Bound to the Alpha King

10 - Defeated

Ivy's POV

It's too hot....

I place my hand above my eyes to shield them from the harsh sunlight that is out in full force today. It's beaming down over me, and I feel the intense warmth on my skin. I'm currently tending to the garden at the pack lands, as it's one of the many "duties" that Cole has assigned me with. I don't mind it, but some days it can be back breaking work, like today. Especially in this heat.

The garden itself is a marvel of beauty. A large open area that has a wide assortment of vegetables, flowers, and fruit trees. There are small greenhouses for different crops and a large shed for storage near the entrance. It's located close to my house too, so I don't have to rush to get where I'm going on days I work here. As much as I enjoy working in the garden, it is right beside the pack training grounds, so again I feel pangs of hurt when I see the warriors and trainees outside in the field.

Thankfully they aren't out today, so I could focus on my tasks here and not wallow in self-pity, at least not at this moment.

I pull up the basket I am holding, and I rest it on my hip to stabilize it as I walk towards the shed to deposit the cucumbers and squashes that I just picked. As I move into the shed, I take each item and place them into their respective storage crates until my basket is empty once again.

Rinse and repeat.

I continue harvesting for a while, getting into my groove until I hear a voice calling my name.

"Ivy."

I stop what I'm doing and turn to see Alarik standing just outside the perimeter of the garden, eyes focused intently on me.

Great.

I walk over to him, avoiding eye contact at first and placing the basket down by my feet.

"Beta. Can I help you?" My tone of voice is a little snippy and it doesn't go unnoticed, as Alarik steps inside the fenced perimeter and closer to me. "Curb that attitude before I'm forced to do something about it."

Forced... yeah right. You enjoy it motherfucker.

We stand in silence for a short moment, as I don't respond. Alarik then continues to speak. "You need to come with me, Alpha wants to go over things concerning the Alpha King's pending arrival."

"Why?" I question, and Alarik scowls at me. "Because he does. You don't need to question anything, nor do you have the right to."

"I'm not done here in the garden."

"You know you can come back afterwards. Enough with the excuses. You are coming with me now!" Alarik raises his voice with the last statement, and I sigh and roll my eyes.

I'm so tired of this bullshit...

Alarik comes up to me, kicking the basket by my feet away from me, and getting in my face. I don't waiver as he stares me down, not giving a shit about looking him in the eyes anymore.

"Who the fuck do you think you are? Do you want a beating?" He challenges me, and I maintain eye contact and glare at him intensely. "I am Ivy Pierce, and did you forget that I could kick your ass anytime I wanted?"

"Not without your wolf you can't."

"Then I guess you better hope that I don't get her back anytime soon."

We continue our stare down, and Alarik finally caves and steps away. "Let's go."

"Fine." I reply curtly and walk past him quickly, but I'm yanked back roughly by my arm. Alarik twists it in a god-awful angle, and then kicks my right knee and I buckle and hit the ground hard on both my knees. He leans down behind me while continually twisting my arm to the point where I feel it's going to break. I grit my teeth through the pain.

"Don't you ever do that to me again. Or next time, I will break your arm." He lets go and walks off ahead of me. I stand, holding my arm, rubbing it as I walk behind the asshole to the pack house.

You know if I had Seles here, I would rip your fucking throat out for what you've done to me over the years...

- - -

When I walk into the packhouse behind Alarik, I see Cole and his mate Elora speaking to each other in the main hall. Elora was a Beta's daughter from another local pack. Cole and she met when he had visited her pack and she came back here to live at Red Moon by his side as his Luna. She's a raging bitch, and honestly her and Cole deserve each other. I don't know how anyone else could have handled the tornado that is her. She's tall with long blond straight hair, although she's got it's braided back today. To me, she looks like a doll. Fake nails, tan, eyelashes and god knows what else. Just screams fake bitch. Cole can have her.

Speaking of Cole, it's then he looks over and sees us approaching. He kisses Elora and she walks past, shooting me a dirty look as she leaves.

I don't like you either, bitch.

"Ivy."

Here we go again. I'm not in the mood to deal with Cole either, but I keep my eyes glued to the floor, having already pushed the boundaries enough for today. I'm surprised Alarik hasn't mentioned our spat that just happened moments earlier, but I'll take it.

"You asked for me?" I say quietly as I stand there, and I'm surprised at what he says next.

"Yes, Ivy you can look at me for now." I raise my head and look at him tentatively, prepared to shoot my eyes down in case it's a trick. He's done that to me before, and the outcome was not pretty.

"The Alpha King is coming in a few days, as you know."

I nod. Time has been flying since the last time I saw him at Iron Wolf, and to be honest, I've been having increased anxiety about him coming here to Red Moon. There is no way that he won't notice what is going on here. Do I say something? Or just leave it be?

"You will be responsible for whatever the Alpha King needs while he is here, but you are in no way to tell him or even hint towards anything that happens in this pack. He is not to know about inner pack workings unless I decide to say something. Is that clear?"

I nod again, knowing that the consequences of saying anything will be severe for me.

Fuck.

"Also..." Cole begins, and I dread what else he's about to say. I wait in anticipation and needless to say it's a shock what comes out of his mouth.

"You're no longer going to be staying in the house with Genevieve and Kane after the Alpha King visits."

"What? Why?" I say out loud, not being able to contain my surprise.

"They support you too much. They helped you do the cleaning in the new building did they not?"

"It was impossible for me to finish on my own!" I exclaim, feeling anger bubble up under the surface.

He's not taking them away from me, no fucking way.

"You are solely responsible for your tasks that are given. You are not to be assisted. Since they have been helping you, you are no longer to stay with them or be in contact with them. You will be made a small room in the new building and that is where you will live after next week."

"You can't be serious..."

Cole looks at me, clearly enjoying my upset state. "Yes, I am serious. It's final."

"But!" I go to protest, and he holds his hand up. "The matter is settled. You know what is expected of you. Goodbye."

I look between Cole and Alarik and they both seems as if they're ready to break out in laughter. I turn and leave the packhouse, feeling angry but defeated. How am I going to survive here without Kane and Genevieve? They're the only people helping me hold it together.

As I walk back to the house that will no longer be home soon, a thought pops into my mind and it doesn't take long for it to take root.

I'm leaving Red Moon and never coming back. 

___________________

 - 10 chapters in!! Getting into it now! Thank you for the support and reads!

 - Next one coming soon!

 - See you in the next one! - vv