Chapter 2

It was the day of the coming-of-age ceremony.

The ceremony had wrapped up, and the guests had trickled out when Iris finally strolled in, taking his sweet time with Ruby in tow.

Ruby was walking awkwardly, and Iris had some pretty obvious scratch marks on his neck.

Anyone with half a clue could have guessed what they had been up to.

In the past, that would have made me lose my cool.

One was a guy I had been crushing on forever, and the other was my half-sister.

'Even if you didn't love me, could you at least pretend to care about decency?' I stewed internally.

However, now, I barely gave them a second glance before I turned away to keep busy.

Iris caught my look, especially that brief pause, and quickly pulled Ruby behind him.

However, the angry outburst he had been waiting for never came.

His smile slowly turned into a grimace, like something was bugging him, and he could not help but throw a jab my way.

"You're not just pretending not to care because you're scared I'll change my mind, are you?

"Alright, you're playing it cool today. Since you know I will be the next High King, it's obvious I won't be tied down to just one girl for life. I'll have plenty of lovers," he boasted.

"However, you did good today. So here, this is for you."

He pulled out a fancy little wooden box from his pocket, but before he could hand it over, Ruby grabbed it.

"Wow! It's gorgeous!" Ruby's eyes lit up as she admired the gem. "Isn't this the true love gem from Lord of Winterhold? You can't even buy these!"

Iris, caught off guard, quickly said, "You like it? Then it's yours."

Ruby put on a show of hesitation. "I can't possibly take this. It's a special gift you picked out for my sister..."

Her words trailed off, but her eyes stayed locked on me, a smug smile playing on her lips.

Iris let out a carefree chuckle. "Keep it. I'll just whip up something else for her. She treasures anything that comes from me, anyway."

The room was filled with the low chuckles of the other clan heirs.

Just like that, a flood of memories I had kept locked away came crashing back.

I was transported to that snowy Christmas when I had trudged through the storm to give Iris a present, only to get soaked to the bone.

He tossed his cloak at me and casually said, "Don't catch a cold."

I had clung to that cloak like a priceless treasure, hiding it for years.

Until he caught me one day, secretly inhaling its scent.

His face turned stormy, and he shouted, "You're pathetic."

I turned beet red, from my cheeks to the tips of my ears.

The High King had to intervene, tapping him with his cane. "She's just a kid. Watch your words."

He shut up then, but he ensured the story spread to every heir of every clan.

I became the butt of everyone's jokes.

With that memory burning in my mind, I spun on my heel, ready to escape the party I had grown to loathe.

However, Iris stepped in front of me, blocking my path. "Leaving so soon? I know you aren't one to let things go. Do you really think I can't see right through you?

"You're nothing but a jealous, spiteful she-wolf."

He grabbed my wrist, but I yanked it back.

"Alpha Iris, you'd better watch your tone."

He let out a derisive laugh. "Watch my tone? You're the one who's been begging me to mark you. We're destined to end up together, so why play innocent?"

I met his gaze and said, each word deliberate and clear, "Who said I'd ever choose you as my mate?"

The room went dead quiet.

The wolves around me erupted in laughter, their howls echoing off the walls.

Iris's face was a mask of ice. "Who else could you possibly choose? You were so head over heels for me. Would you ever be happy to marry anyone else?

"I come from the Silvermoon Pack, the mightiest of all werewolf packs, and I carry the noblest Lycan blood. Sure, Alpha Damon's decent enough, but his lineage is nothing special, no match for mine.

"Apparently, his wolf is quite weak. He was poisoned with wolfsbane a few years ago. His stamina's never been the same since then.

"You really want to marry him? Be stuck with a weakling wolf for life?"