LOGINIris’s POV“They what?” Rowan snarled, and the Alpha command in his voice was so powerful that I flinched. It wasn’t directed at me, but the raw power in it made me want to submit.“She punched me in the stomach,” I repeated, my hands still pressed protectively over my belly. “She was trying to hurt our baby.”For a moment, I thought Rowan might shift right there in the clinic room. His body was halfway between human and wolf, his jaws were elongating, and claws were beginning to emerge from his fingertips.But then he took a deep, shaky breath and forced himself back under control. When he turned to look at me again, his eyes were still gold, but he was human.“That’s when something inside me snapped,” I said softly.Rowan turned to look at me more fully, his expression was still dangerous but it was now mixed with confusion. “What do you mean?”I took a shaky breath, not sure how to explain what had happened. “When she hit my stomach, when I felt that pain and thought about what she
Iris’s POVI hesitated, my mind racing. I hated those women. I absolutely hated them for what they had done, for what they had tried to do to my baby. Part of me wanted Rowan to make them pay for it.But another part of me was reluctant. I had beaten them up pretty badly. I had broken Valerie’s wrist, shattered Madison’s nose, and left all four of them bleeding and running away in pain. If Rowan found out the full extent of what had happened, what would he do?What would he do to those women? His wolf was already at the surface, barely contained. If I told him everything, there was no way to know how he would react.“Iris,” Rowan said, his voice cutting through my thoughts. His eyes had darkened, and there was a warning in his tone. “Don’t even think about it.”I looked up at him in confusion.“Don’t even think about protecting them or hiding what happened,” he continued, “You better tell me right now what happened, or I will find out myself. And when I do, it’ll be worse for them. Is
Iris’s POVWhen I woke up, my mind was foggy and disoriented. Everything felt heavy. But I felt better than before, though I was still tired.The first thing I noticed was the smell of antiseptic and herbs.The second thing I noticed was the warm feeling on my hand. Someone was holding it tightly.I forced my eyes open, blinking against the bright lights. My vision cleared slowly. I could see white walls, confirming my guess that I was at the pack clinic.I glanced at my hand beside me, and I saw Rowan.He was sitting in a chair beside the bed with both of his hands wrapped around mine. His head was bowed, and I could see the tension in his shoulders.“Rowan?” I croaked, my voice was rough.His head snapped up immediately, and the relief that flooded his face was instant.“Oh thank the moon goddess,” he breathed, squeezing my hand tighter. “You’re okay. You’re awake.”I tried to sit up, but my body wasn’t cooperating. Everything felt weak and shaky.“Easy,” Rowan said quickly, standin
Iris’s POVI stood there in the hallway, breathing hard, my fists still clenched at my sides. Blood stained my body, some of it was mine, but most of it was theirs.I watched as the four of them ran away. I felt the rage inside me slowly begin to fade.My wolf, who had been so present just moments ago, started to retreat. The burning in my chest cooled. My sharp senses started to dull, and the strength that had flooded through me began to drain away.“No,” I whispered, reaching for that feeling. “No, don’t go. Stay.”But she was already fading, pulling back into whatever dark corner that she had been hiding in for the past few months.“Please,” I begged, my voice cracking. “Please don’t leave me again.”But it was too late.The presence disappeared completely, leaving behind the same cold, empty silence that had filled me since the day Evie died.My wolf was gone.Again.My legs gave out, and I collapsed to my knees on the blood-stained floor. The adrenaline that had been keeping me u
Iris's POVAnd then I felt it.My wolf.For the first time since Evie died, I felt her presence inside me. It was not like a faint whisper or a distant echo, but a real, solid presence that burned hot and fierce in my chest.She was angry. So angry. And she wanted blood.My body moved before my mind could catch up. Valerie was closest, still standing there with her fist raised like she was about to strike again. I grabbed her wrist mid-swing and twisted hard. The crack of bone was loud, and Valerie's scream echoed in the hallway."You bitch!" she shrieked, cradling her broken wrist.But I was already moving faster than I had ever moved before. Sarah lunged at me, but she was moving in slow motion compared to me now. I sidestepped her easily and landed a punch to her ribs that sent her flying backward into the wall. Sarah crumpled to the floor, gasping for air."What the hell—" Madison started, but I was already on her.My fist connected with her face, and I felt her nose break under
Iris’s POVI tried to fight back, tried to break free, but Penelope’s grip was tight, and every time I moved, pain shot through my twisted arm.Another hit. I cried out.I was losing. I was actually losing badly.The realization hit me hard. All those months of training with Lucas and Shane, all those hours of learning to defend myself, and I was still going to lose to four bitter women in a hallway.“Not so special now, are you?” Madison sneered, grabbing my face roughly. “You’re nothing. Just a weak little mutt who got lucky.”Through the pain, I saw Valerie move. Her eyes locked on my stomach, and I saw the look in her eyes before she even moved.“No—” I started to say.But she was already swinging, her fist was aimed directly at my stomach, and at my baby.Time seemed to slow down. I saw her fist moving toward me, I saw the hatred in her eyes, I saw what was about to happen.The punch landed before I could move, knocking the air out of my lungs. I doubled over, clutching my stomac







