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Home / Werewolf / Violet CLAW / Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

All Chapters of Violet CLAW: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

72 Chapters

21

"What's the meaning of this, Mr. Clark?"I held his gaze, though the way Mason’s eyes roamed over me like I was a prize in a shop window made my skin crawl."There’s a pack charity gala tonight at the Priscila Hotel," Mason said, flashing a roguish grin. "And I find myself without a female companion. Ivy, would you do me the honor?"I hesitated. "I’ve been on my feet at the medical center all day. I'm exhausted, and I doubt I’d be good company. I’m afraid I’ll have to decline."My instincts were screaming. I wasn't nearly close enough to Mason Clark to be his date to a high-society event. In the world of the Great Packs, every invitation had a hidden price tag.But Mason didn't seem deterred. "Don't be so quick to say no. Don't you wonder what Cole Ryder has been up to while he's been 'missing' from your bed these last few days?"My heart stuttered. My rational mind told me to walk away—that I was nothing to a man like Cole Ryder. But that tiny, suppressed ember of expectation in my c

22

Noah Pierce was a veteran of the pack wars; he knew better than anyone that whoever claimed a dance with me tonight was effectively painting a target on their own back—himself included.But I wasn't about to let him suffer for it. I played the role of the refined socialite just long enough to excuse myself to the powder room, neatly dissolving the tension before the Alpha's jealousy could turn the ballroom into a battlefield.In the men's lounge, Mason Clark found himself cornered the moment he stepped inside. Cole followed him, his presence heavy and suffocating."Cole, listen, I was just trying to help you sweep up the mess before the Elders noticed," Mason said, scrubbing his hands at the basin. He watched Cole’s reflection in the glass, searching for a crack in that granite expression.Cole didn't utter a word. He didn't even grant Mason the courtesy of a glance."You seem to have an abundance of free time lately," Cole said, his voice a low, dangerous rumble."Well... you know ho

23

"Mason, weren't you with Ivy last night? Could it be her who..."Jane left the sentence hanging, but in our world, the silence spoke volumes. Every wolf in that room was sharp enough to smell the implication: the Yoris family suspected the fallen socialite had retaliated. I had vanished right after Mason was found, and to an outsider, it looked like a classic case of a wounded pride striking from the shadows.I watched Cole from the corner of my eye. He kept his gaze downcast, unreadable."It wasn't her," Mason rasped, his swollen face twitching. "She left early. Said her stomach was turning and sent me a message on the link."Mason actually felt a twinge of guilt. He’d tricked her into coming just to see her crushed, yet she hadn't even snarled at him before leaving. How could a woman that composed have the feral strength to beat him into the dirt? He didn't think she had it in her—or perhaps he just didn't want to believe he’d been bested by a female."If you say so..." Jane murmure

24

I stood frozen, the scent of cedar and cold rain hitting me like a physical blow. Noah Pierce was at his shoulder, a silent sentinel to the man who currently held my heart in a vice."Ivy."Mason Clark was the first to speak, his bruised face lighting up with a grin that made me feel like prey. He shot a sidelong look at Cole, clearly waiting to see if the Alpha would snap. But Cole only flicked a glance toward me, his eyes as cold as a mountain lake, before turning his focus back to the glowing numbers on the elevator display.I managed a stiff nod, the effort of staying upright nearly more than I could bear."Ivy, the healers finally cleared me today," Mason said, his voice dropping an octave as he drank in my appearance. I was still in my white clinic coat, a look that seemed to stir something feral in him. I knew he was thinking about the way my waist had felt under his palms when we danced."I’m glad to hear it, Mr. Clark," I replied. My reason told me to look away, but my soul b

25

As Cole brushed past us, his scent—a storm of cedar and winter rain—hit me with the force of a physical blow. I remembered the wall of ice he’d erected between us earlier at the hospital, so I mirrored his coldness. I kept my chin high, my eyes fixed on the distant wall, treating the High Alpha of the Ryder Pack like a complete stranger."I’ll definitely be there. The next round of drinks is on me," Tyler said, watching Cole’s retreating back with a frown. He turned to me, his voice softening. "Ivy, I wanted to ask—""Tyler," I interrupted, my voice tight. "I need to step away for a moment. Go back to the table.""Alright. I’ll be waiting in the private room."Cole’s presence had effectively poisoned the air. The easy warmth Tyler and I had shared moments ago was gone, buried under the crushing weight of an Alpha’s shadow. I nodded, turned, and retreated into the sanctuary of the restroom.When I emerged, I expected the hallway to be empty. Instead, I found Cole standing by the basins

26

Mason lived for these displays—the chance to run wild in the neutral territories and forget the suffocating weight of Pack politics. He was the first to howl his approval. "I’m in. But Breezy Tides is a ten-hour run by ferry. Are we taking the pack transports or going rogue?""We go together," Jane announced, her eyes shimmering with the pride of her lineage. "My grandfather is sending the Yoris Sovereign to collect the inner circle. We’ll hold the vigil and the celebration on the deck as we cross the water."The Yoris family didn't just deal in healing; they owned the gateway to the southern islands. The Sovereign wasn't just a ship; it was a floating fortress of luxury, a sanctuary that could hold two thousand wolves and boasted every carnal delight imaginable."Isolating the entire Breezy Tides resort for a birthday?" one of the younger wolves whispered in awe. "The Yoris family is truly marking their territory. My mother would flip if I spent that much of the pack treasury on a si

27

"What kind of celebration is this?"I didn't let the promise of that rare timber cloud my judgment. Even if he offered me the entire Ryder treasury, I wouldn't step foot into some twisted high-society den of depravity. I was a fallen socialite, but I still held the keys to my own body."Read it yourself."Cole didn't waste breath on explanations. He tossed the gold-foiled card Noah had given him onto my workbench. I scanned the elegant script and immediately felt my hackles rise."Your 'fiancée’s' birthday gala? On a private cruiser?" I looked at him, my lip curling. "What am I supposed to do there—serve the drinks? Isn't that a bit much for a Mercer to swallow?"I knew she wasn't officially marked as his mate, but I couldn't resist twisting the knife."If she’s fine with you being there, why are you snarling?" Cole asked, lighting a fresh cigarette."Is life so effortless for the High Pack that you have to manufacture drama just to feel a spark?" I didn't lose my temper; I just felt

28

I didn’t need to see the cold calculation in Jane Yoris’s eyes to know she was marking her territory. She turned to Talia Brooks, her voice a sharp whip. "I don’t pay for your anxiety, Talia. If you have energy to waste, spend it on making sure Blake actually follows through on the mating ceremony."Talia’s face went white. She had been desperate to finalize the bond ever since she faked that miscarriage to scrub away her mistakes, but Blake Ryder had become a ghost. Even Diane Ryder, who usually policed every breath Blake took, hadn't spoken to her since the night of the "loss."Jane saw her flinch and softened her tone just a fraction. "Look, I invited Blake to the gala. He’s boarding the Sovereign soon. This is your hunt. Don't let the prey escape again."Talia’s eyes sharpened. "I won't. And Jane? That recording Ivy is holding... it’s a silver bullet aimed at our throats. Why not use the chaos of the crossing to drop her phone into the black water? Problem solved.""Just make sure

29

"I have two chances to demand the truth, so I’ll use them both on you."The wolf who held the High Moon was clearly tracking me, his eyes gleaming with the thrill of cornering a fallen Mercer."Is the truth that jagged to swallow? Fine," he conceded, catching the restless energy of the pack around us. "I’ll offer a compromise. Just tell the circle: is the male who claimed you currently on this ship?""He’s here," I said.A sudden gale swept across the SkyDeck, whipping my hair across my face, veiling my eyes and the flash of pain within them. Instantly, the heavy silence was broken by a flurry of pointed looks directed at Blake Ryder. It was the natural conclusion—we had been promised to each other for years, a match that nearly reached the altar. To the pack, it was a foregone conclusion that he had been the one to break my seal.But Blake’s eyes turned a bruised, violent red. He looked at me, his scent spiking with a mix of agony and disbelief. She’s not a virgin. The realization se

30

The following morning, the Sovereign anchored at the jagged docks of Breezy Tides, and the pack spilled onto the white sands with their gear. Jane’s head throbbed from the moon-wine, but she had spent an hour masking her fatigue with cosmetics, determined to disembark at Cole’s side.She hadn’t heard a word from him after her desperate social media display. At first, she was fuming, but as the sun rose, anxiety took over. She wondered if her public drinking with Mason had actually marked a line of disrespect. Perhaps his coldness was a sign of wounded pride—a territorial silence.When she saw Noah Pierce hefting my bags, preparing to lead me toward the shoreline, Jane blocked their path. "Noah, where is the High Alpha?"She gave me a curt, regal nod of acknowledgment. I mirrored the cold gesture, but as I adjusted the strap of my bag, the collar of my amethyst dress shifted. Jane’s breath hitched. Faint, blooming marks were visible against my pale skin. They weren't from the brush of

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