I snuggled deeper into the plush bed, my dreams filled with vivid images of floating on a cloud, surrounded by soft, white feathers. I felt weightless, free, and serene. My body relaxed, letting go of all tension, as I sank further into the comfortable mattress.I dreamt sweet sweet dreams as I smiled brightly, but as the dream began to fade, my body slowly returned to awareness. I stretched, arching my back and extending my arms above my head, feeling the softness of the bed and the gentle give of the pillows."Comfortable." I muttered.My eyes fluttered open, and I was met with an unfamiliar ceiling."Where am I?" Confusion washed over me as I sat up, looking around the room. It definitely wasn't my own. The furniture, the decor, everything was different but all too familiar. And then it hit me - I was still in Leigh's room.A wave of embarrassment and mortification crashed over me as I realized I had dared to fall asleep in his bed, but I didn't sleep on his bed. If I recalled corr
We walked a few distance until we were sure we had reached a spot where we could talk privately. He turned around to face me and my eyes trailed off to my feet. I was afraid of looking him in the eyes. His eyes were always warm and soft and I didn't want to be reminded that I was a horrible person because I knew deep within what he wanted from me and I also knew that I planned on rejecting him, but the issue was how to do so without hurting his feelings because I still genuinely wanted to be friends with him."Iris," he began softly, "won't you even at least look at me?" His voice soft and soothing. This was what I didn't want, to look into his eyes."You are my master, how dare I look at you so brazenly." I bit my lips as I spoke my eyes still on my feet. He moved closer and pulled my face upwards causing me to look at him. He looked sad and I could feel other emotions coming from him."I do know that you have been ignoring me, only an idiot wouldn't. I just.... I'm just..." He stutt
"I didn't know you were hungry, you always missed breakfast." Chad said politely with a forced smile and I looked down at my feet."I'm suddenly so hungry that I think I might actually collapse." Leigh said with a wicked grin."I can ask the servants to prepare breakfast for you and send it to your room.""No need, I'll just eat with the both of you." He said grabbing a seat as he sat down besides me.He grabbed my fork and the sausage on it and took a big bite out of it."Delicious." He said licking his lips. He looked back at me and tapped the table causing me to look up and meet his eyes. "Are you not going to eat? It's quite delicious." He said with a sly smirk. I glanced at Chad and I could see how pissed off he looks."I will just excuse you both, I do not want to intrude." I said with a smile as I got up."Sit!" They chorused at the same time."Please sit " Chad said again with a smile. "You are not intruding on anything." I quietly sat down. Leigh stared at me, his gaze almost
I backed away from Leigh immediately and master Alan's gaze was fixed on me as he eyed me up and down."What are you doing here when you are meant to be working with the others?" His voice commanding."I...I was..." I stuttered as his gaze pierced at me."I had work for her to do for me." Leigh stood in front of me. I peeked from behind him and master Alan's eyes were still fixed on me."Don't loiter around next time." He sighed as he walked past us and I bowed slightly.Leigh looked back at me and I looked away immediately."I'll take my leave now." I said trying to excuse myself but he held onto my arms."About what I said earlier, give it some thought."I stared blankly at him. About the things we talked about earlier, there was actually nothing to think about as I was definitely not going to do what he said I should. I was not going to stay away from Chad just because he said so.I politely bowed and walked off. I breathed in as soon as I was out of his sight."These masters are a
My eyes widened in confusion as I tried to convince Miss Felice that I had nothing going on with Leigh. "But Miss Felice, I don't understand why you're warning me away from him. I'm not even interested in him romantically, and we have nothing going on." I said as I gestured frantically. Leigh and I were basically two parallel lines, he hated me and didn't like me anywhere near his brother, I really wonder how Miss Felice got to the conclusion that we were involved romantically and that I was probably going to snatch him away from his chosen mate.Miss Felice's expression turned stern. "Don't play dumb, child. I know all about the way he looks at you, how he dotes on you and everything else. As an old servant of this household, nothing gets past me.""You must have misunderstood, the issue between Leigh and I is not as you think, there was a misunderstanding between us and his attitude towards me is far from doting," I said aloud "it's more like annoyance about my very existence." I sa
The next few days went by as usual, no changes, but just the usual.The constant stares and gossips from the other girls. Me outrightly avoiding both Leigh and Chad, tending to the gardens, getting something to eat, having to bear with the scorns from the other girls, having Anne and Gina defend me, serving supper, avoiding Leigh and Chad again, getting something to eat, getting some sleep after pondering about the whole days events, getting up early the next day and repeat.It was almost as if I could see the future because I knew when each event was going to happen. Leigh and Chad also seemed to have a timetable for the time they approached me, and since I had mentally taken note of the time they did, I was sure to avoid them.Leigh has also been home quite often. He was never this around. He was always out on business, but now he seemed to come home more often and he always seemed to seek me out but I always avoided him.Miss Felice was basically watching me like a hawk, and to mak
"Make sure the room is sparkling clean," a senior servant yelled at us. "Miss Eleanor doesn't like dirty things." She said eyeing me up and down and I got the hidden meaning in her words loud and clear. The other girls chuckled as they probably got it too. It was obvious they did."The real mistress is coming so all the other little sluts have to give way." One of the girls said chuckling behind me.I sighed as I started cleaning. I didn't have the time to listen or argue with these ignorant fools. I wiped down the glass of the guest room located upstairs, very close to the quarters of the Troy brothers. They were whispers about how much of a beauty this Eleanor Rider was. She was a grade A Omega with a high blood purity level. Her pack was also one of the strongest and she has been betrothed to Leigh since birth.Perfect people really do end up together. I sighed again as I wiped down the window."Quit sighing, you are disturbing the rest of us." One of the girls on cleaning duty wit
"Welcome Miss Eleanor Rider to the Troy pack." Miss Felice said with a beaming smile."Thank you for having me." Eleanor said with a smile.Her smile was really beautiful and she herself as a person, was such a great beauty that I felt very insignificant besides her. She was poised and moved confidently with an air of superiority. Her golden hair ran down her back and her emerald green eyes were such a spectacle to behold."I've never seen anyone with green eyes before," Anne said excitedly. "And she is so beautiful too. Her face is so small like a doll that I just want to pinch her cheeks." She squealed in excitement."Calm down or you are going to get in trouble with Miss Felice." Gina cautioned.Miss Felice ordered some servants to grab her boxes from the trunk of the vehicle and take them to the already prepared room. She led her to where we stood in an orderly line and Eleanor smiled widely as she looked at us. She seemed like a nice person. It was really such a good thing to be
~ Iris POV ~Three years had passed since the blood and chaos of that night in Luka’s mansion, three years since I had looked into the cold, dead eyes of Luka Lane. In those three years, Leigh and I had built a life together, a sanctuary away from the shadows of the past. Our own mansion was where we lived now, far away from the main Troy mansion. Two years ago, under the glow of the full moon, we had finally become one, our souls bound together in a love forged in fire and tempered by time. He had made me his mate and we were blessed by the moon goddess. Leigh had sworn not to return to the old Troy mansion until the old Alpha breathed his last and he had kept to his words, it was a heart breaking but necessary severing of ties. We had found our own happiness, clinging to each other as we navigated our own future together.Today also, was a day for celebration. Nicolas and Clarisse were finally tying the knot. The air in our bedroom was thick with the pleasant chaos of getting rea
~ Leigh’s POV ~My lungs burned, each ragged breath shot pain through my entire body. But I knew I had to forget this pain I was feeling, I knew the ceremony was fast approaching, and Travis was unreachable this whole time too so we did not know whether he had arrived Lane’s pack or not. There was no time. No time to rest, no time to fully heal. Iris was in danger and I must save her.Every fibre of my being screamed at me to move faster, to bridge the impossible distance that separated us. Every mile felt like a lifetime, every rustle of leaves a potential delay. Clarisse was so worried. “I can’t reach Travis… we don’t know if he made it.” She said on the way. Nicolas’s updated us not too long after. “Travis just called… they encountered heavy resistance. It is clear that Luka anticipated them.” I clenched my jaw. That bastard. He is indeed an old weasel. “No matter what,” I snarled, “we break through and defeat him. We have to.”And we did. The fight was brutal. When we arrive
What I felt inside wasn’t just a power. It was an understanding. An understanding that made me feel ancient, yet utterly present, as if the moon goddess and I were two halves of a perfect whole. My vision were sharpened, and I could see everything. Every sin, every judgement. Every weakness and strength. I could see it all. With a roar that echoed through the hall, I launched myself at Luka, and flinged him far, sending him crashing against the wall. He hadn’t even fully regained his footing before I slammed into him again, sending his hulking form sprawling again once more. My eyes, I could feel, burned with an otherworldly light, fixed on Luka with an intensity that made him flinch.“Your opponent is me, Luka Lane!” I stated, my voice resonating with a newfound authority, a power that was both mine and something far more greater.Luka snarled, pushing himself up, his grey fur bristling. “So, the little moonflower has finally found her thorns, huh! Too bad for little one, you shoul
Travis’s strength was visibly slipping away but I could only watch. Each blow, each snarl, seemed to cost him more. Then, the unthinkable happened. Luka, with a brutal swiftness, plunged his massive claws deep into Travis’s chest. An agonizing shout ripped through the air, a sound that tore at my soul.Luka ripped his claws out, and Travis’s powerful wolf form faltered. He crashed to the ground, as a dark stain of blood spread rapidly under him. His gaze was filled with pain and exhaustion, flickered towards me. In his eyes, I saw a heart breaking message. “I’m tired. I tried.” That’s all I could see in his eyes. He was tired and I was powerless. Tears streamed down my face, blurring the horrific scene before me.Luka with his eyes gleaming with a cruel triumph, loomed over Travis. “Insect!” he sneered as he opened his massive jaws, ready to deliver the killing blow, aiming for Travis’s throat.“NO!” The shriek tore from my own throat, it was a desperate shout, hoping it could somehow
“What was that sound?” Archie demanded of the guards turned towards the door.They all looked confused as their eyes darted nervously around “We… do not know Alpha,” one stammered, “but it sounds… it sounds like someone is blowing the place up.”My heart leaped into my throat. Could it be? Could it possibly be him? A flicker of desperate hope ignited in me, chasing away the fear in my heart. Leigh was here. It had to be Leigh. He wouldn’t let them keep me here.Archie’s jaw tightened, his gaze locking onto mine, then a cruel smirk twisted on his lips. “Keep her contained,” he snarled at the servants who stood. “Do not let her escape. I will go and see what this… disturbance… is.” He shot me one last venomous look before turning and striding out of the room, the guards hurrying after him.My mind was a whirlwind of possibilities. Explosions? Fighting? It had to be Leigh. My eyes felt hot with unshed tears of relief and anticipation. He was here. He was really here to save me.“Come my
Sleep. That word felt foreign. After what I had heard from Ethel, how could I possibly fall asleep. The locked door was a solid testament to my captivity, and the high, narrow window offered no solace at all or a route of escape. I was trapped, and those guards were outside watching. I paced back and forth in the confines of the room. My mind was running like a hamster on a wheel with no way to stop. As I turned sharply, my foot caught on the edge of the bed, sending me sprawling on the ground hard. The back of my head slammed against the marble floor, as a sharp blinding pain shot through me. A loud groan escaped my lips, and for a dizzying moment, darkness threatened to take me again. But then, as the pain subsided, a torrent of memories, sharp and vivid, began to flood my consciousness wildly. The fragmented dreams, the unsettling whispers, the faces I couldn’t quite grasp, they all snapped into place with startling clarity. I could remember everything all of a sudden. I wasn’t
This was supposed to be my escape, but it wasn’t anymore as there were about two dozens of imposing figures, their faces grim and unyielding, lined in the corridor, their presence suffocating the last grasp of hope Ethel had built in me. And Luka Lane just stood there watching us, his very stillness radiating an icy authority. His grey eyes were as sharp as shards of glass.Ethel, who had moments ago been very courageous was now visibly trembling beside me. Her breath hitched in her throat and her hand clutched my own tightly, her fingers digging into my skin. Luka’s lips peeled back into a slow, cruel sneer. “Well, well, well,” he drawled, his voice a violent threat that sent shivers and sweat running down my temples. “I guess you are playing hide and seek in the dead of night, my little runaway? And you, Ethel? Playing accomplice are you?” he sneered.Ethel’s voice, when she finally managed to speak, was full of tremor. “Father… we were just… she wasn’t feeling well. I was only ta
~ Iris POV ~From the moment I woke up, I felt uneasy. It was like there was something pressing against my chest. It was because I knew tomorrow was fast approaching. Tomorrow was the day I was supposed to become Luka Lane’s mate. The thought felt like air was being sucked out of my lungs. This morning, my gown had also arrived and I was made to come test it out. It was truly beautiful and a perfect fit. Perfect for my discomfort actually, because there is no way I would be happy wearing that knowing who my groom is.I got confined to my room afterwards, under the guise of pre wedding pampering, felt more like imprisonment, like they have been doing since I got here. On the brief walk back from the gown testing room, I saw how everyone was busy with activity. Servants scurried with floral arrangements, and trying to get things arranged. I sighed heavily as I jumped on my bed with a thud. My gaze drifted to the window, and I yearned to feel the cool night air on my face, to run until
“Nicolas,” I repeated, my voice rough, “What happened to Iris?” The silence that followed stretched longer than I thought necessary. It was so thick and suffocating, and this silence just seemed to amplify the frantic thumping of my heart.Nicolas shifted his weight uncomfortably, his gaze fixed on the hard cold floor. He finally sighed, a sound heavy with reluctance. “Leigh please. You need to focus on getting better. This isn’t something you should be worrying about right now.” He tried to reason. It was not a reasonable thing for him to say though. At least to me.I hissed harshly. The dismissive tone ignited a spark of fury within me, overriding the weakness that still clung to my limbs. I pushed myself up against the pillows, the sudden movement causing a sharp tug on the IV drip in my wrist, sending a jolt of pain through my arm and to my brain. “I cannot relax Nicolas! Iris is out there, in Luka Lane’s clutches. What do you think he wants with her? It’s not a good thing obvious