Chapter 156: Where Have You Been?

Ivy’s POV

We stood at the corner of some street I’d never seen before. The lamppost flickered like it had given up on life, and the pavement smelled like regret. Somewhere far off, a siren wailed.

Nyxara inhaled deeply. Ah, the sweet scent of urban decay.

That’s not comforting, I told her, shifting my weight.

It should be. It means no one’s going to notice us if we suddenly “misplace” a human or two.

I rolled my eyes and started walking, letting my boots scuff against the cracked concrete. I wasn’t entirely sure where we were going, but Nyxara seemed confident… until she wasn’t.

‘Do you even know where we are going?’ I asked her.

Step back, she murmured, her voice unusually serious. I’m a wolf. I can always find my way home.

That’s exactly what you said an hour ago before we ended up on a dead end, I reminded her.

Her growl in my head was low and dangerous. Do you want to go home, or do you want to argue?

‘Just get us out of here,’

I walked to the edge of the woods, feeling the familiar stir of the transformation ripple through me…slow, warm, like electricity coursing under my skin.

Finally, I murmured (in my head, of course), Finally going to have that run you’ve been bragging about? Nyxara squealed in excitement, practically vibrating with energy.

Within minutes, my big, majestic wolf was tearing through the underbrush, nostrils flaring, ears pricked…pure predator mode. She was using every ounce of that legendary wolf nose to sniff out the way back home. The woods blurred past in a frenzy of green and shadow.

Suddenly, Nyxara skidded to a halt beside a gnarled tree trunk and exhaled sharply. Woah. Why is it so far? Feels like I’ve been running for centuries!

I snickered, leaning against a tree. What happened to all your grand proclamations about being all-powerful? About feeling the wind in your fur all night?

She huffed, chest heaving. Well, I’ve felt enough wind to last a lifetime. Plus, my lungs are staging a revolt.

I laughed as she collapsed dramatically on the forest floor, tongue lolling out like the world’s most exhausted puppy. Seriously, someone get this wolf a sports drink.

Minutes passed. I softened my voice into a sing-song coaxing. Nyxara, it’s getting late, and we’re out in the open. Time to get up and get us home.

She groaned, but obeyed, stretching every inch of her lithe body, shaking out her fur like a diva fluffing her curls before a party. With a triumphant howl that echoed through the trees, she sprinted forward.

An hour later, we stood at the edge of the woods beside the estate gate. My heart dropped. Colored lights flashed in the night sky, sirens blared…a whole police opera was unfolding right before my eyes.

Uh oh, Nyxara and I said together, perfectly in sync.

They called the police? I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

We had been gone for maybe three, four, or five hours tops, and somehow, the whole SWAT team was out. From where we hid, I could hear voices…Dad’s, Uncle Marcus’s…tight with worry.

Nyxara tried to spin it positively. Okay, okay, we messed up, but it was for a good cause. Look at all we achieved today!

I rolled my eyes so hard I almost saw my brain. Girl, we are deep in trouble. You better figure out how to fix this.

How else? she said with a confident flick of her tail. We will just tell them we were out, bonding. That’s it.

I was about to give her a “No, that’s not how it works” speech when Nyxara started shifting, a dangerous glint in her eyes.

Hey hey, I warned. Where do you think you’re going?

She ignored me, her form already blurring. We face this together, I growled inside my head. Don’t even think about leaving me naked out here. Our clothes had been shredded when you took over, remember?!

Nyxara gave me that wolfish grin. Better stay put until...

I looked up and froze.

Daniel.

He crouched down to our level, arms crossed, eyes sharp as daggers.

”Aha,” he said with a grin. “I knew I smelled you here.”

He didn’t waste time.

“Now come, pup,” he said, grunting as he lifted us effortlessly. “You have a lot of explaining to give your father.”

Before I could protest, he darted through a side path, keeping us hidden from the officers milling about. Then, like some superhero with questionable taste in humor, he jumped the fence, landing with the grace of a cat and the strength of a bear…still holding me and Nyxara firmly.

When he burst into my balcony and climbed through my window, he dropped me on the floor like a sack of potatoes. Then he turned, voice firm and low.

“Get dressed and come down. We’re all waiting.”

And just like that, he was gone.

I glanced at Nyxara. Alright, scaredy-cat, I said. You can change now. I’ve got this.

The transformation rippled back through me…warm, fierce, unstoppable. I rose slowly, feeling the familiar strength settle into my bones.

I shuffled to the closet, grabbed something warm, and did a quick face-wash and teeth brush, desperately hoping to mask the lingering scent of alcohol and adrenaline.

Taking a deep breath, I opened my bedroom door.

Time to face the music.

Time to answer a thousand questions.

Time to talk about how reckless I was tonight.

I stepped out into the dim hallway, heart hammering like I’d just run a marathon, which I kind of had. My eyes scanned the corridor like a tactical mission…what greeted me wasn’t reassuring.

A whole squadron of familiar faces: Dad, Uncle Marcus, Daniel, and Rosa, all looking like they’d just smelled something really bad. Spoiler alert: it was me.

A chorus of questions hit me like a tidal wave.

“Why did you sneak out?”

“Are you crazy?”

“Do you realize how worried we were?”

Nyxara’s voice slipped into my mind, dripping with smug satisfaction. Just stand your ground, Ivy. You’re a wolf. You don’t need to explain. But since we need a roof over our head, maybe just nod at them.

I gave her a mental eye-roll. Easy for her to say…she didn’t have to face the Interrogation Olympics.

Dad stepped forward, arms crossed, eyes sharp but trying to hide the worry. “Where were you? We thought you were…”

I cut him off with a raised eyebrow. No words, just a look that screamed Really?

Uncle Marcus smirked. “Figured you’d have some wild excuse. Care to share, or should we just start with ‘I wanted to be reckless and didn’t care about anyone’s feelings’?”

Nyxara snickered. Go on, tell ‘em you went clubbing with a side of ass-kicking criminals.

I shot her a look. Not helping.

Daniel folded his arms, the ever-watchful pack leader. “You’re lucky we didn’t send out a search party with flamethrowers.”

I winced. Yeah, luck was definitely on my side.

Nyxara whispered in my mind, Okay, serious mode: apologize, promise you’ll behave, and maybe bribe them with puppy eyes.

I didn’t move. Instead, I folded my arms and tilted my head. It was my silent way of saying, I know. I’m reckless. I’m sorry-ish.

Dad’s stern face softened. “Look, we get it. You needed to blow off steam. But next time, maybe try not to send half the city into a panic?”

“On a more serious note…where were you, princess?” Marcus’s tone wasn’t loud, but it carried the weight of someone who expected an answer worth hearing. His eyes locked on mine, sharp and searching, like he could dig the truth out if I hesitated.

“Take it easy on the poor child,” Rosa muttered, sliding a warm hand onto my shoulder. Her thumb rubbed a small circle, grounding me in that way only she could.

I reached for the tablet on the table, my fingers moving faster than my thoughts. We went on a run. Sorry if I got you worried. I tapped the screen one last time before holding it up for them to read.

Marcus’s jaw eased just a fraction, but the tension still lingered in his gaze.

“Well, that’s perfectly normal,” Daniel said from across the room, leaning back with that infuriatingly smug look. “I told you guys that’s what happened. She’s just like a teenager who got her wolf for the first time…of course she’d want to explore.”

For once, I didn’t feel like smacking him. Which was saying a lot.

Suddenly, Marcus held up a hand. “Alright, first order of business. We need to clean you up. Smelling like a bar fight and a wet dog isn’t the vibe for tonight’s family meeting.”

Nyxara groaned. Family meeting. Ugh.