chapter 7
1942 Words
Chapter 7
Iris
I woke up the next morning to the persistent buzzing of my phone. I reached out from under the thin blanket and found the device on the floor.
The screen was flooded with messages from Ava. She was worried. She wanted to know how I had managed to get back home the night before and if I was safe. I stared at the bright screen for a long time, the blue light stinging my eyes. I didn't feel like talking, but I knew she wouldn't stop until she heard from me.
I ignored most of the messages for a few minutes, just sitting there in the silence of my cramped room. Eventually, I sat up, my back aching from the hard mattress, and typed a short reply. I told her I was fine and that she shouldn't worry so much.
I put the phone down and let out a long sigh.
I moved slowly as I washed my face and cleaned my body. Since there was no bathroom in this small room, I had to be careful and quick. Every movement felt heavy. Once I was finished, I dressed in simple clothes and headed outside.
The hallway was quiet, but the air in the house felt different now—cold and empty.
As I walked toward the kitchen, my stomach let out a sharp growl. I felt so hungry. It was a deep, hollow kind of hunger that made me feel weak. I realized then that I could not remember the last time I had actually enjoyed a nice meal in this house.
The last time everything felt right was when Grandpa was still alive. Back then, the table was full of laughter and good food. Now that he was gone, the rest of the family treated me like I didn't exist.
I was just a shadow moving through the rooms.
When I reached the dining room, I stopped in the doorway. They were already seated at the long table, eating and talking quietly. To my surprise, there was one empty chair left, and a plate filled with food sat in front of it. It looked as if they were actually waiting for me to join them.
I hesitated, but my hunger won out. I slowly walked toward the empty chair and sat down. The smell of the food was overwhelming. I picked up my fork, ready to eat, but I hadn't even taken a bite before I heard a voice that made my skin crawl.
"Sister, how are you feeling today?"
I looked up. Fiona was leaning forward, her eyes wide and full of fake concern.
"Finn said you were having issues with your stomach last night. Are you okay now?"
I paused for a moment, the fork halfway to my mouth. I did not move. I did not eat. Deep down, I just wanted to laugh. I looked at her pretty, polished face and felt a wave of disgust.
Was she really asking me if I was okay?
It was hard to believe she had the nerve to act this way. She was like a green snake in the grass, pretending to be a flower while waiting for the right moment to bite.
I decided not to give her the satisfaction of an answer. I looked back down at my plate and started eating. I needed the energy, and I wasn't going to let her ruins my meal.
Suddenly, a loud slam echoed through the room. I jumped slightly as the plates rattled. I looked up and saw Mrs. Walker staring at me, her hand still flat on the table.
"How wicked can you be, Iris?" Mrs. Walker shouted. Her face was red with anger. "Your sister is sitting right there trying to be kind! She is asking about your well-being, and all you can do is sit there in silence like a statue!"
I stopped chewing and set my fork down. I looked her right in the eye, my voice cold and flat.
"I never asked her to care about my well-being," I said. "Since I didn't ask, it is best if she keeps her care to herself. I don't need it."
The silence that followed was heavy. I could see the rage boiling behind Mrs. Walker's eyes, but she didn't say another word. Just as I was about to go back to my food, I felt a hand touch mine. I looked down and saw Finn’s fingers resting on the back of my hand.
I slowly looked up at him. His expression was soft, almost gentle.
"Are you okay, Iris?" he asked. "Do you need any help or care? You look pale."
I felt a shiver of revulsion and pulled my hand away from him as if his skin were made of fire. I couldn't stand it. A beast like him trying to act kind and good was the most disgusting thing I had ever seen.
He was so unpredictable. One hour he was a monster, screaming and threatening me, and the next he was trying to act like a loving partner.
An hour passed in uncomfortable silence. I finished what I could and stood up to leave. I wanted to get away from the three of them as fast as possible. Just as I reached the door, Finn’s voice stopped me.
"You should stop acting so ungrateful," he said. The gentleness was gone from his voice now, replaced by that familiar edge. "I am just trying to show that I care about what happens to you."
I stopped and turned around to look at him. A dry laugh escaped my throat. It was just as I had predicted—he was kind for one second and a total beast the next.
"Alpha Finn, please," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "If you have nothing useful to say, can I just go? I want to be alone, if you don't mind."
He looked at me and let out a cold laugh of his own.
"Today, you are not leaving the house. After what happened yesterday with that car and you wandering off, you are not going anywhere. You will stay where I can see you."
I turned fully to face him, my heart hammering against my ribs. I laughed again, but there was no joy in it.
"I am no longer your Luna, Finn. I am not even a part of your life anymore. We both know that as soon as you officially become the Alpha, I will be kicked out of this house anyway. Isn't that the plan? So why are you trying to act all pitiful now? Why act like you care or like you want to protect me? Just stop all of this. It’s exhausting."
He stood up, his tall frame looming over the table.
"Since you know I am going to be the Alpha, then why are you not listening to me? My word is law."
I looked at him and shook my head.
"Are you even sure you will be the Alpha, Finn? Grandpa's will has not been read yet, and you are already acting like the crown is on your head. Don't forget what Grandpa always said. He said the only way you can truly become Alpha is if you choose a Luna who is worthy."
His mom let out a loud, shrill laugh from the other end of the table.
"Of course he has a Luna! Fiona is right here. So why are you still sitting there dreaming that you could ever be his Luna again?"
I turned my gaze to Mrs. Walker and smiled.
"Dreaming? Do you really think I dream about this? Who would ever want to be by the side of a low-class man who doesn't see things clearly? If that is what it takes to be a Luna, then I would rather not be a part of it at all."
The air in the room felt like it was about to snap. I saw the pure hatred in their eyes. Then Fiona spoke up, her voice small and soft, playing the martyr again.
"I know the reason you are saying all this is because of me, Iris," she said, looking down at her hands. "It's okay. If it makes you feel better, I will step aside. I won't be the Luna. You can be the bride instead. I just want us all to be happy."
I looked at her and felt a genuine smile grow on my face.
"But I don't pick up trash a second time, Fiona," I said clearly. "Having him back with me would only make me dirty. You can keep him. He belongs with someone like you."
Before I could move, Finn was around the table. He grabbed my hand tightly, his fingers digging into my skin.
"Are you calling me trash?" he hissed.
I pulled my hand away with a sharp tug and looked him dead in the eye.
"Someone like you—are you even worth speaking to? It is just a pity that Grandpa had such a failure like you to leave behind."
I turned and walked away before they could say another word. My heart was racing, and I felt like I couldn't breathe inside that house. I didn't care about Finn's orders. I left the house and walked until I found a small bar in a quiet corner of the territory.
I walked inside. The place was dim and smelled of old wood. I sat down at a stool and ordered a drink. I took a sip, staring straight ahead at the rows of bottles behind the bar. I could not believe what Finn had become. He was a loser, a man who let his mother and a fake woman pull his strings.
I felt a deep sting of regret. I had been so blind back then to love him.
"Hey, is this chair free?"
I slowly looked up, my vision a bit blurry. To my surprise, it was Mark. The guy who had pulled me out of the road was standing right there. I gave a small nod and moved my bag so he could sit. He sat down and looked at me with those piercing green eyes.
"Do you come here often?" he asked.
I looked at him and sighed. I wasn't in the mood for company. "Just because you helped me on the road doesn't mean you get to follow me around," I said. "I don't like people who follow me all the time."
He laughed softly, a sound that was actually kind.
"I am not following you, Iris. I just happened to be here, saw you, and wondered how someone like you could come to a place like this. It doesn't seem like your style."
I let out a short laugh and looked at my glass. "It is what it is," I said.
I started to drink. I drank one, then another. I wanted to forget the look on Finn's face and the pain in my heart. I had only come out for a small drink to calm my nerves, but now the alcohol was hitting me hard. My head began to spin, and the room felt like it was tilting.
I realized I needed to leave. As I stood up to walk toward the door, my legs felt like they didn't belong to me. I felt myself falling backwards, the world turning into a blur of shadows.
But I didn't hit the floor.
A strong, steady hand caught me and pulled me close. I slowly looked up and stared into those green eyes once again before I passed out.
- Writer
