Chapter 4 : His Name

Iris POV

When I returned to my rooms, Nora was still waiting in the outer chamber.

She had followed me from Ashborne to Blackthorn and looked after me ever since.

The candle on the table had burned more than halfway down.

She stood as soon as she saw me.

“Luna.”

I closed the door.

“Heat some water. And bring me the unscented soap.”

Nora’s eyes rested on me for a moment.

She asked nothing.

“Yes, Luna.”

I unclasped my cloak and handed it to her.

I set the small jar of salve I had brought back with me on the table.

“Anything I wore tonight that carries another wolf’s scent—get rid of it.”

Nora looked at me once, then lowered her head.

“Yes, Luna.”

She took the cloak and went to prepare the water.

I stayed in the bath for a long time.

I washed until I could no longer detect even the faintest trace of Cassian’s scent on my skin or in my hair.

Only then did I change into a clean nightgown.

I slept deeply.

The next morning, Nora brought the news before breakfast.

“The Council has postponed the formal pregnancy verification.”

I looked up at once.

“Did they give a new date?”

“No, Luna.”

I took the notice from her and read it myself.

No new date.

I ran my fingertips slowly over the crease in the paper, smoothing it flat.

Cassian had done exactly what he promised.

I folded the notice and set it on the table.

“Have breakfast brought in.”

“Yes, Luna.”

I had just fastened my dress when voices sounded outside.

Nora opened the door.

“Lady Helena.”

Helena stood outside.

Selene Whitmore was beside her.

Selene was a relative from Helena’s maternal Pack and had been coming to Blackthorn since childhood.

Everyone knew she wanted to marry Lord Cassian.

Unfortunately for her, Cassian had never shown any interest in taking a mate.

Helena walked in.

“How are you feeling?”

“Fine.”

Her eyes dropped to my stomach.

The happiness she had shown when she first heard about the pregnancy was still there, but today it was edged with worry.

“I heard the Council postponed the verification.”

“They did.”

“Did they give you another date?”

“No.”

Helena frowned.

“Then we should have Blackthorn’s physician examine you first.”

I looked at her.

“There won’t be an examination today.”

Helena seemed surprised.

“Why not?”

“The Council postponed the verification.”

“The Council’s verification is the Council’s business.”

Her tone was still patient.

“I just want our physician to look at you.”

“I’m Rowan’s mother.”

“If you’re carrying his child, I want to know the child is there and healthy.”

She lowered her voice.

“We don’t have to tell the Council.”

“If we don’t tell them, how would they know?”

The refusal was already on my tongue, but I could not think of a reason strong enough to make her drop the idea.

Selene stepped closer.

“Luna, she’s right.”

Her voice was gentle.

“Once the child is confirmed, everyone will know Rowan has an heir.”

“At least then, everything that belongs to Rowan stays with Rowan.”

She turned to Helena.

“And protecting what belongs to Rowan protects what belongs to you, too.”

Selene smiled faintly.

“Then no one will have any reason to start thinking about who comes after him.”

The room seemed to close in around me all at once.

Helena looked at me again.

“Exactly.”

This time there was no hesitation in her voice.

“Come in.”

Footsteps sounded immediately outside.

I turned toward the door.

Blackthorn’s Pack physician entered carrying his case.

He had been waiting outside.

The physician set his case on the table.

The clasps clicked open.

“No.”

His hands stopped.

Helena turned toward me.

“What did you say?”

“No examination.”

Her expression hardened.

“Iris, I came here asking for one thing.”

“To know that my son’s child exists and is healthy.”

“Why are you refusing?”

I said nothing.

The physician’s open case sat between us.

Helena waited.

Then I looked at the physician.

“Lord Cassian is handling the matter with the Council now.”

His hand paused over the instruments.

Helena frowned.

“What does Cassian have to do with this?”

“I don’t know whether a separate examination would interfere with what he’s doing with the Council.”

I kept my eyes on the physician.

“If Lord Cassian says this examination won’t interfere, I’ll cooperate.”

“But since he’s already handling the matter, I think we should ask him first.”

The physician looked at Helena, then back at me.

A moment later, he began putting the instruments back inside.

The clasps snapped shut.

Helena turned toward him.

“What are you doing?”

The physician picked up the case.

“If Lord Cassian is handling the matter,” the physician said, “I should confirm with him before proceeding.”

“You’re my physician.”

“I brought you here to examine Rowan’s wife.”

The case stayed closed.

Selene spoke first.

“He’s right.”

She took Helena’s arm.

“If Cassian has already taken over the matter, we should wait.”

“He wouldn’t postpone something this important without a reason.”

Helena was silent.

Then she looked at me.

“Fine.”

“I’ll go to Cassian myself and get his permission.”

“Of course.”

She turned and left.

Selene followed.

The physician followed them out.

Nora closed the door.

The moment it clicked shut, I dropped into the nearest chair.

My breaths came fast and shallow.

Nora was beside me at once.

She poured a glass of water and pressed it into my hands.

I took it without drinking.

Outside, Helena’s voice carried down the corridor.

“It’s been a month, Selene.”

The anger she had shown me was gone.

“I just want him home.”

Their footsteps stopped.

“I want him to come home and hear the news himself.”

Her voice broke.

“I want to see his face when he hears he’s going to be a father.”

For a moment, the corridor was quiet.

Then Selene’s voice softened.

“Lord Cassian sent Gideon north.”

“You know he wouldn’t have sent anyone better.”

“If Rowan can be found, Gideon will find him.”

Their footsteps faded.

I stayed where I was, the glass still in my hands.

My eyes settled on the Council notice on the table.

Yesterday, I thought the postponed verification was only a temporary shield.

But Cassian did not have to be in the room for his authority to matter.

Neither did his name.

And I had just learned that both could be used as weapons.