leaned against a pillar. The hooded man stepped out of the shadows.
"She's here," James said simply.
The stranger's voice was low and steady. "Good. Keep her close. Don't let her suspect… yet."
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