His Abandoned Luna, Her Disabled Alpha

CHAPTER 8

The conversation quickly moved on to other details about the long standing alliance between the two packs. Ivy had nothing to do with that, so she excused herself and left.

Grandma Norma followed her back to her room. The old lady sat on the bed as Ivy pretended to tidy up the clean room.

"You didn't have to agree so easily." She said, Ivy smiled in response.

Grandma Norma reached into her purse, took out a thick envelope and placed it in Ivy's palm. It carried a faint scent of roses. The weight was substantial.

"What is this grandma?" Ivy asked.

"Take this." Grandma held her hand and explained, "There is enough money in it for you to start anew somewhere else."

"Grandma ..." Ivy whispered in shock.

"Leave the Silver moon." Grandma smiled sadly. "Go to a place where you aren't treated like an option, my child."

"No, Grandma -"

"You will find your mate someday." She said, "Even if you don't, then choose one yourself. The world is bigger than this pack."

Ivy shook her head, sliding the envelope back into her hand. "I can't take this."

"Why not?" Grandma frowned. She didn't understand Ivy's stubbornness and was troubled by it.

"Because I'm not leaving."

CHAPTER 6

Grandma Norma sat on the edge of the bed, hands on her cane as she looked at Ivy with quiet concern. Ivy refused the money and her advice to leave, still the old lady seemed unwilling to give up.

"You're so stubborn." She muttered at last.

Ivy smiled broadly, crouched before her and asked, "Is it a good thing or a bad thing?"

"As long as it serves you, it's good. Don't be too stubborn and burn yourself, my child." Grandma advised.

Grandma knew once Ivy made up her mind about something, there was very little anyone could do to change it. After lingering for a while, she slowly rose up to leave.

"Think about what I said." Grandma said, brushing a hand over Ivy's head like she used to when she was young. "This place hasn't been kind to you."

Ivy looked away without answering. She wouldn't entirely agree. After all, Ivy was raised here for eighteen years. She was given everything, including love, in those years. Ivy had no right to complain.

Brenda appeared at the door, supported Grandma and walked away. The old lady couldn't wait to start complaining about Ivy's stubbornness. Brenda laughed and said, "She got that from you, madam."

Grandma glared at her old friend, unable to refute. The tapping sound of her cane slowly faded away into the distance.

Ivy didn't move from the spot behind the door. Through the gap, she watched as Emma paced around in the corridor just a few steps away from her room.

She looked unusually restless. Glancing at Ivy's room every few seconds as if waiting for something. Emma thought she was being discreet but didn't know just how loud her presence was.

The young girl drew attention to herself everywhere, whether she liked it or not.

Ivy watched her for a while, then opened the door fully. Emma didn't expect to be caught and was startled. They looked at each other awkwardly.

"Oh... you're here. I thought you were at Grandma's..." Emma smiled crookedly.

"Do you need something from me?" Ivy asked calmly. Anything other than pure indifference was a waste on Emma.

Emma looked around nervously before stepping closer. Her fingers twisted into knots and she lowered her voice as if she didn't want anyone else to hear.

"Alpha Jaxon came for a visit yesterday." She began, watching Ivy's face carefully. "Did you know?"

Ivy leaned against the door. "Did he?"

"Yes." Emma paused for a second. "Um, he heard about your return and brought a doctor to help with your injuries."

Ivy quietly stared at her, trying to figure out what her true purpose was. Emma squirmed under that lifeless stare.

"Cut to the point, Emma. I don't have all the time in the world to play with you." Ivy finally asked.

"I just wanted to know if y'all talked..." Emma hurriedly explained. "I mean, he knew about your wounds, so I thought y'all were still in contact.."

"So that's what it is." Ivy chuckled. "You want to know if I still have feelings for him."

Emma was caught off guard again. She didn't expect her intentions to be seen through so easily. Her face flushed out of shame, but she couldn't back away.

Her lips parted, ready to deny, "I didn't -"

"It's fine." Ivy interrupted before she could speak. "You don't have to pretend with me."

"Is that what you think of me?" Emma's eyes turned red and teary as she said, "I just don't want any misunderstandings. Jaxon and I are going to marry for the sake of the alliance -"

"And you're worried I might interfere?"

It sounded ridiculous. Ivy just agreed to step aside, didn't she? Why was this girl still hung up on it?

Emma shook her head, denying it with tears in her eyes, "No, that's not what I meant!"

Ivy watched her act for a while before a smile appeared on her lips. She should know better than anyone else what kind of person Emma was. Nothing this girl ever did wasn't for herself.

"So you're here to check whether I still have feelings for the man you're about to marry." Ivy mused.

Emma sniffled loudly, tears talking down her cheeks. "That's not fair. I just wanted to apologise for everything that happened. I don't want to start off on the wrong foot."

"You already apologised." Ivy said.

"It's not enough. If I had said something three years ago, you wouldn't have had to go to the palace and suffer so much."

That hit a nerve. Ivy also wanted her to speak up three years ago. But there was no medicine for regret. And Ivy knew for a fact Emma didn't regret anything. She had no idea why Emma was acting like a victim all of a sudden.

It's like a person bombs a building and starts crying about it. It would be funny if Ivy wasn't the one paying the price.

Since they were already on the topic, Ivy asked something that's been bothering her for a long time. "Emma, did you ruin the crown on purpose?"

Emma froze. For a moment, even the air seemed to fall still. Emma looked at her in disbelief. "What?"

"The princess' crown." Ivy repeated. "Did you ruin it on purpose three years ago?"

Emma kept staring. The straightforward words didn't seem to make sense to her. After a long stretch of silence, Emma asked, her voice shaking, "Why would I do that?"

"I was just wondering." Ivy shrugged.

"No." Emma denied firmly this time. "Of course not. I would never do that."

Ivy nodded indifferently, "I see."

"I didn't come here to argue with you." Emma said, wiping tears off her cheeks. "I just wanted to apologise once again."

Ivy didn't need her fake apology. Emma waited awkwardly for Ivy to respond but it never came. After a while, she turned away to leave. "I'll leave you alone now."

Emma walked down the empty hallway in dragged out steps. Ivy made sure she was gone before stepping inside.

She reached for the door when suddenly a loud crash echoed through the house. Followed by a gut wenching, painful cry.

Her body moved before any of it made sense. Ivy ignored the pain in her ankle and raced down the hallway, reaching the stairs in no time. From up there, she saw the horrific scene below.

Emma lay unconscious at the bottom of the stairs. Her body had collapsed at an awkward angle on the last few steps, an arm twisted beneath her. Her eyes were closed shut.