Ivy POV
Anger. It coursed through me like a wildfire as I tried to come to terms with what I was seeing.
“Seems you both are having fun, aren’t you?”
“James, it’s so lovely to see you.” The woman purred as she ran her hand over Damian’s chest. His face unreadable as it paled at the sight of me.
“What are you doing here?” Hale finally asks, as his brows narrow at me. “I figured you would be living your life in Georgia.”
The man speaking was not the same Hale I had known before. This man was unrecognizable, and it killed me he was acting the way he was. My heart breaking, I felt James step closer to me, but at the same time, I had to handle this myself.
“Yeah, and I never thought the man I fell in love with would be sitting here with a naked woman, moving on so quickly after everything that had happened. Yet, here we are.”
My snarky response caused the woman on Damian to laugh. “Wait, is this the girl?”
Clearing his throat, Damian tried to remove himself from Shamira. Her eyes darted to Damian as he moved before quickly grasping him and pulling him back.
“Interesting,” I snapped.
“Oh, she is feisty. Tell me, girl, why are you here?” she asked, putting her gaze on me once more. The look in her eye stirred something inside me that wanted to rip her apart.
“Well, I came to collect what belongs to me, but I see that they have found entertainment where they don’t belong. Funny how that works,” I grit out as James wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me closer.
“We should go–” he murmurs, causing Hale to look between the two of us before standing to his feet.
“You’re mated?” He asks, snapping James’ attention, who looks at him with a small nod.
“You have missed a lot brother, and I thought Damian came here to bring you home, but it looks like that is not the case.” James snarled as Damian’s eyes flickered, his wolf fighting for control.
Every time Shamira touched Damian, my anger rose a little more. I knew that this wasn’t the boys’ territory, and even though I was still very new to their world, I had to remain calm. Otherwise, I would do more damage than needed.
“Damian, we need to leave,” I said, clearing my throat deciding to deal with him later.
“Oh, he isn’t going anywhere.” Shamira laughed, “I don’t know why you, as a human, think you have the right to tell him anything. He is mine, and you lost your chance. Plus, humans don’t breed strong children, where I can.”
Her words stung, and as a growl left James, I held my hand up and pulled my hair to the side to show off James’ mark. “They are mine, and I am here to collect what rightfully belongs to me, so it’s in your best interest to stand down.”
Hale’s eyes widened as I spoke, and slowly, he stepped near me. “That isn’t possible.”
“Who the f c k do you think you are to speak to me like that?” The woman shrieked as she stood to her feet, “do you know who I am?”
Laughter left my lips as I shook my head, watching as Damian stood next to her and shook his head for me to stop. But it didn’t matter, because this was a fight I wouldn’t back down from.
“I don’t care who you are. I am their rightful Luna, and you will back down now.” I said sternly, with more confidence than I thought I had to begin with.
Something about the way I spoke seemed to make the guards step back, and even the woman in front of me to second guess her actions. However, Hale stepped back from me, clenching his fists as he stared at the mark upon my neck.
“I don’t understand,” he replied, “regardless this means nothing. What happened, happened.”
The hurt from his words caused pain to shoot to my heart as it crumbled a little more.
“Hale, just come with us and listen to what we have to say. Don’t do this.” James replied as Damian stepped forward, shrugging Shamira off as she tried to reach for him.
“James is right,” Damien replied, staring at me with a lust filled look that I chose to shrug off. “Ivy, please let me explain. I can see you’re upset.”
“Upset?” I laughed, “I’m not upset. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Enough of this!” The woman screamed again as she pushed her way towards us, and grabbed me, throwing me to the side. “You are a worthless human!”
Growls echoed around me as the three of the guys turned towards her in a menacing way.
“You dare touch what is mine!” James all but roared, as I slowly made my way back towards them. His wolf was on the brink of breaking through as I tried to shush him and calm him down.
“Please, let’s not do this here.” I pleaded with them, “she isn’t worth it. Let’s just go. Please.”
A grip on my hair pulled me back, and I realized quickly that the woman had a hold of me. Turning in her grasp, I lashed out, punching her in her face. Pain radiating through my hand as I realized I had just hit this she-wolf.
“You s t u p i d b t c h!” She roared as she tried to lunge at me again, only to be grabbed by an older man with graying hair.
Everyone seemed to freeze at the man’s arrival–all but me.
“Enough of this,” he replied firmly as he stared at the woman, “you disrespect me with your actions Shamira.”
“Father–” she choked out, “she hit me… you have to punish her.”
“I saw everything through the camera, Shamira. You started this, and now you will go.” Shaking his head, he shoved her towards a security guard who drug her out of the private lounge. His eyes slowly trailing back towards me.
“I apologize for my daughter’s behavior. I have spoiled her too much in life. Are you okay, my dear?” He asked me with nothing but sincerity in his eyes.
“Yes,” I replied with a nod before turning to look at James, Damian, and Hale.
They were unmoving and firm in their place as the man’s eyes wandered over me before glancing towards them. “I hope that my daughter’s actions have not caused ill blood between us.”
“She attacked my mate—” James snarled, but stopped as I held my hand up.
“There is no ill blood between us, sir. What’s done is done, and we will be leaving the city tomorrow. I do apologize for the inconvenience we have caused you.”
My response causes a smile to line his face as he clasps his hands in front of him and nods before looking at the guys. “You have a fine, Luna. The goddess has blessed you all with her presence.”
“Thank you for your hospitality. We are very blessed to have her.” Damian finally said, speaking up, as James wrapped his arm around me and pulled me away to let them talk.
I knew full well he was trying to rein his wolf in that wanted blood, but at the same time, we couldn’t lash out when we were in someone else’s territory. I was glad that he had controlled himself. I didn’t want a war caused because of me.
“Are you okay?” Hale’s voice said from behind me, causing James and I to stop.
Turning slowly, I looked at him, blinking back tears, “will you come with us?”
“I don’t–” he sighed, trying to find the words I didn’t want him to say. Questions of whether he had ever actually loved me swirling through my mind.
“I’m sorry..” I replied, not waiting another moment to hear him as I pulled away from James and pushed my way through the crowd till I hit the cool air of the night.
My main objective had been to come and get the men I loved, and instead, I was faced with sights I hadn’t wanted to see. Damian was in the arms of another woman, and Hale didn’t want me.
Hale, a man I loved, didn’t want me after everything that had happened.
My mind was fogged over with thoughts as a black sedan pulled up to the curb and James came out, ushering me inside it. All I wanted to do was to go home. I had hoped finding Hale would have been as it was with James, but I was so wrong.
I had lost him, and that killed me.
As for Damian… could I trust him after what had happened?
I wasn’t sure, but part of me wanted to believe he wasn’t trying to hurt me.
