Chapter 3
Iris's POV
I curled into a tight ball on the massive bed in the Grey family master bedroom, clutching my stomach as waves of pain rolled through it. The "wedding" celebration without a groom had been a special kind of humiliation I never wanted to experience again.
I shouldn't have tried to be so damn brave today, I thought, pressing my palm against my churning stomach. I hadn't eaten anything all day, too anxious about fitting into that stupid dress Catherine had insisted was "perfect for a wedding."
What a joke!
I'd stood alone at the ceremonial clearing for over an hour, forcing myself to smile while serving drinks to every important wolf in the community who had come to witness our marking. All while they whispered behind my back about being stood up by my own husband.
My stomach cramped again, and I wasn't sure which pain was worse—the physical one or the ache that had taken permanent residence in my chest. I closed my eyes, trying to breathe through it. Just a few more hours and this horrible day would be over.
The bedroom door suddenly flew open, banging against the wall hard enough to make me jump. The sharp scent of whiskey and expensive perfume—distinctly female—hit my sensitive nose before I even saw him.
He didn't come to our ceremony, but he had time to drink with another she-wolf? My wolf bristled with indignation even as my human heart sank further.
The bed dipped as a heavy weight dropped onto it. Sebastien hadn't even noticed I was here. I lay perfectly still, hoping he might just pass out and leave me in peace.
No such luck.
The bedside lamp flicked on, flooding the room with harsh light. I squeezed my eyes shut against the sudden brightness. Before I could adjust, strong fingers dug into my shoulder, yanking me onto my back.
When I opened my eyes, I found myself staring into Sebastien's cold silver-gray eyes—the eyes that would turn completely wolf-like during the full moon. Right now, they were filled with fury.
"Who the hell gave you permission to sleep here?" he demanded, his voice a low, dangerous growl.
I winced as another cramp twisted through my stomach. "Your grandfather is already furious enough," I whispered, trying to keep my voice steady. If we cause another scene tonight, it'll just make things worse for the whole pack.
Something flickered across Sebastien's face at the mention of William. Even as the next Alpha, he still respected his grandfather's authority—it was instinct for any wolf.
But instead of explaining why he'd humiliated me in front of the entire wolf community, he sneered, "So now you're hiding behind William?"
I frowned, a rush of hurt washing through me. "This has nothing to do with me," I said softly.
His laugh was cruel. "Nothing to do with you? If it weren't for you, my grandfather wouldn't ask for a wedding." His words cut like knives. "Playing the innocent victim now, are we?"
I stared at him in disbelief. How could he twist everything around like this? "I didn't—"
"Stop lying, Iris Stone," he cut me off. "The innocent act is getting old."
I felt sick with exhaustion. Why bother explaining? He never believed me anyway. In his mind, I was always the schemer, the gold-digger, the opportunist. Just like every other female who'd tried to become his Luna.
"I never pushed for anything," I said quietly. "I've only ever done what your family asked of me."
His face hardened. "Get your things and get out of this room. Now."
The pain in my stomach intensified, cold sweat breaking out across my forehead. I bit my lip to keep from making a sound as he turned and stalked into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.
I sat up slowly, waiting for the wave of nausea to pass. I need to leave this place. I can't take another night of this.
After several deep breaths, I pushed myself off the bed and made my way to the door on shaky legs. When I tried the handle, it wouldn't budge. I jiggled it harder, then noticed the lock mechanism above the handle—specialized fixtures designed specifically to prevent wolves from breaking doors with their enhanced strength.
I tried again, desperation growing. It was definitely locked. He's trapped me in here. He won't even give me the dignity of walking away.
Looking around frantically, I spotted the balcony. Maybe I could climb over to the adjacent room. It would be risky in my weakened state, but wolves had better agility than humans. I could make it.
I had just swung one leg over the railing when a strong arm wrapped around my waist, yanking me back with bruising force.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Sebastien's voice was ice cold as he threw me back into the room. I stumbled, barely catching myself before falling. "I tell you to leave and you decide to jump off the balcony? Is this some new, pathetic game? Trying to break your neck to get William's sympathy? A nice little suicide attempt to make me the villain?"
I stared at him, pain and rage building inside me. "The door is locked," I gasped, clutching my stomach. "I was going to climb to the next balcony since you clearly don't want me here but won't let me leave properly."
His face showed a moment of surprise before the mask of contempt returned. "Right," he scoffed. "Because a normal person's response to a locked door is to climb over a third-floor balcony."
I felt something snap inside me. "What did you expect?" I hissed, finally finding my voice. "Should I have shifted to wolf form and jumped down? Let the entire pack see you've locked me out? Would that be better for your reputation, Sebastien?"
He seemed momentarily taken aback by my outburst. His eyes flickered between me and the distance to the next balcony, clearly judging whether I could have made the jump. The mockery in his gaze told me he didn't believe me.
"Iris Stone," he said coldly, "stop playing these pathetic games with me."
I closed my eyes, suddenly too exhausted to fight. It doesn't matter what I say. In his mind, I'm always lying, always scheming. He's never once seen me as his true mate.
I turned toward the balcony again, determined to try once more, when a violent wave of nausea hit me. I rushed to the bathroom, barely making it to the sink before dry heaves wracked my body. Nothing came up but bitter bile—I hadn't eaten all day.
The pain in my stomach sharpened, making me double over. Through watery eyes, I saw Sebastien standing in the doorway, watching me with a strange expression.
"Are you pregnant?" he asked bluntly.
I rinsed my mouth, trying to appear calmer than I felt. "I just drank too much," I lied, forcing a weak smile. "Besides, I took that pill you gave me, remember?" My heart raced as I remembered the truth—I'd accidentally thrown up the pill that morning, but he didn't need to know that.
His eyes drifted to my stomach, something unreadable flashing across his face.
When I returned to the bedroom, I noticed Sebastien sitting on the edge of the bed, his black silk robe clinging to his muscular frame. Despite everything, my treacherous body responded to the sight of his pale, strong neck and broad shoulders. My wolf still recognized him as an Alpha, still wanted him.
I noticed his lip curl into a mocking smile as he pulled open the bedside drawer for a towel. "So desperate, Iris? It's not even your heat cycle yet."
I turned away, still fighting waves of nausea and now wondering if my suspicions about pregnancy might be true. I was too exhausted to try to understand what new accusation he was making.
It doesn't matter what I say anyway. He'll only hear what he wants to hear. Wolf stubbornness at its worst.
I walked toward the bed, intending to grab my phone and call someone to unlock the door, when I noticed what had made him smirk—the drawer he'd opened was filled with wolf-specific condoms.
He thinks I put those there, I realized, understanding dawning. But what was the point of explaining? He'd never believe me.
I looked away, just wanting to escape this room, this house, this mockery of a marriage.
Suddenly the lights went out. Before I could react, Sebastien grabbed my wrist and yanked me down onto the bed, his powerful body pinning me beneath him.
"What are you—" I gasped as he roughly tore open my nightgown.
"Isn't this what you want?" he growled, his hands sliding up my thighs. "You stocked the drawer, after all."

















































