Poisoned Ivy

Chapter 16

"The Council is willing to allow you to stay." Benji sits behind his desk in his home office while I stand on the other side of it.

"Was there much of a choice?" I mutter.

Benji frowns, "What do you mean?"

I cross my arms, "It's not like they'd take me away now that I'm a..." I can't bring myself to say it. Lupa Luna sounds dumb like Umpa Lumpa, and even the title of Luna sounds so...cliché.

"Yes they could." Benji corrects. "It's not above them to take girls who aren't spoken for."

"Aren't spoken for?" My frown deepens.

Benji sighs, "Look Ivy, in our society, shifters are known to be sexist, especially the Council. They look at females as property that belong to their mates, fathers, brothers, grandfathers, and uncles." He locks eyes with me, "You don't have any of those, so it is the right of the Council to act as your masters."

"I don't have a master." I bite.

"Which is why I bound my pack to you." Benji explains.

I look up from his choice of words. Did he just say I am not bound the the pack?

"Yes." Benji nods, "Most wolves resent their Lunas because Lunas can control their wolves. That tension turns into aggression and is taken out on the females."

"I bound my pack to you because I knew that the Council wouldn't dare risk the consequences. Since we barely managed to maintain our wolves when my wife died, the Council would not risk my pack almost going savage a second time. I don't think my boys would be able to manage through that pain again." Benji seems to choke at the thought of Grace. My heart goes out to him.

"But let me clarify Ivy," Benji locks eyes with me, "They are only allowing you to remain here with me if you are going to listen to me and acknowledge me as your superior."

"As my master?" I cautiously challenge.

"As your Alpha." He corrects, "Like Garret, Roman, Cameron, Wren, Henry, and Cole do. As far as I am concerned your status is equal to my sons. No one will mistreat you while you are in my pack."

"What if I leave?" I look down, my feet became so interesting at that moment.

"You may run as far as your legs can take you, but our wolves will follow you to the ends of the earth." Benji is dead serious, I can feel it in my heart without even looking at him. I don't respond to him, "You may go."

I look up, surprised that he's not just dismissing me from his office. I turn to leave as Benji starts to go through his papers scattered on his desk. I put my hand on the doorknob and pause. I turn back around, "Benji?"

He looks up from his desk. "Yes?"

I sigh, "How did you know I was born a shifter?"

"The location of your mark. No sane shifter would dare to try biting you there as a baby." He explains, "You would've died if they did."

I nod and tell him good night before exiting the office. I come face to face with Cameron as he and the other brothers had an ear to the door. "Real mature." I roll my eyes, but I get it, the office is the only insulated room in the house. You can't hear much through the walls, only the door. My Grandpa Walter had used it to conduct his work with privacy. I never knew what he did, but whatever it was, it paid for tons of land with a giant mansion in the woods.

"Speaking of mansion," Cameron quirks a brow playfully, "are there any secret passageways in this house?"

"No." I respond before pushing past him to go upstairs.

"We'll call you when dinner's ready." Henry offers.

I keep walking, "Don't bother, I'm not hungry."

I shut the door to my room and tackle the bed with my face down. I silently muffle my cries with my pillow.

Why did this have to happen?

"Because you are a stupid Luna." That voice's words infect me like poison in my veins.

I close my puffy eyes and imagine her. She shows herself to me: a white wolf, just the size of mine, with blood red eyes.

"What do you want?" I sigh.

"What do you think?" She sighs.

"Who are you?" I raise a brow.

"Who do you think?" She raises a brow.

I roll my eyes, "Why are you here?"

She rolls hers, "Why do you think?"

"IVY!" I feel myself being violently shaken awake. I open my eyes and turn over to see Henry with a worried look on his face.

I frown and rub the sleep out of my eyes, "What's wrong?"

"We-we..." His words are a jagged, panicked breath. He hugs me tightly, "We couldn't feel you."

"Well duh, you were downstairs." I respond.

"I mean your mind." Henry pulls away, "I tried reaching out for it and it just wasn't there."

That bitch must've done something while I was talking to her. Now to figure out who the hell she is. "Hey Henry, what did Grace's wolf look like?"

"Reddish brown with yellow eyes. Why?" His brown eyes are so trusting.

"Just curious." So she's not the psycho in my head. Yay.

Henry gets off the bed, "Do you need anything?"

Answers. Privacy. Solitude. I shake my head, "Goodnight."

"Goodnight." He replies before turning the light off and shutting the door behind him.