Chapter-8

                                                                           Ivy

I stared at the clear water of the small pond built within the pack, fighting the urge to cry. This was one of those intense moments where I just wanted to run away. Weren't things hard enough? Did this whole mess with Asher have to happen? A mate was the last thing I needed at the moment. And a mate who was literally the Alpha of the pack. Like it or not, that made me the Luna of GrayCrest, the very pack I was betraying. It was a sin of the greatest degree, but I had no choice. Didn’t the moon goddess have enough already? Why did she have to do this to me now?

“Maybe a mate was exactly what you needed at the moment?” Silver offered.

“No!” I grimaced. “This will make everything worse, Silver. If I accept Asher, I would have to marry him and  accept his mark and once we have the mindlink, it will be impossible for me to do whatever Killian needs me to do. My every thought will be privy to him and if he finds out why exactly I am here and the lies I told to Alpha Noah and Logan…it will be treason. I am not afraid of dying, but I am not ready to until I make sure daddy is safe,”

“So, what are you going to do now? How in the hell will you fight a matebond?” Silver grimaced. “There isn’t a way out of this, Ivy,”

“I will have to fight the bond no matter what,” I hissed, gritting my teeth. “I cannot allow him to get closer. Maybe if I piss him off enough, he would reject me in the heat of the moment? I don’t think he is interested in me, to begin with. Soon, he will get bored and well he can go his way and I can go mine. I just have to keep pushing him away and judging by his character, I don’t think it would be that hard.”

“Sure,” Silver snorted sarcastically, making me scowl.

I felt optimistic about my plan. After all, who would want someone like me? Especially the almighty Alpha of the most powerful pack in the country. He could simply have anyone he wanted. He was an Alpha. He was powerful, wealthy as fuck and, well, good looks already existed in his genes.

There was no way he would be interested in a woman like me. Compared to Rose and Cora, I was nothing. They were the perfect example of what a Luna was supposed to be. Meanwhile, me…I stared at the blue eyes that peered back at me from the clear water of the lake and sighed. All I was good at was fighting. Maybe not even at that, because at the end of the day… I failed. I couldn’t save my family, nor could I save my pack.

I wasn’t fit for Asher Gray.

“Ivy,” I turned around at the familiar voice and Eli shot me a grin before flopping down beside me. Eli was the Delta of GrayCrest. When Killian told me it was one of the largest, most powerful packs in the world, he wasn’t kidding.

GrayCrest was gigantic.

Coming from a pack as small as mine, it was shocking to see a pack with so many members. The omegas had their own shelter, for Goddess’s sake. The Alpha house, which was as luxurious as it could get, was separate from the one where the Delta family, the families of the pack elders and the pack doctor Avery lived. It was spread across vast measures of land near the foot of the Adirondack mountains and was beautiful.

GrayCrest was ruled by three alpha brothers. The pack didn’t have a beta because according to Eli being such a powerful pack, GrayCrest had more enemies than friends. That’s why the Alphas were very careful about those who held the most power in the pack. The ex-Beta’s family seemed to have betrayed the pack sometime ago, and that's when this decision came to be to eliminate the position altogether. The way this pack worked was very intricate, and significantly different from what I was used to, or what the norm was.

MysticWarriors, my pack, was just a small pack of warrior tribes who kept to themselves. Don’t get me wrong, we were pretty powerful, but not in the sense power was measured by these packs. We didn’t have a lot of money or influential allies and a fancy lifestyle. We were simple, making do with our basic needs.

And we were happy.

“Yeah?” I muttered, plucking at the grass idly.

“What are you doing here? Naya and I have been looking for you,” Eli said. “Is everything…alright?” I shot him a look, and he gave me an apologetic smile.

“Apart from the obvious, of course,” he muttered. “But hey, what’s with the gloomy face? We should be totally celebrating. You are Asher Gray’s mate! The youngest Luna of the pack. We have all been waiting for you to appear. Heck, I think everyone gave up on the idea of Asher finding a mate and now look…out of nowhere, here was his mate. Do you know what this means, Ivy?”

“I don’t want to,” I answered glumly. “And everyone?”

“You would think people didn’t see the drama that unfolded earlier in the morning between you and Asher? Everyone saw that. Even though no official announcement has been made yet, most of the pack already knows you are Asher’s mate and our Luna.”

“Please don’t call me Luna,” I whispered, burying my face in my knees. “I am no Luna. I am just an ordinary warrior.”

“Hey,” Eli gently raised my face and gave me a disapproving look.

He was quite a handsome man with slight brown-blondish hair and kind hazel eyes. He had those lips that seemed like they were always stretched up in a smile. Eli became my friend when no one else would. I was the only female warrior here, and it simply didn’t sit well with the boys and their over-inflated egos. They hated me.

I was an outcast here, a stranger suddenly becoming a warrior and a guard to the Lunas, apparently a very high-ranking position. Nobody was quite ready to accept a female into the army dictated by men, and it was made pretty clear from the start. Not that I cared because I wasn’t here to make friends. But when Eli offered me his friendship, the goofy, happy-go-lucky young Delta, I just couldn’t resist. His twin sister Naya was also equally friendly and warm towards me. Growing up, I didn’t have many friends so it was a bit awkward, but a welcomed change.

“If you were ordinary, you wouldn’t be the Luna of GrayCrest, whether official yet or not,” he said. “And you are pretty amazing from what I have seen so far. You are the first female warrior at GrayCrest. That’s a feat,”

“You don’t have to sugarcoat it,” I grumbled.

“I know. And I meant every word I said. Now, come on. We have a party to attend.”

“What party?” I frowned.

“Alpha Logan and Noah have thrown a party to celebrate Asher’s return at the lake house. We are probably late.”

“I am not invited.”

“Oh, come on, the entire pack is invited.”

“I am not going,” I grimaced. “I can’t deal with that asshole twice in a day. Let him enjoy. You go, have fun. I will go to bed, I guess.” Eli sighed and shook his head in disdain.

“Why are you so stubborn? You and Asher are so similar.”

“No, we are not!” I protested, shooting him a glare.

“I know you are mad at him,” Eli nodded. “And yes, it’s true. Asher’s a player. But that doesn’t mean he is a bad person. He is fiercely honest and just, and he has never knowingly hurt anybody. Yes, he had many women in his life, but he has never forced himself on anyone. Those were all women who willingly wanted him. There are many men who are worse. He is also extremely loyal and dedicated to the people he loves, as you will see soon enough when you stop fighting him and give him a chance.”

“Of course you will say that. You are his best friend,” I scowled.

“Fine, don't believe me. Sooner or later, you will see for yourself. But for now, come on, it’s time to celebrate.”

“Eli…I am not going. I don’t like parties…I don’t even have a dress for a party.”

“You are dressed enough. It’s basically just drinks and music…nothing fancy. We will just have a few drinks, and then I will bring you and Naya back, I promise.”

“But!”

“Oh, come on!” I sighed and dragged myself to my feet, a funny feeling curling at the pit of my stomach and despite knowing it was his party, I dearly hoped...

I don't have to see him again.