His Abandoned Luna, Her Disabled Alpha

CHAPTER 9

Ivy didn't hesitate to climb down despite the pain in her ankle slowing her down. She knelt besides Emma and tried to lift her shoulders, repeatedly calling her.

Emma's breathing was shallow and her head tilted to the side, likely because of the impact during the fall.

"Emma, can you hear me?!" Ivy shouted so loud her voice reached every corner of the pack house.

Suddenly, someone grabbed her by the arm and pushed her aside. Ivy crashed directly into the railings. Her side burned and the pain blinded her for a second.

When Ivy came to her senses, she saw a chaotic scene before her. Everyone had gathered around Emma; Luna Doris was crying and the maids were rushing for help. At that moment, Ivy wondered why she tried to risk it all?

Emma didn't lack people who wanted to keep her safe. Ivy only had herself. She decided to leave quietly without drawing any attention.

However, the moment she tried to leave, a hand landed on her shoulder, pulling her back.

Ivy was sensitive to touch and disliked when strangers put their hands on her. She turned back, intending to warn the other person when she noticed the way everyone was staring at her. Their look was something Ivy could recognise in a heartbeat.

Strange. There was accusation in their eyes. Why?

The maid holding her down also looked familiar. Ivy recalled seeing her around Emma quite a lot. Just as the thought crossed her mind, the maid stabbed a finger at Ivy's face and said,

"Luna, it was her. She is the one who pushed Miss Emma down the stairs!"

Her sharp words cut through the chaos. Suddenly, all eyes were on Ivy, questions and doubts rained on her like glass. Her breath caught, words of denial were on her lips when a sobbing, quiet question came from Luna Doris, "Did you...really... Did you push her.... Ivy?"

Luna Doris' gaze shifted from Emma to Ivy. Panic and fear clouded her eyes, but beneath it was unmistakable doubt. Ivy parted her lips, the answer lingering on it but never spilled.

Something about Luna Doris' tone made her stop. The several eyes full of malice and accusation didn't hit as hard as her doubt did. That hesitation was a thorn on her skin. As if, even for a second, she believed it could be true.

They don't share the same blood, but Ivy was raised by Luna Doris since she was a child. If there was anyone who should have trusted Ivy, shouldn't it have been her?

Every flicker of doubt in the Luna's eyes added bricks to the wall Ivy built around herself. It stood between her and them.

The defence that was sitting on her lips, died before it could be spoken. Her face was ashen with pain, yet her eyes were hard as ice. It wasn't that she expected anything else.

Still, it hurt like a twist of knife deep into the flesh.

The silence stretched to it's limits. While the questions didn't melt, Ivy's resolve to explain did. She lowered her eyes to the ground out of habit, submission clearly visible in her full eyes.

Her heart ached to defend itself against the accusations but a body beaten into submission for three years hardly knew how to stand for itself anymore. It made habitual choices.

It surrendered. Hoping for the calamity to pass like it did each day for the past three years.

"What's going on? Move!"

A loud roar cut through the tension like butter. Ivy raised her eyes and saw Luke pushing through the crowd of servants.

His gaze landed on Emma, unconscious and bleeding, and everything slipped out of his mind. Every thought was replaced by an overwhelming sense of urgency.

"What happened?!" He exclaimed.

The maids lowered their heads, afraid to answer. He didn't wait for it either. Luke dropped to his knees next to Emma and grabbed her hand to check her pulse.

His movements were impressively slow and controlled for someone so visibly panicked. Ivy couldn't contain the flow of envy in her eyes, so she lowered her gaze futher down to hide it.

"Luke.." Luna Doris cried helplessly. "She is not waking up. Do something..."

"Don't worry, mom. She'll be fine." Luke assured, sighing in relief once he found her pulse. "Call a doctor! Quick!"

Then without hesitation, he slid one arm under her shoulder and the other under her knees, lifting her carefully as though she might break in his hold.

He adjusted her in his arms and turned towards the stairs, intending to take her back to her room when suddenly a maid rushed forward and fell on his feet. He jolted back in surprise, nearly losing his hold on Emma.

Luke stared at the maid, jaw clenched, waiting impatiently for her to explain her actions. The maid trembled at his feet.

"Sir, Miss Emma didn't fall on her own. It was Miss Ivy who pushed her. You need to give Miss Emma justice!" She cried.

Luke frowned at her words and stepped to the side to avoid her. "Emma's health is most important at the moment. Save the questions and accusations for later."

Luna Doris wiped her tears and followed Luke. Her attention was entirely fixed on Emma. Luke's gaze flickered, briefly, and landed on Ivy. Their eyes met across the distance. In that brief moment, Ivy saw more than just raw anger or accusation in his eyes.

There was hesitation in those eyes that always blazed with fire. In them, Ivy saw confusion and hint of concern, asking in silence as if they didn't believe Ivy could do it. Yet, the evidence was real, limp in his arms. The conflict in his eyes stayed for a heartbeat, then disappeared with a blink. Luke looked away first.

He held Emma steadily and walked past Ivy without a word, his focus entirely on the unconscious girl in his arms. Any conflict that crossed his expression was buried beneath something stronger.

Emma needed him.

At the moment, his love and concern for Emma outweighed everything else. Even doubts and hesitation. Even Ivy.