The King (Alpha Trilogy #3)

Chapter 25

Lorenzo

I watch as Lia walks out from Ivy's room, eager to hear what my mate thinks about everything. I called Lia last night and told her about Ivy's situation, asking her to see my mate. Of course, I offered to arrange transport for her but she quickly refused, saying it'd take too long. I proved her wrong when I had my private jet ready within an hour, along with the car that picked her up from the airport.

After Lia arrived, along with Blake, she immediately went to see Ivy, leaving me and her man in the living room.

"Oh shit..." Lia breathes out, falling onto the couch tiredly, having talked to my mate for the last few hours. I knew Ivy doesn't remember her and I warned Lia about this, but from the moment the two girls were left alone, all I could hear was Lia's voice and Ivy's quick scribbling on the paper.

I understood that my mate was in good hands, so I decided to fill Blake in everything that went on with my Ivy. He was surprised, to say the least. He told me that for those months my sweet Ivy was missing, they kept trying to contact her, but all they got were strange, un-Ivy-like messages that told them to bug off and leave her alone for a while because she's with me.

If only that was true.

That fucker Jake and Ivy's father used her fucking phone to create the delusion that she's safe so no one would look for her! They tried to cover up what they'd done! I can only thank the god that Lia is not naive and didn't believe the texts she got.

Blake told me all about how he and Lia took it upon themselves to look further into what happened. I also heard that the blonde witch actually revealed her identity in the Ring. She literally told everyone about herself and asked them for help with catching someone. I don't really know who was it that they'd been looking for, but apparently they've been through some serious shit too over the last months.

Yet they still cared to look into my mate's disappearance. Those two are something people can usually only dream of. In my thousands of years of living, I have never been so surprised by humans. I wouldn't even be shocked if one of them was a wolf at this point, cause the connection they share can be easily compared with the mate bond.

I also can't ignore the care Lia has for my Ivy. She didn't even hesitate when I told her about Ivy's situation and came here literally the next day. She just dropped everything and flew to Canada to see her friend. It's extremely heartwarming that my little mate has a friend as loyal as Lia, but it also worries me. If Ivy accepts me as a mate, she'll be bound to immortality, meaning she's going to witness the death of everyone she knows and cherishes. I've gone through it myself and I know that it's not easy.

Especially for someone as soft and gentle as my Ivy. Watching everyone you know and love die, while you remain young and healthy is not as great as some people make it seem. Ivy wasn't raised to deal with that much pain and loss. She's not prepared for this.

Which is why I didn't want to pull her into our world too soon. I wanted her to enjoy her youth, hopefully with me, and then make her my queen. I wanted to give her the choice, even though it hurt me to stay away.

But now that choice was taken from her and there's nothing I can do about it. It's either getting my mark or die.

I hate that it came to this.

"What are you going to do now?" I'm pulled from my thoughts by Lia's voice.

"In order for Ivy to heal, I have to mark her. Did she tell you about that?"

"Yeah... She also mentioned a 'heat'. Fuck, Lorenzo! She's scared shitless! You told her she'd be in excruciating pain for days!" Lia exclaims before sighing heavily as she runs her hand through her hair.

"I had to tell her that. I don't want to keep things from her. She's my mate!" I growl at her.

"I get it. Jesus Christ, this is madness. You're a werewolf, Ivy's your mate, you're four thousand years old, there are other werewolves, witches, undeads, whatever that is... That's so much to take. I seriously liked you better as the fighting club owner." Lia chuckles forcibly, but I can tell she's bothered by what she learned. I glance curiously at her man, only to almost burst out laughing when I see him casually scrolling through his phone.

"How are you so calm right now?" I decide to ask him, making Lia turn to him too.

"Exactly, why aren't you saying anything about this?" She implores curiously.

"Kitten, we've been through way too much crazy shit to be bothered by this. I guess nothing can surprise me anymore after all that's happened." He shrugs, wrapping his arm around Lia's shoulder and pulling her into his side.

"I guess you're right. – Lia sighs, snuggling into her man, then turns to me – So why did you need me here? Apart from talking to Ivy."

"After I mark Ivy, she'll go into heat. And I won't be able to stay with her during that time. It will drive me crazy. I need you to stay with her and make sure she's safe and taken care of."

"Why don't you ask your fellow werewolves to protect her?" She smirks smugly, already knowing the answer to this question.

I growl in annoyance. "For one, I don't want to overwhelm her even more. Two, I can't trust other wolves with her, because once she's in heat, they'll fucking try to get to her. And three, no man is touching what's mine."

My answer seems to satisfy the cheeky witch as she nods in understanding. I know it may be taken wrongly when I say no one but me is allowed to touch my mate, but I don't care. Ivy's mine. If she accepts me, she'll be the future Alpha Queen. But before that happens, I can't let any other male get anywhere near her. The word that I found my mate already got out and it won't be long before someone decides to use her against me.

I have enemies that will do everything it takes to see me fall.

And Ivy is the only way to do that.

She's my only weakness.

But what no one realizes is that she's also my strength.

For her, I can do anything.

For her, I can change anything.

For her, I can become anything.