Chapter 95: Chapter 95
Ivy’s Point of View
"Make sure the wheels are well-greased, Blade," Dominic instructed, his voice carrying over the noisy courtyard of the Silvermoon palace. "The mountain roads toward my grandfather’s territory are rocky, and I will not have Ivy jostled while she is carrying my twins."
"I have personally inspected the leaf springs, Master Dominic," Blade replied, bowing his head quickly before stepping back to secure the luggage racks.
The morning air was filled with the bustling energy of a departure. Luna Helena’s father’s birthday was coming soon, a momentous occasion that demanded a full royal attendance.
To honor the old patriarch, Luna Helena had brought the entire inner family... Alpha Alaric, Dominic, myself, and even the tense duo of Bastian and a sullen, pregnant Seraphina...back to her childhood home to celebrate her father’s birthday.
The carriage journey took hours, but the cloud hanging over Bastian’s branch of the family made the ride feel entirely silent. When the iron gates of the manor finally pushed open, the welcoming committee was already lining the stone steps.
"Welcome home, Helena!" a refined, elder woman called out, stepping forward with a bright smile. It was Luna Helena’s mother, Madame Morana, her posture entirely unbended by age.
After the carriage arrived at the main steps, everyone stepped down, offered formal greetings, and entered the grand courtyard. The stone walls were draped in banners, and the scent of roasted meats and sweet wine drifted from the banquet halls.
The moment Madame Morana’s eyes landed on me, her expression completely melted into pure, grandmotherly affection. She took my hands directly into her palms.
"So this is the brilliant Ivy," Madame Morana spoke out with genuine pride. "The one who brought a double blessing to us. Come with me, child."
She pulled me toward a lined display table, reaching into an box to pull out a stunning necklace made of raw gems and links. It looked beautiful, and expensive.
"This belonged to my grandmother, the first true Luna of the northern peaks. I am giving my most cherished jewelry to you today, Ivy. As a token of my eternal gratitude." She said.
"Thank you, Madame Morana," I said softly, bowing my head as the necklace rested against my collarbone. "I am deeply honored."
Many people from neighboring packs were invited to the birthday banquet, and the grand hall quickly became crowded with whispering lords and giggling noble ladies. Amidst the chatter, a young man stepped up to our table, offering a polite bow.
I have seen him before... Pete. He is Bastian’s cousin, from his maternal side.
"Lady Ivy, the manor’s western glass greenhouse is currently blooming with winter lotuses," Pete invited warmly, gesturing toward the garden doors. "A few of the high-ranking ladies are heading there now to escape the heat of the main hall. Would you care to visit the manor gardens with us?"
I looked down at Dominic, who was sitting comfortably, flanked by Wolf and Blade. "Do you mind if I step out for some fresh air, Dominic?"
"Go enjoy the lotuses, my love," Dominic replied, his eyes softening as he reached up to gently squeeze my fingers. "You should take Nell with you. I will stay right here with the Alpha council."
I smiled, turning on my heel to follow Pete out through the glass doors, leaving Dominic alone.
*
*
*
Dominic’s Point of View
The warmth of Ivy’s touch still lingered on my skin as the hall slowly emptied, the major Alphas moving toward the upper balconies to toast my grandfather’s health. I rolled my wheelchair a few inches closer to the quiet side corridor, preferring the silence over the hypocritical praise of the noble courts.
While most of the guests had migrated toward the main courtyard, one of the girls of similar age... the daughter of the pack’s head Beta, Ivana—had stayed behind on the grounds of sudden discomfort, sitting quietly on a stone bench near the narrow gallery path.
"Are you unwell, Lady Ivana?" a passing servant asked, holding a silver tray.
"Just a slight dizziness from the crowd," Ivana replied softly. "I will join the banquet on the narrow road after a moment of rest."
The servant nodded and hurried away, leaving the long, enclosed gallery completely empty except for me. I turned my wheelchair around, intending to roll back toward the security of my father’s guard retinue, but Ivana stood up suddenly.
She began walking down the narrow road of the gallery, her footsteps erratic. As she drew parallel to my wheelchair, she let out a loud, sudden gasp. Pretending to trip over a perfectly smooth flagstone, her body pitched forward violently, and she pounced directly on top of my lap, her arms reaching out to wrap around my neck.
"Watch out!" I barked, my instincts instantly reacting to the sudden threat.
In the fraction of a second before her full weight crashed into my leg, I instinctively pushed her away with both hands to guard my posture. But as my palms slammed against her torso to throw her back, the unexpected angle caused my fingers to slide, firmly touching her private position across her thin bodice.
"Ah! Get off me!" I growled, shoving her completely back onto the floorboards.
"Ah! Heavens, no!" Ivana instantly cried out at the top of her lungs, her voice echoing through the high rafters of the gallery. She collapsed onto the stone grate, tearing the collar of her own dress with a sob.
"Help! Master Dominic has destroyed my innocence. He took advantage of my fall to touch my private position. My virtue is completely ruined."
The piercing shriek shattered the peace of the manor, and within seconds, the curtains were thrown back. More and more people from the banquet hall were watching, crowding into the road with gasps of shock as they saw us.
"What is the meaning of this commotion?" an elder lord demanded, peering through his spectacles.
Wolf and Blade, rushed over from the main hall, their faces filled with terror as they drew their bodies into a protective wall around my wheelchair.
"Master Dominic, what happened?" Blade asked frantically, his hand dropping right onto his hilt.
"She threw herself at me," I hissed, I’m so angry at this nonsense.
But Ivana didn’t stop her performance. She lay on the hard ground, weeping hysterically in front of the gathering noble guests and pack elders, ensuring her voice reached to every ear in the courtyard.
"He is lying to protect his name!" Ivana insisted loudly. "Everyone saw his hands. My innocence is utterly ruined in front of the moon goddess, and my family will not bear this shame. He has to marry me to restore my honor, the Silvermoon Pack must take responsibility for this disrespect!"
"Silence this madness!" a loud voice barked from the back of the crowd.
Ivana’s mother, Lady Laurent, rushed through the whispering onlookers, her face a rigid, unreadable mask of panic. She didn’t let the elders ask any questions... instead, she grabbed her daughter’s wrist, pulling her up from the floor with an aggressive tug.
"You have caused enough of a scene, Ivana!" Lady Laurent cried out, hurriedly dragging her sobbing daughter back toward the private guest rooms before the higher representatives could intervene.
When the people around finally dispersed, a sickening wave of disgust washed completely over my body.
"Master Dominic, let us get you back to the main hall," Wolf muttered, his face tight with worry.
"No," I growled, my voice dropping to a low tone. "Take me to the bathroom immediately. Right now."
The guards quickly pushed my wheelchair into the private washing chambers, locking the doors from the inside. The moment I was alone before the stone basin, I grabbed the soap and plunged my hands into the water.
I repeatedly washed my hands, scrubbing my palms, trying desperately to erase the memory of her skin on mine. Yet, despite the water, I still felt deeply uncomfortable.
I leaned over the basin. The humiliation of the setup making my veins burn with a fear. I didn’t care about the Beta’s empty threats, and I didn’t care about the gossip of the neighboring lords... I am fearing that Ivy would know about the disgusting incident.
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter