Mated To My Mate's Worst Enemy Chapter 61

ARIA

It was more than just avoidance, I'd realized. It was deliberate distance. Ivory treated Kael with the same careful remoteness—calling him "Alpha Kael" instead of just "Kael" the way she used to, bowing her head formally when they encountered each other, finding urgent reasons she needed to be elsewhere whenever he tried to engage in casual conversation.

The easy friendship they'd shared before seemed to have evaporated, replaced by something that looked almost like formality between strangers.

I should have kept walking. Should have given Ivory the space she clearly wanted. But something made me knock gently on the doorframe instead.

Ivory's head snapped up, her expression flickering through several emotions before settling on cool politeness. "Luna Aria. Did you need something?"

Even her tone with me was different now. Not hostile exactly, but completely devoid of the warmth she showed other pack members. Formal. Distant. The voice of someone addressing a superior they neither liked nor respected.

"I just wanted to check on you," I said, stepping into the room. "See how you're healing. You're recovering from serious injuries—you should still be resting, not working on complex herb preparations."

"I'm perfectly capable of determining my own limitations," Ivory said, returning her attention to her mortar and pestle. "And I heal better when I'm working. Gives me something to focus on besides the discomfort."

I moved closer, looking at the array of plants spread across her table. Some I recognized from my brief time learning about healing herbs. Others were completely unfamiliar—exotic specimens that must have come from her travels.

"What are you working on?" I asked.

"A remedy for the winter fever that typically strikes the pack's children this time of year," Ivory said, not looking up from her work. "If I can get the proportions right, we should be able to prevent most cases rather than just treating symptoms after they appear."

"That's impressive," I said honestly. "Preventative medicine is so much more effective than reactive treatment."

"Yes, well, that's what happens when you actually dedicate time to studying healing arts instead of just stumbling into a Luna position through convenient timing," Ivory said, her tone still pleasant but with an edge underneath.

There it was. The hostility she'd promised in the clinic, delivered with a smile and wrapped in professional language.

"Ivory—" I started.

"Was there something specific you needed, Luna Aria?" Ivory interrupted, finally looking up at me. "Because I have a lot of work to do, and social calls aren't really conducive to the concentration these preparations require."

"I wanted to thank you again," I said. "For what you did during the bonding ceremony. You put yourself in danger for—"

"For my Alpha and my pack," Ivory cut me off. "Not for you. I thought I made that clear in the clinic. My actions protected Shadowmere's interests. You happened to benefit as a side effect. There's no need for ongoing gratitude or attempts at friendship."

The words were delivered matter-of-factly, without particular heat or venom. Somehow that made them worse. She wasn't lashing out in anger. She was simply stating facts as she saw them.

"I know you don't like me," I said quietly. "I know you think I'm inadequate for this position. But we're part of the same pack now. We're going to have to work together sometimes. Wouldn't it be easier if we could at least be civil?"

"We are civil," Ivory pointed out. "I use your proper title. I treat you with the respect your position demands. I follow your orders when they're given. What more do you want from me?"

"I don't know," I admitted. "Maybe just... acknowledgment that we're both trying our best in difficult circumstances? Maybe recognition that neither of us asked for this situation but we're both stuck navigating it?"

Ivory set down her mortar and pestle, giving me her full attention for the first time since I'd entered the room. Her golden eyes were sharp, assessing, completely unreadable.

"You want honesty?" she asked. "Fine. I don't like you, Luna Aria. I don't think you're ready for this position. I don't think you have the skills, the knowledge, or the experience necessary to lead this pack effectively. And I don't think saving Kael once and agreeing to a political marriage qualifies you for a role that should require years of dedication and proven competence."

Each word landed like a stone, building a wall between us that felt increasingly insurmountable.

"But," Ivory continued, "I also recognize that you're here. That Kael chose you. That the bonding is complete and you're not going anywhere. So I will do my job. I will serve this pack to the best of my ability. I will respect your position even if I don't respect you personally. And I will stay out of your way as much as possible, because frankly, interacting with you reminds me of everything I've lost and everything that's changed, and I'd rather not deal with those feelings on a daily basis."

The vulnerability in that last sentence caught me off guard. There was pain underneath Ivory's hostility—real, raw pain that had nothing to do with her physical injuries.

"What have you lost?" I asked gently.

Ivory's expression shuttered immediately. "Nothing that concerns you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I really do need to finish this preparation before the herbs lose their potency. The winter fever doesn't care about personal drama, and the children who'll benefit from this remedy certainly don't need their medicine delayed because their Luna decided to have an impromptu heart-to-heart."

The dismissal was clear. But I couldn't help pushing just a little further.

"You've been avoiding Kael too," I observed. "Not just me. You barely speak to him anymore. You make excuses to leave whenever he tries to talk to you. Why?"

"That's between me and my Alpha," Ivory said firmly. "And none of your business, Luna Aria. Now please, unless there's an actual emergency that requires my immediate attention, I'd like to get back to work."