LOGINIRIS POV:Serah and I reached the mansion together.The moment we stepped inside, I saw Aurelian standing near the living room. He looked calm, like nothing had happened.I walked closer to him.“You've been a bit sneaky lately,” I said.He laughed. “Sneaky in what way, Iris?”“I saw you come through the back door earlier,” I said. “Was there anything that made you go that way? The front door was right here.”Aurelian turned to me and smiled a little.“It was the garden,” he said. “I wanted to check something there. Is there any problem?”I shook my head. “No.”He nodded and moved on without saying anything else.He's different in a way, the way he talks, the sneaky behavior. Something was surely wrong with Aurelian.After some time, while Serah was still with us, I couldn’t hold it anymore.“Are you aware of what happened by the road this morning?” I asked him.Aurelian looked at me calmly. “No. What happened?”I stared at him.Serah was sitting beside me, quiet, but I could feel her
IRIS POV:The next morning, I woke up early.The sun was just rising, and the air felt cool and fresh. I put on my running clothes, slipped in my earpiece, and started playing loud music.I needed to clear my head after everything that happened yesterday.I greeted the men at the gate.“Good morning,” I said, walking past them.They all answered at once. “Madam, should one of us go with you? It's not too safe this early.”“Don't bother, but thanks though,” I said.I stepped out of the gates. The road was quiet and lonely.I started jogging down the quiet road near the mansion.The music helped me forget for a while, forget about Cassian, forget about the council, forget about the fear that still sat in my chest.I ran for almost twenty minutes. I was breathing hard, and sweat was starting to form on my forehead.Wow, so this is what it takes to be fit?I stopped and took about a minute to rest, then I stood up and continued running.But then I felt something.Someone was following me.
NICHOLAS POV:I sat behind my desk, fingers tapping slowly on the dark wood.The office was quiet except for the low hum of the air conditioner. I stared at the map spread out in front of me, red circles marking old territories, old burial grounds, old secrets my father never wanted anyone to touch."How do I do this…" I muttered under my breath. "How do I lay my hands on it?"Aurelian had taken everything from me, my pride, my control, even the illusion that I was untouchable in my own pack. He walked into my office like he owned it and told me I wasn’t fit to be Alpha.He slammed my face into the wall and walked away with her. This is actually unacceptable.I wasn’t going to let that stand.I leaned back in my chair, rubbing my jaw where the bruise from our last encounter still ached. Aurelian is a monster, but monsters have weaknesses."I just hope I get the location. It'll be over for him, that I promise," I muttered.I shook my head, and then there was a soft knock on the door.I
IRIS POV:"Nice to see you again, Dad," Aurelian said.Aurelian’s father stepped closer. For a moment, it looked like he was going to hug his son.Then his hand flew up, and he gave Aurelian a hard slap across the face.The sound echoed in the sitting room.Aurelian’s head turned slightly from the force, but he didn’t flinch. He stayed standing straight.His father then pulled him into a tight hug right after."You stupid boy," his father said, his voice thick. "Do you have any idea what you did? Out of everyone, it had to be the Council. We thought you were dead."Aurelian hugged him back, closing his eyes for a second."I'm sorry," he said quietly.His father pulled back and held him by the shoulders, looking him up and down."What happened in that Council?" he demanded. "Tell me the truth."Aurelian took a deep breath and explained everything to his father while I watched.He talked about the tether, Cassian’s lies, the fight in the chamber, how he shifted to save me and my mother.
IRIS POV:A loud bang came from the door, and I jerked awake.Aurelian's eyes opened instantly.The morning light was bright in the room.Rowe ran inside, his eyes wide, and he was breathing heavily.The moment he saw me, he stopped.I pulled the sheet up to my chin.Rowe turned around so fast he almost hit the door frame."I am so sorry," he said to the wall. "I am deeply, deeply sorry. I should have knocked. That was completely unacceptable, and I take full responsibility, and I will never...""Are you out of your damn mind?" Aurelian shouted."Sorry, sir. I didn't know you were here. I looked everywhere and thought I should come ask Madam Iris..." he explained."So you didn't think you should knock first?" Aurelian said, shaking his head in surprise.Rowe's hands were already clenched tight at his sides like he was trying to say something."It's important, sir.""What's so important that it can't wait?""Your family is here," Rowe said immediately."What the fuck did you say?" Aure
IRIS POV:The kiss was slow and heavy.His hand cupped the side of my face, his thumb brushing my cheek. I kissed him back, but my heart was still racing from everything that had happened today.When he pulled away, his forehead stayed pressed against mine. His breathing was uneven.“I choose you,” he whispered. “Every single day. Every single time.”He pulled me closer, wrapping both arms around me until my body was fully against his. His chest was warm and solid. I could feel his heartbeat, steady and strong, matching the rhythm of my own racing heart.We stood there on the balcony for a long time, holding each other in silence. The cool night air moved around us, but his body heat kept me warm. His hand slowly rubbed up and down my back, gentle and soothing, like he was trying to take away every heavy thing I had carried today.I closed my eyes and rested my head on his chest. His fingers moved to my hair, stroking it softly, carefully untangling the strands.He leaned down and kis
IRIS POV:"Lycans emit an aura," Aurelian said. "Constantly. Everywhere we go."He leaned back against the stone sink and folded his arms."We learn to control it over time so it doesn't affect certain people. The day I met your friend, I held it back completely.""So you held it back when you firs
IRIS POV:From afar I spotted a young man near the entrance of the room.He had his back to us so I couldn't see his face, but the moment he turned to respond to someone beside him, my whole body started shaking.I hadn't even seen his face clearly and yet something inside me collapsed.My wolf wen
IRIS POV:A man came forward to meet him.He was tall and dark-skinned with short grey hair at his temples. He moved slowly and calmly.He looked at Aurelian first.Then he looked at me.My wolf went completely silent inside me."Aurelian," the man said."Caius," Aurelian said.Caius looked at me a
IRIS POV:We landed smoothly.The island was massive, trees and light and a strip of private tarmac that ended maybe fifty meters from the water.I looked out as we slowed.My heart was already going faster than it should have been.I hadn't paid much attention to it on the jet, but now that we wer







