Chapter 13

Iris & Arthur

Iris

I should feel angry when I see those pictures. I should feel violated and self-righteous at the obvious invasion of my privacy.

But I don’t. Not really.

Instead, I just feel… sad.

Despite everything, I am Arthur’s fated mate. Even now, five years later, the unshakable bond that grips our most primal urges is as strong as it ever was—the kiss last night and my body’s reaction to Arthur’s proximity tonight have only proven that.

And yet, no matter what happens, I’m just his mistress. The other woman.

Arthur knew that, of course, five years ago. He made it abundantly clear when he decided to get publicly engaged to a werewolf woman while having his human mistress hidden away at home, conveniently kept from the public eye.

Because it wouldn’t look good for the Alpha President of Ordan to have a human mate and wife, would it?

No, it wouldn’t. Ordan is still years behind Bo’Arrocan, and although humans have finally been given all of the same rights as werewolves, we’re still seen as ‘lesser’. Not even our own fated mates will ever see us as equals. I learned that the hard way five years ago.

Which is precisely why, right now, I’m glad that I left Arthur all those years ago when I found out what he really thought of me. I thought he wasn’t like the others, but I was wrong. Even now, he only sees me as a gold digger who he can manipulate with money.

Good riddance, I suppose.

Brian, however, is more furious than I am. “You know what?” he huffs, puffing his chest out and planting his fists on his hips in that way he always does when he’s pissed, “I’m going to be attending the Ordan Alpha gathering in a few days. I’m gonna have words with that asshole.”

I jolt up from my chair. “Brian, don’t—”

“No, I’m not gonna sit around and watch this prick ruin all of your hard work,” Brian insists, his eyes flashing dangerously. “You’ve made great strides since you left him, and his selfish actions are overturning it all in the span of a night? I call bullshit.”

I’m not sure how to respond; when Brian has his mind set on something, then it might as well be engraved in stone. But I must look panicked, because Brian takes a step forward and softens his tone, placing a hand on my shoulder.

“Don’t worry, darling. No one will know it’s you. Besides, the paparazzi didn’t even get a clear shot of your face.”

…

Arthur

The Ordan annual Alpha gathering is one of the most prestigious events in the city. And I, as the Alpha President, am at the head of it all.

Normally, I don’t mind these gatherings. It’s really just all fanfare—shaking hands, making toasts, donating to obscure charities most people have never heard of beforehand. Selina and I know exactly how to smile and who to rub elbows with, what sort of talking points to push and which ones to avoid.

All in a day’s work for the Alpha President.

But the event this year is different. Last night, paparazzi photos of Iris and me together sparked online curiosity and outrage, and if there’s one place that people are going to be talking about it, it’s the Alpha gathering.

I already talked to Selina about it, of course. I told her that I just ‘happened’ to run into Iris and assisted her with an injury, nothing more. I hoped that would be the end of it, but of course, nothing is ever over with Selina.

Selina and I aren’t… together in that way. We both understand that our relationship is for appearances and mutual benefit and nothing more.

But I think she might be a little pissed. Maybe more than a little. She said she wasn’t concerned, but I can almost smell the annoyance on her skin.

“Is it true that you have a human mistress?” someone asks, without a hint of remorse over asking the Alpha President such an invasive question.

Before I can answer, Selina cuts in. Her gloved fingers find my arm, and she grins in that show-stopping, radiant way that she practices in front of the mirror for an hour before we go out.

“Oh, that little thing?” She laughs and waves her hand as if Iris is nothing more than a fly buzzing around her face, then tucks a strand of blonde hair behind one ear. “Yes, well, she tried to seduce my husband. But of course, it didn’t work. Our bond is unshakable, isn’t it, my love?”

I bristle at the term of endearment, even more so when Selina lifts up on her tiptoes and kisses my cheek. The nearby onlookers coo at the public display of affection, but I feel like retching.

The moment I’m able, I pull Selina off to the side under the guise of dancing to the orchestral music and lean close to whisper in her ear.

“You promised you wouldn’t make any statements,” I mutter, keeping my expression as neutral as possible. To anyone else, it might look like we’re just whispering sweet nothings, when that couldn’t be further from the truth. “That you would brush it off as me helping a stranger and nothing more.”

Selina tilts her head, her eyes flickering with something bordering on malicious. “I said I’d consider it. Not that I would.”

I feel my jaw feather with annoyance. “Selina…”

“Remember,” Selina says, adjusting the lapels on my suit jacket with her manicured hands, “she chose to leave you and abort your child in exchange for money. Don’t forget that; and just because she’s back, giving you doe-eyes, doesn’t mean that she’s changed.”

I sigh, staring down at the floor. Selina is right, of course. Iris took the money and ran immediately, and never looked back. She took the money and got an abortion and that was the end of that.

Before I can say anything more, a voice cuts through the crowd.

“Alpha President.”

I look up to see none other than that Brian fellow striding toward me. His expression is nothing short of thunderous. “You,” I say, pulling away from Selina and offering him my best smile. “I’m sorry, I seem to have forgotten your—”

“Don’t act like you don’t know me,” he cuts me off. “And don’t act like you’re innocent.” He glances at Selina, and his eyes darken just a little more. “Unshakable bond, eh? Is that the lie you’re selling people?”

My mouth parts. “You must be mistaken.”

Brian scoffs. “I’m not. It’s quite simple, really; you abandoned your fated mate for her.” He gestures to Selina, who stiffens beside me. Her smile is plastered firmly on her face, but I can feel her hand shaking with rage around my arm.

And I can see the others standing nearby, watching and whispering in shock.

“Fated mate?”

“He left his fated mate for Selina?”

“I didn’t even know he had one…”

“Darling, deal with him,” Selina whispers from behind her smile before she gracefully disentangles herself from me and brushes past Brian.

I know exactly what to do. Without another word, I turn on my heel and leave, Mindlinking my Beta on the way. “Bring him out to my car,” I say curtly. “And make sure he doesn’t cause a scene.”

A few minutes later, Brian is sliding into the backseat of my car. His eyes are still dark with rage, although I can’t say I necessarily blame him. Even now, after five years, I still feel protective over Iris. I guess Brian and I are alike on that front.

He opens his mouth, but I hold up a hand to stop him.

“You endangered Iris tonight,” I say simply. “I hope you’re aware of that.”

His brow furrows. “Endangered her how?”

I almost laugh out loud. “You’ve just exposed her identity.”

“No one can see her face in the photos. And I never mentioned her name.”

“Is that so?” I scoff. “Check your phone and tell me what you see.”

With a frown, Brian pulls out his phone. As he checks the photographs, I watch with a mixture of disdain and frustration. Before I became Alpha President, only a few other Alphas ever saw Iris’ face. Paparazzi had photographed us once during my campaign, but it didn’t gain much attention.

But not anymore. With my current status, it would take mere hours for the public to find out who Iris is—something that I’ve been avoiding for more than five years now. It’s been three days already, so the trolls have been given more than enough time.

And now that Brian gave his little speech, it’ll only take minutes for them to find her.

Sure enough, Brian huffs out an incredulous sound and hands me his phone. Just as I suspected, there are already internet trolls comparing the photos from last night to Iris’ personal photos.

I’m about to give Brian the scolding of a lifetime, but then my eyes snag on a link at the bottom of the page: “Is Bo’Arrocan artist ‘Flora’ the abandoned fated mate of Alpha President Arthur Daven?”

My stomach falls into a pit. At the top of the article is a live feed of the front of the Marsiel Gallery. And there, near the doors, I can just barely make out Iris.

She’s surrounded.

“Take Brian and two bodyguards to the gallery,” I instruct the driver as I climb out of the car. “Quickly.”

Brian’s eyes widen. “Wait, where are you—”

But he doesn’t have time to finish, because I slam the door shut and the driver peels off toward the gallery without another word.