CHAPTER 70: STOP, YOU ARE HURTING HER

Iris’s POV

The dinner ended too soon, the clatter of their plates and conversation fading as the royal dining hall emptied. No one noticed the way my shoulders slumped or how my eyes were filled with sadness, as I blinked back tears, Liora, who had glanced at me with a fleeting smile before turning back to the triplets’ banter. Before she walked away. Yes, I was right. No one cared.

My chest felt heavy, like a stone was pressing against my ribs, making it hard to breathe. My mind wasn’t here, not in this grand hall with its high ceilings. My night was trapped in the thought of tonight, mating with the triplets, my first night as their wife. The idea twisted in my stomach, a cold dread that stole my appetite all along.

"I’m not hungry," I’d said softly, my voice barely carrying over the low hum of the room. I remember their reaction, no one looked up. No one asked if I was okay. Lila, my handmaid, appeared at my side, her presence quiet as her eyes filled with a kindness I wasn’t sure I could trust. She didn’t speak, just offered a small nod as she gestured for me to follow her.

We left the dining hall, the warmth of the room giving way to the cool, echoing corridors of the castle. My footsteps felt. We reached the Crescent Chamber, its doors carved with intricate wolves and crescent moons that seemed to watch me as Lila pushed them open.

"My lady," Lila said, her voice soft as she guided me inside. "I’ll be preparing you for tonight. It’s going to be an amazing night. You’ll look so beautiful, and the triplets..." She paused, her smile widening as she closed the doors behind us. "They’ll be so pleased. You’re their wife now, and soon, you’ll bear them an heir to strengthen the pack’s future."

Her words stung. An heir? Never. The thought ignited a spark of impossibility in my chest, a silent vow that I’d never carry a child for mates I felt no connection to, no pull beyond the chains of duty. I forced a small smile as I nodded. "Yes, Lila," I murmured, my voice barely audible, as if I were agreeing with her. She didn’t seem to notice the tightness in my expression, her hands already busy as she moved toward a small table near the hearth.

The Crescent Chamber looked different now, as if the rearrangement was made again, its high windows letting in streams of moonlight that painted the stone floor in silver. A massive four-poster bed dominated the room, its dark blue silken sheets shimmering faintly, and a fire crackled in the hearth, casting a warm glow that did little to ease the chill in my bones. A large, gilded mirror stood in one corner, its surface gleaming, and beside it, the table held combs, vials of oil, and a folded garment that looked like what seemed to be mine that made my stomach twist.

"Alpha Darius had the servants change everything in here. Tonight will be sacred and he wants everything in this room new." Said Lila with a smiling face.

Lila gestured for me to sit on a cushioned stool near the mirror. "Let’s get you ready," she said, her voice soothing as she began to unpin my braid. Her fingers were gentle, working through my blonde hair until it fell in soft waves over my shoulders. "Your hair is like moonlight," she said, smiling as she ran a comb through my white hair, smoothing the strands until they shone. I stared at my reflection, my eyes dull, my face pale and drawn. I didn’t recognize the woman looking back at me, she felt like a stranger, a puppet dressed for someone else’s story.

Lila worked quietly, her hands steady as she dabbed rosewater on my wrists and neck. I sat still, my hands clenched in my lap, my nails digging into my palms as I tried to be myself against the panic rising in my chest. When she finished with my hair, she stepped to the table and picked up the folded garment, a transparent net short nightgown.

"This is perfect for tonight," Lila said, holding it up, her eyes obvious with approval. Seeing how transparent the dress looked, my throat tightened as I stared at it. It was beautiful, but it felt like a betrayal, a costume meant to strip me naked. "Let’s get you changed," she said, her voice encouraging as she began to undo the laces of my dinner gown.

The heavy fabric fell away, leaving me in my shift, and I shivered as the cool air brushed my skin. Lila helped me with a quick shower and once done, she slipped the nightgown over my head, the material gliding over me, clinging to my curves in a way that made my cheeks burn. It was impossibly really transparent, the hem brushing just above my knees, the neckline low and daring. I felt exposed as it showed my undies and bra. But yet there was a strange beauty to it, the way it fitted me and made me look sexy.

"There," Lila said, stepping back to admire her work. "You’re stunning, my lady. The triplets won’t be able to take their eyes off you." She smiled but I couldn’t respond. My eyes flicked to the mirror, glaring at my reflection.

The woman in the reflection was striking, her curves accentuated by the dress, her hair cascading in waves, her skin luminous and flawless. For a moment, I let myself admire her, the way the nightgown hugged my hips, my thighs, the way it made me look. But the moment passed, drowned by the dread pooling in my chest. This wasn’t me, it was just the version of me they wanted, a prize to be claimed.

Lila touched my shoulder gently. "I’ll leave you now," she said, her voice soft. "They’ll be here soon." She hesitated, her eyes searching mine, but I only nodded, my throat too tight to speak. She curtsied and slipped out, the door closing with a soft thud that echoed in the quiet room.

I stood alone, the fire’s warmth doing little to ease the cold knot in my stomach. I turned back to the mirror, my hands smoothing over the nightgown. I tried to find strength in the woman I saw, to hold onto the spark of defiance I’d felt earlier, but all I could feel was the weight of what was coming.

Shortly, the door burst open and I spun around, my heart leaping into my throat. The triplets, Cade, Zane, and Kael strode into the room, their presence overwhelming me as my heart skipped, their broad shoulders and towering shoulders making the chamber feel suffocating. Their eyes locked onto me, and for a moment, they stopped, their gazes sweeping over the nightgown, lingering on my thighs, my hips, my chest. I was starting to feel uncomfortable as I tried covering my body.

I crossed my arms over my chest. "What are you doing here?" My words cut through the silence, but they didn’t move, their eyes still fixed on me, taking view of me from my head to my toes.

Then Zane’s lips curved into a smirk, his dark eyes glinting as he stepped forward, his movements quick. "You’re our wife, Iris," he said, "Did you think we’d wait?" Before I could react, he was in front of me, his hands gripping my wrists and pinning them against the wall behind me. His lips crashed against mine, hard and demanding, his breath hot and tasting of wine as he kissed me hungrily and harshly.

I gasped, my body stiffening as I twisted against his hold, my heart racing with panic. "Let me go!" I said into his mouth, my voice muffled against his mouth, but he didn’t listen, his grip tightening, his body pressing closer. I struggled, my wrists straining, my body arching away from the wall as I tried to break free.

"Zane, stop!" Cade’s voice boomed, sharp and commanding. He was at my side in an instant, his hand closing around Zane’s shoulder. "You’re hurting her!"

Zane pulled back just enough to glare at Cade, his eyes narrowing, his breath heavy. "She’s our mate, Cade," he snapped. "I can do what I want."

Cade’s jaw tightened, his eyes blazing. "Not like this," he growled, his hand still on Zane’s shoulder. "Let her go."

Zane’s smirk cold returned and he released my wrists only to step toward me again, his hand reaching for my face. I flinched, shutting my eyes, my body tensing, but before he could touch me, Cade moved, his arm shooting out to block Zane’s path. "I said, stop," Cade said, his voice dangerous.

Zane’s eyes flashed, and he shoved against Cade’s arm, his voice rising. "What’s your problem, man? She doesn’t deserve any softness from us." He added.

Immediately, Cade’s fist shot out, connecting with Zane’s jaw in a swift, brutal punch. Zane staggered back, crashing to the floor with a grunt, his hand flying to his face where he’d been punched.