The morning light caused me to squeeze my eyelids before raising them, staring at Iris deep in sleep.
How she could be so trusting with me and fall soundly asleep in the arms of her enemy, puzzled me to a great extent.
Last night, I couldn't find any sleep. My thoughts wouldn't let me. After nineteen years in captivity, I didn't expect my first night of some kind of peace to be spent holding Hatzis's niece in my arms.
Gently, I pulled my hand from underneath Iris, and she suddenly raised her lashes, staring calmly at me.
Then she sat up and smiled, but I kept frowning, wondering how the heck Hatzis raised her for her to be so cheerful.
"Good morning, Thor," Iris said softly. "It's nice to know that you didn't kill me or run. See, we are building trust little by little."
She made herself vulnerable and put herself at my mercy to earn my reliance, how foolish was that, yet, I found it admirable, even though the only reason she survived a night in my arms is that she is my mate.
"I don't have nowhere to run, remember? Even if I did, the gammas, betas, and every wolf in this place will hunt and rip me to shreds before I can smell freedom." I told her, sitting up.
Not saying a word, Iris gave me a weak smile and then looked at the door as Rona's voice echoed into the room, "Good morning, My Luna!"
"Rona, can you please get a clean set of decent clothes for Alpha Thor, and have the chefs make breakfast for the both of us. I will be eating with him." Iris said, her voice carrying a weight of authority in it.
There was a brief pause. Then Rona said, "Yes, my Luna."
A while later, a knock on the door echoed in the room, and Iris left the bed, approached the door, and opened it.
"These are the clothes you requested for, my Luna," Rona mumbled, eyeing me from the doorway.
"Thanks, wait for me at the outer hall," Iris said as she received the item from her.
Then Iris turned around when the door shut closed, and she approached me, resting the clothes on the bed.
"You should get change. Later, you will be moved from here to the imperial mansion." Iris said, meeting my eyes.
Confused, I furrowed my brow and mumbled, "The imperial mansion?"
"Yes. It's where I stay… So you wouldn't have to jump from window to window to see me. You can simply knock like a normal being."
"You knew it was me? But…"
"You mask your scent, yet you can not hide the powerful aura you have."
Looking away from Iris, I picked the clothes on the bed and mumbled, "I should get change."
After arriving in the bathroom, I took a look at my reflection in the mirror and paused, striving to figure out the wolf I was now.
"Thor, are you okay?" Iris's voice echoed in the bathroom, snapping me out of my thoughts. "You have been in there for a while."
"I'm fine. Will be out soon." I mumbled, drawing my gaze away from the mirror.
After getting dressed, I walked out of the bathroom, entered the room, and saw a table filled with food.
When Iris and I eye locked, she smiled and pat the pillow beside her as she mumbled, "You must be hungry. If there is anything you would like that's not here, you can tell me."
Swaying my gaze on the food, I felt paralyzed in my legs as images of the feast with her uncle came rushing back to me.
"Thor!" Iris called out, awakening me from my memories.
Silently, I walked over to Iris and took a seat on the pillow beside her, frowning at the food and drinks.
"You have been starving for days, so why are you not eating?" Iris said, raising a brow as she stared intensely at me. "Do you want me to feed you myself?"
"No," I mumbled, ignoring her stare.
Although I was trying to, I could not get over the hate I felt towards myself for my negligence at the feast that day. If only I didn't let myself go and become so trusting, I wouldn't have failed my pack.
"Do you plan to stay hungry for the whole day?" Iris mumbled beneath her breath. "What did I do for you to be so stringent with me? Do you think I'm going to poison you or something?"
"No. I don't believe that you would." I mumbled, feeling reluctant to lift my hand.
A look of doubt settled in Iris's eyes, and she mumbled, "Okay. Then why do you look so hesitant to move?"
Years of torture and imprisonment have made me reserve my feelings, and it felt difficult to meet her gentle gaze and open to her emotionally, so I simply stared at her without uttering a word.
"I guess it's going to be difficult to get you to open up to me. Okay, I understand. But can you be honest with me about this…" Iris said, pausing as she gave a weak smile.
"Okay, I will do my best," I mumbled.
"Tell me the story about my uncle and you."
"Ah…"
The tale about Hatzis and me would only provoke me to anger and make me hateful. Also, I didn't want to remember things so early in the morning and lose myself to my resentment for a dead wolf, so I said nothing, and I could tell that it offended her.
"Fine. I will do a taste test so you will believe me when I tell you that nothing is poison!" Iris said in a sharp tone.
Her mouth was in a tight pout as she reached into the bowl of strawberries and took out one of them. Then she bit into it and draw her hand away from her mouth.
As Iris was about to take another bite, I grab her wrist, looking solely at her juicy lips wet with strawberry fluid.
"Thor," Iris whispered, her eyes glowing with innocence which only made her desirable.
Tugging her by the head, I pulled her closer until our faces were a breath apart and whispered, "I trust that the food is not poison."
Right then and there, I should have let Iris go. But I was tempted by her so badly, and I looked down at her hand, slowly licking the strawberry juice off her soft palm.
A pleasing moan rolled from Iris's tongue as I sucked on her fingers, my gaze centered on hers as she bit her bottom lip with a naive glimpse in her eyes.
My life has been about my pack and beta, but now that my mate was right before my eyes, could the be more for me other than the battlefield and blood?
Brushing my fingertip on her sticky lip, I leaned in closer and whispered, "You got some on here too."
Iris POVMy first kiss, I was about to lose it, and yet, I couldn't pull back. My body felt stiff and hot as Thor's lips got closer to mine.It was just yesterday, I didn't want to walk into that cell and see his face, look into his cold, dark eyes.But now, I was staring into them as his mouth rested on mine, his hand stroking down my back until it reached my waist.Pulling me closer, Thor had me tightly in his grip, giving me no chance to breathe as he claimed my lips, making me moan sounds that felt embarrassing to hear, and yet it was turning me on, giving rise to my yearning for more of him.My eyelids shut closed as I clutched onto the pillow, f
Thor POV The taste of Iris and the softness of her desirable lips were imprinted in my mind, and I felt guilty for wanting to protect and love her because it was a sign of betrayal to my pack. I felt apologetic to my people that I am weak and desperate for her. The craving of my wolf to be with Iris was becoming hard to suppress, and although I detest her pack, I want to keep her safe because she is the only part of this place that I don't hate. Could I have both, revenge and her? It was… I know it's possible. But will Iris still be the same and her beautiful soul perfectly intact? A wolf can only hope. After all, I have left my mark on her tongue. There's no telling how much damage that much has done to her
Iris POVIt's like fate is against my hope for peace, and it's hell-bent on ruining plans to earn Thor's trust.Considering the meeting that I just had with Elder Elder Lykaios and now this, I feel drained and annoyed all of sudden."Get the chain off him!" I command, striving not to lose myself to my anger."Yes, my Luna!" A guard hastily said as he rushed over to Thor.My heart ached when he unlocked the chains and I saw the burn marks on Thor's wrists. It looked so painful. I could only imagine the anguish that he must be in."Whose fault is this?!" I shouted, clutching my fist tight as I gaze a
Thor PovHer eyes bore reluctance in them as Iris slowly drew her hand out of my grip and rested it on her lap, darting her eyes away from me.Her body language gave it away that she was nervous. But I didn't mind because I wanted her to come to me willingly… I desire for her to tell me with her lips that she wanted this… she wanted me, not just for the sake of peace."Do I get to know why you were crying after leaving this room?" I asked.Eyeing me, Iris's eyes grew dark with sadness, and she lowered her head before whispering, "Just because… Just because…It's a habit I developed after uncle Hatzis's past." "How old are you?" I whispered, realizing the look she had.Raising her gaze, she gave a weak smile, and mumbled, "Eighteen years, three months, and five days old."So young, and yet, so much pressure upon her. It reminds me of my young self. The only difference is that I was raised for such a task, and she looks like she is crumbling slowly fro
Iris POVI haven't agreed yet, and still, I am in captivity. My mind has been imprisoned by Thor, making me unable to close my eyes without being haunted by his enticing whispers in my head.It has been a couple of days, and my dreams are all fantasy about him. Sometimes, I am afraid to look Thor in his eyes, believing that my thirst for him will be seen in my eyes.But since that day that I left his room, turning his offer down to serve me, he has been distant, keeping to himself, in his room most of the days.I hardly see him, and when I get the chance to, he simply smiles, not saying much, which left me with thoughts about him, and now, I realized why my dreams are about him.None of the elders has visited or spoken to me since I released Thor, and I think their silence is a way of protesting against his release.The pressure to do the right thing is becoming too much of a burden to think about, and today, I feel too drained to get out of bed. So, I g
My heart was still pounding as I walked into the great hall, marching gracefully to the table, even though my brain was elsewhere.How was I supposed to sit and have a stable conversation with these Alphas after what happened between Thor and me and how he just left without uttering a word.After arriving at the head of the table, I stroked my palm against my dress, striving to calm myself down before taking a seat.The Alpha on my right side was ornate, and his spicy aroma was appealing. When our eyes met, he winked at me, and I kept a straight face, darting my gaze on the Alpha on the left.His casual clothes made him appear more approachable, and his smile was gentle."The rumors had underestimated how striking the mere sight of you is! I must say, Luna Iris, you stole the very air out of my lung the moment that I rested my sight on you." The Alpha on the right abruptly uttered.A yawn tried to escape from my lips, b
Thor POVWhen I reached Iris, her lips twisted in a tight pout as she shot me a what-are-you-doing-here gaze, but I smiled at her.Not giving a shit about the stares I was getting, I pulled out a chair and sat beside her.Call at jealousy because that's exactly what I felt, and I wanted to see my competitions, look them in their eyes, and remember their faces, imprinting them in my mind for future purposes."What are you doing here!" Dach shouted, jumping to his feet.If I wasn't at a disadvantage here, I would have rushed to him and slammed his face into this table until his blood soaked its smooth wooden surface.That unfortunate night, he stood beside Hatzis, laughing with a glass of wine in his hand, and treating me like an ally just to spit in my face at the end of the night while the silver chain burned into my skin."Remis, Zika, it's good to see you two after nineteen years," I mumbled
Iris PovWhat was Thor thinking doing such a dangerous thing and putting himself at such a risk, placing me in between him and three packs, including mine?!As Thor stood to his feet, I shot him a warning look, but he looked enraged that it had me puzzled about what he was thinking about to look so pissed."I will take my leave now, Luna Iris. But expect to see my face again. I was serious with my words, and I hope you would consider them." Alpha Zika said, smiling at me as he woke from his seat.I was about to return a smile when I caught Thor staring at me, his hand in a tight fist, and I finally had a picture of what must be going on in his head. He was jealous, and I would have found it cute if he didn't look like he wanted to murder Zika and Ramis.My gaze followed Alpha Zika out the room and so did Thor. He didn't look away until Zika was out the door. Then he eyed me, his eyes raging with anger, and I swallowed down my fe
Iris POV When Thor told me that he knew Alpha Ero, a part of me thought he was lying, but now, seeing how the two interacted with each other, I knew that he was telling the truth.But if Thor and Ero are, or used to be best buddies, then why we're he so close to my uncle, who torture and abused Thor for years and years?!Looking at Thor, my heart ached at the Thor of how much betrayal he must have felt and was still suffering from deep inside.Maybe this is why he doesn't trust me or wants to let me have access to his emotions and be vulnerable with his feelings.Forcing myself to remain focused on what was happening around me, I watched as Eros took the glass of wine from Thor's hand, and brought it to his mouth, draining it within seconds while chuckling."Now, Luna Iris, I'm sad that you haven't learned from your first mistake of taking over my authority," Ero spoke, staring down at me as he licked his lips, his eyes gleaming with pleasure and mischief.Within less than a second,
Slowly, I turned my head towards where the voice came from and found a man standing near a table with a tray full of drinks, his eyes fixed on me, filled with excitement. His brown hair was slicked back perfectly and he wore a dark gray suit with black stripes."It's you!" He cried, his hands trembling slightly as he approached us, his eyes glued to me when he stopped and bowed respectfully. "I know that you don't know me, but I'm, 'Cruz.' I have admired the tales of you all my life!" This entire situation was making me nervous, and I couldn't help but glance around the room, seeing people staring at me, whispers reaching my ears loud and clear."It's him. Alpha Thor!" A low voice said from beside me, making me look up to see an old beta."Alpha Thor and Iris? What are we missing? Didn't her uncle keep him in captivity for so many years?" I heard a female voice, followed by several more whispers as the crowd grew even more restless.My eyes darted left to right, staring at the faces
Thor Pov A knock on my door caused my wolf to stir inside of me as I lifted myself off my bed, grunting in annoyance, and walked over to the door. When I opened it, I found a servant girl standing there with an urgent look in her eyes. As soon as she saw me, she bowed respectfully and said, "Our Luna asked that you get dressed in these." For a moment, I gazed at the garment bag in her hand and then back at her soft smile before taking the bag from her and nodding my head, and then shutting the door in her face. The thought of seeing Ero again was messing with my wolf, and I'm pretty sure, as far as my wolf goes, he doesn't get restless easily but knowing the reason why Ero invited Iris to his so-called party, I couldn't help but feel anxious. Laying the bag on my bed, I sat at the edge of my bed frame and buried my face into my palm, allowing a frustrated growl to escape my throat. Even though Iris is my mate, it doesn't change the fact that I am still the alpha of a pack her
Iris POV The days went by way quicker than I wanted, and since I agreed to attend the ball, I had to go to this damned party, even though this morning, I kind of have this awful gut feeling. So, I forced myself out of bed because it was useless trying to sleep when there was an eventful day ahead of me, and I was nervous. Not caring to wear something on my bare feet, I walked out of my room, not bothering to change clothes or brush my hair, and headed towards Thor's bedroom. When I reached his door, I stood in front of it staring down at the black handle with a sense of hesitation that kept bubbling inside me. Suddenly, the door opened, and standing two feet away from me was Thor, staring into my eyes with a soft expression as he gazed at me with concern. "Morning?" Thor muttered, opening the door more widely so I could enter, and then closing it behind me. "It's still so early, why aren't you resting. It's going to be a long journey-" "I can't sleep," I interrupted, walking tow
Thor POVWas I a joke to Iris for her to agree so easily to another man's invitation like we just didn't spend the night in bed, against each other bare skin!"Okay then. I will pass onto Alpha Eros that Alpha Thor would be attending his ball also." Helios said, eyeing me with a shaky gaze."Yes," Iris mumbled in a weak voice.After Helios turned to leave, she threw me a hard look. But I walked away, heading into the mansion.When I got to my room, Iris stormed in after me and slammed the door shut, causing me to turn and stare at her."What?" I mumbled when she rolled her eyes."You know Alpha Eros?" Iris asked.That fucking lunatic. Of course, I knew him. He is an insane brutal ass who pretended to be a saint for his father who he was afraid of until he murder him in his sleep, blaming it on an assassin that never existed. Not many people know that. But when he hung out with someone like me, he used me as his priest to confess his shitty sin when the guilt became a burden because he
Iris PovA fool is what I am for agreeing to Thor's bizarre rule and trusting him that he would not betray me and my pack in the long run since he refused to mark me.Yet, I decided to be a clod because trust goes both ways, and maybe after giving it to him, he would let go of whatever trauma that has him so dubious about things.So, I buried my desire to slap him in the face and tried to think about what I was going to do this morning. But there is not much I can do today because Thor had depleted me of every vitality in my bone, and I'm laying on my bed, hoping that I have no vital duty to attend to today.But my heart suddenly sunk and a feeling of annoyance overwhelmed me when the was a knock on my room door."Rona, what is it?!" I mumbled, sinking deep into my bed."My Luna, you have a messenger here to see you!" "Can't you just pass on his message to me!" "He requested that he tell you the message to you himself other than anyone else." Knowing how tight my schedule is, why d
"Are you not going to help me?" Iris whispered, pouting hard.When I didn't respond, she narrowed her eyes and mumbled, "Fine. I will do it myself."I have tried to refrain from touching Iris until she wanted this because that's what she yearns for and not because of the sake of peace. But I couldn't hold back as I watched Iris pull her dress hand downward, off her shoulder, and did the same to her other hand.Fear danced in her eyes as she allowed her gown to slide off her body, revealing the bareness of her skin to me.One looked at Iris, and I wanted to imprint my touch everywhere on her skin and make sure that she wouldn't forget this moment, ever in her life. Not saying a word to me, she walked over to the bed, laid down, and looked at me, her eyes calm finally."You don't want this," I mumbled, staring at her alluring body, resting gently against the mattress."Don't tell me what I crave and don't want. Now, are we going to finish off from where we stopped this morning?" Iris s
Thor POVSqueezing my fist tightly, I rested my head against the wall, waiting for Iris, dying to pick up her voice and scent within the walls of this mansion.How could she cage me in this room while she's out there, doing who knows what! These walls seemed to be closing up on me as my anger grew uncontrollable.But finally, I picked up Iris's scent and heard her say, "You all can leave now."Casting my gaze on the doorway, I watched as it opened, and Iris walked inside.After shutting the door, she crossed her arm, staring intensely at me as her face hardened.When it was just us in the mansion, Iris threw her hands in the air and lashed out, "What were you thinking Thor, walking in there! You could have gotten your ass killed! Are you trying to make life harder for me!" She was already hysterical, and I knew letting my anger determine my words would make things ugly, so suppressing my rage, I decided to be the reasonable one in this conversation."I guess all that you have said bef
Iris PovWhat was Thor thinking doing such a dangerous thing and putting himself at such a risk, placing me in between him and three packs, including mine?!As Thor stood to his feet, I shot him a warning look, but he looked enraged that it had me puzzled about what he was thinking about to look so pissed."I will take my leave now, Luna Iris. But expect to see my face again. I was serious with my words, and I hope you would consider them." Alpha Zika said, smiling at me as he woke from his seat.I was about to return a smile when I caught Thor staring at me, his hand in a tight fist, and I finally had a picture of what must be going on in his head. He was jealous, and I would have found it cute if he didn't look like he wanted to murder Zika and Ramis.My gaze followed Alpha Zika out the room and so did Thor. He didn't look away until Zika was out the door. Then he eyed me, his eyes raging with anger, and I swallowed down my fe