Iris's POV

I stared down at the small, empty vial resting in my palm, my fingers tightening around the cold glass until my knuckles turned white.

He probably thought I was some kind of genius healer, I breathed in and out letting out a silent bitter breath.

The truth was, I knew this potion so well because I had spent three agonizing years making it in my past life. It was the only thing that could calm my Avery down whenever her blood condition flared up and caused her violent seizures. When I saw Cassian gasping for air in the car, clutching his chest in pure agony, my instincts as a desperate mother simply took over. I just assumed it would work on him, too.

After I found out about Avery’s condition, I spent every single day buried in ancient medical books. I learned advanced first aid, trauma care and the art of brewing specialized remedies. I created dozens of unique potions, some of which defied the natural laws of herbs and healing. All because I was desperate. I wanted to do every single thing to save my daughter.

And in the end, none of it mattered. A  heavy ache settled deep in my chest. I still failed her. I still lost her.

I looked at Cassian's bare chest, watching his steady breathing.

What did I do to birth a child who had such a curse? I wondered, my mind spinning into dark places. And why did it feel like that same curse had followed me into this new life through Cassian?

The rest of the drive was heavy with silence. After another hour of traveling through the  snow-dusted mountains, the car pulled up a massive, stone driveway.

I looked out the window, and my breath caught in my throat.

We had arrived , the Blackwood Pack house was huge. It looked like a grand, ancient stone castle built right into the side of a snowy mountain. But what truly shocked me were the gardens surrounding the massive estate. Everywhere I looked, there were vast fields of ice lilies blooming brightly despite the freezing cold air.

Ice lilies, my mind whispered.

They were my absolute favorite flower. They were a rare, pale icy-blue color—the exact same shade as Avery’s eyes.

A sharp wave of grief hit my chest so hard and I felt a pain I couldn't quite explain . Tears immediately pooled in my eyes, blurring the view of the castle.

“ No…. Do not cry,” my wolf, Anya, warned me quietly in my head. “ Not here, we won't have an explanation when asked why we're tearing up…let's be strong, be strong for Avery.” 

I blinked rapidly, turning my head toward the  window to wipe my eyes before Cassian or anyone else could notice.

The car came to a stop right in front of the main stone steps. Before the driver could even get out, a tall man walked over and opened my door.

He was dark-skinned, heavily built, and had a deep, jagged battle scar running down the left side of his face to his jaw. His long dreadlocks were tied back into a neat bun with the sides of his head shaved clean. Despite his tough, scary appearance, his movements were respectful as he bowed his head toward me.

"Welcome home Luna," he said in a polite and calm voice.

Cassian stepped out from his side of the vehicle, offering the man a quick nod. "Iris, this is Darian, my Beta. He could not attend the ceremony earlier because I sent him to handle an important territory meeting."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Beta Darian," I said softly, stepping out onto the cold stone ground.

"The pleasure is all mine, Luna," Darian replied smoothly. He turned to a group of guards waiting near the entrance. "Get her luggage inside immediately. Make sure everything is handled with care."

I had expected the interior of the Blackwood fortress to be cold, dark and unwelcoming. But as soon as the double doors opened, a wave of comfortable warmth hit my skin. The wide grand hall was full of light from massive stone fireplaces, and the air smelled sweet, like crushed pine and burning cedar. It felt alive.

Cassian buttoned his coat to hide his ruined, bloody shirt and turned to face me. "Let me give you a tour of the main house so you can get used to the layout."

I looked at his pale face, remembering the pain he had been in just a while ago.

"No," I said firmly, shaking my head. "You need to rest."

Cassian frowned, his eyes narrowing slightly. "I do not need rest, Iris. I am an Alpha."

"I do not care if you are an Alpha," I insisted, crossing my arms over my chest and refusing to back down an inch. "You are still made of flesh and blood. You do not have to push yourself like this after what just happened in the car. I can find my way around without a grand tour today."

Darian looked back and forth between the two of us, his brown eyes lingering on Cassian.  "What happened in the car?" he asked.

"I had one of my moments," Cassian admitted softly. Darian’s eyes widened slightly in genuine shock. 

“ An attack ….around this time?” he asked, furrowing his brows. racing. “ You rarely have those terrible attacks at this time of the day, because when he did, you get completely violent.” 

“ Yeah…If a full attack had triggered while we were together in the back of a moving vehicle, I could have easily lost control of my wolf and hurt the new Luna. But someone she calmed me.” 

“ She calmed you … as on attacked you?”

“ Yes.” 

" But how?" his looked genuinely shocked.

"She has potions."

“ I see….” 

Cassian cleared his throat, cutting off any more questions. "Darian, show her around the east wing instead. Assign a head maid to her, and make sure her room is fully prepared."

"Understood," he nodded. Then, he hesitated, leaning in a bit closer to Cassian. "Before you head upstairs... I hear that Zeda has been causing chaos in the warrior hall ever since news of the sudden marriage reached the pack."

Cassian’s jaw tightened, as a flash of annoyance crossed his face. "I will deal with Zeda later."

I stood there quietly, my mind catching the name instantly.