The Plan

Ivy's POV

"What in the actual fuck does Cole think he's doing?" Genevieve says as she sits down on our grey couch in the living room of our house; well soon to be their house.

I sigh. "He knows you guys help me, so he's trying to take away any assistance I may get and replace it with only me getting in trouble if you guys do help. He's trying to continually isolate me from everyone else." I reply as I sit down myself.

I'm still in shock-mode from the bomb that Cole dropped, and of course I came home and told Kane and Genevieve everything. There's no way I couldn't. They're just as pissed as me and cannot believe that Cole would stoop to this.

"I swear he's going to get a rude awakening when the Alpha King comes to visit. There is no way that Alpha Nathaniel would look at this pack and say it's running smoothly. It's a fucking shit show here." Kane says in a strained voice, his eyes darting between Genevieve and me.

I know he's raging at this new revelation, but I haven't even told them I'm leaving yet. They both continue the conversation, and I tune out slightly, wondering if I should tell them now. I need to plan my escape, and I sure as hell will need their help doing it. I don't think I could pull it off on my own, and if I got caught? I'd be dead.

I should tell them now. Get the second wave of shock over with.

I train my gaze on the two of them talking, and waves of emotion hit me like a ton of bricks. I won't see them anymore. The two that have had my back all through life and what it is now. I hate to leave them, but after next week, I'll have nothing else to really look forward to. I will be completely isolated, and I don't know if I could push through that. I want to give myself more credit, but my inner strength has dwindled. I'm not the same person I used to be, and I am slowly losing more and more of myself as days go on.

Which is why I have to leave.

I clear my throat and wait for both Kane and Genevieve to look at me. My heart is pounding so fast in my chest as I look at them. Here goes nothing.

"I'm leaving Red Moon."

As expected, their eyes go wide and Genevieve gasps and then shrieks, "You're what?!"

"I'm leaving. I can't live here anymore."

"Ivy, you can't. Cole will hunt you down. You'll be on the run for the rest of your life. Are you sure you want to put yourself through that?" Kane says with his full attention on me.

I meet his gaze and shake my head. "I don't see any other option. I'd rather be running then stay here and be subjected to whatever else is coming my way."

"Without Seles, you'd have a difficult time out there. You know that right? I hate to say it, but you're pretty much just a human girl without her." Genevieve states with a solemn look on her face. She's not wrong, having Seles would give me a better chance of surviving outside the pack.

"What do you guys want me to do? I don't think I could handle staying here and not being able to see or talk to you both. You both know I'm barely holding it together at this point. After six years of this bullshit, I've reached my limit." My voice shakes with emotion, and I see tears welling up in Genevieve's eyes. Her and Kane look at each other and then back at me.

"What do you need us to do?" Kane says steadily, his face like stone.

"Help me escape without anyone knowing I'm gone."

- - -

(Two days later)

It's the day before I leave Red Moon for good.

Genevieve, Kane, and I decided on me leaving when the Alpha King comes, as everyone will be too distracted with his arrival to notice that I've slipped past the pack boundaries and into the night. The Alpha King is scheduled to arrive tomorrow evening just before dinner, and that's when I'll go.

The three of us have been scrambling to get things packed away for me, but we managed. I have a large backpack filled with some food, water, and other essentials, and I've taken all my savings from working at Iron Wolf and other side jobs, so I should be okay money wise until I can get myself settled far away from here.

I thought that I would leave the Northern Continent but realized that would take more than what I can do now. So, I'll get settled somewhere remote, and figure it out from there.

The full plan:

- Do all my chores for the day as usual, to keep up appearances.

- Attend the meeting before the Alpha King arrives, then walk back to the house.

- Kane and Genevieve will tell anyone who asks that I went to relax as I wasn't feeling well.

- Grab my bag in my room that's close to my unlocked window that faces the entrance to the pack lands.

- Sneak around the pack entrance and head into the forest, with hopefully no one being the wiser.

I look at my bag that is packed, placed in its correct spot and I sigh loudly, nerves making themselves completely known as my heart starts to pound.

Can I do this?

"I have to." I say out loud as I stand and exhale deeply and walk out of my room to see Kane and Genevieve near the front door of the house. I only catch the end of the conversation.

"We will. Thank you." Kane closes the door and him and Genevieve turn to look at me, their faces draining of colour. I've rarely seen Kane be affected by something like this. Liked he's scared.

Oh no.

"What is it? What's wrong?" I ask, my voice squeaking with panic.

There's a short moment of silence before Genevieve speaks.

"Our plan isn't going to work."

My eyes widen and I state at her, bewildered. "We put so much work into it! Why won't it work? Tell me. Who was at the door?" My heart is pounding out of my chest as I wait for her response.

"It won't work because..." She pauses to take a deep breath. "Because the Alpha King is coming today. A whole day earlier than planned."

Kane adds, "Cole is in panic mode as things aren't ready, and he needs the whole pack to get everything prepared. Which includes you. If you don't show..."

"He won't be there until the evening though, right? I could still help and slip away." I try to reassure them... or maybe myself.

"No, Ivy. He's almost here now." Kane states plainly and I swear my jaw drops to the floor.

Well fuck.