Iris:
Gripping the mop tightly in my fist, I continued to mop the hard surface. Once done with the work, I sat on my knees and looked around proudly. The cabin looked spotless.
"You’ve done a great job," the old man said as he arrived, holding an envelope with money for me.
I worked daily shifts in different places, most of which required my strength. I had grown up timid, and since I didn’t have a wolf, I had always relied on my human strength. I had never truly learned physical power until now.
The past two months had been hard, but not as hard as living with a man who had broken me. I was just rolling with life. I blocked out all the harsh memories and focused on saving as much as possible for my delivery days. It was risky, though.
I had moved all the way to the west to stay away from the pack system and the mate I had left behind. I was afraid he wouldn’t be happy if he found out I was pregnant. He didn’t want anything to pull him away from Lara, that much I had gathered.
"Thank you," I said, rising from the floor.
"I don’t want to be nosy, but are you sure there’s nothing worth mentioning when you get hired for physical strength?" the old man asked, subtly gesturing toward my belly.
There was just a small bump. I was only four months pregnant and hadn’t really shown yet. I hadn’t gained much weight because I could barely eat and was always on the move, and working odd jobs.
"No! Mr. Stephenson, I’m fine. It’s just– that’s how my physique is," I lied, laughing awkwardly. I wore loose pants and a baggy gray sweater I had practically lived in. I would go to my hut, wash it, and put it on again.
Those huts were only for people doing physical labor for this small back. Mr. Stephenson mostly managed it. He provided the huts, and in the morning, he assigned jobs. This part of the west was still under construction. They were making packs and trying to make them beautiful. Many workers were needed, and I was one of them.
"Okay, great then. I’ve actually left you a little tip here," Mr. Stephenson said. I gave him a look. I could tell he suspected I was hiding something, but I couldn’t tell him. If they found out I was pregnant, they wouldn’t let me do hard labor. That was the rule here. They were kind, though.
"Thank you so much," I said, smiling through the tears.
"Anyway, I’ll go back home now and rest for the day. But please, make sure you give me a good task tomorrow. I want to earn a lot. I hope you understand." I finished.
He nodded, carrying the same empathetic smile as my own.
"Fine. Goodbye," he said, waving me off. I began to walk away.
My skin has been rough and itchy these days. Pregnancy was strange for me. One health problem followed another.
As I walked back to the hut, I followed the same trail as always but this time something felt different. A strong feeling gnawed at me. Almost like being watched.
Someone was following. Every time I stopped, the footsteps behind me stopped too. When I turned around quickly, the bushes and trees rustled, as though someone had hidden behind them at the last second. At that moment, I knew I was in danger.
"Hey! Come out. Who are you?" I hissed, my voice trembling along with my body. I didn’t care about myself, only my child’s safety.
No one responded. I turned to leave and bumped straight into someone. As the gasp escaped my lips, I stepped back.
A man stood in front of me, his narrowed eyes fixed on mine. He was tall, at least six foot three, and had to bow his head just to look at me on my level.
"What are you doing here?" I demanded, recognizing the man before me.
He stood still for a moment in silence. Then, in a harsh yet respectful tone, he said, "Princess Iris Schwartz, your father has sent me to fetch you."
Hearing my surname and title after so long made my whole body go numb. My eyes darted around, searching for an escape, but before I could move, he added, "Please refrain from running away. One announcement here, and it won’t only be me looking for you."
His meaning was clear. He hadn’t come to play games, he meant business. If my father wanted to see me, he would see me.
Feeling miserable and realizing I had no way to avoid him, I gave in and began to follow. It was the strangest feeling I’d had in years, returning to the home I’d run from meant stepping back into trouble and old trauma.
He had come in a black BMW and made me sit in the back with formal respect. Even the driver bowed to me, and I rolled my eyes. I hated it. The Royal Beta sat beside me and instructed the driver to begin the journey.
The car pulled away, and after a long journey, we finally arrived back in the north, deep in the northern woods. Tucked away from the werewolves was a hidden community behind a towering mountain, beautiful houses, winding roads, and a whole other world.
The world I remembered as a cage, a torture dressed in luxury for me.
I was led through the mansion’s long corridors and straight into the living room, where my father sat on his chair, looking smug as always.
"So, your mate kicked you out?" my father remarked the moment his eyes met mine.
I stared at him before going down for a sarcastic bow.
"It is nice to see you, Lycan King Matthew Schwartz," I said, swallowing hard. I had never told anyone I was a Lycan King’s daughter, and a Lycan princess myself.
"At least you remember your origin," my father said, his voice a mixture of sadness and disapproval. "It seems you wanted to cut ties with everything related to you and your identity."
I stood before him, feeling like a beggar wrapped in rags. He had always wanted me to act like a Lycan princess, but we had disagreed on so many things.
"What do you want from me now?" I asked, cutting straight to the point.
"I want you to come back," my father declared. "Take your throne. Fight against the werewolves, against the Alpha Kings of the north and south, and reclaim the river that belongs to us."
His words landed like a verdict.