Chapter 68: Marked by Fate

Ivy

My fingers trembled slightly as I thought of calling my father and uncle, knowing they would be worried sick. But a call right now would only open the floodgates of emotions I wasn’t ready to face right here. 

I’d call them when I was home, where I could breathe, where the walls wouldn’t feel like they were closing in. But every second I lingered in this pack, the past pressed down harder, threatening to pull me under.

A soft knock on the door made me pause. I turned to find Connor standing in the doorway, his gaze filled with an emotion I couldn’t quite place.

“You’re leaving,” he stated rather than asked, his voice rough with something akin to regret.

“I need to,” I replied, moving away from the mirror after fixing my hair.

Connor stepped forward, blocking my path. “Ivy, please. This is your home. You belong here. With me.”

I let out a humorless laugh, shaking my head. “This place ceased to be my home a long time ago, Connor. I don’t belong here anymore.”

His jaw tightened, and for a moment, he looked like he wanted to argue, but then he sighed, raking a hand through his hair. “I was a stupid boy back then. Rejecting you was the biggest regret of my life. Every day, I live with the consequences of my mistake.” 

His voice dropped lower, laced with desperation. “But I won’t stop trying, Ivy. I won’t stop until I win you back.”

I exhaled deeply, exhaustion pressing down on me. “You can’t fix what’s already broken.”

Connor reached for my hand but hesitated before touching me. “And I don't want to fix it Ivy. I want to create something new with you. I don’t care how long it takes. I’ll spend the rest of my life apologizing and trying to make you see me.”

“I still have to leave,” I said, my tone firm.

“Ivy, stay. Please,” Connor said pleadingly, his gaze searching mine.  

“I can’t,” I insisted, stepping back. “I want to leave.”  

His jaw tightened. “Then I’ll take you home.”  

I shook my head. “No. I’ll go alone.”  

A muscle in his jaw twitched, and after a beat, he exhaled sharply. “There’s something… that happened.” His voice was quieter now, hesitant. “That’s why I don’t want you to be alone. I’d follow you home if I thought you’d let me, just to be close in case something happens. But I know you’d fight against that too.”  

I frowned, crossing my arms. “What happened?”  

He hesitated.  

“Connor,” I pressed, my patience thinning. “I’m leaving, with or without your help. If you don’t tell me, I’ll walk out of here right now.”  

His lips parted slightly before he exhaled, as if weighing whether to keep it from me. But he must have seen the determination in my eyes. “It’s about the woman I met the day I ran into you in town.”  

I stiffened. “What woman?”  

“She said something… strange.”  

A chill ran down my spine. “What did she say? And what does it have to do with me?”  

Connor studied me carefully, then asked, “Ivy… have you gotten your wolf yet? Have you felt anything? Any signs?”  

I blinked, momentarily thrown. My mind reeled back to the night of the kidnapping. The man—the one who had almost—  

The image flashed before me. His throat, torn apart. Blood pooling around his limp body.  

Did I really… do that?  

His blood was on my fingers. Had it splattered in the chaos? Had one of his own turned on him for disobeying their so-called client?  

But they were human.  

Humans didn’t have claws.  

Which meant there was only one possibility.  

Me.

But I had never transformed before. That was impossible. But then—my wounds. They had healed instantly. Too fast.  

No.  

I shook my head, pushing the thought away.  

“Ivy?” Connor’s voice broke through my spiraling thoughts.  

I shivered slightly, then met his gaze. “No,” I lied. “No signs and I haven’t transformed yet.”  

His expression darkened. “The woman mentioned a prophecy,” he said carefully. “She claimed that when you get your wolf, it’ll destroy the balance of the entire realm.” He ran a hand down his face, frustration flickering in his eyes. “I don’t believe her, but… with the body found at the east border of my pack, I can’t ignore the possibility that she might try to hurt you.”  

I sucked in a sharp breath. “So, there’s a crazy woman out there who might be coming after me?”  

Connor nodded grimly.  

“Did this have anything to do with me being kidnapped?”  

He shook his head. “No. I called the police as soon as we left the warehouse. They’ve already started an investigation, and the man has been identified.”  

I frowned. “So, it wasn’t connected?”  

“No.”  

“Then who was he? Who sent him?” I demanded.  

Connor’s expression darkened. “You’re missing the point, Ivy.” His voice took on a dangerous edge, his wolf rising beneath his skin. His eyes flickered gold.  

I instinctively stepped back.  

He closed his eyes for a moment, exhaling slowly before murmuring, “I’m sorry.” When he looked at me again, his gaze was steady. “The most important thing is that you’re not safe. And if you’re miles away from me, I can’t protect you.”  

My chest tightened, but I forced my expression to remain cold. “You don’t have the right to be worried about me.”  

“Ivy—”  

“Don’t worry,” I cut in. “I can take care of myself. I have enough security at home.”  

Connor sighed in frustration, running a hand through his hair. “At least let me take you home.”  

I hesitated. Then, after a long pause, I nodded. “Fine.”  

I closed my eyes for a moment, letting his words settle, then stepped around him.  

The thought had crossed my mind—accepting Connor, letting him be the one to stand beside me, since there was no place left for me with Leo. But this place—his pack—held too many memories.  

Memories of what they put me through.  

Of what he put me through.  

It was unbearable.  

\---

The drive was tense, filled with unspoken words that loomed heavy between them. Connor gripped the steering wheel tightly, occasionally glancing at me as if he wanted to say something, but he remained silent. 

The familiar landscape outside blurred past, each turn bringing me closer to the only place that had ever given me real comfort.

When we arrived at my father’s mansion, the security at the gate barely hesitated before throwing the iron barriers open.

“Miss Ivy!” one of them called out, pure relief in his voice. “Welcome home!”

The sentiment made my chest tighten. I wasn’t sure what to say, so I simply nodded in acknowledgment as Connor drove through.

As soon as the car came to a stop, I stepped out, inhaling deeply. The air was different here—comforting, familiar, safe. I could almost hear the echoes of my childhood laughter in the wind.

Connor joined me, his presence solid and unwavering. He reached out, his hands resting lightly on my shoulders. “I’ll always be here,” he murmured, his voice gentle yet firm. “If you need an escape, if you need anything, if you're ever in any sort of trouble, I want to be that one person to cross your mind. Just… think about it. Think about letting me in again.”

I turned to Connor, exhaling slowly before I could second-guess myself. Then, without overthinking it, I leaned in and wrapped my arms around him.

“Thank you, Connor. I owe you for saving me.”

His body tensed for a fraction of a second before he relaxed, his voice calm but firm. “No, Ivy. Don’t ever thank me for anything I do for you. It’s my responsibility.”

I nodded slightly, stepping back. Our eyes met for a lingering moment before I turned away, heading inside without looking back.

—

The house was just as it had always been—normal, unchanged, as if the past few days had never happened.

The staff greeted me excitedly, their voices overlapping as they asked where I had been. Their warmth felt almost suffocating, a stark contrast to the darkness I had just escaped.

One of the maids, an older woman with kind eyes, stepped forward. “Your fiancé has been calling every day, asking if you’ve returned.”

The mention of Leo made my chest tighten.

“I’m fine,” I said, my voice steady despite the knot forming in my stomach. “Don’t tell him I’m back.”

The maid hesitated before giving a small nod. I didn’t wait for a response. Instead, I called Joe and requested a new phone setup, then made my way upstairs, my body aching with exhaustion. The first thing I needed was a hot bath.

Sinking into the warm water, I let out a deep sigh as the heat seeped into my skin, melting away the tension. I closed my eyes, allowing myself a rare moment of peace. 

The scent of lavender wrapped around me, pulling me further into much-needed relaxation. When the water started to cool, I forced myself out, wrapped in a plush robe, and padded toward my father’s bedroom.

Curling up in the familiar space, I finally felt a fraction of the safety I had been searching for. The moment my head hit the pillow, sleep consumed me.

But, a sharp tap on the window woke me up.