Mated To My Mate's Worst Enemy Chapter 110

KAEL

"Regardless," I said, forcing my voice to remain level, "you can't just reassign yourself. If you want to work under Ivory, that's her decision to make, but it would need to go through proper channels. Nina handles staff assignments."

"I can help," Margo insisted, turning back to Ivory. "Your mother is alive because of you. You saved her life when everyone else had given up. I owe you everything. And I want to learn about your food growth research too. I want to actually contribute to the pack instead of serving someone who's actively harming it."

Ivory was quiet for a moment, processing all of this. I could feel her weight shift against me slightly, could sense her considering the offer.

"What Margo said," Ivory finally spoke, her voice careful. "About me being the one who should be Luna. About the Alpha being... interested in me. Is there truth to that?"

I felt my stomach drop. This was exactly the conversation I'd been dreading since Ivory's memory loss.

"It's complicated," I said carefully.

"That's not an answer," Ivory pressed. She shifted to look at me directly, her golden eyes sharp despite her weakened state. "Margo also mentioned something else. About you ripping out someone's heart. About you declaring I was your woman. Did that actually happen?"

Damn Margo and her dramatic storytelling.

"Yes," I admitted, because lying would be worse. "Five years ago. Before the curse. There was a visiting Alpha who was harassing you. Being inappropriate, making unwanted advances. I challenged him."

"And killed him?" Ivory's expression was hard to read.

"Yes."

"Why?"

The question was simple but loaded with implications. Why had I killed for her? Why had I declared her mine? Why had I cared enough to commit such violence?

"Because you were important to me," I said carefully. "Because no one had the right to treat you that way. Because..." I trailed off, not sure how to explain the possessiveness I'd felt then without making things worse now.

"Because I was yours," Ivory finished, her voice flat. "That's what Margo said you declared. That I was your woman. Your possession."

"It wasn't like that—"

"Then what was it like?" Ivory pulled back further, creating distance between us despite her weakened state. "Were we together? Before the curse? During it? Is that why everyone seems to think Luna Aria is an interloper?"

I struggled with how to answer. The truth was complicated, messy, not something that could be explained in simple terms. But she deserved honesty, even if it was uncomfortable.

"We were... close," I said finally. "Before the curse and during it. We never formally bonded, never made it official, but yes. We were intimate. We cared about each other deeply."

"And then you bonded with someone else the moment you became human again," Ivory said, and there was something almost like hurt in her voice despite her lack of memories. "You bonded with Aria within a week of being cured. A week, Kael. After I spent three years visiting you every day, searching for cures, giving you everything I had—you bonded with someone else in a week."

The accusation stung because it was accurate. From her perspective, even without memories of the emotional investment she'd made, the timeline looked damning.

"It was political," I tried to explain. "The curse could only be broken by a fated mate bond. Aria appeared at exactly the right moment with the right circumstances. It was necessary—"

"Necessary," Ivory repeated, and now there was definitely bitterness in her tone. "Right. Political necessity. That's what Luna Aria is to you. A political tool. Not someone you actually chose."

"That's not—" I started, but I wasn't sure how to finish. Because hadn't it started that way? Hadn't I bonded with Aria primarily because she could break my curse? The feelings that had developed afterward were real, but the initial choice had been pragmatic.

"I need to think," Ivory said, pulling away completely now and settling back against her pillows. "About all of this. About what I want to do next."

The distance hurt more than I wanted to admit. Having her close for those few minutes, feeling like things might return to some semblance of what they'd been—and then having it ripped away again.

"The offer to work as your assistant still stands," Margo interjected, clearly sensing an opportunity. "If you want someone who actually values you. Someone who isn't complicated by political mating bonds or suspicious spouses."

Ivory looked at Margo, considering. "I do need help. Especially now, with my injuries limiting what I can do physically. And there's so much documentation to complete, so many tests to run on the growth compound."

"I'm a quick learner," Margo said eagerly. "And completely loyal to you."

"Celine can continue serving Luna Aria," Ivory said, more to herself than to us. "She's professional enough. But yes, Margo. If Nina approves the reassignment, I'd welcome your help."

"Thank you," Margo said, bowing slightly. "You won't regret this, I promise."

"I'll speak with Nina," I said, though part of me wondered at my own motives. Did I genuinely think Ivory needed an assistant? Or was I hoping that having Margo around would serve as a buffer—keeping Jason from getting too close while Ivory was vulnerable and missing her memories?

The thought of Jason spending time alone with Ivory, helping her with research, being there during her recovery—it made my wolf snarl with possessive anger. Which was ridiculous and unfair and complicated by the fact that I had no right to feel possessive of her anymore.

But the feelings were there regardless. And giving Margo a formal position as Ivory's assistant meant there would always be someone else present. Someone to supervise, to chaperone, to prevent... whatever it was I was afraid might happen if Ivory and Jason had too much time alone together.

"Actually," Ivory said, seeming to sense something of my thoughts, "is Jason the one who's been helping me? Before all this?"

"Yes," I admitted reluctantly. "He's been assisting with your research. Helping with documentation and demonstrations."

"Is he good at it?"

"Apparently. You seemed to trust him. Work well with him."

Ivory nodded slowly. "Then he should continue helping with the research aspects. The scientific work. But Margo can assist with the more general tasks—organizing supplies, managing my schedule, handling the administrative side of things. That way both types of support are covered."

It was a reasonable division of labor. Sensible even. But it meant Jason would still be around, still be working closely with Ivory, still be in a position to develop whatever was clearly developing between them.

My wolf did not like this arrangement. Not at all.