Mated to the Alpha's Heir

Chapter 5

Ronan - Continued

Somehow, we barely managed to keep our hands to ourselves long enough to actually shower. Who would have thought that even a simple shower could test the limits of my control? But then again, this wasn’t just any woman—it was Ivy. My mate. My Luna.

Now, she lies beside me, her hair damp and wild, her skin still warm from the water and the fire we’d just shared, wearing nothing but my T-shirt. The fabric is loose on her, and I can’t stop my eyes from tracing every curve of her body. From how her ass pokes out just enough to tease me when she wiggles closer. Even with her so casually draped in my shirt, she’s irresistible.

The bond hums beneath my skin as a constant reminder of how intertwined we are now. I know it's more than just attraction, more than desire. It’s the way her essence is fused with mine, in every beat of her heart, to every breath she takes, it all echoes through me. I could lie here forever, memorizing the rise and fall of her chest, the soft flutter of her eyelids as she drifts toward sleep.

I run a hand along her arm, over her shoulder, and down her side. I let my fingers linger just long enough to remind her—and myself—of what’s ours. My wolf rumbles, low and possessive. He is pressing me to mark her, to claim her again and again until the world knows she belongs to me.

And yet… I hold back. For now. For a few more stolen hours, for the fragile quiet between the chaos of the pack, I let myself simply watch her breathe, listen to the soft sighs she makes in her sleep, and marvel at the fact that she’s mine. Every thought of the party, of every obligation that now falls to my shoulders, fades. There’s only this—her, me, the bond humming between us, and the knowledge that my life has just changed forever.

Reaching out, I brush a stray damp curl from her face before pressing a gentle kiss onto her temple. “Mine,” I murmur, the single word thick with hunger. My wolf growls in agreement.

The fragile peace that I was feeling was shattered when, out of nowhere, the door burst open.

The sound of the heavy door banging against the wall is loud. My mother stands there, her expression sharp, her eyes scanning the room as though it were a stage, and she was the director. My jaw tightened, and Aric snarled in protest, his ears lay flat against his head, hackles rose at the intrusion.

“Where have you been?” she demands, her voice cutting through the quiet room like a whip. “You can't just run off like that when everyone was here to welcome you home. There was someone special here tonight to see you, and you just went and ran off.”

“Mother,” I growl, already halfway to shifting, “respectfully, get the f*ck out.”

She ignored me like I had not even spoken, stepping fully into the room before I could stop her. Ivy stirs, curling closer to me in her sleep. I'm surprised she can sleep through this, especially since my mother is being less than quiet right now.

Aric's smug smirk in my mind tells me he is thoroughly proud of how well he wore her out.

“You’re not welcome here,” I say, my voice sharp.

Her nose wrinkles as she scents the air for the first time—and freezes. “Ronan…” Her tone drops, a horrified look crossing her face, the second she spies Ivy in my bed. “Why is there an Omega in your bed?” Her face is now drained of color as realization hits her in the chest. “This had better not be what I think it is.”

I ease off the bed slowly, careful not to wake Ivy. Using my body as a wall between my mate and my mother’s judgmental stare. “It’s none of your damn business,” I snarl, letting a hint of my claws slip out. Ivy was already nervous about becoming the Luna; the last thing I wanted was for my mother's attitude to chase her off.

My mother isn't that tall of a she-wolf, and she had to tilt her head back slightly to glare at me. She does her best to appear as intimidating as possible as she steps closer, jabbing a finger into my chest. “We will see about this. Your father is not going to be pleased to hear about you mating an Omega.” She spits the last word like a curse, as if just saying it might stain her tongue.

I bare my teeth, a warning. “She is a warrior, actually, and I would be careful what you say about her, mother.”

"We will see about that," she snaps as she spins on her heels. "You have ten minutes to be in your father's office," she snaps, her voice cold as ice. “Or I’ll drag you there myself.”

She storms out, muttering under her breath some more, leaving the door wide open in her wake.

Aric growls at her retreating form. “We don't have to do as she says anymore, Ronan. We are the Alpha. The only difference is that the de facto ceremony has not been completed, but the paperwork is just as binding.”

“I know,” I mutter, dragging a hand through my hair, my rage burning hot under my skin. “But you know they’ll try to strong-arm us any way they can. And if that doesn’t work…” My gaze drifts back to the bed, to Ivy sleeping peacefully in my shirt, unaware of the war brewing outside these walls.

“…I’m afraid of what they’ll do to get to her.”

Reluctantly, I left Ivy sleeping in my bed, my shirt swallowing her frame, and closed the door softly behind me. Every step down the hall felt heavier than the last. My wolf snarled with every step away from her, urging me to turn around, to guard her.

But if I didn’t deal with this now, it would never end.

My father’s office light spilled out into the hallway, a pool of gold against the polished wood floor. Well, I guess it's actually my office now.

I pushed the door open without bothering to knock.

They were both waiting for me just like she said. My father stood behind the desk, his arms crossed over his chest, and his gaze narrowed on me the second that I entered. My mother is perched on the edge of one of the chairs like a queen on her throne. And beside her—Francesca.

Aric snarled, pressing hard against my control. My palms tingled, my claws threatening to slide free if I wasn't careful. Of course, they would drag her into this. I should have known that she was involved in this in some way. Francesca is the daughter of a nearby Alpha, and my parents have been not so subtly trying to push her on me every chance they get.

When my mother said that someone was here to see me, it should have clicked that it would be her.

“Ronan,” my father said, voice clipped. “Close the door. Sit.”

I shut the door, slow and deliberate, but I remained standing. I see the way my father's brows pinch together, the way my defiance is angering his wolf. Well, it can't be defiance when I am the Alpha now. It must be his loss of control over me that has him looking like he is ready to blow a head gasket.

Aric is prowling just under my skin, the all too familiar tingle that accompanies a shift. He is ready should he need to step in.

I can see his eyes flashing through mine in the reflection of the mirror just behind my father.

“You’ve caused quite a stir tonight,” my father declared. “Bringing… an Omega into the Alpha suite. Mating with her. Have you lost your mind, son?”

I don't even bother to try and hold the snarl; instead, I let it free, and it rattles the windows. “She’s not just an Omega,” I snap. “She’s my mate, and you would do good to remember that when you speak of her.”

Francesca’s face twisted, and she rose from her chair, her voice soft with a fake warmth. “Ronan, we’ve known each other since we were pups. We were supposed to be—”

“Stop.” My voice cracks like a whip, and she flinches. “We were never supposed to be anything. Whatever little fantasy you and my parents cooked up years ago about us being together has nothing to do with me. Let it go. Move on and find your mate.”

“Ronan—” my mother began. “Be reasonable,” her hands tightening into fists against her skirts. “You cannot expect the pack to accept that girl as their Luna. Francesca is the right choice. She has the pedigree, the training—”

“I will not say this again, mother, she will never be my mate.” I stepped forward, pointing at the shewolf in front of me, my Alpha power flooding the room until the lights flickered. “I will never love her. I will never touch her. And I will never make her Luna.”

Francesca’s eyes glistened with tears, but I didn’t let myself look away. This had been going on for far too long. I realize now that I should have shut it down when it first began because, apparently, not doing so gave Francesca the delusional reality that one day I would take her as my mate.

“You are making a mistake,” my father snaps, his face growing red with anger. “Do you really think that the pack will accept an Omega as Luna? You think they will respect her? That they will respect you?”

I lean forward on the desk, my lips tugging up at the corner. “They’ll have no choice.” I let my voice drop, letting my wolf's own bleed into mine until the room vibrated with power once again. “I am their Alpha. And Ivy is my mate. That bond is sacred, whether you approve of her rank or not. She will be Luna, and there’s not a damn thing either of you can do to stop it.”

My mother rose to her feet, her face flushed with anger. “You are risking everything for a girl who has nothing to offer this pack!”

“Nothing to offer?” I snarled, my claws pricking the wood of the desk as I slammed my hand down. “She is everything. She has strength, loyalty, and heart —things this pack needs more than your politics and your posturing. If you can’t see that, then maybe it’s not her who’s unworthy.”

“She is nothing more than a social climbing gold digger,” my mother snapped, and Aric pushes forward just enough to where I see the fear in her eyes when she realizes that she has indeed gone too far.

“Astrid, enough,” my father bellows as his mouth curled into something like a sneer. “You’ve made your choice, then.”

“Yes,” I declared, standing to my full height and letting every ounce of power emanate from my body. Aric is standing with his chest puffed out and every hair on his body standing on end. “And you’d do well to remember who the Alpha is now. This conversation is over. Now get out.”

I watch as the three of them make their way to the door. Francesca and my father exit without looking back, but my mother turns to look over her shoulder. Her expression is one of malice is the only way I know how to describe it.

"Soon you will see just how wrong you are, son."

My wolf snarled once she was gone, satisfied that we’d finally staked our claim — but as I stalked back toward the suite, a chill crawled up my spine.

Something felt wrong. Something about what she said now had a hold on me.

I had intended to return to Ivy immediately, to crawl back into bed with her and hold her until the sun came up, but Aric was restless, prowling under my skin like a caged beast.

"We need to run," he growled. "Burn this out before we go back to her. If we carry this anger to our mate, we’ll only frighten her."

He was right. My blood still ran hot from the fight with my parents, with the need to lash out. Ivy didn’t deserve that energy.

I stalked down the hall, my steps heavy and fast, until I reached the front door. I rip it open, and the night air hits me like a slap to the face, hot and sticky. I didn’t bother with the steps; I just vaulted down them, shifting midair before my feet hit the grass.

Aric tore free, my body stretching and reshaping into fur and muscle with ease, and we hit the ground running. The night swallowed us whole.

I let him run until the party lights were distant stars behind us, until the cool earth no longer smelled of smoke and spilled wine but only pine and damp soil. We ran until my muscles burned, until my lungs ached, until my father’s voice and my mother’s words were drowned out by the sound of paws pounding against the earth and ragged panting.

"She is ours," Aric growled, throwing his head back in a silent roar. "No one will take her from us."

I let him have control, let him hunt and prowl and tear at shadows until the fury finally bled out of both of us. The forest was quiet now, a heavy stillness broken only by the sound of night creatures and the rustle of wind through the trees. I have no idea how far we went, but it was far enough that once he stopped, I noticed the first pink streaks of dawn were brushing the horizon.

“Sh*t,” I muttered, raking a hand through my sweat-damp hair. “We’ve been gone too long.”

Aric didn’t argue this time. He turned toward the packhouse and took off once again, running in a dead sprint to get back to Ivy.

By the time I reached the suite, the sun was higher in the sky, its light streaming through the windows in golden shafts that felt wrong — too warm, too calm — for the dread curling in my gut the second I stepped into that room.

The bed was empty.

Her scent was still everywhere—wildflowers and rain—clinging to the sheets, the pillow where her head had rested. But it was fainter, and the space beside me where she’d slept was cold. Too cold.

“Ivy?” My voice was rough as I checked the bathroom, the closet, anywhere she might have gone. Nothing.

My pulse kicked hard as I ripped the sheets back like maybe she’d been hiding underneath them, then cursed myself when I realized how insane that was.

Panic now flared, hot and sudden, clawing at my chest.

“She’s gone,” Aric snarled, his voice vibrating through my bones.

The room seemed to tilt, and the air felt like it had been sucked out of my lungs. It felt like the bond between us had been stripped raw, leaving only this hollow, burning ache in my chest.

“No.” I shook my head and strode for the door, barefoot, shirtless, heart pounding in my chest. “She wouldn’t just leave.”

I tore through the entire suite, throwing open drawers, checking under the bed like a lunatic. Nothing. Her clothing from the night before and her boots were gone.

I stormed through the packhouse barefoot and searched the entire house. The hallways, the kitchens, the gardens. I tore through every room she could have wandered into, ignoring the startled looks of pack members who crossed my path.

Nothing.

I even ran to the warrior barracks next, demanding to know if anyone had seen her leave. No one had since the night before, when she had abandoned her post. That was my fault.

“Then where the hell is she?” I roared, slamming my fist into the nearest wall so hard the plaster cracked.

Aric pushed against my control, wild with panic, his claws scraping against the barrier. “We should have stayed. We should have never left her.”

“She probably went home,” I told myself while shoving my feet into the nearest set of boots before I sprinted out of the Warrior barracks and across the training yard. My chest was heaving, my heart pounding as I headed for her family home. Maybe they knew where she had gone.

As I headed for her family's home, I picked up on her scent and for a moment, my panic subsided. I followed her scent, praying it would lead me back to her, that she had simply gone home, maybe for a change of clothes or something that would make all this seem like an overreaction.

But as soon as I reached the outskirts of the packhouse grounds where the road split, her scent trail split as well.

Dread pooled in my stomach like ice water.

“She wouldn’t—”

I stood there trying to wrap my head around it, but I couldn't.

One scent trail led toward her family's house. Faint. Older.

The other…fresh and strong lead toward the border road.