𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆, 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 ✧ 𝐬𝐚𝐦 𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐲

25

A/N: Holy hell, 55k. I'm overwhelmed by the amount of reads this got while I was away. Here is a new chapter. I was REALLY going to give up on this book but it's back due to popular demand! I hope it was worth the wait. I'll try to update more! I'll edit this all when I have the time. Cheers.

Ace was a strange character. For one, he didn't let Edward read his mind. Edward couldn't. It was just like Bella. Nothing, not even a shadow he could analyze. It's not like he was hiding anything either, Edward just couldn't read it. Alice only saw one future, no matter the outcome, Ace always left the Cullens' unscathed.

There was no point in fighting him if he tried anything. The fact of the matter was that he didn't try anything at all. He only wanted to talk to Ivy.

"It seems as though the scriptures were right. I have found the next Alpha. I was the second-in-command for the one before you, and the one before, and the one before him, too." Ace grinned from ear to ear. It reminded Ivy of the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland. That same type of menacing happiness.

"I'm here to serve you in any way possible. I am forever in your service." Ace bowed. Everyone else was shocked by this. Unable to speak as well, Ivy was stunned.

"I...there's no need—" She paused in bewilderment, "What?" Ivy couldn't stifle the giggle that escaped her lips. "Ace" on the other hand, looked dead serious. A small smile on his lips.

She looked to Carlisle, her eyes screaming at him to help. Carlisle shook his head and shrugged. He wasn't an Alpha, it wasn't his place to say.

"Well, Ivy. It's really up to you."

She shook her head. "Look. I'd love to be friends. But this is a weird way to go about this. I don't want nor do I need a servant. How long has it been since you last had to serve an Alpha...or whatever?"

"Maybe about 100 years ago."

100 years ago, the Alpha before her was still alive. Something in her wanted to know what happened, but she was too shy to ask.

"What happened to them?" Edward asked, seemingly reading her mind.

"He was killed. By another vampire."

"I appreciate your dedication, Ace, but I don't really need a butler following me around." Ivy explains gently as she always does, her voice reminiscent of a summer breeze, warm and airy.

"I think it's time for you to leave." Edward abruptly says, surprising everyone but Alice, who darts her eyes to the floor and pretends like she isn't there. Ace surprisingly stayed calm, he had not once bared his fangs at them, no matter how hostile most of the family was.

He was urged out the door, but before they could throw him out, he changed their minds.

"I don't think it would be very smart for you to discard the only one that truly knows everything there is to know about Alphas." He said, "Yes. I know it's been hard for you all to understand her. Understand her powers — her gifts. You mustn't worry about my intentions. I have always served the Alpha." His stone cold expression was unreadable.

Everyone turned to Ivy. She sighed a tired sigh, only wanting to let this all go.

"Listen, you can hang out with us but you have to find your own place, okay? We've got a lot on our hands at the moment."

Ace grinned like a cheshire cat, bowing down to place a chaste kiss on her hand. "Music to my ears. I'll keep in touch." And with that, he disappeared into the woods.

For the next few days, the Cullen family went on as if nothing happened. No word from Ace or anybody. To keep themselves occupied the "siblings" decided to play some board games together like they usually do. This time it was scrabble.