I push the doubts aside, focusing on the task at hand. "What brings you here, Ivy?" I ask, injecting a note of authority into my voice. "Lucas mentioned you asked for me specifically."


    "Always straight to the point, aren''t you, Ava?"@@@@


    Was I? I don''t really remember our past encounters that way. It always felt as though I were dancing around her, never sure what she really thought of me.


    "I just wanted to make sure you were doing well. Clayton said you would likely be with the Westwood Pack. It''s been a long time, and I had no way of contacting you since you left your phones behind."


    The way she speaks makes it sound as though I''d left them behind on purpose.


    I push aside the nagging unease about Ivy as Lucas guides me to the table. As we sit, she takes a seat across from us, her smile still warm and inviting. It''s this warmth that throws me off balance, making me question my earlier impressions.


    Why does Clayton''s sister have to be so enigmatic? Her brother is straightforward, his intentions clear as day. But Ivy? She''s a riddle wrapped in a mystery.


    "How are things in Washington?" Lucas asks, calm beside me. He doesn''t seem to sense anything strange with the woman.


    Ivy''s face transforms, the smile fading into a somber expression. "We barely made it through a vampire attack," she says, her voice low. "It was intense. We lost many lives."


    As she describes the attack, I can''t help but compare it to what we faced here. The force she talks about seems almost paltry compared to the onslaught that hit Westwood. It''s hard to reconcile the two experiences.


    "What about the rest of the area?" I ask, leaning forward slightly. "Have there been other attacks?"


    Ivy nods, her green eyes meeting mine. "Some of the larger human cities have been hit, but it''s been mostly quiet on the coast. The biggest issue is communication. We can''t get cell towers or internet up and running."


    "How are you getting information then?" Lucas asks.


    "Radio, mostly," Ivy replies. "All the news networks are basically dead. It''s like we''ve stepped back in time."


    Her gaze sweeps over us, taking in our appearances, the room, everything. "How has it been here? The closer we got, the more evidence of fighting and destruction we saw."


    Lucas shifts beside me, his arm brushing against mine. "It''s dangerous to leave Wolf''s Landing," he says, his voice grave. "There are hunters out there, searching for any supernatural presence."


    Ivy tilts her head. "Hunters? We haven''t encountered any of those."


    "Have you been in the cities?"


    "Are you here to stay, or are you moving on?" Lucas rests his arm behind my chair, and I swear Ivy''s eyes follow that movement like a hawk.


    "I''ll be sending a scout back to Clayton with information, but the rest of us are here to stay and support. We''re your official liaison with the Aspen Pack. Seeing as your situation is more dire than ours, I can put in a request for extra manpower and some supplies, but I don''t know how safe it would be."


    "We''d appreciate that."


    "Of course," Ivy says, smiling again. "We are long-standing allies."


    As Ivy and Lucas exchange some basic platitudes, Selene''s voice enters my mind, tinged with a faint growl. I don''t trust her, Ava. Something''s off.


    You think she has ulterior motives?


    I keep my expression neutral, not wanting to give away our silent conversation, but of course it''s impossible to speak without blanking out. It''s got to be obvious to every wolf in the room.


    Ivy glances at me with a brief frown.


    Definitely. The way she looks at you isn''t right.


    I consider her words carefully. Do you think she''s dangerous to the pack?


    There''s a pause, and I can feel Selene''s hesitation. I don''t think so. Not directly, at least. But I still can''t shake this feeling. We shouldn''t trust her completely.


    I agree silently, careful to maintain my attentive facade as Ivy makes eye contact with me. I offer her a small smile, which she returns readily.


    You know, I tell Selene, I can''t help but feel like she''s upset about me being mated to Lucas.


    Yes. There''s something possessive in her eyes when she looks at him. It''s unsettling.


    Relief washes over me. I''m not imagining things. I''m not being paranoid. Selene sees it too.


    "Ava?" Lucas''s voice breaks through my internal dialogue. "What do you think?"


    I blink, realizing I''ve missed part of the conversation. "I''m sorry, what was that?"


    Ivy''s lips quirk up in a small smirk. "Lost in thought?"


    "Just processing everything," I lie smoothly. "It''s a lot to take in."