His Abandoned Luna, Her Disabled Alpha

CHAPTER 22

She wasn't scared of them. No. These girls were nothing in comparison to the horrors she'd dealt with at the palace. Still, the feeling of being surrounded like a prey was unpleasant.

"I need to leave." Ivy finally spoke in a small voice as she stood up to leave. "Maybe another time."

She didn't have the energy to confront them. The moment Ivy stepped away, Juan's expression darkened.

"Hey, where are you going?"

Juan's hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. The sudden touch caused her to freeze. A wave of discomfort rose from the depth of her stomach.

Seeing her turn pale brought an amused smile on Juan's face. In her excitement, she dug her sharp nails into the scarred wrist. A flicker of pain crossed her face before she could hide it.

Truly, some people never changed.

"What's the hurry?" Juan asked. "We're just talking."

The girls shared amused looks among themselves. Ivy's cold gaze swept over them before freezing on the hand on her wrist. The plate in her other hand shook slightly.

"Let go." Ivy spoke darkly.

Juan was caught off guard by the sudden change. The girls around them lost their smiles at once.

"Hey, loser." Juan ground her words as her grip tightened on her wrist. "Watch your tone. Do you seriously think you're still the princess everyone used to hold in the palm of their hand? You're not even worthy of being the dirt under my shoe."

Her nails dug into old scars and the skin split open instantly. A thin line of blood leaked through the torn skin and soaked into Ivy's dark sleeve. It disappeared without a trace but the smell of blood lingered in the air.

The girls were startled at the sight of blood but Ivy remained unfazed. She had spend days lying in a pool of her own blood within the cold walls of the palace. This was nothing compared to that.

Slowly, Ivy's hand curled into a first. Her stiff knuckles cracked, forcing Juan into loosening her hold. Even Ivy wasn't sure what she was about to do. Before either of them could move, a pair of hands suddenly shoved them apart.

Juan stumbled backward with a startled yelp. In a desperate attempt to not fall, her fingernails scraped deep into Ivy's wrist, peeling away another layer of skin and leaving behind a horrifying trail of blood behind.

Ivy's hand fell limp on her side. As soon as the touch dissapeared, Ivy felt her body loosen. The tension coiled tightly under her skin slowly retreated.

Her wounded hand curled into a first as she tucked it behind her back. Once her breathing calmed down, Ivy looked up to see Emma standing between them.

"What are you all doing?" Emma asked, sweeping an anxious look over them. "This is grandma's funeral. Can't you take it easy for one day?"

The girls lowered their head in guilt, but Juan looked away with an annoyed click of her tongue, seemingly least bothered.

She spoke to them with the closeness of a friend. Someone who can lecture them one moment and also make them laugh in the other. When Emma turned to Ivy, she wore a hesitant face.

Her eyes flickered nervously before they settled on Ivy's face. "Ivy, I know you're upset but this isn't the time to let your emotions her the best of you."

Her voice was gentle and patient as she put on a forced smile,"Mom and dad are busy with their duties. Luke is busy with his own friends and I'm struggling with some guests. Why don't you come with me? I'm sure you'll feel much better if you keep yourself occupied."

Ivy didn't like looking at Emma for long. Her pretenses made her skin crawl with goosebumps. But when she said that, it was like a force compelled her to look up.

Ivy raised her blank eyes. The darkness had faded from those emotionless eyes but the lingering chill inside them made Emma's body crawl. Her smile froze and cracked. Her acting fell apart instantly.

Emma was a coward. She didn't like to confront others openly. She could twist her words and expressions at will, then pretend she didn't mean it. But the other party was Ivy. She never acted the way Emma wanted her to.

Just as Emma started thinking of a way out, Ivy let out a soft sigh and said, "I'll pass. I have something else to do."

Her voice was barely heard amidst the loud music and chatter. Although their corner was thick with silence, the girls didn't react until Ivy was already gone.

The moment Ivy was out of sight, Juan's face twisted with disgust.

"Who does she think she is?!"

Emma watched the hallways for a while. Ivy had gone to the side wing again. The place where their grandma lived. Once again, Ivy moved with such ease, Emma was the one who felt like a stranger in the house.

"She's still the daughter acknowledged by my parents."

There was an clear sense of melancholy in her voice. She put on a brave face to warn her friends.

"You shouldn't provoke her like that. Ivy has always been proud of herself. What if she lashes out and hurts someone?"

The girls felt sympathy towards Emma. For the things she experienced and the love she lost through the years. At the same time they hated Ivy. Not only did she occupied the magpie's next, she did not stop at anything to suppress Emma.

Even after three years, Emma was still scared to say a wrong something wrong and get bullied for it later.

One of the girls scoffed disdainfully. "Her? She looks like a strong gust of wind could knock her over. I doubt she could hurt anybody with that bag-of-bones body."

The group burst into laughter. Emma let herself smile along with them. Yet, her eyes remained fixed in the direction Ivy had left.

Her gaze darkened with a sick sense of satisfaction at the mere thought of Ivy's life going downhill. She wouldn't stop at anything to make sure it happened.