Fractured Truths
1348 Words
The morning sun filtered through the heavy wooden shutters, streaking the room with uneven bands of light. Ivy stood by the window, arms crossed as she watched the village below come alive. Wolves hauled supplies, sparred in an open clearing, and moved with a quiet efficiency that made her feel like an intruder. Every glance, every whispered word, reminded her she didn’t belong here—not really. And yet, she was supposed to act like she did.
She still hadn’t wrapped her head around Kael’s sudden declaration that they were “courting.” A distant pack, he’d said. Convenient. Neat. Easy to sell. Except he hadn’t told her, hadn’t prepared her, just tossed her into the middle of it and expected her to adapt.
The soft creak of the door broke her thoughts. Kael stepped inside, his presence as steady and unshakable as ever. His silver eyes found her immediately, sharp and assessing. His expression was calm, unreadable, as if he hadn’t left her with a thousand unanswered questions the night before.
“You’re awake,” he said simply.
Ivy turned, leaning against the window frame. “And here I thought I’d try sleeping standing up. Guess it didn’t work.”
Kael’s lips twitched, just slightly. “Good to know your humor survived the council meeting.”
“Barely,” Ivy muttered, spinning around to face him. She leaned against the window frame, arms still crossed tighter. “You gonna tell me why I woke up this morning with a fake pack?”
Kael poured himself a cup of water, taking his time before answering. “It was simpler this way.”
“For who?” Ivy snapped. “Because it’s not simpler for me. You didn’t think to warn me? What happens when someone asks a question I can’t answer?”
“They didn’t,” Kael said, setting the cup down. “And you handled yourself just fine.”
“That’s not the point,” she said, her frustration flaring. “You can’t just expect me to play along with your little games without telling me the rules.”
Kael tilted his head, his gaze steady and unnervingly calm. “The only rule is simple: trust me.”
Ivy laughed sharply, the sound cutting through the room. “Trust you? That’s rich coming from the guy who keeps lying to me.”
“If I lied,” Kael said evenly, “it was to protect you.”
She stepped away from the window, closing the distance between them. “Protect me? Or protect yourself? Because I remember what you said before—‘I don’t want their mate. I need someone else.’” She stared him down, her voice turning colder. “Who’s ‘their mate,’ Kael?”
His jaw tightened, and for a moment, Ivy thought he might walk away. But then he sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. “Her name is Elara. She’s the niece of Lorne, one of the senior council members.”
“And the council wanted you to bond with her,” Ivy guessed.
“They didn’t just want it,” Kael replied. “They pushed for it. Elara’s family has influence, and marrying her would have tied me to their interests.”
Ivy raised an eyebrow, her tone dry. “And you didn’t want to be their puppet.”
Kael’s lips quirked slightly, though the humor didn’t reach his eyes. “Something like that.”
“So instead of dealing with Elara and her family, you dragged me into this mess,” Ivy said, shaking her head. “You’re really something, Kael.”
“I didn’t drag you into anything,” Kael said, his voice softening. “I chose you because I knew you could handle it.”
Her breath caught, just for a moment. There was something in his tone—something steady and unshakable—that made her chest tighten. She hated it. Hated how easily he could unsettle her with a few words. She straightened her spine, letting her frustration drown out whatever flicker of warmth had threatened to take root.
“Handle it,” she repeated, her voice sharper now. “This whole thing is a gamble, and you know it. What happens when they figure out I’m not from some distant pack?”
“They won’t,” Kael said simply. “Not if we play this right.”
Ivy scoffed, taking a step closer. “You say that like this is just a game to you.”
Kael’s silver eyes locked onto hers, their intensity making her pause. “It’s not a game. It’s survival. For you, for your brother, and for this pack.”
Her chest tightened again, this time from a different kind of frustration. She wanted to hate him, wanted to tear apart his calm, calculated demeanor. But there was something else there too, something she couldn’t quite name—a weight to his words that made her think he wasn’t just talking about her survival.
“And what happens when you don’t need me anymore?” she asked quietly, her voice barely more than a whisper.
Kael’s gaze didn’t waver. “We’ll deal with that when the time comes.”
The silence that followed was heavy, filled with everything unsaid. Ivy’s pulse thrummed in her ears, her mind racing with questions she didn’t know how to ask. Finally, she stepped back, breaking the tension.
“I’m going out,” she said abruptly. “Might as well see what kind of place I’m stuck in.”
Kael nodded, his expression unreadable. “Don’t wander too far.”
She rolled her eyes. “Thanks, Dad.”
The village was alive with activity, wolves in human form sparring, hauling supplies, and tending to small gardens. Conversations dipped into hushed tones as Ivy passed, but she ignored the stares. Let them talk. She wasn’t here to make friends.
Her sharp eyes caught subtle details as she walked. An older man near the storage shed gestured emphatically, his words too quiet to hear but his body language tense. A young woman stacking firewood glanced Ivy’s way, her brows furrowing before she quickly turned back to her task. Every movement, every glance carried a hint of suspicion—polite on the surface but uneasy underneath.
A boy darted past her, clutching a stick like a sword. He stopped suddenly, his wide blue eyes locking onto her. “You’re the one who’s courting the Alpha,” he said, matter-of-fact.
Ivy raised an eyebrow. “That’s what they’re calling it, huh?”
The boy nodded solemnly. “Are you gonna be Luna?”
Ivy laughed softly, though there was no humor in it. “Let’s just see if I make it through the week.”
The boy frowned but scampered off without another word, leaving Ivy to continue her exploration. Everywhere she looked, there were signs of tension—strained expressions, whispered conversations, careful glances. It felt like the entire pack was holding its breath, waiting for something to snap.
When she returned to Kael’s home, the sun was dipping lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the village. She found him seated at the table, papers spread out in front of him. He looked up when she entered, his silver eyes watching her closely.
“Well?” he asked. “What did you think?”
She shrugged, leaning against the doorway. “They’re polite enough, but I wouldn’t expect any welcome parties. And there’s something else.”
Kael raised an eyebrow. “What?”
“There’s tension in the air,” Ivy said. “Not just about me—something bigger. Care to share?”
Kael’s gaze darkened slightly, but he didn’t answer right away. “For now, just focus on establishing yourself. The rest will come later.”
Ivy narrowed her eyes but didn’t press. She knew a dismissal when she heard one. “Fine. But if this little arrangement of yours blows up in my face, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Kael’s lips curved into a faint smile. “Noted.”
- Writer
