Iris’s POV
A distant voice pierced through the haze in my mind, faint and low at first.
"Iris! Iris!" it called, the voice growing sharper, more insistent. My body felt forgotten, my thoughts sluggish. Then, a rough shake jolted , my shoulders jerking under the hands. I blinked, regaining my senses, my vision clearing to et the stern cold glare of the head maid, Maris. One that Darius had employed in his regi and fired every other servant that was against his rule, including Alia’s mother. But Alia stayed because of .
"Where’s your mind, girl?" Maris snapped, her lips pursed into a scowl. "You’ve been there all day! Hurry up!" Her eyes bored into mine. I couldn’t speak. My mind, senses and body stopped working as confusion clouded my mind as I wondered how I found myself scrubbing the floor.
"How dare you daze off while I’m speaking to you? Have you no respect?"
I still couldn’t speak, my heart thudding unevenly in my chest. My surroundings ca into focus, this familiar place, the Blackbane Pack’s servant quarters. I am standing in the middle of the hallway, my worn maid’s uniform clinging to my skin, my hands clutching a mop I didn’t even rember picking up. Heavy confusion swirled in my mind. Wasn’t I just... in the town square? The lashes, the silver powder burning my skin, the crowd’s pitying stares, hadn’t I collapsed? My body, broken and lifeless? Hadn’t I heard Alpha Darius’s cold voice ordering my body disposed off?
"Speak, girl!" Maris yelled, her bony finger jabbing towards my hair as she pulled close. That was the mont I recovered fully.
"I... I’m sorry," I stamred, my voice hoarse. My legs trembled beneath , and I gripped the broom tighter to steady myself. "I didn’t an to..."
"Didn’t an to?" Maris scoffed, folding her arms across her chest now. "You’re always lost in your head, Iris. Useless, distracted thing. Now get moving, you’re needed in the kitchen. Don’t make drag you there myself."
I opened my mouth to respond, but my mind was still a chaotic whirl. Nothing made sense. I glanced around, half-expecting to see the town square, the whipping post, the crowd. Instead, I was here, standing in here, Maris’s scowl burning into . My body felt... fine. No pain, no searing burns from silver powder, no weakness. Was it a dream? A hallucination? Or had I sohow survived that brutal punishnt?
Before I could stop myself, I turned, walking away, my feet moving on instinct. Maris’s voice chased after , shrill and indignant. "How dare you walk out on , you insolent girl! Get back here this instant!"
I didn’t stop. My heart pounded as I continued to walk away, her shouts fading into the distance. My mind raced, fragnts of mory flashing before my eyes, the council room, Alpha Darius’s cruel gaze, the triplets’ stares and the pain. So much pain. Yet here I was, unhard, untouched. I pressed a hand to my chest, feeling the steady beat of my heart, checking if I was still alive or I was just an ordinary walking corpse.
I stumbled into my room, the small, cramped room at the end of maid quarters. I creaked the door open as I pushed it and stepped in, locking it behind , my breaths coming in short, ragged gasps. The room was sparse, with a cracked mirror on the wall, a single wooden chair and a little bed. I quickly moved to the mirror, my hands trembling as I pulled off my dress, letting it fall to the floor. I turned, craning my neck to see my back in the reflection.
I saw nothing. Not a single mark. No scars, no burns, no trace of the lashes that had torn through my skin. My breath hitched, and I touched my back, expecting to feel the sting of pains that weren’t there. I am wolfless, my wounds couldn’t heal on their own. Not like this. Not so perfectly.
Sinking to the bed, I clutched the pillow, my head covered with thoughts. Did I... die and co back? Is this even possible?
Suddenly, a knock on the door jolted from my thoughts. I rose, half-expecting Maris to barge in with more reprimands. "Who’s there?" I called, my voice shaky.
"It’s ," ca a soft, familiar voice. That’s Alia.
I scrambled to my feet, pulling my dress back on before opening the door. Alia stood there, her chestnut hair was tucked into a neat braid, and her maid’s uniform was crisp, unlike my own disheveled one. She stepped inside, closing the door behind her. "Liora sent ," she said, her voice low. "She wants you to clean her room. Specifically you."
My stomach twisted at the ntion of Liora’s na. But sothing about this mont felt... familiar. Too familiar. Like I’d lived it before. My head throbbed as fragnts of mory overlapped. mory of this day, flooding my head.
"Iris?" Alia’s voice snapped back. She tilted her head, her brow furrowing. "Are you okay?" I guess she already noticed the lost in my behavior.
I forced a nod, swallowing hard with a smile. "I’m fine," I lied, my voice barely steady. "What... What day is it today?" I asked.
Alia blinked, her expression shifting to one of confusion. "It’s Wednesday, May 23, 2025. Why? Did you hit your head or sothing?"
My breath caught in my throat. May 23? Today is my eighteenth birthday. Days before the poisoning, before the accusations, before the lashes. I gripped the edge of the cot, my heart beating fast. "Days before my death?" I whispered, my voice trembling.
"What are you talking about?" Alia asked, stepping closer. "Iris, you’re scaring . Have you lost your mory or sothing?"
I shook my head, trying to steady myself. Today... today was my birthday. I rembered it clearly now. I’d spent it alone, singing "happy birthday" to myself in this very room. Alia had been the only one to make it special with her kind words even though she gave no present. Unlike my other birthdays where I’d been celebrated hugely while my parents were alive as they would always shower with gifts. But ever since I lost my parents, Alia had always been the one to celebrate with even though sotis, I forget it’s my birthday.
Before I could respond, Alia’s face lit up. "Oh, I almost forgot!" she said. She reached behind her, pulling out a small, wrapped package. "Happy birthday, Princess Iris." Her smile was warm and genuine, and she held the gift out to . "I know it’s not much, but I wanted you to have sothing special today."
My heart clenched. Imdiately, tears began to gather in my eyes. ’Princess Iris.’ She’d always called that, a reminder of who I’d been before my world crumbled. I took the gift, a small, hand-bracelet with a delicate crescent moon embroidered around it as I clutched it. "Alia..." I called, my voice breaking in sobs. I threw my arms around her, hugging her tightly as tears spilled down my cheeks.
"Hey, hey," she said softly, pulling back to wipe the tears from my face. "Don’t ruin your day with tears. You’re stronger than that."
I forced a smile, but my mind was reeling. This was real. I’d been reborn, sent back to this mont, this cruel life as a maid in my own pack. But why? Why now, days before the poisoning? If only I’d been sent back before my parents’ murder, I could’ve warned them, saved them. I cursed the Moon Goddess silently, bitterness filling in my chest as I wept harder.
The moon goddess must have black listed . No wolf, mates, no happiness, just pain, always pain. But then again, I wasn’t so sure about everything. Maybe it’s a dream.
"Alia," I called, "is today really my birthday? And... you don’t know anything about being punished in the town square?"
Her brow furrowed again, and she gave a strange look. "Punished? What do you an my princess? You’re acting so strange. Are you sure you’re okay?"
I waved a hand, forcing a laugh. "Never mind. I’m... I’m fine. Just tired, I guess."
She didn’t look convinced, but she nodded. "Alright. Just... be careful with Liora. You know how she is." She squeezed my hand before turning to leave. "I’ll see you later, okay?" She added.
When the door closed behind her, I sank back onto the cot, my breaths coming in short, panicked gasps. Days back? I was alive, unhard, but trapped in the sa nightmare. Did the moon goodness really give a second chance?
Suddenly, a voice echoed in the room. Clear and resonant. "Yes, Iris. You’ve been reborn, granted a second chance by the moon goddess."
I froze, my heart pounding. Where did that voice co from? Startled, I spun around, my eyes scanning the room in fear, feeling as if soone’s presence was here with but I couldn’t see anyone.
"I’m harmless." Said the voice again. The voice was unfamiliar, feminine, and... I realised it was coming from the inside of my head.
"Who’s there?" I called, my eyes darting around the empty room.
"Calm down, Iris," the voice said. "I’m your wolf. My na is Lyra."
What? My wolf? I’d been wolfless my entire life, mocked and scorned for it. Everyone considered weak, Darius, always reminding I was fit to be a maid and not so Alpha daughter.
"You’re... my wolf?" I said, my thoughts racing.
"Yes and I’m here to guide you, to make you stronger." Lyra replied.
I pressed a hand to my chest, feeling the pacing of my heart beat. The Moon Goddess finally rembered .
Suddenly, I began to feel different. Bolder, stronger and for so reason, the fear in vanished.
"We’ll talk more later," I said to Lyra, my voice firm. "I need to clean Liora’s room."
"Be careful." Lyra warned.
I nodded to myself as I pulled on a fresh uniform, tucking the bracelet into my pocket, and headed toward Liora’s room. As I neared the door, I began to hear moaning sounds, mingling with soft laughter, coming from the room. The moaning voice sounded familiar. That was Liora ’s voice. My stomach churned. I hesitated, my hand hovering over the door. Going back wasn’t an option. Liora would punish if I didn’t obey her summons. Steeling myself, I knocked twice.
"Co in," Liora’s voice called and then I pushed the door open and froze, my breath catching in my throat at the scene. There, on the bed, were Liora and the triplets, Cade, Kael, and Zane naked.
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