Lorcan Bloodhowl    

[IRIS]

As a maid in the packhouse, I was granted privileges that allowed me to move freely—a necessity for someone responsible for cleaning, errands, and the endless mundane tasks no one else wanted.

Today, however, my access would serve a far more personal purpose.

I moved through the winding corridors with a bundle of freshly folded laundry cradled in my arms, my fingers trembling against the fabric.

The rhythmic hum of activity filled the hallways—pack members preparing for the Ember Howl Kin's arrival. I kept my head low, my steps light and careful. Every stride brought me closer to his room, where the future Alpha resided.

My heart pounded harder with every step. The familiar ache of the mate bond flared, an invisible thread pulling me toward him even as my mind screamed at me to turn back.

Lorcan had avoided me for weeks—months—and every moment of his absence had carved deeper wounds into my soul.

When I reached his door, I hesitated, my breath uneven. The air felt heavier here, as if his presence on the other side amplified the bond that tethered us. My pulse thundered in my ears, my stomach twisting with unease.

The bundle of laundry in my arms suddenly felt impossibly heavy, though it was nothing compared to the weight of the question that had plagued me: Why won't you acknowledge me?

My trembling hand reached for the doorknob, but just as my fingers brushed the cool metal, a sound from within stopped me cold.

A groan—low and unmistakable.

I stiffened, my wolf-less senses dulled but not entirely useless. My blood turned to ice as I strained to listen, dread pooling in the pit of my stomach. Another sound followed, softer this time—a feminine moan.

No.

My mind rebelled, clinging to fragile threads of denial. Perhaps I had misheard. Perhaps I was mistaken. But deep down, in the part of my soul that was tied to his, I already knew.

Still, I needed to see for myself.

Moving as though in a trance, I pushed the door open a fraction, the creak of the hinges sounding deafening in the silence. I peered inside, my breath caught in my throat, my heart begging the Moon Goddess to spare me the truth.

But there he was.

Lorcan Bloodhowl, the man destined by fate to be my mate, the one who should have been my protector and partner, was tangled in the sheets with another woman.

The world tilted, and for a moment, I thought I might collapse. My vision swam as I took in the scene—Lorcan's powerful frame hovering over Patricia's lithe body, his touch possessive, his movements fast and primal.

The room was a blur of tangled sheets and muted shadows, but the sounds—their sounds—cut through me like a blade.

I couldn't breathe.

The bundle of laundry slipped from my arms and fell to the floor with a muffled thud, but neither of them noticed. They were lost in each other, oblivious to the storm brewing just beyond the door.

A sob clawed its way up my throat, but I swallowed it down, biting my lip so hard that the metallic tang of blood filled my mouth. I couldn't cry—not here, not now.

I took a step back, my legs trembling beneath me. The pain was unlike anything I'd ever known—raw and all-consuming, as if the mate bond itself was unraveling inside my chest. My heart screamed for me to run, but my body felt rooted to the spot, paralyzed by the betrayal unfolding before me.

Lorcan's body still trembled with the aftershocks of his release as he turned slightly, his gaze locking onto mine.

For a split second, something flickered in his expression—something wild, something almost possessive—but then his features hardened, his emotions sealed behind an iron wall. His wolf eyes burned into me, but he shoved the primal instincts away with a visible effort.

Then, as if I were nothing, he turned back to her.

He thrust into Patricia one final time before pulling out, his movements unhurried, casual. He didn't even look at me again as he tossed the used condom into the trash with a flick of his wrist.

Patricia let out a husky giggle, running her fingers across his chest. "That was intense, babe," she purred.

Lorcan's expression turned grim as he pulled away and began to dress, his movements deliberate, detached.

"This is our last time, Patricia," he said flatly, his tone void of emotion.

Patricia blinked once before nodding, unbothered. "I get it," she drawled, stretching lazily across the bed. "Been fun, though."

I couldn't comprehend it.

Patricia hadn't even found her mate yet, but she had given herself to him without hesitation. Without care.

Maybe I was old-fashioned, but I had always believed in the sacredness of the mate bond. My purity wasn't something to be tossed away—it was meant for my mate, a gift to be shared and cherished when our bond was complete.

To me, the mate bond wasn't just instinct. It was sacred. It was the Moon Goddess's will.

Anything less felt like a betrayal of the very essence of what it meant to be a wolf.

And yet here they were.

Patricia stretched once more, completely unashamed of her nakedness, before finally turning her gaze toward the door. Her smirk widened when she saw me standing there, frozen in place.

"What the fuck?! Why are you here?" she screeched, her voice like a rusted gate.

I couldn't speak. I couldn't move.

My nails dug into the folds of my dress, as if anchoring myself was the only thing keeping me from clawing her face apart.

"Don't mind her, Tish," Lorcan's voice came from behind her, gruff and dismissive. "Just hurry up and leave."

Patricia didn't move right away.

Instead, she strode toward me with an icy smile, her full breasts bouncing slightly, her perfect, naked body on display without shame. She stopped just inches away, tilting her head in mock curiosity.

"Oh, it's the wolfless maid," she cooed, pretending to have just noticed me. "How did I not see you? No scent at all. That explains it." She smirked. "As expected of someone who doesn't have a wolf. What's the matter? Here to deliver the laundry?"

My nails bit into my palms so hard I was surprised I didn't draw blood.

Lorcan said nothing. He didn't even look my way.

And in that moment, something inside me shattered.