CHAPTER 58: YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL IRIS

Iris’s POV

Marriage ceremony? So soon? The words ricocheted in my skull. I hadn’t regained myself and now they expected me to walk down an aisle? At least they could give me time to recover.

Before I could voice my protest, my mother’s voice cut through. "Oh my God, you’ll look beautiful in that dress," she said as she approached and stepped closer to the bed, standing next to the dress brought for me, her hands clasping together as if to contain her excitement. "The pack will see you as their Luna, their protector. And the triplets... they’ll be by your side, just as they were meant to be."

The triplets? Cade, Zane and Kael... their names stirred something in me, as if the name was familiar but I couldn’t quite remember anything. Before I could speak, the maid spoke first, her voice pulling me to attention.

"My Luna," she said, her eyes lowering respectfully as she stood near the bed. "I’m Lila, your personal maid. I’ll be attending to all your needs. If you require anything, anything at all, you need only ask me and not another maid as instructed by the king."

For some reason, I felt like a prisoner. I turned to my mother, my voice scratchy, ignoring the maid. "Why so soon? Why can’t they wait until I’ve recovered? I don’t even..." I stuttered. "I don’t even know who I am yet or the alphas I am getting married to."

My mother’s expression softened as she stepped closer. She cupped my face in her hands, her touch gentle and loving but though it did nothing to ease the worries in me. "Iris, my darling," she called, "it’s the tradition of our werewolf clan. The marriage to the triplets must happen on this day. It has been so for generations. It’s a sacred rite, one that binds you to the pack and to your destiny." She tilted her head, her eyes searching mine. "I’m here with you, sweetheart. It won’t be stressful, I promise. I’ll be by your side every step of the way."

The conviction in her gaze, the same motherly intensity that had convinced me to drink that bitter liquid made it hard to argue. I nodded slowly, though doubt gnawed at me. She smiled, a relieved smile, and leaned forward to press a soft kiss to my forehead.

The gesture was tender, almost too intimate like a mother and daughter bond, and I felt some anxiousness of longing for a memory I couldn’t access, a connection I couldn’t feel.

She turned to Lila, her tone shifting to one of authority now. "Get her ready. Make sure she’s perfect for the ceremony."

Lila set the gown and accessories on the bed, her movements gentle. I pushed myself up, my limbs still heavy from the injection from Becky and butter liquid from mom. The room tilted slightly, but I steadied myself, determined not to appear as weak as I felt. Lila moved behind me, her fingers deftly untying my gown I’d been wearing. Once done, I am now completely naked. My pubic hair and underarm hair were grown out, a little reminder of how little control I’d had over my body in recent days. I felt shy looking at it and uncomfortable too. For some strange reasons, I could feel I wasn’t comfortable with this kind of royal lifestyle where a servant will be the one to undress me.

Lila guided me toward a door at the far end of the room. "This way, my Luna," she said softly. She led me to a spacious bathroom, where a large, claw-footed tub awaited, filled with steaming water. I hesitated, my gaze flicking to the shaving razor in her hand. "I can do that myself," I said quickly.

Lila’s expression didn’t shift, it remained professional. "It’s an order from the Alpha King, my Luna. I’m to take care of everything." Her tone was gentle, and I relented, too tired to argue further. I stepped into the tub, the warm water enveloping me, soothing my aching muscles but doing little to ease the unease in my chest. Lila knelt beside the tub as she began shaving, her touch careful and gentle. I couldn’t quite understand the feeling my body was reacting. The sensation was strange, almost invasive, and as her hands moved over my skin, a shiver ran through me, not from the cold, but from something deeper and intimate, a memory my body seemed to recognize but my mind couldn’t place. It was as if my skin remembered a touch like this from someone. The more I tried to remember, the more my head ached.

When she finished, she helped me stand and showered me too, once done, she wrapped a plush towel around me as I stepped out of the tub. My hair dripped of water, sending rivulets of water down my shoulders.

"You’re beautiful, Iris," she said, her lips curling out a smile. "Just like I always knew you’d be."

I nodded slightly but she didn’t notice as Lila led me to a grand dressing room, where the full-length mirror dominated one wall. She removed the towel, and I stood naked, staring back at my reflection, my breath catching at the sight. My body was like a stranger’s. It was flawless and unfamiliar as if I were seeing it for the first time. My curves were striking, my hips looked full, more like a figure 8. Wow! This is what I look like? I turned to my mother, who stood in the doorway as I wondered who I inherited this shape from.

Lila dried up my body as slipped the silver and white gown over my head. The fabric was clinging to my curves before cascading into a flowing princess dress around my legs. She put the pearl-encrusted tiara atop my head after arranging my damp hair into soft waves that framed my face perfectly. The wolf-shaped pendant necklace rested against my collarbone as she applied makeup with a light subtle blush, an eyeliner, and a soft pink tint to my lips.

"You look like a queen, my Luna." She complimented.

My mother approached quickly, acting so dramatic, her hands clasped in front of her, her expression one of unrestrained joy. "Oh, Iris," she called, her voice filling with emotion. "You’re breathtaking. The pack will adore you, and the triplets... they won’t be able to take their eyes off you. You’re going to be the Luna they’ve always dreamed of."

Before I could respond, the door opened, and a man stepped inside. I recognized him immediately. He was Beta Rowan, the same man who had come to see me with the alpha king Darius. He’s looking good in his attire, as if everyone is waiting too.

He bowed deeply. "My Luna," he said. "It’s time. I’m here to escort you to the aisle."

My heart lurched. Everything was happening too fast and I couldn’t stop it. I placed my hand on his offered arm as we stepped into the corridor. Ahead, two male servants stood by a massive set of double doors, their faces emotionless as they swung the doors open from both sides.

The sea of people filled the grand hall, their faces turned toward me as they all looked good in their attire too. Just then, the background keyboard music began to play a slow romantic tone, indicating that I start walking down the aisle.