Chapter 2 — Another Woman's Name
1476 Words
IRIS
“I need to talk to him.”
“Iris—”
“I need two minutes.”
I move toward the platform.
A Council bell rings.
The doors close.
The same guard who blocked me earlier moves into the aisle.
Not aggressively.
Just enough.
“Ceremony is beginning.”
I stare at him.
Then at Gideon.
Gideon is already watching me.
He smiles.
Very slightly.
That scares me more than the necklace.
The hall settles.
Roman takes his place.
Gideon begins talking about winter, security, stability and sacrifice.
I hear almost none of it.
Roman keeps looking at me.
Once.
Twice.
The third time, he looks away first.
Nyla whines.
Mate.
“I know.”
Mara's hand finds mine.
The Council formally recognizes Roman as successor.
The room erupts in applause.
Roman doesn't smile.
Then Gideon raises a hand.
“One duty remains before Silvercrest receives its future Alpha.”
My fingers tighten around Mara's.
Roman steps toward the front of the platform.
His eyes find mine.
I can smell his fear from here.
That is impossible.
The hall is too large.
Too crowded.
And yet I smell it.
Fear.
Grief.
Nox.
Roman looks toward Vivienne.
Then back at me.
His face breaks for half a second.
He grips the podium.
“I have made my choice.”
The whole room seems to inhale.
Roman doesn't look at Vivienne when he says her name.
“The woman who will stand beside me as Luna is Vivienne Crowe.”
For a moment, I hear nothing.
Not the room.
Not Mara.
Not even Nyla.
Vivienne takes one step toward the platform.
Someone behind me whispers, “What?”
Another voice answers, “I thought…”
They know.
Maybe not about the nights.
Maybe not about the promises.
But wolves know bonds.
Roman's scent hits me.
Nox.
Mate.
Nyla slams into the front of my mind.
A growl rips out of Roman before he can stop it.
The sound rolls through the hall.
Heads turn.
His eyes flash silver.
Nox is looking at me.
Not Vivienne.
Me.
A woman near the aisle whispers the word everyone has been trying not to say.
“Mate.”
Then another wolf repeats it.
“Iris is his mate.”
The room erupts.
Not screaming.
Worse.
Whispers.
Questions.
Growls.
Silvercrest wolves turning to one another as the future Alpha stands beside one woman while his wolf reaches for another.
Gideon moves toward Roman.
Roman shrugs him off.
“Enough,” Gideon says.
Nox growls again.
A young warrior near the back bares his throat instinctively.
Another drops his eyes.
Roman's Alpha power is spilling into the room.
“Control your wolf,” Gideon snaps.
Roman's hands close around the edge of the podium.
My own nails sharpen.
Pain shoots through my fingers.
Mara grabs my wrist.
“Iris.”
“I'm fine.”
“You have claws.”
I look down.
She's right.
Four black-tipped claws have pushed through where my nails should be.
Nyla wants out.
Not to run.
To fight.
Ours.
“No,” I whisper.
Roman hears me.
Of course he does.
He comes down from the platform.
Vivienne remains above us, pale beneath her perfect makeup.
“Iris.”
I hate the sound of my name in his mouth.
Last night it was a promise.
Now it feels like something stolen.
“There was an emergency, and I made a choice.”
The room goes quiet enough to hear him.
“Then tell me the emergency made you say her name.”
Roman stops.
“Tell me.”
His throat moves.
“It didn't.”
There.
The knife.
Simple.
Clean.
His choice.
My eyes fill before I can stop them.
I refuse to blink.
If I blink, the tears fall.
If the tears fall, half the pack sees.
“Come with me,” Roman says. “Please.”
“Why?”
“So I can explain.”
“You couldn't explain before you put the Luna necklace on another woman?”
“I didn't put it on her.”
A broken laugh escapes me.
That is what he has.
That is his defense.
He didn't fasten the clasp.
I look past him.
“Vivienne.”
Her eyes widen.
“Iris, I—”
“Did you know?”
Alpha Crowe takes a step forward.
Roman's head snaps toward him.
“Let her answer.”
There is Alpha in his voice now.
Real Alpha.
The hall shudders under it.
Vivienne looks at her father.
Then at me.
“Not until this morning.”
“Did you know I was his mate?”
Her silence tells me enough.
Roman turns.
“Vivienne.”
“I knew there were rumors.”
“Rumors?”
“I didn't know he had claimed—”
“He hasn't,” Gideon cuts in.
Nyla loses control.
My bones burn.
A crack of pain runs through my spine and I bend forward with a gasp.
Mara holds me.
Roman moves.
Two guards move with him.
Nyla sees them coming and my claws s***h through the side of my skirt before I can stop her.
“Back!” Roman roars.
The Alpha command slams into the room.
Everyone freezes.
Including me.
I hate that.
I hate that his power can still reach my body.
Roman realizes it at the same time.
His face changes.
“Iris—”
“Don't command me.”
“I wasn't—”
“You commanded the room. I'm in the room.”
His mouth closes.
Good.
Let him have no answer for once.
Gideon steps forward.
“The bond must be resolved before the ceremony can continue.”
Resolved.
As if I am paperwork.
Roman turns on his father.
“No.”
The word shocks everyone.
Including me.
Gideon's face hardens.
“You have named a Luna while bound to another wolf.”
“I said no.”
“Then choose differently.”
Roman looks at me.
For one sick second, hope rises.
I hate myself for it.
“Roman,” I whisper.
His eyes shine silver.
I can feel Nox fighting him.
I can feel love through the bond.
Real love.
That's what makes it unbearable.
Because he loves me.
And he still chose her.
“Choose,” I say.
Roman's face drains.
“Iris.”
“No private room. No tomorrow. No fixing it later.”
My voice breaks.
I don't care anymore.
“You wanted to be Alpha in front of everyone. Be one.”
He takes a step toward me.
I step back.
“If you chose her, reject me.”
Nox howls.
The sound comes out through Roman's mouth.
Somebody in the crowd begins to cry.
Maybe me.
I don't know.
Roman shakes his head.
“I can't.”
“You already did.”
“Iris, please.”
“No.”
My whole body is trembling now.
“Say it.”
The room waits.
Vivienne looks like she wants to disappear.
Gideon looks satisfied.
That gives me enough anger to stay standing.
Roman closes his eyes.
When he opens them, Nox is gone.
“I, Roman Blackwood…”
His voice fails.
He tries again.
“I, Roman Blackwood, reject Iris Vale as my fated mate.”
Pain detonates through my chest.
There is no graceful way to survive a broken mate bond.
My knees hit the floor.
Nyla screams.
Roman does too.
He drops to one knee across from me, one hand clamped over his heart.
Blood runs from his nose.
Mara is saying my name.
Somewhere, wolves are growling.
Somewhere, Gideon is ordering everyone to stay calm.
I taste blood where I've bitten my tongue.
Roman reaches for me.
I slap his hand away.
That hurts worse than the bond.
“I, Iris Vale…”
The words won't come.
I cry now.
I can't stop it.
Roman watches every tear.
Good.
Let him.
“I accept your rejection.”
The bond snaps.
Nyla disappears.
Roman folds forward like someone punched him.
I stand because Mara drags me up.
I walk because she keeps a hand around my waist.
No one applauds when Vivienne takes Roman's side again.
Not at first.
Then Gideon starts.
One clap.
Another councilor joins him.
Then another.
By the time I reach the doors, the hall is applauding.
I make it to the garden before I vomit.
Mara holds my hair.
I cry so hard I can't breathe.
Footsteps pound behind us.
Roman.
I know before he says my name.
“Iris.”
I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand.
“Don't.”
“There are things you don't know.”
I look up at him.
“There is exactly one thing I need to know.”
“What?”
“Was choosing her worth this?”
Roman doesn't answer.
And that is an answer too.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD