Chapter 11: Hunger and Doubt

Chapter 11: Hunger and Doubt
Ivy’s POV

The night stretched endlessly. I could hear it outside the hush of wind brushing against the walls, the distant cry of a lone wolf, the rhythm of a world still spinning without me in it. Inside the room, everything was too still. Too quiet. A silence that felt intentional

I’d curled up on the bed for what must’ve been hours, but sleep refused to come. My body was too tense, my thoughts too loud. And worse—my stomach wouldn’t stop screaming.

It started as a mild discomfort, an emptiness I was used to pushing through back in Blackwood. But now, it had grown sharp. Gnawing. A pain that dug into my ribs and coiled around my spine. Every few minutes, my stomach twisted as if punishing me for starving it.

I sat up slowly, dizzy from the motion.

The moonlight seeped through the tall windows, casting long shadows across the floor. I hugged my knees to my chest, pressing my forehead against them, trying to will away the ache.

No food. No water. Not even a knock on the door.

Had they forgotten I was here? No, that wasn’t possible. I was an intruder, a trespasser. Their Alpha had spoken to me himself. They hadn’t forgotten.

They were watching.

Testing.

The thought made something dark and bitter bloom in my chest. Maybe this was a different kind of cruelty. The kind that didn’t require claws or fangs. Maybe this was their punishment, a slow, quiet erasure. Letting mw wither. Letting me break.

I stood up on trembling legs and began to pace. Back and forth. Back and forth. It didn’t help. It only made the weakness more obvious.

I hadn’t eaten anything substantial since I ran from Blackwood Pack. Just a few berries, just enough to stop the dizziness then, and nearly enough to kill me when the snake came.

I reached for my arm, running my fingers over where the bite had been. Smooth. No puncture. No swelling. No pain. That was another mystery I didn’t have the energy to unravel tonight.

I pressed both palms to my stomach, breathing deep and slow, whispering like a prayer.

“I’m sorry,” I murmured. “I’m trying.”

My baby didn’t deserve this.

And Alpha Lucien… what was his game?

He had smiled. Apologized. Spoke like a gentleman, not a monster. But words meant nothing. I'd been around long enough to know that kindness could be a mask.

No food. No answers. No one.

My mouth was dry. My head pulsed with a dull ache, and every breath felt heavier than the last.

Was he starving me on purpose?

Or had he simply decided I wasn’t worth the effort?

I moved to the window and stared outside. A full moon bathed the pack grounds in silver light. I could see silhouettes of wolves on patrol, their forms sleek and alert. Warriors. Loyal to Lucien. Unforgiving.

Would they let me go if I ran again? Doubtful.

I rubbed at my arms, trying to keep the cold at bay.

The room, while not uncomfortable, now felt like a cage.

I turned to face the door. Solid wood. No handles on the inside. Just like the ones back in the Blackwood dungeons.

My throat tightened.

This was just another prison.

I laid back down slowly, curling onto my side, hand resting protectively over my belly. I had nothing left to hold onto but resolve.

“I won’t die here,” I whispered. “Not like this.”

My baby shifted slightly, or maybe I imagined it, but I smiled anyway.

They’d underestimated me. Again.

And I’d find a way. Even if it killed me.

But gods… I just wanted something to eat.

Just something.

The hunger continued to claw at me like a wild animal.

I had tried to ignore it. Tried to sleep through it. Tried to distract myself with the cracked ceiling and the echo of my own breath. But nothing worked. I felt lightheaded, weak, almost delirious.

And so… I stood up.

I walked towards the door
I pressed my palm to it and pushed.

It creaked softly.

My heart thundered. I paused, listening for footsteps, guards, anything. Nothing. Just silence.

I pushed again, a little harder, and the door slowly eased open.

For a moment, I just stood there, half-expecting to be tackled or torn apart, but when nothing happened, I slipped out.

The hallway was dimly lit by wall sconces glowing with a soft amber light. The pack house was eerily quiet, but I could smell something in the air. Warm. Savory. Food.

My body moved before my brain caught up. I padded down the hallway barefoot, moving as quietly as quietly as I could, heart pounding in my chest like war drums.

I followed the scent down a flight of stairs, through a corridor, and into a massive kitchen. It was pristine, all polished counters and silver appliances that gleamed even in the dim light.

But I didn’t care about any of that.

There, sitting on the far counter, was a basket of bread rolls and a plate covered with foil. I peeled it back, roasted meat, still slightly warm. Some vegetables. A few slices of fruit.

My stomach growled violently, and shame burned my cheeks, but I couldn’t stop. I grabbed the plate and slid down to the floor, my back to the cabinets. With shaking fingers, I began to eat.

I didn’t bother with utensils. I used my hands like a feral, tearing into the bread and stuffing my mouth with it. The first bite nearly made me cry. It tasted like survival.

Bite after bite, I devoured every thing I could.

I didn’t notice the lights flicker on

Didn’t hear the door creak.

Not until a low voice cut through the silence like a knife.

“Well… aren’t you full of surprises.”

I froze.

My head whipped up, and there he was, Alpha Lucien, leaning casually against the doorframe, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.

I scrambled to my feet, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, shame washing over me like a cold wave.

“I.... I....” I stammered. “I was hungry. I didn’t mean to—”

He stepped into the room, his boots echoing softly on the tile. His eyes locked onto mine, and I couldn’t look away.

I braced myself. For anger. For a growl. For punishment.