Cassian's POV
"Cassian, it's been a month. You need to do something."
I looked up at my mom. The breakfast table was awfully quiet. It's been like this for a month. Like there was something missing.
I sighed, looking down at my plate of food. "She won't come out. I don't know what to do."
"This is not good for her, Cassian. We need to do something. I tried. Ruth tried. Everyone here did everything we could to make her come out. She hasn't stepped out of the packhouse even once after the incident. How long are you going to let this go on?"
"What are you suggesting, Mom? It's not like I haven't tried to get her out. I asked her many times. Hell, I even proposed I would go for a run with her. What else can I do?" I crossed my arms.
My mother shook her head. "Cassian, you need to be a little more empathetic."
"Huh? Do you think I'm a heartless person?" I scoffed.
"Cass, hear her out." My father snapped.
"Look, she lost her mother. That means a great deal. I know I don't have to explain what losing someone you love feels like to you." She paused, causing me to look down. "But Isabella was the only person she could call her own in this world other than you. Now, her mother is gone, leaving her only with you. If you don't care enough for her, she might feel like there's no one for her."
"Son, this is dangerous. She's unmarked. You know how that affects her health. This will only make it worse." I met my father's eyes. "The pack misses her. When I go out, all they ask about is her. They need her back."
I know. Every time I go out, all I hear is about her too. Everyone wants to know about her. Why?
They never asked about Avery like this. Wasn't she a good Luna? What's so special about Ivy that makes her a better Luna than Avery?
That thought alone made me frown.
Avery was a great Luna. There's no way this kid is better than her.
I breathed out a sigh. "I'll take her out."
"And I have something for you." My mother stopped me before I got up. She placed a folded piece of paper on the table and slid it towards me. "This is a letter Isabella asked Lily to write before she passed away. Lily kept it because she thought it wasn't the right time to give it to her. I think you are the person who should keep it. Give it to her when you feel like the time is right, okay?"
I took the paper into my hand and gave her a curt nod before standing up.
When I stepped inside the room, Ivy was sitting by the window, silently staring out. Her hair was wet. Water dripped down onto the floor from it.
"Have you eaten?" I asked, causing her to look my way.
"Yes…" Her voice was barely above a whisper. My eyes fell on the platter of food on the table. Half of the food was still there.
"You need to eat more," I walked closer. The only light in the room came from the window. She didn't like when I turned on the lights. "And don't stay in the shower for that long. Your hands are wrinkly." I said, causing her to look at her own hands. Her face was pale and lacked the golden color it used to have when she first came here.
"Oh…" She uttered softly.
"We're going out today," I said. Her eyes met mine at the speed of light.
"No…I don't…"
"It's an order." My voice left no room for argument. "I tried my best to get you to go out on your own. But you weren't complying with me at all. I can't let this go on, kid. You need to go out."
"Why can't I stay here? What's the need–"
"It's an order." I snapped, causing her to fall silent.
I raked a hand through my hair. "Look, I don't want to be harsh to you but I've got no other way. Get dressed."
____
"Where do you want to go?" I asked as we both got inside the car. I have no idea where to take her. Where do girls like her usually go?
"Nowhere,"
I rolled my eyes. I took out my phone and did the only thing I could do. I googled it.
Shopping, parties, hanging out with friends, playing video games?
Shopping it is then.
***
We reached the mall in no time. I stared out at the big building for a moment before I blew my cheeks out. I'm not one for doing stuff like this. What do I even buy this kid?
"Uhh…do you want clothes?"
She just looked at me with a straight face.
"What? Do you not like clothes?"
"I don't want them." She looked away.
Damn, this omega is getting on my nerves.
"Well, I don't care. We are going to buy you clothes anyway. Get out."
—-
I watched as the sales girl picked out different types of clothes for the grumpy kid. She had no joy on her face. I thought girls liked shopping. Was I wrong?
"Ma'am, do you want to look at our lingerie collection?" The sales girl asked and for the first time in a month, I saw her cheeks turn red.
Her eyes looked at me and then at the sales girl before she shook her head.
"N–"
"Yes," I surprised even myself by saying that out loud. "Uhh…she would like to take a look,"
"W-Wha–" Ivy looked at me like I grew two heads before the enthusiastic sales girl cut her off.
"Of course, come this way please."
The girl took us to another section of the shop and that's when I realized that my terrible miscalculations had backfired on me.
I only said yes to see her blush again but now, we were surrounded by all kinds of erotic items of clothing.
The girl excitedly began to show all types of lingeries that she thought would look good on the omega.
"Sir, what do you think about this one?" The girl held up an article of black clothing. It was all see-through lace and some strings. I couldn't figure out what exactly it was or how one would wear it.
"Uhh…great?"
Ivy looked at me, wide-eyed and with cheeks red like a tomato.
Goddess, I want to get out of here.
"Great! Then I'll pack these five." She held up some other ones. "Ma'am, do you want to try them on?"
"N-No," The omega shook her head.
"Uhh, pack all the other clothes she picked out earlier. We'd like to pay."
"Okay, sir. Thank you for shopping. Please come again."
***
"Umm…you don't have to wear them," I said as we both got out of the shop.
Ivy only stared at her feet.
"You can if you want to. I'm just saying that you don't have to do that just because we bought them." I scratched my neck. This is so awkward.
Goddess, what the hell is wrong with me?
I cleared my throat. "Are you hungry?" I looked at her. She gave me a nod, still staring everywhere else but me.
___
I sat there and watched her eyes light up as she tried each dish I ordered. It was some Indian food. I think she never had Indian food.
I knew it was a little spicy for her but she didn't seem to mind.
At least, she's not grumpy anymore.
"Do you want to go to an amusement park?" What the hell am I doing? I should stop it here, call it a day, and go home. Why take her to an amusement park?
Ivy looked up, her wide eyes finding mine. "What's an amusement park?"
"I'll show you."
—--
"They have a gun. Are they dangerous?" The omega tugged on my sleeve to pull me down as she whispered.
"No. Those are to pop the balloons. If we pop all the balloons, they will give us the toy we want." I explained.
"The big ones too?"
"Yeah, the big ones too." I shrugged, before looking around.
"That's amazing."
"What?" I looked at her. She was still staring at the balloon stall. Does she really want a toy? Why would she want a toy?
"Can we try that?"
"Huh? The toy stall? Why would you want a toy? You're not a child." I huffed and saw the expression on her face immediately turn dull.
"Right…" She mumbled before looking down.
I let out a breath of defeat. "Fine…"
….
"How many balloons for the big one?" I asked the stallkeeper.
"All of it, sir."
"Alright," I replied before I got into position. Popping balloons with a gun was easy since I was used to popping heads with it. I did it in one go which earned me a few claps from the crowd around us.
The stallkeeper took out the big ass blue teddy bear from the shelf and gave it to me. I immediately gave it to the omega. "Here. Don't ask me to do this type of thing again." I mumbled.
"Thank you!" I heard her say, causing me to look at her. She was sporting a wide grin.
At least, all of these stupid things I did didn't go in vain.
—
I glared at every person that dared to come close to me. I was getting tired of people staring at me like I was some sort of decorative statue.
I know I must look amusing. A tall, buff guy holding a giant blue teddy bear is not something they might see every day. It's all that omega's fault.
The said omega is riding a rollercoaster at the moment. She was running around getting on all the rides she saw. It's hard to believe she's the same girl who was cooped up in the room till a few hours ago.
I feel like I'm watching over a child.
"That was amazing!" She shouted as she ran towards me.
"Good. We're leaving."
"Already?" Her voice fell immediately, disappointment lacing it.
"It's already evening. We've spent enough time out." I walked towards the exit of the park.
"You never tried any ride. Next time let's get on the big wheel!"
"There's no next time." I scoffed.
"Oh…" She muttered. "Right…Anyway, thank you for bringing me here. This is my first time experiencing something like this. I really enjoyed it…" She gave me a smile.
Right. She grew up in the woods and probably never even heard of something like this. She was experiencing a childhood she never had the chance to.
I pressed my tongue inside my cheek. "The big wheel is called the Ferris wheel. You can see the ocean from the top of it. I'll show you the next time we come here." I said, causing her head to snap my way.
"Okay…" She whispered, looking away to hide the blush that formed on her cheeks.