Chapter 170

Iris

My hands are shaking as I pull Miles onto my lap, cradling his face against my chest. He grumbles and tries to wrench his head away so he can get a proper look, but I hold fast. I don’t want him to see—don’t want him to see the protesters or the look of fury in his father’s glowing red eyes.

Through the tinted window of the car, I watch Arthur storming toward the protesters, his shoulders squared and his hands clenched into fists at his sides. They’re already shrinking away from him, although the one woman who threw the tomato lifts her chin and says something.

Even from this distance, I can see Arthur’s fangs flashing as he speaks. He’s gesturing sharply, and even though I can’t hear what he’s saying, I can imagine. The Alpha’s fury is unmistakable.

The woman jabs her finger toward our car while shouting something back. But then Arthur takes a step closer, and whatever he says next makes them scatter like cockroaches. Within moments, they’re rushing away, abandoning their signs on the pavement.

My stomach clenches as Arthur turns and strides back to the car. The car door opens and he slides in beside us, then slams it shut with enough force to rattle the entire car.

“Drive,” he orders Ezra.

“What happened?” I whisper as Ezra peels away from the curb.

Arthur glances at me, his eyes still crimson red. “I informed them that if they ever come near my mate or my son again, I won’t be responsible for what happens next.”

“Arthur—”

“I won’t stand for attacks on my family, Iris,” he says, his voice low and dangerous. “I don’t care what they think of me or my policies, but the moment they target you or Miles, they cross a line.”

Miles shifts on my lap, looking up at his father with wide eyes. “Are you mad, Daddy?”

Arthur’s expression softens immediately, the red guttering out like a flame being doused. “Not at you, buddy. Never at you. Those people were just being very rude, and I had to tell them to go away.”

“They threw something at you,” Miles says, his lower lip trembling slightly. “Your shirt is all red now.”

Arthur glances down at his ruined shirt and forces a smile. “It’s just a shirt. It can be cleaned. The important thing is that you and Mommy are safe.”

By the time we arrive at the apartment, Miles’ initial fear has transformed into a sort of bewilderment. He sniffles as we ride the elevator upstairs, holding both my hand and Arthur’s.

As soon as we’re inside, Arthur excuses himself to change his shirt and make some phone calls while I take Miles to the living room and sit him on the couch beside me.

“Did we do something bad?” he whispers.

My heart shatters. I never wanted this for my son. I only wanted him to be happy, at peace, loved. “No, little wolf, you didn’t do anything bad at all. Those people… they were angry with me, not you.”

“With you?” Miles looks confused. “But you’re nice. You’re the nicest mommy ever.”

“Thank you, but some people don’t agree with some of the choices I’ve made.”

“What choices?”

I’m not sure how to answer that, but I want to be honest. I hate lying to Miles just as much now as ever, even if the truth might make him sad. “Well… Some people think it’s not fair that you get to have Miss Thompson as a teacher when other kids can’t. They think Daddy and I should be sending you to a different school. And they’re angry.”

“But Miss Thompson would let all the kids be in her class if they wanted,” Miles protests. “Why can’t they just do that?”

I let out a soft sigh. “It’s not that simple, buddy. You’ll understand when you’re older.”

Miles frowns, clearly unhappy with my response, but doesn’t protest. I gather him close and gently rock him for a moment, all the while berating myself inwardly.

This is all my fault. If I hadn’t insisted on going public with my relationship with Arthur, and if I hadn’t tried to turn my newfound platform into public charity, Miles wouldn’t be exposed to this ugliness. He wouldn’t have to see his father threatened or his mother targeted. Things could be… simple.

Or could they? I’m not sure anymore. All I’m sure of is that this is all my fault, and right now, I hate myself for it.

As if reading my thoughts, Miles looks up at me and touches my cheek. “You didn’t do anything bad, Mommy.”

Tears instantly spring to my eyes; how has he always been able to read my mind like that? Before he can see me cry, I pull him close again, burying my face in his dark hair.

A few minutes later, I send Miles to his room to play. Arthur finds me, and he’s dressed in a clean shirt. He hesitates in the doorway, his eyes searching my face.

“I’m terrified,” I admit. “Not for myself, but for Miles. He shouldn’t have to deal with this kind of hatred.”

Arthur immediately moves forward and sits beside me. He wraps his warm arms around me and pulls me close, and for a moment, I bury my face in his neck and breathe in his scent. I try not to think about how Veronica, his second mate, can smell the same scent. The scent that should belong to me and me only.

“The media problems will pass, Iris,” Arthur finally says. “They always do. Right now, you’re still new and interesting. But eventually, they’ll move on to the next scandal.”

“And in the meantime?” I let out a huff. “This could seriously damage our son.”

Arthur’s eyes flicker red for a moment. “I won’t let that happen.”

“You make it sound so easy,” I mutter.

“It’s not easy,” Arthur admits. “But I’m going to do it anyway—protect both of you. And I don’t blame you for any of this, Iris, even though I know you blame yourself.”

I look away. “How can I not? If I had just let you keep your contract marriage with Selina—”

“Then what?” Arthur interrupts. “You would have been miserable. Miles would have grown up with a mother who was unhappy and unfulfilled. And the public knew about you already, within days of you returning to Ordan. They would have found out everything in a matter of time.”

I know he’s right, logically. But the guilt is still unbearable. “I just hate that he has to suffer because of my choices. The stupid charity—”

“He’s not suffering, Iris,” Arthur says firmly. “And you’ve done good things for kids, whether going public with it was a mistake or not. No matter how hateful some people can be, you can’t erase that.”

I bite my lip. “Any update on Veronica?” I ask, thinking about the failure of a charity gala. Well… A failure for my image. At least we met our donation goal, no matter how exorbitant. Although, I hope Veronica’s alleged misuse of funds won’t come back to bite me in the ass.

Arthur leans back against the couch, looking tired. “Our lawyers are in contact, but so far everything seems legitimate, at least on paper. She has every receipt, every transaction documented. The operating costs are unusually high, but not illegal.”

I think about Selina’s words, about Veronica’s supposedly lavish lifestyle and her desperate need for money. “Has she… approached you again? Since that day at the press conference?”

Arthur shakes his head. “No, I haven’t seen her in person. She went to Bo’Arrocan to record an EP. Apparently she’ll be back when she’s finished.”

My jaw clenches. “You still plan on rejecting her, right?”

He studies my face for a moment. “Of course.”

I purse my lip, but Arthur’s expression softens, and he presses his forehead to mine. “Iris,” he whispers, “there’s nothing to worry about. My wolf might recognize something in her, but my heart and my mind belong to you. Only you. I will reject her the moment I see her next.”

“Promise me.”

“Cross my heart and hope to die, my love.”