"How dare you!" Zane’s voice roared, his face filled with fury as I could see the bloodshot in the intensity of his gaze towards me and particles of the spoiled rice still clinging to his cheeks and part of his body. His eyes blazed with a rage that sent a shiver down my spine, but I did not flinch or act afraid as my eyes were locked on his intensely, my heart thundering in my chest. Lyra on the other hand was quiet, of course surprised at my sudden courage.
And before I could summon a response, a sharp tug on my wrist yanked me backward, pulling me away from Zane’s towering presence.
I stumbled, turning to see Amelia, her face etched with a mix of panic and fears. Her grip was firm as she dragged me toward the edge of the training field, away from the ears of the servants.
"Iris, what were you thinking?" she hissed, more like a whisper, her eyes darting back toward Zane, who was still dusting off his tunic with an exaggerated irritation and angry look on his face. "I know it wasn’t right, what he asked you to do, eating from the bin like some... some animal but you shouldn’t have done what you just did!" Her hands gestured wildly, pointing back toward the field where the rice had splattered across Zane’s face. "Throwing that filthy food at him? He’s the Alpha’s son, Iris! You can’t just... just do that!"
I said nothing, my gaze fixed her as my cheek still stung from the fall. Amelia’s words washed over me, each one a prick against my already raw nerves.
"You need to go back there and apologize," she urged, her voice softening slightly, though her eyes were still wide with disbelief. She stepped closer, placing a hand on my arm, her touch gentler now. "If you don’t, this could bring punishment, not just for you, but for... for all of us who associate with you. Please, Iris, just swallow your pride and make this right. Please."
Her words hung between us but I couldn’t bring myself to respond. My mind was a storm of emotions and anger. I stared at her and without a word, I pulled my arm free from her grasp. Then, I turned and began walking back toward the field.
"Please Iris, please..." Amelia added.
The crowd parted as I approached, their whispers in hush low tones. Zane stood where I’d left him, his face a thundercloud of rage. The rice was mostly gone now, brushed off his tunic, but a few grains still clung to his hair. His eyes locked onto mine and the air between us filled with tension.
"How dare you," he snarled, his voice low and dangerous, each word dripping with contempt. He took a step toward me. "You think you can humiliate me in front of the pack and walk away? Get on your knees, Iris. Apologize. Now."
The command in his voice was absolute, the kind that had once made me shrink, made me obey without question. And for some reason, every other pack members were quiet as they watched. My hands clenched into fists at my sides, my nails biting into my palms. I didn’t flinch, didn’t lower my gaze. Instead, I took a few steps forward and stood in front of him, my chin lifting, my heart pounding so fiercely I thought it might burst from my chest.
He stepped closer too. "I said, apologize," he repeated, his voice rising, the crowd leaning in to murmur to themselves. "Or I’ll make sure you regret this for the rest of your miserable life."
The threat hung in the air, but I still didn’t move. I didn’t speak. The silence stretched, taut and unbearable, until finally, I broke it.
"Everyone!" My voice rang out, loud and clear, cutting through the murmurs of the crowd. Heads turned, eyes focused on me, and then, I saw his lips curve out a smirk as he placed his two arms into his pocket, anticipating my apology.
"You all want an apology from me? Huh?" I took a few steps forward, my gaze sweeping over the servants, the trainers, the onlookers who had judged me, mocked me, condemned me. "I have something to say, and you’re all going to listen." I added.
The field fell silent. "Zane, Cade, Kael, the triplets have held a place in my heart for longer than I care to admit. I’ve done things, foolish things, to earn their notice, their affection. I’ve debased myself, let myself be humiliated, all in the hope that one day they’d see me as more than a desperate slave, more than a punching bag for their egos."
The crowd stirred, low murmurs rippling through them, but I pressed on, my voice growing stronger. "I’ve carried their names in my heart like a secret, a flame I thought would keep me warm. But it hasn’t. It burned me, over and over, until I barely recognized myself. I’ve let their cruelty define me."
I turned to face Zane fully, my eyes locking onto his, and for the first time, I saw a flicker of uncertainty in his gaze. "You think you can parade me in front of this pack to humiliate me, make me eat from a bin to prove my love for you? You’re wrong. I know my worth now. I’m not your trophy. I’m not your toy. I’m Iris, daughter of an Alpha, and I deserve better than you."
The crowd gasped, their shock voices washed over me. Immediately, Zane’s jaw tightened, his hands clenching into fists as his smirk disappeared but I didn’t stop. I turned back to the crowd, my voice rising, carrying across the field. "Love isn’t this. Love isn’t humiliation or control. It’s respect. It’s kindness. It’s choosing someone who lifts you up, not someone who tears you down. And I’m done choosing pain."
A drop of tears dropped from the corner side of my eyes but I wiped it off immediately. I didn’t want my emotions to get better of me.
I took a step closer to Zane, close enough to see the faint scar above his eyebrow, the one he’d gotten in a sparring match years ago.
"You’ve spent years trying to make me feel less, Zane, but you’ve only made me stronger. You don’t own me. You never did. And you never will."
His face contorted, a mix of rage and disbelief, his mouth opening as if to retort, but I didn’t give him the chance. I stepped even closer. "You think you’re untouchable because you’re the Alpha’s son? You’re not. You’re just a bully hiding behind your father’s title. And one day, Zane, you’ll realize that all the power in the world can’t make you a better person."
The crowd was silent still. I could feel their stares, their shock, their awe, but I didn’t care. I’d said what I needed to say.
I took a final step toward him, my gaze never wavering. "I’m done with you," I said. "I’m done with all of you. I’m Iris, and I’m enough."
With that, I turned on my heels as the crowd parted as I walked away, their murmurs starting up again.