Chapter 5

Ivy POV

I stood in the suffocating darkness of the terrace, the cool velvet of Dixie's stolen jewelry box resting in my palm. Through the thick glass doors of the Grand Dining Hall, the heavy, dominant scents of powerful Alphas clashed with the sudden, shrill shriek of a low-ranking Omega.

"It's gone! My emerald jewelry box is gone!" Dixie wailed, her voice piercing the elegant hum of the banquet. "There's a thief in the estate! Or a Rogue!"

My father, Alpha Carlton, stiffened. His Inner Wolf released a low, irritated growl that vibrated through the glass. To have a theft declared in front of Alpha Derrick and Luna Jean Mason was a humiliating blow to his pride.

"Perhaps if our estate manager wasn't a wolfless incompetent, our borders would be secure," Ella, the fourth concubine, sneered, seizing the perfect moment to undermine Jackie. Jackie's face flushed with barely concealed rage, but lacking an Inner Wolf, she could only swallow the insult to maintain her fragile authority.

Before the bickering could escalate, Denver Mason stepped forward. He puffed out his chest, radiating the arrogant, oppressive aura of a newly shifted Alpha. "Alpha Carlton, for the safety of your esteemed guests, I suggest an immediate search of the grounds. We cannot let a thief roam free."

Carlton's jaw tightened, but he nodded, signaling the Pack Butler. "Take the Warriors. Search everywhere."

A cold smile touched my lips. The trap was set, but I was no longer the prey.

I didn't linger on the terrace. Relying on the heightened agility of my dormant White Wolf blood, I slipped back into the shadows. I moved swiftly toward the thicket where I had left Johnny. But as I approached, the sour, nervous scent of deceit hit my nose. Darcie, Denisse's Omega maid, was creeping through the bushes, sent to check if the "adulterous" scene was ready.

I didn't hesitate. I materialized behind her, striking the nerve at the base of her neck. Darcie crumpled instantly. I dragged her limp body next to the unconscious Johnny near the ruined boundary wall, tossing Dixie's velvet box directly into her lap. The perfect scapegoats.

With my alibi secured, I scaled the thick branches of a nearby oak tree just as the search party, led by a frantic Denisse, marched into the courtyard.

"Look! Over there, by the Ancient Pear Tree!" Denisse gasped with feigned horror, pointing a trembling finger at the dark corner. "I saw a shadow!"

The Warriors rushed forward, raising their lanterns. The golden light illuminated the damp earth, the rotting leaves, and absolutely nothing else.

Carlton's eyes narrowed. A suffocating wave of Alpha command rolled off him, pressing heavily against Denisse. "Are you playing games, Denisse? There is nothing here."

Denisse turned deathly pale, her eyes darting frantically around the empty dirt. "I... I must have been mistaken, Father. The shadows..."

Below me, Denver looked as if he had been slapped. His Inner Wolf was pacing wildly in his mind, his scent spiking with utter confusion and rising panic. He had watched his men dump me here. He *knew* I was supposed to be lying in the dirt.

Desperate to deflect Carlton's mounting fury, Denver cleared his throat. "Perhaps the thief fled toward the water. Alpha Carlton, why don't we escort the guests to the Moon Lake? The water lilies are blooming, and it will calm the evening's tensions."

Carlton, eager to smooth over the embarrassment, agreed. The group turned their backs on the pear tree and headed for the lake.

I dropped silently from the oak branches and sprinted through the hidden garden paths.

By the time the heavy footsteps of the Alphas and Lunas crunched on the gravel near the Moon Lake, the clouds had parted, bathing the water in brilliant, silver moonlight.

"Oh, my," Luna Jean breathed, her voice filled with sudden wonder.

I knelt gracefully at the edge of the water, dressed in a pristine, pale blue gown. A dozen small, floating candles drifted on the gentle ripples around the sleeping lilies, casting a warm, golden glow on my face. The crisp, clean scent of lilies and rain-my true scent-wafted through the cool autumn air, completely untainted by wolfsbane or deceit.

"Ivy?" Dixie gasped, her eyes wide with shock.

Denisse and Denver froze, looking at me as if I had crawled out of a grave. The color drained entirely from Denver's handsome face, his jaw slackening in sheer disbelief.

Hearing my name, I slowly turned my head. I blinked, letting my eyes widen in soft, innocent surprise as I looked up at the crowd of powerful wolves, my hands still gently cupped in the posture of a devout prayer to the Moon Goddess.