Ivy's pov
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Continuation of Mated to the Huntress
The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon as Jayden stood in the doorway, his eyes locked on Xander. The boy was playing near the window, his small hands fumbling with a toy truck, but he kept glancing over at Jayden with a mixture of curiosity and uncertainty. There was something about the way Xander looked at him, like he knew the truth in a way that even Ivy didn't yet understand.
"Ivy," Jayden said, his voice low, drawing her attention. She had just entered the room, holding Xander in her arms, but now she paused, sensing the shift in Jayden's energy. He was tense, something simmering under his surface.
"Yeah?" Ivy responded, her voice cautious. She could feel the weight of the moment. Something was about to change, and she wasn't sure if she was ready for it.
"I think it's time we have a conversation," Jayden said, his voice steady but filled with resolve. "Xander and I… we need to talk."
Ivy's breath caught in her throat. She hadn't expected this—hadn't prepared for Jayden to address the unspoken truth. But the moment had come. She had hoped to shield Xander from the complexity of their world a little longer, but now, there was no turning back.
"I've been thinking about it," Jayden continued, his gaze shifting to Xander, who was still eyeing him warily. "Xander is my son. We're family."
Ivy felt her chest tighten. She had known this moment would come. She had hoped it would come later—when she could protect Xander from the dangers that being Jayden's son might bring. But there was no denying it now.
Jayden stepped forward, slowly closing the distance between him and Xander, his eyes softening as he crouched down to the boy's level. "Hey, Xander," he said gently. "I know we don't know each other very well yet, but I want you to know something important. I'm your daddy."
Xander blinked, his small face scrunching in confusion. "Daddy?" he repeated, his little voice hesitant.
Ivy's heart twisted as she watched the interaction. She hadn't told Xander the truth—not like this, not with Jayden stepping in to claim the role of his father. She hadn't even begun to explain the full truth about his biological parents. How could she when she had been so focused on keeping them both safe from the world she lived in? The world of rogues, of werewolves.
Jayden smiled softly, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. "Yeah, buddy. I'm your daddy. And I'm here now. To protect you and your mom."
Ivy's throat tightened, but she said nothing. She watched Jayden and Xander—watched the small flicker of recognition in Xander's eyes. He was too young to understand the full weight of what Jayden was saying, but there was a bond forming between them, one that Ivy hadn't expected to happen so soon.
Xander shifted closer to Jayden, his little hands clutching at his stuffed wolf. "Can we play?"
Jayden chuckled, a warm sound that eased some of the tension Ivy felt. "Of course we can play," he said. "Let's go outside, huh?"
Ivy stood there, silent for a moment, before nodding. She couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. Jayden was already stepping into his role as Xander's father, and she hadn't even fully brought him into their world. She had kept the truth from him—about Xander's powers, about the dangers of being a werewolf. About what she really did for a living. She wasn't sure how much longer she could keep the truth hidden.
"I'll go grab my jacket," Ivy said, her voice quieter than usual. "You two go ahead."
Jayden didn't hesitate, picking Xander up and tossing him playfully into the air before setting him down on his feet. The boy laughed, his small wolfish grin lighting up his face. For a moment, Ivy watched them, her heart aching. This was supposed to be her and Xander's quiet life—safe from the chaos of the world she'd left behind. But now, with Jayden in the picture, everything was shifting, and she didn't know if she was ready for it.
As they walked outside, Ivy stood by the door, watching them. Jayden was already bonding with Xander in ways she hadn't imagined. But in the back of her mind, the rogue still loomed.
It had been days since she'd picked up his trail—the rogue who had killed so many innocent werewolves, the rogue she had been hunting for months. She had followed his scent into this city, and now, with Jayden here, she wasn't sure if she could keep her secrets hidden any longer.
"Mommy, can we go too?" Xander's voice interrupted her thoughts.
Ivy snapped back to reality, smiling at her son. "Of course, sweetie," she said softly. "Let's go play."
But as they walked into the yard, her thoughts were far from the innocent playtime Xander expected. Jayden's presence—his bond with Xander—was starting to change everything. And she wasn't sure how much longer she could hide her other life from him.
Jayden, too, had secrets. He hadn't told Ivy about the rogue pack his Alpha family was hunting. He hadn't told her that they were getting closer, and that their paths were about to cross in a way neither of them expected.
But for now, Jayden was content playing the role of father to Xander. He was unaware of Ivy's life as a huntress, of the dangerous world she was still part of. But that wouldn't last long. Because the rogue she was hunting? He was closing in, and Ivy couldn't protect them both from the truth for much longer.
Jayden leaned against the doorway, his eyes still on Xander, who was back to playing quietly. He could feel the boy's power humming beneath the surface, but it was raw and untrained. The child's wolf was too young to understand what it meant, and Jayden had no idea just how much Ivy had kept from him.
But Ivy was hiding more than just her son's abilities. She was keeping secrets—ones that went beyond Xander.
"Ivy," Jayden started, his voice low, "about the rogue you were after before we met... did you find any leads?"
Ivy's heart skipped a beat. The rogue. She had come to this city on a mission, sent to track down one of the most dangerous wolves her organization had ever encountered. The rogue was responsible for a string of brutal attacks, and Ivy had been getting closer to finding him before Jayden came into her life and complicated everything. She hadn't told him any of this, of course. How could she? He didn't even know she was a huntress.
"No," Ivy lied, trying to keep her voice steady. "I'm still looking."
Jayden narrowed his eyes but didn't press the issue. He assumed she was a human who had stumbled into a werewolf conflict and just happened to get caught up in it. She had come to his school searching for information, and now that they were bonded, he felt responsible for her safety. Little did he know, she didn't need protecting from the rogue. She was the one hunting him.
"I'll help," Jayden said, surprising her.
"What?" Ivy's head snapped up.
"The rogue," Jayden clarified. "I'll help you find him. It's not safe for you to be involved. Rogues are dangerous, and now that we're bonded, I'm not going to let anything happen to you."
Ivy's heart twisted. He was trying to protect her, completely unaware that she was far more dangerous than he realized. She had killed rogues before—many of them. But Jayden's offer was genuine, and she couldn't refuse without raising suspicion.
"Okay," she finally said, forcing a smile. "We can look for him together."
Jayden nodded, satisfied with her response. But before he could say anything more, Xander came bounding back into the room, clutching his favorite stuffed wolf. He tugged on Ivy's leg, his eyes bright with excitement.
"Mommy! Can we play now?"
Ivy smiled down at him, her heart softening. She couldn't keep up the façade forever. Sooner or later, Jayden would find out who she really was. But for now, all she wanted was to protect Xander from the truth—both about her and about the rogue that was still lurking in the shadows.
"Of course, baby," she said, bending down to pick him up. She pressed a kiss to his cheek, her eyes flicking to Jayden as she held her son close. "We'll be outside."
Jayden watched as Ivy carried Xander toward the back door, his mind spinning with thoughts of the rogue. He couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. He had sensed the rogue's presence weeks ago, but the trail had gone cold