(Iris)
Jasper’s words stung, but I was used to his cruelty. His announcement shouldn’t have been a surprise. He loved to taunt me. And the only reason he hadn’t rejected me sooner was that I served as his useful prop, showcasing his supposed kindness and benevolence as the new Alpha. Rejecting me, his mate, the former girlfriend of the rightful heir, wouldn’t have looked good. But now his reign was secure. And he could do whatever he wanted. I should have felt triumphant, knowing that soon I would be free from his oppressive grasp, but the reality was far more complicated.I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling. My mind scolded itself for being so overwhelmed with emotions. I shouldn’t feel as shocked and betrayed as I did. I shouldn’t feel anything at all. He was a killer. I should hate him. I really shouldn’t have been surprised he had decided to reject me now. I should have known that was what he wanted. Behind the flirting and the sex, he didn’t want me. There was someone else. And I knew that. As if summoned by my thoughts, Naomi burst into my room, her eyes blazing with jealousy and rage. I hurried to cover myself, using the blankets on the bed, but she was too angry to notice or care. She stood by my bed, towering over me as if trying to assert her dominance, but she only succeeded in looking like an angry cat. “He was here again, wasn’t he?” she demanded, her voice sharp. I sighed, too caught up in my emotions to give her any kind of reaction. “He is the alpha,” I said, keeping my voice calm and even. “He comes and goes as he pleases.” Naomi did not like that answer. Her hand struck my face with a sharp crack, the force of it turning my head to the side. I felt the familiar sting and the burn of tears that I refused to shed. Naomi crossed her arms, her eyes alight with hatred. But still, I did not have the energy to react. “You think you can win his heart by sleeping with him?” She shouted, her voice echoing in my ears. “He is mine. He will always be mine. You are a toy! He will be bored of you soon enough!” She never forgave me for being Jasper’s mate. Even though it was nobody’s fault. We used to be best friends, growing up together as the daughters of the pack Beta and Gamma. I met her eyes. Even after all this, I didn’t see her as anything but a hurt friend. I couldn’t bring myself to hate her in return. I missed her. She was fierce, but kind. We used to be sisters in all but blood. We had even dreamed of mending the rift between Jasper and Elias as their better halves. But everything changed after my 20th birthday when the bond between Jasper and me was revealed. I hadn’t meant to hurt her. Not after everything she did for me. She saved me from banishment after Jasper usurped the throne. Her father had helped Jasper, but my parents had died protecting Elias. She was there for me when I cried for them. But after my birthday… her kindness turned to cold hatred. The sisterhood we once shared was shattered. And I was alone. Still, I couldn’t hate her. I couldn’t even be angry. I could only take whatever abuse she lay down. I felt I owed her that much. The sound of approaching footsteps broke through my thoughts, and I looked up sharply. Jasper entered the room, his presence overwhelming. Naomi immediately threw herself to the floor, crying out as if I had attacked her. “She pushed me for no reason!” Naomi cried, the fake tears already dripping down her cheeks. Her voice was filled with fake innocence, and her eyes were wide and tearful. In an instant, Jasper was across the room. He picked Naomi up from the floor, cradling her in his arms. His expression hardened as he checked her for injuries, and he turned to look at me with cold disdain. He could have shouted at me. He could have yelled or scolded me for the supposed offense. But he didn’t. He knew that wouldn’t hurt me. So he did something much worse. “There is something I forgot to tell you about the rejection,” he said, his voice low and icy. “Naomi’s coronation as Luna will be the same day. You will serve as her omega maid in the coronation after the rejection.” He looked down at Naomi with a sickeningly loving gaze, brushing a wisp of hair from her face. “Then you can punish her whenever you want, my dear,” he whispered loud enough for me to hear. He kissed her softly. It looked so different from how he kissed me. It looked so loving. He knew what he was doing. He knew the pain I was going to experience. I couldn’t even process it. All I could think about was how much he looked like Elias. The love in Jasper’s eyes as he looked at Naomi shook me. He looked so much like the gentle and passionate Elias. I thought about how Elias had looked at me the same way. Jasper had taken that from me. Naomi’s eyes gleamed with triumph as she nestled into Jasper’s arms. He walked out without another word or glance in my direction, but Naomi peered over his shoulder at me with an ominous expression. I let myself fall into the bed, my whole body trembling. Only when the door was closed did I allow myself to fall apart. Jasper had officially taken everything from me. My parents were gone. My love was dead at his hand. My future was in ruins. My innocence was destroyed. And now, I was to be reduced to a servant, humiliated in front of the pack I once belonged to. I would be no better than a slave on a leash. The rejection would strip away the last remnants of my connection to Elias, severing the bond that had been my only solace. And the thought of serving Naomi, being at her spiteful mercy, was almost too much to bear. But I would bear it. I would endure. I had to. I had no choice.(Iris)The next day, the sun was beginning to rise as I stood in Naomi’s lavishly decorated room. Golden rays filtered through the sheer curtains, casting a warm glow on the ornate furniture and the array of dresses sprawled across the bed. I was helping Naomi with the dress she was going to wear in her coronation ceremony. The fabric was soft and luxurious, a deep shade of emerald that complemented her striking features. As Naomi slipped into the dress, she admired her figure in the mirror, her eyes gleaming with pride and anticipation. She turned to get a better look, her smile widening. While she admired herself, my mind couldn’t help but slip to the past. Memories of our childhood together, of the times we were inseparable, flooded my thoughts. The mischievous adventures, the laughter, and the bond we once shared felt like a lifetime ago. “Hey! Where is your head at? Your Luna needs some help here!” Naomi’s voice snapped me back to the present. She looked at me petulantly,
(Iris)Today is the coronation day of Naomi, and I was waiting in my room for Jasper to come and reject me. The tension in my chest made it hard to breathe, and my heart pounded in my chest. I paced back and forth, unable to stand still. My bedroom, usually a place of comfort, felt like a prison today. I could hear the sounds of bustling activity, preparations for Naomi’s big day underway. The grandeur of the occasion was lost on me, overshadowed by the impending rejection. “It is for the best,” I whispered to my wolf, Molly.“My life will be more livable after the rejection,” I said, trying to convince myself of the truth of my words. “Naomi’s resentment is only misguided. I can try and get her to trust me again after. At least I would have her back. And if I am to work as her servant, making amends would make my life easier in that regard.” My wolf whimpered, her sadness mirroring my own. “I know, Molly,” I said, sitting on the edge of my bed. “It’s just… this bond with Ja
(Iris)I woke up to someone rocking me violently. The world around me was a blur, and my head throbbed with pain. “Wake up! The coronation is about to start! Naomi is waiting for you!” The voice was urgent, insistent, pulling me out of the darkness. My vision slowly cleared, and I recognized one of Naomi’s attendants, her face pinched with annoyance. When she left, I struggled to sit up, my body aching from the aftermath of the rejection. I glanced down and found blood on my legs, a stark reminder of what happened. My heart ached, not just from the physical pain but from the realization of what I had lost. My wolf, Molly, was quieter than usual, her sadness mirroring my own. “We could have had a lovely little puppy.” I heard her painful whispering.The bond with Jasper, once a source of strength and joy, had been brutally severed, leaving us both wounded. I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. I forced myself to freshen up, washing away the traces of blood and tear
(Elias)I watched the scene unfold with a mixture of dread and anticipation. My brother Jasper stood on the raised platform, a self-satisfied smirk plastered on his face as he surveyed the assembled crowd. Beside him, a group of our pack’s elite warriors flanked him, their expressions stern and vigilant. But my attention was fixed on the slender figure standing on Jasper’s right. My mate. Iris.“Our mate looks so thin. They must have treated her pretty bad,” my wolf’s voice echoed in my mind, a growl of disapproval lacing his words. His anger mirrored my own, a seething rage simmering just beneath the surface. Iris’s once vibrant green eyes now seemed dull, shadows darkening the skin beneath them. Her auburn hair, while used to flow like a river of fire, hung limp around her face. The sight of her, so diminished, sent a pang of guilt through my heart. This was my doing, my fault for abandoning her and the pack when they needed me most. I studied the people on the stage, espe
(Iris)The crowd was a blur as I sprinted toward Elias, my heart hammering in my chest. I couldn’t believe he was alive, he was here. After everything, after all this time, he had come back for me. Hope surged through me, giving my legs wings. When I reached him, I threw my arms around him, clutching tightly as if to anchor myself to reality. But the man didn’t move. Confused, I pulled back slightly and looked up. My heart plummeted. The eyes staring down at me weren’t Elias’s warm brown ones. They were blue, cold as ice, and held no recognition or love. My arms dropped to my sides, the elation of moments ago replaced by anguish and embarrassment. I had so missed Elias that I had caused a scene and hugged a stranger. Before I could step away, another man’s firm grip pulled me back. “What do you want with the Lycan King?” he asked, his voice as frosty as his eyes. The shock of his words reverberated through me. Lycan King? My thoughts whirled as I tried to reconcile this m
(Iris)I stood before the Lycan King, my legs shaky, my heart pounding. I waited for the Lycan King to acknowledge me. His presence was overwhelming, filling the room with an almost tangible aura of power. The scent of him, earthy, musky, and intoxicating, wrapped around me, making my head swim. My wolf was practically purring in delight, making happy noises in the back of my mind, as if to remind me that this man was our mate. I was well aware and needed no reminding. “Calm down,” I whispered to myself, though it did little to steady my nerves. The Lycan King’s piercing blue eyes locked onto mine, and I felt a shiver run down my spine. His gaze was intense, as if he could see right through me. “Come forward,” he commanded, his voice deep. I took a hesitant step forward, my heart racing faster. I could feel the weight of his scrutiny, every inch of his being focused on me. As I approached, he gestured for me to sit in a chair across from him. I obeyed without hesitation. He
(Iris)Naomi’s face was a mask of fury as she stormed into the room, her eyes blazing with anger. “You insolent fool!” She screamed, her voice echoing off the walls. “How dare you embarrass me like that?” I knelt on the floor, my head bowed, trying to block out her harsh words. Naomi’s tirade continued, her insults growing more venomous with each passing moment. She jumped up and down, gesturing wildly as she planned out various ways to punish me. Jasper stood off to the side, his expression unreadable. He watched in silence, not moving to intervene or to support Naomi’s outburst. I could sense his discomfort, but he did nothing to stop her. Suddenly, the room fell silent as the Lycan King entered. His presence was commanding, and everyone turned to look at him. One of his warriors, who had been with Naomi earlier, had apparently informed him of what had transpired. “I don’t think what she did warranted that much fuss,” The Lycan King said calmly, his voice cutting through
(Iris)I knew what he meant when he said that. The weight of his words hung in the air, heavy and inescapable. Just like I know and Jasper knows. It was a silent understanding. I nodded, a small, almost imperceptible gesture that conveyed my acceptance. No words were necessary. They would only dilute the gravity of the moment. I turned and left the room, each step echoing in the silence that followed. The door closed softly behind me, but the unspoken words lingered in the air, a reminder of the decisions we had made and the path we were on. I walked back to my room slowly, not really wanting to go. My room was moved recently. Now it was next to the room Naomi and Jasper shared. The day had been exhausted, and all I wanted was to retreat to the solitude of my room. It had been a week since my room was moved to the new location and I wasn’t thrilled about the change, but I had no say in the matter. As I trudged down the dimly lit corridor, I heard the muffled sound of raised voi