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I look for Ivy when I return to the castle before finally finding her in her room.

Excitement bubbles inside me at the thought of getting her out of here.

I know I can convince Kade; I have to; I’m not leaving her behind.

I can’t abandon her, not when she is already so alone; she wouldn’t abandon me, either, that much I’m certain of.

When I push the door open and spot her, I rush into the room excitedly and over to her, where she sits in front of the fireplace.

Ivy looks relieved to see me and sits up on her knees. “Where have you been? I have been looking for you,” she says before grabbing my arms. She hugs me before I hold her at arm’s length, making sure she is okay.

She looks rather tired, and I know it is her mate bond affecting her this way and causing it. She looks so sad all the time. Despite her best efforts to hide it from me, I know. She can’t hide it from me, so I’m excited to share this news with her. I know it will give her hope.

“I didn’t want to upset you, but I have some news. I found my mate!” I tell her while almost bouncing on the spot as I clutch her fingers.

“Oh, that’s wonderful, Abbie. What’s he like?”

I blush and then start telling her all about Kade. And what we have been up to, the places he has taken me before glancing at my hands, praying she agrees to come with me.

“He’s great, but he asked me to leave with him.

“You’re leaving?” she asks and I notice her eyes turn instantly glassy, but I know Ivy. She won’t dare say anything to stop me. She wants me to be happy and I wish the same for her.

“Yes, in a few days, but I have a plan. Come with me?” I ask, clutching her hands. Ivy looks at the floor, and she smiles sadly. I can’t imagine the heartbreak she is going through. “I will convince him. I will convince him to help get you out. We can come up with a meeting spot,” I tell her.

“Abbie, he won’t go against the king,” she tells me. I shake my head. “I will convince him. You’ll see. He will let me bring you.” I tell her.

“If he says yes, will you come?” I ask her.

“But he won’t. No one would dare go against the Lycan King. Kyson would kill him if he took me, you have to see that,” she says.

“He won’t know you’re with us. I’ll figure it out, you’ll see. I will get you out,” I tell her, and she sighs.

“I don’t want to get you in trouble,” she says.

I shake my head. “I’ll convince him, you’ll see,” I tell her quickly, getting up and pecking her cheek.

After dinner, I head to my room, and when I step inside, I find Gannon sitting on the end of my bed. I stop at the door and peer over at him, wondering if he is here to argue more over Kade.

“Please, Gannon, I don’t want to argue with you,” I whisper.

“I’m not here to argue, just come here,” he says, patting the spot beside him on the bed. I glance at the spot before being nudged into the room from behind, and I jump, looking over my shoulder to see it is Liam.

“She can use my old phone,” he says, tossing it to Gannon.

“I factory reset it,” Liam says, and I look at Gannon, wondering what they are talking about and why both of them are suddenly in my room.

I move closer to Gannon, slightly nervous next to Liam. When I am close enough to him, he reaches out and grabs my hand before moving further back on the bed and pulling me to sit between his legs.

Liam shuts the door, and Gannon wraps his arm around my waist, resting his chin on my shoulder. I try to get up, but his hold is too strong.

“Watch,” he says, holding the phone out in front of me.

“Gannon?” I murmur, knowing Kade wouldn’t like me sitting on the man’s lap, though it is hard not to lean into his warm embrace, his scent soothing and familiar.

“Abbie, stop. I am not stopping you from going, but this? You need to learn, or I will risk the king’s wrath and order you to reject him,” Gannon says.

“What?”

“In case you need me, please. Just this once, listen to what I am saying. I understand you made up your mind. But I need to show you how to use this.”

I sigh, but decide to go along with it.

He shows me some features on the phone, opening and closing messages and the phone book.

“Gannon I can’t send texts, I can’t read,” I tell him.

“This button here, you just speak into it, and it will convert your speech to text, then hit send. Liam also set it up so it will read messages back to you,” he tells me while showing me how to work the device.

“You want me to text you?” I ask him, and he nods against my shoulder.

“Mine and Liam’s number are in here, so is the king’s. If you want to come home, call me or Liam. We will answer, no matter how late it is. Anything Abbie, you ring us, and we will come get you,” Gannon tells me.

“Gannon, Kade isn’t …”

“I know you don’t want to believe anything bad about him, but just take the phone, Abbie,” he says, placing it in my hands. I take it and he switches the screen off.

“Now unlock it,” he says, and I do.

“Show me how to use it, like I just showed you. I am not leaving until I know you can work this phone,” he says, and I focus back on the screen.

It takes a few tries and Gannon corrects me, but I eventually get the hang of it. When he is satisfied I have it figured out, he sighs before leaning down and passing me a bag he has by his feet. “I got you a few things and Clarice went into town and bought you a few different sets of clothes.”

“Gannon, you shouldn’t…”

“I can’t come with you, so stop. Let me do this and just accept it,” he says, tapping my leg for me to get up. I let him up, and he stares at me for a few seconds before wrapping his arms around me and pressing his lips to my forehead.

“Keep practicing with the phone, Liam put credit on it for you, already,” he tells me, and I nod. He then leaves me, wandering out of the room, and I sit back down on the bed.

The next morning, I am woken early by someone knocking on my door. Before I can even get up, it opens and Liam strolls in. I sit up, worried. He holds his hand out with a placating gesture.

“Gannon is on patrol. I am just checking if you can use the phone properly; Gannon asked me to double check again. He said Kade is picking you up this afternoon.” I nod and he unplugs the phone from the charger sitting next to me and hands it to me.

“Now show me how to use it. You take this phone with you no matter where you go. Make sure you answer it if he calls, because if you don’t, I know he will go to hunt you down. The king can be brutal when punishing us and you don’t want Gannon punished, Abbie,” he tells me.

I nod and show him. “I will take you to see Kade this morning,” Liam tells me, and I gulp, staring up at him with worry.

“I won’t hurt him, but I will be waiting with you while he picks you up.”

I sigh, knowing not to argue with him. Liam would do as he pleases.

He waits outside my door as I get changed before escorting me downstairs. We waits out the front, and when the car pulls up, Kade gets out, and I can tell he is a little frightened of Liam as he ushers me into the car.

“Liam,” Kade acknowledges. Liam tilts his head to the side, watching Kade but remains silent. Kade quickly gets in the car and pulls away.

“That man is strange. I don’t like you hanging around him,” Kade says as we drive into town.

“Where are we going?” I ask him, ignoring his statement.

“To the cafe, we leave today,” he tells me.

“And Ivy?” I ask him.

“I am still thinking about it. I have yet to decide,” he says as we pull up out the front. We head inside and sit at the back table. Kade hands me a menu, but I set it down on the table.

“Right, I forgot you can’t read,” he exhales before clicking his tongue.

“That is going to be an issue. I hope you’re a fast learner.

You will have to earn your keep. I can’t have a useless Luna,” he says, staring at the menu.

I shrink in my seat a little, not wanting him to know how much him saying that affects me.

The waitress comes over, and Kade orders for us. I remain quiet, picking at my food.

“Why are you quiet? You aren’t second-guessing about coming, I hope. I can’t remain here, I have a pack back home to run,” he tells me.

I shake my head. “I am just worried about Ivy.”

He presses his lips in a line, seemingly annoyed.

“She is the king’s mate, she will be fine. Time to cut ties with her,” he says, and I look over at him in shock and disbelief. Setting my fork down, I get up.

“Abbie?” he says as I grab my phone off the counter, about to text Liam or Gannon to come get me.

“Abbie, where are you going?” he asks, but if that is how he feels about Ivy, then my mind is made up. I am not going.

I walk outside and unlock the phone when it is plucked from my fingers. I glance over at Kade, who has come up behind me.

“You don’t just walk out during a conversation,” Kade scolds me, looking livid.

“I am not going. If Ivy can’t come, I am staying here,” I tell him.