Chapter 177

Iris

When Arthur said we needed to talk, I expected to go home, or maybe to his office, or even a quiet coffee shop somewhere.

I did not expect the fanciest restaurant in Ordan—the very same place he rented out for my exhibition afterparty, towering over the entire city.

“What is this?” I ask as the host leads us to a secluded table in the back corner.

“I thought we could have a proper conversation,” Arthur says, pulling out my chair for me. “Somewhere quiet.”

“Somewhere expensive, you mean.”

He has the decency to look slightly embarrassed as he takes his own seat. “I wanted to make an effort, Iris.”

Before I can respond, the waiter appears with a bouquet of roses. Arthur must have called ahead. The waiter presents them to me with a flourish, and I take them automatically, although I hold Arthur’s gaze across the table.

“There’s something else,” Arthur says once the waiter has gone. He reaches down beside his chair and produces a flat package wrapped in silver paper. “For you.”

I set the flowers aside and take the package warily, eyeing him all the while. Carefully, I tear away the paper to reveal a wooden box. Inside, nestled in velvet, is a set of professional-grade oil paints in colors I’ve never seen before.

“They’re imported from overseas,” Arthur explains. “Hand-mixed by a master colorist. I had them made specially for you; you won’t find those shades on any shelves.”

I run my fingers over the paint tubes, picking one up to inspect the color in the light—a brilliant azure. These paints must have cost a fortune. “Arthur…”

“Before you say anything,” he interrupts, reaching across the table for my hand, “just let me explain about the other night.”

And there it is. The reason for all of this—the fancy restaurant, the flowers, the expensive paints. He’s buttering me up. I had a feeling he was already, but hearing him say the words solidifies it for me.

I pull my hand away and busy myself with setting aside my gifts. “I saw the pictures, Arthur. You don’t need to explain.”

His face falls. “Iris, I swear it wasn’t what it looked like.”

“That’s what you said last time. And you had a convenient explanation then, too.”

“Iris—”

“If you’re in love with her, just say so,” I cut him off. The words taste like ashes in my mouth, but I force them out anyway. “I know how strong fated mate bonds are because I share one with you. I won’t be angry. But I want you to at least be honest with me.”

Arthur stares at me, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. “I’m not in love with Veronica,” he finally manages. “How could you think that?”

“Then why were you with her that night? At three o’clock in the fucking morning?”

“I ran into her by accident,” he insists. “After Caleb turned me away from your parents’ home, I couldn’t face going home alone. So I went to that bar to have a drink, and she was there. Working as the lounge musician, of all things.”

I narrow my eyes. “Veronica is wealthy enough to live three lifetimes never having to lift a finger,” I point out. “You mean to tell me she’s picking up late-night gigs?”

“Trust me, I was as surprised as you are.”

I purse my lips, considering. To be fair, Selina did tell me that Veronica couldn’t afford her lavish lifestyle anymore. She was just in Bo’Arrocan recording a track, but that doesn’t mean she was paid yet, or paid enough to cover her exorbitant expenses.

Maybe Arthur is telling the truth on that front. “So you didn’t intend to meet with her,” I muse. “But you saw her and stayed to chat…”

“Yes,” he admits. “Look, I wanted to leave, but my wolf wouldn’t let me, and… She seemed so lonely, Iris. So we talked, okay? Just talked.”

“Is a kiss ‘just talking’?” I scoff.

“She kissed my cheek as she was leaving. That’s all. I didn’t have a chance to stop her.”

I want to believe him. Part of me does believe him. But there’s still something he’s not telling me. “What else happened that night?” I press.

Arthur looks down at his hands, and I can see the struggle playing out on his face. Whatever it is, he doesn’t want to tell me.

“Arthur,” I say warningly, “I said I want honesty.”

He meets my eyes again, and this time, there’s a pain in his expression that makes my breath catch. “She tried to reject the bond. She said the words, just like I did. But it didn’t work. For either of us.”

My eyes widen. If the rejection didn’t work for her either, then…

“You must care for each other,” I whisper, my voice cracking slightly. “Deep down, some part of you must want her, and she wants you...”

“No,” Arthur says emphatically, reaching for my hand again. This time, I’m too numb to pull away. “I don’t want her. I don’t care for her. I hardly know her, Iris.”

“Then why isn’t it working?” I ask.

“I don’t know,” he admits, and I can tell he’s being truthful.

I’m not sure what to say, so I just stare down at my lap.

“But what matters is that she cares about our situation,” Arthur continues. “She knows I love you, and that you love me. And she says she doesn’t want to come between us. That’s why she’s leaving.”

I look up sharply. “Leaving?”

“She’s going away. A year-long residency in Bo’Arrocan. She accepted it specifically to remove herself from the equation.”

I sit back in my chair, processing. Veronica is voluntarily stepping aside? Removing herself from the country so Arthur and I can live in peace? It seems… remarkably selfless for someone I’ve been demonizing in my mind.

A horrible and ugly thought occurs to me then. I pass my hands over my face and groan, “Goddess, am I the new Selina in this scenario? Standing between you and your mate?”

“What? No!” Arthur looks horrified when I peek at him through my fingers. “This isn’t the same at all. I chose Selina for political reasons, not because I loved her. I love you. I’ve always loved you. And Veronica isn’t trying to break us up. She’s specifically said she doesn’t want to interfere.”

But the thought has taken root, and I can’t shake it. What if I am standing in the way of my mate’s happiness? What if my desire to keep him is selfish? The mate bond exists for a reason—to guide wolves to their perfect match.

If Arthur has two mates, and one bond can’t be broken… what does that mean for us?

Once again, I’m reminded of how unsuited I am to be his Luna. Right now, it feels like all the signs are telling me to leave, get out of his way, out of both of their ways, and go a different route.

“Even if she does go away,” I say slowly, “there’s still the issue of… everything else. My public image. My inability to handle the spotlight. The fact that I’m constantly dragging your approval ratings down with every scandal...”

“I don’t care about approval ratings,” Arthur growls. “I care about you. About us. About our family.”

“They’re calling you my ‘dog’ now. You know that, right? They’re using my shitty situation to make you look bad. It’s only a matter of time before you’re ruined right along with me.”

“I don’t care.”

“But you should care, and I know you do even if you don’t want to admit it,” I insist. “You’re the Alpha President. Your position affects millions of people. And I’m just… not cut out for this life, Arthur. The press conferences, the galas, the constant scrutiny. I’m not Veronica. I’m not poised and perfect and unflappable. I’m a mess. A very public, very embarrassing mess.”

“No, you’re not,” Arthur argues. “The people who matter see how wonderful you are. I overheard your discussion with Dr. Elliott tonight. You’re amazing; it’s just the loud voices of the few that are painting you as a villain.”

“The voices of the few?” I laugh bitterly. “Arthur, my approval ratings have dropped from over seventy percent to less than forty in a matter of months. Months.”

Arthur pinches the bridge of his nose, clearly frustrated. “Iris, please. I’m not giving up on us. I’m not giving up on you. And I’m certainly not choosing Veronica or approval ratings or any of that bullshit over you or Miles.”

“But—”

“No buts,” he cuts me off. “I need you, Iris. And I think, deep down, you need me too.”

He’s right, of course. The thought of losing him again is unbearable. But so is the thought of continuing to fail publicly, of watching Arthur’s career suffer because of me, of Miles growing up with a mother who’s constantly in the headlines for all the wrong reasons.

“What do you want from me, Arthur?” I ask, suddenly exhausted.

“Come to the Solstice Ceremony with me next weekend,” he says, the request taking me by surprise. “One last official public appearance before you make any decisions. We’ll demonstrate a united front, show everyone that the Alpha President and his Luna are stronger than ever. Your reputation will recover. Mine will recover. And then… we can reassess.”

“Reassess what?”

“How public your role needs to be,” Arthur says. “Maybe you don’t have to attend every function. Maybe we can scale back your official duties. Find a balance that works for you. For us.”

I stare at him, searching his face for signs of deception, but all I see is sincerity. And hope. He really believes we can make this work, despite everything.

“And Veronica?” I ask skeptically.

“Like I said, she’s going away for a year, maybe even more. In the meantime, I’ll find a way to unbind myself from her.” He reaches across the table and takes my hand in his, and this time, his grip is too tight for me to pull away. Not that I really want to. “I don’t love her, Iris. I don’t want her. I want you. Us.”

For a moment, I’m silent, just staring down at our joined hands. I think about Miles, about how happy he was to see both his parents at his talent show. I think about my painting studio in the penthouse, about waking up beside Arthur every morning, about the life we’ve been building together.

And I think about Veronica, voluntarily removing herself from our lives to give us a chance.

Maybe it could be simple, if only I’d give it a chance.

“Fine,” I sigh, offering him a small, begrudging smile. “I’ll go to the Solstice Ceremony with you.”