(Iris) Jasper left me in the cold, dark cell with nothing but my thoughts swirling around the events that had landed me here. The air was damp and heavy, the stone walls casting eerie shadows across the floor. I leaned against the wall, trying to make sense of the chaos that had become my life. Putting two and two together, I couldn’t help but ponder Naomi’s motive. It seemed absurd to think she believed the Lycan King and I would end up together. He and Seraphina, however, would make a good pair. They would be a power couple destined for greatness in the pack hierarchy. The idea of me and Lucas being involved romantically was crazy, and Molly found it so amusing that she couldn’t contain her laughter. “Are you insane? You’re in a cell for a murder investigation! Everyone’s trying to get rid of you! What are you even thinking about right now?” Molly chided, her voice echoing in my mind. I rolled my eyes, a habit I’d picked up from years of banter with Molly. “I have to find e
(Naomi) Jasper has been very cold to me since I woke up. The way he avoids my eyes, the sharpness in his tone… it’s like a knife twisting in my gut. I couldn’t help but feel very anxious, a constant gnawing in my stomach that won’t go away. He was never like this with me. When he was the unwanted son, the outcast, I was the only one that gave me the time of day. It was my voice that pulled him out of the shadows, my hand that reached out when no one else would. Elias and Iris never bothered to spend time with him. They were too caught up in their own world, their own destinies. Back then, it was simpler. We hung out together on occasion when we were younger, sneaking off to the woods or finding hidden corners in the pack house to share secrets. But those moments became rarer as Elias was being groomed for Alpha. The responsibilities, the expectations, created a chasm between us. Jasper and I drifted apart, and the bond we once had started to fray. Yet, even then, there was a
(Iris) Naomi was pacing around my cell in silence. It was so unlike her. She was always talking, her voice filling any void with chatter. Even Molly seemed to agree. I leaned against the rough stone wall, studying Naomi with a mixture of curiosity and concern. This wasn’t like her at all. She always had something to say, but now she was lost in her own thoughts, her movements restless and agitated. “Molly, do you see her?” I whispered in my mind to my wolf, my eyes never leaving Naomi. Molly huffs softly in response, a sound that seems to echo my own unease. “I’ve never seen her like this.”“You should say something,” Molly suggested. I took her advice. “I didn’t poison you,” I began, breaking the silence. “I know that,” Naomi replied, her voice calm, almost indifferent. I raised an eyebrow, surprised. “What? You know who did it then?” “Sure,” she replied, as if the question was absurd. “Care to elaborate?” I asked, flabbergasted. “No,” she said simply. “Okay…”
(Iris) In the dimly lit confines of the room, tension hung thick between Naomi and me, the weight of her words reverberating off the rough stone walls. She stood near the door, her figure silhouetted against the faint light filtering through the barred window. Her shoulders were tense. Her gaze was distant as she seemed lost in her own thoughts. “That’s not true,” I insisted, my voice shaky but filled with a conviction born of years of shared memories. “He always loved you. Remember? When we were kids, he’d give you anything to cheer you up, and he never had much!” Naomi’s lips twitched briefly, a shadow of a smile crossing her face before fading. “Well, a brother does that too,” she replied softly, her voice betraying a hint of bitterness that didn’t quite mask the pain beneath. I swallowed, unsure of how to bridge the growing gap between us. Words felt insufficient, inadequate to convey the depth of my feelings. I wanted to reach out, to comfort her, but the walls she’d bu
(Iris) “Are you thinking about my brother again?” Jasper’s voice cut through the stillness of the room, dragging me from the edge of sleep. The sight of him made my heart race, a mix of fear and longing. His tone was playful, but the tension in his posture betrayed his anger. I rolled over to face him, my heart sinking at the sight of his piercing green eyes, dark with suspicion. “What if I was?” I asked flippantly. Jasper’s jaw tightened. His playful demeanor shifted instantly. He crossed the room in a few powerful strides and stood at the edge of my bed. His presence was overwhelming, and I felt a familiar, unwelcome heat rising within me. “Iris,” he growled. “You should know better.” Elias, his brother and rightful heir to the pack, had been my boyfriend until his death. He was a kind-hearted soul without a wolf, and that made him easy prey for Jasper, who seized power after their father’s sudden death. In addition to the Alpha position, he took mor
(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 someo
(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