Desired By The Dark Alpha Brothers

Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3: A Job Out Of Nowhere

Ivy's POV

“What the hell…” I muttered, sitting on my bed, staring down at the envelope like it had just sprouted legs and tried to eat me. My fingers traced its edges nervously, flipping it over, examining the wax seal, the neat handwriting on the front.

I’d seen a lot in my life, but this… this was something else entirely. The envelope felt oddly heavy in my hands, like it carried the weight of a secret no one was supposed to know.

I hesitated, then carefully turned it over again. My eyes scanned the name written so clearly: Ivy Harrington. The handwriting was elegant, old-fashioned, curling like it belonged in some period drama.

My mind wandered before I even opened it. I could almost hear my mom’s voice whispering in my ear.

“Greyhaven is not like other towns, Ivy. Misty, rainy, hidden past the mountains. Packs live there… families bound together… wolves, Ivy. Wolves, not the kind you see in stories, but real ones. Strong, dangerous, loyal to their own.”

I’d been little when she said that. I remembered the fascination in her eyes, the way she’d wrap me in her arms while telling me stories of packs, of a town so remote it seemed forgotten by the rest of the world. I’d laughed, told her she was imagining things. Ghost stories. Old legends and I had stopped believing when I got older.

So why the hell was I holding this envelope now?

I took a deep breath and tore it open, the paper inside crisp, slightly yellowed, the edges curled. I blinked when I saw it. Each word was written in ink, with a quill no less. I muttered to myself, “What is this, some Harry Potter s**t?”

The letter was formal, polite, and commanding all at once.

Miss Ivy Harrington, it began, it is with great pleasure that I extend an offer of employment to you at Blackthorn Manor. Your role will be governess and tutor to Miss Mila Blackthorn. This is a live-in position. All expenses will be covered, and the remuneration will be generous, commensurate with the importance of the position.

I paused.

Live-in?

I flipped the letter to see more details. The next paragraph included a train ticket, neatly folded and tucked inside the envelope, with instructions: Please proceed to Greyhaven via the attached ticket. Should you choose not to accept this position, kindly destroy this letter by fire.

My hands shook slightly.

I turned the letter over again, staring at the signature. Lucian Blackthorn.

I blinked. Read it again. No, I wasn’t imagining it.

“Lucian Blackthorn?” I whispered. “Who the hell even sends letters like this anymore?”

I put the letter down and leaned back against my bed, letting my fingers trace the envelope edges again. Something about it unsettled me. Part of me wanted to laugh it off. Someone’s idea of a prank. Right? Maybe a rich kid at some fancy academy somewhere, getting revenge for my… situation with Mark. But why the train ticket? And why such formal writing?

I shivered despite myself. My apartment suddenly felt colder.

I tucked the envelope carefully into my wardrobe. Out of sight, out of mind. Maybe if I ignored it, it would go away.

But the more I thought about it, the more the idea took root in my mind. Greyhaven. Packs. Wolves. Stories my mom had told me as a kid. Legends. Something about it felt… alive. Compelling. Dangerous, maybe, but alluring too.

A few days passed. I tried to distract myself, tried to ignore the envelope. But life had a funny way of forcing my attention back to reality.

One night, I left to get groceries. The streets were quiet, lit only by the flickering glow of streetlamps. I clutched the paper bags to my chest as I walked home, trying not to think about the letter or the strange pull I felt toward it.

I didn’t see them at first. A group of boys from my university appeared from a corner, leaning lazily against the brick walls. Their eyes lit up when they saw me.

“Well, look who we have here,” one of them called out. “The little campus princess herself.”

I frowned and kept walking.

“Hey, Ivy!” another yelled, stepping into my path. “Didn’t expect to see you out alone. Or… are you looking for someone to play with?”

I froze.

“Excuse me?” I asked, voice sharper than I intended.

They laughed, low and cruel.

“Oh, come on,” the first one said, grinning. “We’ve heard things. You like professors, right? Or maybe you want to try us instead?”

I felt my stomach churn.

“You’re insane,” I spat. “Move out of my way.”

“Or what?” The tallest one stepped closer. “You gonna scream? Maybe we can have a little fun first.”

My fingers tightened around the handles of my grocery bags. Panic surged. My eyes darted around the street. Empty. Too empty.

I had no choice.

I swung the bags with all my strength. One boy yelped as it hit him in the leg. It was enough to distract them. I bolted, groceries spilling everywhere, papers fluttering into the air, cans rolling across the street.

I didn’t stop until I reached my apartment door. My chest heaving, tears stinging my eyes. My groceries were ruined. Everything felt ruined.

I collapsed onto the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. I couldn’t stay here. Not anymore. Not after Mark. Not after everything.

I grabbed the envelope from the wardrobe. My hands shook as I pulled it out. I folded the letter neatly, tucked the train ticket into my pocket. I had nothing to lose.

Packing was chaotic. I grabbed what I could, shoved clothes into a bag, stuffed toiletries haphazardly into a small suitcase. I didn’t care about forgetting things. The letter, the ticket, that was all I needed.

The night was crisp when I left. The station was quiet, fog curling along the tracks. I clutched my bag, ticket in hand, heart hammering.

The train arrived. Not many passengers boarded. I found a seat near the middle of the car, settling in with the hum of the engine vibrating under me.

As we started moving, I glanced around. Empty. Too empty. Every stop, people got off. And each time I looked up, there was one man sitting at the back.

He didn’t move. Didn’t blink, or at least I couldn’t see him blink. His coat was long and dark, fur at the collar. His hat shadowed his face.

Ivy Harrington, you’re being paranoid, I muttered in my head. But I couldn’t shake the unease curling around my ribs.

I dozed in short intervals. When I woke, the man was still there. Motionless. Watching.

The night dragged on, fog pressing against the windows like something alive. Every stop grew emptier. Finally, it was just the two of us and the rhythmic click of the train on the tracks.

Finally, the conductor announced, voice echoing hollowly, “Greyhaven. Next stop, Greyhaven.”

The man rose immediately. Without a word, he walked to the door, opened it, and vanished into the mist outside. Just like that. No warning, no sound.

I swallowed hard, gripping my bag tighter. I didn’t even know where to go. Greyhaven was silent, the mist curling along the streetlights, hiding the world beyond. My chest tightened.

What the hell have I gotten myself into? I whispered.

I stepped off the train, boots clicking softly on the wet platform. The mist made everything eerie, like the town was breathing around me and then I heard it.

“Ivy Harrington?”

I froze mid-ste and my eyes darted around. The fog swallowed everything, twisting shadows into shapes that might have been human. I wiped my eyes, heart hammering against my ribs.

“Who’s there?” I called, voice trembling just slightly…