Chapter 1 With Him

(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 more than just power from Elias. Fate is a cruel mistress. After he kicked Elias out of the pack and cut ties with me, I found out that Jasper was my mate.

   

Now, on the anniversary of that tragic day, the weight of my memories was almost too much to bear.

   

Now, I can’t control myself. I had to speak out.

   

“Elias was better than you in every way,” I snapped, unable to keep the bitterness out of my voice. “Even without his wolf, he was more of a leader than you could ever be.”

   

Jasper’s eyes flashed with fury, and in an instant, his hand was around my neck, his knee forcing my legs apart. He leaned in close, his breath hot on my neck.

   

“Watch your tongue, my dear mate. You are speaking to your Alpha. Your little lover is long gone, and don’t you ever forget that.”

   

My pulse quickened, a confusing blend of fear, anger, and desire.

   

“You were right to kill him,” I spat. “Because next to him, you will always be a pathetic nobody.”

   

Jasper’s face darkened with rage, but he controlled himself, a dangerous smile curving his lips.

   

“Elias is dead,” he whispered, his breath tickling my ear.

   

Suddenly he crushed his mouth against mine, his kiss powerful and insistent. I tasted my own blood as he nibbled on my lip.

   

Despite myself, my body responded. The bond between us was undeniable, a cruel joke played by the moon goddess. His touch set my skin aflame, and I hated myself for wanting him. This man, who had taken everything from me, my love, my life… and yet here I was, craving, needing his touch.

   

He pressed me back against the bed, softly kissing my neck. My anger warred with the desire he ignited in me, and I couldn’t resist giving in to his touch. His hands roamed over my body, possessive and demanding. I couldn’t stop the moan that escaped my lips.

   

Jasper smiled when he heard it.

   

“You can’t deny what we are to each other,” he whispered, his voice rough with need. “No matter how much you want to hate me.”

   

“I do hate you,” I managed to say, though the breathlessness in my voice betrayed me.

   

He chuckled darkly.

   

“Hate me all you want, Iris,” he said sensually. “It won’t change a thing.”

   

As he took me, I couldn’t escape the memories of Elias. He had such a gentle touch, such kind eyes. He loved me softly without all the violence and domination that Jasper brought.

   

Elias’s hands had always moved over my body with reverence, his fingers trailing lightly over my skin as if I were something precious. He adored my body, and I worshiped his. His kisses had been tender, each one a silent vow of love and devotion.

   

Jasper was different. His touch was possessive, demanding. He claimed me with rough, urgent hands that left bruises in their wake. His lips crashed against mine with a hunger that bordered on violence, leaving no room for softness or tenderness. His teeth grazed my skin, leaving marks to show the world that I was his and his alone. Each thrust was forceful, his hips driving into me with relentless intensity that bordered on cruelty.

   

I tried to hold on to the memories of Elias, to the way he had made me feel cherished and loved. I tried, but I failed. They slipped away with each brutal thrust, every bruising kiss.

   

Guilt twisted in my gut; a sharp, bitter ache that mingled with the physical pleasure Jasper gave my body. Tears of anguish slipped down my cheeks, unnoticed by Jasper in his enjoyment.

   

His hands gripped my hips tightly, his fingers digging passively into my flesh as he moved within me. The bed creaked under our combined weight, the sound a harsh counterpoint to the soft cries that escaped my lips.

   

Jasper’s eyes were dark with lust, his face twisted in a mixture of triumph and desire as he watched me writhe beneath him.

   

“Look at you,” he breathed, “you can’t get enough, can you?”

   

I wanted to deny it, to scream that he was wrong, but the words caught in my throat. My body betrayed me, responding to his touch even as my heart cried out for Elias. His movement became more frenzied, sending a jolt of pleasure that left me gasping.

   

“That’s it,” he growled. “You’re mine, Iris. Don’t you ever forget that.”

   

His pace quickened, his breath growing ragged as he drove us both to the edge. My nails dug into his shoulders, leaving red marks in his skin as I clung desperately to him. The room seemed to spin, my world narrowing to the brutal, unrelenting rhythm of his body against mine.

   

With a final, shuddering thrust, Jasper found his release, his body going rigid above me. His head fell back, a guttural moan escaping his lips as he came. I followed moments later, the pleasure washing over me in a wave that left me trembling and spent.

   

For a moment, we lay there, our bodies entwined, the only sound was our labored breathing. Jasper’s weight pressed down on me, grounding me in the present even as my mind drifted to the past.

   

When he finally rolled off me, I turned away, curling into a ball. My body ached a dull throb that matched the pain in my heart. Jasper’s hand brushed my hair back from my face, his touch surprisingly gentle.

   

“Iris,” he said softly, but I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. The word lodged in my throat, a tangled knot of sorrow and longing.

   

He didn’t finish his sentence, getting up from the bed and dressing quickly. I watched him silently. He walked to the door before turning around.

   

“Oh, by the way,” he said casually, as if discussing the water, “I plan on rejecting you on Friday. Just a heads up.”

The words hung in the air, sharp as a blade.