His Abandoned Luna, Her Disabled Alpha

CHAPTER 12

Luke walked the doctor out after he was done packing his things. When he returned, the room looked the same but something in the air had shifted. He felt a gaze on him and his eyes instinctively drifted towards a corner he had overlooked before.

Ivy slowly pushed herself off the wall, the movement sending a sharp pain through her body, though her wince was barely noticeable.

"I didn't push her." Ivy said quietly.

The words had barely left her lips when the door to Emma's room was pushed open. Alpha Victor stepped in, a subtle air of displeasure surrounding him.

Behind him stood the same maid who had accused Ivy of a crime she didn't commit. Her head was bowed, yet there was a quiet confidence in her steps, as if the conclusion had already been made, and it favoured her.

Alpha Victor's imposing stature ruled the space he walked in. His scrutinizing gaze swept across the room, briefly pausing on Emma. For a fleeting moment, the frost in his eyes melted, revealing a rare gentleness.

But when his gaze shifted to Ivy, it turned cold again, stripped of warmth. It held the piercing indifference reserved for strangers.

Ivy's hands clenched at her sides. The dull ache in her body sharpened, the pain intensifying under the weight of his stare.

A bad feeling settled deep within her. Her instincts warned her that arguing would be futile; there was no reasoning with someone already determined to see her as the villain.

In this room, Ivy was the one speaking the truth. And yet, she stood alone.

She met his gaze, unyielding. Alpha Victor's expression hardened, laced with unmistakable hostility as he said, "I want the truth, Ivy."

"I am telling the truth. I didn't push her." Ivy replied firmly.

The maid's head snapped up, her glare sharp and offended, as if deeply wronged. "Liar! I saw you there when Miss Emma fell down the stairs. You were looking at her like you wanted her dead!"

Ivy shot back, "Do you have anything to support your claims? Your statement alone holds no real weight. Provide evidence."

The maid fell silent. Her fingers tightened around the folds of her dress as she hesitated, her gaze flickering briefly towards the unconscious Emma. She seemed unsure, grasping for something that would make her accusation sound more convincing.

"I really didn't do it." Ivy continued, taking advantage of the pause. "Emma came to my room to talk. After she left, I heard something fall, so I went to check. By the time I got there, she was already like this."

She left out the smaller details, like the argument and their bitter parting, knowing well that nobody in the room cared to hear about it.

Even so, her explanation was met with nothing but deepening frowns.

"Well, it doesn't matter anymore. Emma is fine, so let's focus on her recovery." Luke said, breaking the silence that had stretched too long.

Ivy's fingers curled tighter at her sides.

Just a while ago, everyone in the pack house, even the maids, had looked at her like she was guilty. Why hadn't he said it then? Why hadn't he stepped in and told them it didn't matter, to stop looking at Ivy as if she had done something unforgivable?

Why now, when she had finally gathered the courage to speak for herself, were they suddenly choosing restraint, taking the higher ground as if they had been fair all along?

The bitterness sat heavy in her chest.

Ivy wasn't satisfied. She parted her lips to argue, ready to say that he might be done but she wasn't -

"Um, pardon me."

A quiet voice cut through the frustration, interrupting the words before they were spoken. A maid appeared at the door at some point, her head bowed slightly as she announced, "Alpha Jaxon is here to see Miss Emma."

Jaxon walked into a room thick with tension. As if drawn by some magnet force, his eyes drifted towards Ivy, catching the troubled look on her face.

"Is everything alright?" He asked casually, moving towards Emma's bed. "I heard she was hurt. What did the doctor say?"

Luna Doris quickly composed herself, offering him a gentle smile. Seeing his concern for Emma, her heart found an anchor to settle on.

"The doctor said it's nothing serious. She'll recover in a couple of days." She replied. "You didn't have to come all the way here. She wouldn't want to trouble you."

"What are you saying mom?" Luke cut in, raising an eyebrow at Jaxon. "Isn't it natural for him to check on his fiancée? I'd be pissed if he didn't show up."

Jaxon had been busier than ever since becoming the Alpha of Moonfall pack, leaving little time for the friendships he once maintained. Luke understood that, but he still worried that Emma wouldn't recieve the attention she deserved. Seeing Jaxon return even after visiting earlier that day, put his concern at rest.

Jaxon paid no mind to Luke's subtle jabs. His voice softnened slightly as he took Emma's hand in his own. "I'm relieved to hear that she's fine."

"Yes..." Luna Doris' smile tightened. Then turning slightly, she said, "Ivy, why don't you go back to your room and rest? It's been a long day. I'll call you for afternoon tea. We can talk over a cup of warm tea that you like."

Ivy's blood ran cold at being addressed so gently, as if her words didn't hide a knife to silence her. A humourless smile tugged at her lips.

"I don't like tea." She replied flatly. "And there won't be anything to discuss later."

The meaning was clear. She wasn't done.

Luna Doris blinked, momentarily taken aback. She had forgotten. Ivy preferred sweet coffee, while it was Emma who fancied tea.

However, that wasn't an issue. The pack house had a collection of both available at any time.

She simply wanted Ivy gone, before Jaxon learned anything about what had really happened.

She reached for Ivy, ready to drag her outside. But before she could, the maid standing behind Alpha Victor suddenly collapsed on her knees, her body shaking with breathless sobs.