Chapter 67

Arthur

Selina kissed me.

Her lips were on mine before I had a chance to react, her hands cupping my face. The crowd nearby swooned, people clapping and murmuring over the sweet display of affection.

But I didn’t want it. I didn’t want her.

And worst of all, I couldn’t even shove her away like I really wanted to, because if I did, then I would be painted as the bad guy. So I had to endure it until it was over, carefully pulling away from her so as not to raise any eyebrows.

As the crowd cheered for the Alpha King and future Luna, and as Selina smiled sweetly up at me, I plastered a fake smile onto my face. I leaned in and murmured in her ear, “Come with me. Now.”

Selina giggled and took my hand, clearly expecting a closet tryst—just like the one I’d had to unfortunately cut short with Iris. But instead, I led her toward a secluded corner of the ballroom, positioned expertly behind a rather large potted plant.

Then, I whirled on her. “Selina, what the hell was that?” I hissed, keeping my voice low.

She blinked as if in surprise. “What do you mean?”

“You kissed me.”

Selina cocked her head. “Isn’t that what you wanted?” she asked, pouting slightly. “I thought we—”

I took a step back, shaking my head, utterly incredulous. “You developed feelings, didn’t you?”

“I—”

“Didn’t you?” I repeated.

Selina swallowed, causing her throat to bob. Looking back now, I think that may have been the first time that I’ve ever seen genuine emotion on her smug face.

“Yes,” she finally admitted. “I’m in love with you, Arthur. I have been for a long time.”

I growled low in my chest, passing a hand over my face. “Selina, the contract states that we have to end it if either one of us develops feelings. We can’t continue this if you have feelings for me.”

She stared at me. “Fuck the contract, then,” she laughed. “Don’t be silly, Arthur. If we love each other, then who cares?”

“That’s the thing,” I remarked. “I don’t love you. I love Iris. And I was pretty clear with you from the start what our arrangement would be.”

Selina froze, no doubt recalling the very first day we’d signed that contract. I’d practically spelled it out for her, in glaring red letters: I would not fall in love with her. Our arrangement was contractual in nature and nothing more, a fake marriage in public and that was it. In private, I would still have Iris. And even when Iris left me, I never went back on my word.

“Arthur—”

“I’m sorry, Selina,” I said, genuinely trying not to hurt her, “but I don’t feel the same way. And you’ve violated our contract, so I’m going to have to end it.”

Her eyes widened. “But I could mark you,” she said. “I could unbind you from Iris, protect you from all of the ridicule of having a human mate. Wouldn’t that be easier?”

I clenched my jaw, frustrated. Of course it would be easier to put an end to my bond with Iris. It wouldn’t make my wolf so damn crazy around her, it would help mitigate some of the intense attraction and obsession and jealousy.

“But I don’t want that,” I said, taking another step back. “I want to be with Iris.”

Selina’s face hardened then, any vestige of hurt turning into pure disbelief and anger. “So you’re ending our contract,” she said. “Over a human.”

“Not just a human. My mate. The love of my life. The mother of my child.”

“She doesn’t even want you anymore! You know humans are fickle and selfish. She—”

“Enough.”

The word was barely more than a growl, so low even I could hardly hear it, but it made Selina stiffen. I could feel my wolf pawing at the surface of my mind, the ancient authority in my bloodline urging me to put Selina in her place. All it took was one word to shut her up.

“Come to my office first thing in the morning,” I said, smoothing down the front of my rumpled tuxedo. “My lawyer will go over everything with you then.”

And with that, I turned on my heel and left her standing there, fuming.

Now, as I stand in the middle of Iris’s studio, surrounded by paint splatters and scraps of canvas, I can’t stop staring at the image in my hands.

She painted… us. In the closet. Her mouth turned up in a smile, her eyes closed. For the first time in five years, she looks truly peaceful and happy in this image, and yet for some reason, I found her tearing it to shreds like she’d gone rabid.

My throat bobs as I finally look up at her. She’s sitting on the daybed, trembling, her paint-stained hands gripping her knees. “I didn’t mean to wake you,” she says. “I just… I don’t know what came over me.”

I think I have a pretty good feeling as to what came over her, and it’s my fault. I should have explained the situation to her when I got home, but I was overcome with thoughts and just needed to rest.

But I couldn’t sleep. I never can without her or Miles by my side.

“You didn’t wake me,” I say, gingerly setting aside the piece of canvas. I swallow hard, then decide to just tell her outright. “Iris, I ended my contract with Selina.”

Her eyes turn to saucers, fresh tears misting over the familiar honey color. “What?” she breathes, her voice hardly more than a whisper. It’s as if she’s not sure if she can believe it or not.

I don’t have the strength to tell her everything. Not in detail, anyway. So I just say, “Selina developed feelings for me, which goes strictly against our contract. I ended things. It’s going to be finalized tomorrow.”

“So does that mean…”

I nod, taking a tentative step closer to her. “Selina is no longer engaged to me,” I say quietly.

Iris stares at me, a million different emotions seeming to war on her face at the same time. Finally, she lets out a shuddering little sound that’s almost like a sob, and hunches over. A fat tear drops onto her leg.

Without thinking, I rush forward, dropping to my knees in front of her and gathering her into my arms. She doesn’t fight it as I pull her close, stroking her chestnut hair.

I hold her like that for several long moments, cradling her slender frame as she quietly cries. I’m not sure if they’re tears of joy or sadness, but it doesn’t matter. What matters is that she’s crying, and she needs me, and I’m not fucking going anywhere.

Finally, once her breathing has evened out a little, I pull back slightly. “I want you and Miles to stay with me now,” I say firmly. “We should be together.”

There’s a strange look on her face, and she hesitates. “Publicly?” she chokes out. “If we get back together, we won’t have to hide away? Would you still view Miles as your true heir or would you want a werewolf surrogate?”

The barrage of questions leaves me taken aback. For starters, Miles is a werewolf, not a human like Iris has always thought. I want to tell her the truth, but… something in me hesitates.

If I tell her that I know, will she accuse me of only wanting her back because our son is a powerful Alpha wolf?

Right now, everything feels so fragile, so tentative, that I make the snap decision to keep that tidbit to myself. Just until I can figure out the best way to do it. So instead, I say gently, “Having an Alpha heir or not wouldn’t affect my love for you both.”

Iris blinks and sniffles. “But what about us? I don’t want to be your secret family anymore.”

At that, I hesitate once more.

Ordan isn’t ready for a human Luna. If I came out with Iris as my official wife, then I could potentially lose my office as President. Iris and Miles might even be in danger. Our society has taken great strides socially over the decades, but we’re still not there yet. Not by a long shot.

My hesitation makes Iris’s face pale, her tears instantly drying. I can tell I’ve hurt her. Deeply.

Suddenly, she stands, brushing past me. “I have to go to bed,” she says, leaving.

“Iris, wait—”

But she’s already gone, something fluttering out of her pocket as she leaves. I pick it up, and am shocked to see that it’s a business card.

Hunter Maverick.

The famous artist from Ordan—the same man she was dancing with tonight.

What are her intentions with him?