24:00
27: Iris
I could not sleep a wink. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw my father’s battered face. I saw his broken body. I fought nausea at every turn, my stomach lurching My mouth tasted bitter, and I could not help but tremble, waiting till dayberak.
The night dragged on interminably, each passing minute bringing me closer to the unbearable task ahead, I tossed and turned, the weight of Rolan’s inckery and Cassian’s decree crushing me. How could I possibly do this? My thoughts spiralled into a whirlpool of despair. One from which I could not num. There was no escape.
When the first light of morning shone through the window, I was already up, staring vacantly outside. The caule grounds were shrouded in a grey ms, the world outside mirroring my inserturmnil. I willed myself to stand, my movements mechanical, as if by going through the motions I could somehow detach myself from what was to happen. From what I was to da
I dressed myself in simple, clark clothes that I found not caring for appearances. It was not as though they were ever a priority. There was a knock at the door, my stomach dropped, and my heart lurched at that sosmil. I knew it was time. When I went to answer, a guard stond there, his face devoid
of emotion.
“You me summoned by the Alpha,” he said simply before he led me through the silent halls, our footsteps echoing ominously. I felt far removed from that situation, as though I were floating above myself, spectating a grim procession from far away.
I was brought outside the castle to where the execution would take place. My body thrummed with anxiety and dread, knowing I was about to the last parent had. The last one that Abel had, however horrible. I was on my way to make us both orphans, to make us both truly alone in the world
The courtyard was filled with people, their faces alight with a morbid curiosity. When their eyes settled on that odd werewolf amongst them, the murmuring intensified. Some even pointed at me and the few faces that I could make out in the shroud of grey, her distorted with an expression of disdain. Towards my father or me, I could not be sure. Perhaps it was towards both of us. I could see members of the royal family, their expressions varying from eager anticipation to cold indifference. Cassian stood at the centre, his presence commanding as always. His eyes found mine immediately, and I felt a jolt of fear and something else I couldn’t quite name.
My father was already there, restrained and looking more broken than ever. The sight of hum twisted my insides even more than they already were. and I had to force myself to keep walking, to face this nightmare head–on. I stopped a few paces away from him, my legs trembling.
Cassian’s voice rang out, authoritative and unyielding, “Today, we bring justice to our fallen pack member. Today, we fulfil the promise made to our prople.”
A murmur of agreement rippled through the crowd. I swallowed hand, my mouth dry as sandpaper. I felt Cassian’s gaze on me, and I raised my head to meet it, trying to draw strength from somewhere deep within. Somewhere that probably did not even eas,
“Step forward, Iris,” he commanded.
My feet felt like they were held down by lead, still I forced myself to move, I walked to the centre of the platform, my heart hammering in my chest. A sword lay on a pedestal, gleaming eerily in the morning sun. I stared at, my mind blank with terror. This was happening
Cassian’s voice was softer now, for my ears only. “You must do this. Iris. For our pack. For our people. Despite his words, I was anything but
1 continued to tremble, my eyes fixed on my father.
“Inis” Cassia’s voice was harsher this time and seemed to have reached my father’s cars. He turned as best as he could, his eyes filled with hopelessness as he finally found me. “Pick up the sword,” he ordered. “Now,”
But my eyes were fixed on my father, he mouthed my name, tears falling from his swollen eyes.
“Father,” I choked.
“Lam..sorry,” he managed, though his voice was so coarse that I could barely recognise it. “For everything “he said.
The crowd seemned not like the scene before then and made their displeasure known by cursing, but I used out all the background noise.
“Ins,” Cassian’s rang out amongst the rest, a warning in his tone. “Pick up the sword, now.” He ordered, his voice brooked no hesitation.
The guards around suddenly had their hands on their weapons.
“I knew she wouldn’t do it.” I heard Zahila ay sidely.
My father looked from me to the crowd, then back to me. In his eyes was resignation. “Pick up the sword, my little flower.” He told me in a voice from my childhood. The old nickname was a punch in the gut. “Won’t you pick up the sword for me?” A shaky smile danced on his cracked, bloodied lips. “Do what you have to do.”
Tear blurred my vision as I reached out, my finger closing around the hilt of the sword. It was heavier than I expected, its cold weight anchoring me to the grim reality, looked at my father, his eyes filled with resignation. I knew he could see the torment in my eyes, the struggle that shreatened to break me.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered.
He nodded as though accepting my apology before he closed his eyes, a tear slipping down his bruised cheek. I steeled myself, raising the sword. The world seemed to slow down, each second stretching in aeternity. I took a deep breath, sammoning every ounce of strength thad left
With a final desperate cry, I brought the sword down. And like that he was gone. I had killed him. The crowd burst into a cheer.
I was too deep in my grief. I did not knone when Constanzose from his seat and came to try side. He intertwined lat fingers in mine snel raised them. for all to see.
The crowd’s excitement dissipated in a second as astonistent and didielief settled in Murmurs echoed through the crowd
“Iris Obadian is my mate and the only one immane to my accuned touch,” he announced. With the stunned udence that followed after his ustement, the lycanfolk were aghast
“And today she delivered on her promise to you,” he continued. “She has proven her loyalty despite her kinship with the perpetrator. She had delivered justice with her own hands. She has proven that she is worthy. So from this day henceforth, In Obsidian is not only my mate but my Luna as well. She is the Luna of our great pack
Cassian’s words hung in the air, filling the air with tension. The crowd stood in stummed silence, processing the enormity of his declaration. My was still hammering in my chest, my mind a whirl of confusion and disbelief. Lam. The title felt foreign and cold, like an ill–fitting cloak thrown over my shoulders. With the grief still fresh, I could properly comprehend what he had just said.
Cassian’s grip on my hand tightened, anchoring me to the moment. His touch should have filled me with overwhelming fear, but for whatever reason, seemed to carry a different weight—a promise of protection, perhaps, or a demonstration of his power. I could not wrap my mind around that meaning. Not when my father’s corpse was just yards away. His gaze swept over the assembled lycanfolk, his eyes hard and unyielding. I felt the tension in the air, the collective unease that prickled everyone’s skin.
Then, almost as if a switch had been flipped, the silence shattered. One voice rang out, clear and strong: “Luna” Others quickly joined, the chant. growing louder and more insistent. “Luna! Laimut Lunal” The crowd’s fervor intensified, their previous morbid curiosity transforming into some sort of fervent loyalty. The sound was deafening, a roar that seemed to shake the very stones of the cute,
1 stood there, mils and dazed, the words echoing in my ears. Luna. They were chanting for me, hailing me as their leader, their new Luna. The enormity of what had just happened crashed down on me, mixing with the fresh grief and the residual terror. It was almost too much to take in all an
1 looked at Cassian to see the shadow of a smile playing on his lips. He squeezed my hand once more, then raised it higher, solidifying the image of unity and strength Long live Lana Frist he proclaimed, his voice ating through the chants and solidifying the moment
The crowd’s chant shifted, now a unified deafening cry: “Long live Luna Iris! Long live the Alphal Long live the pack!”
I closed my eyes briefly, trying to centre myself amidst the chaos. My Ether’s lifeless body lay behind me, an ugly, piercing reminder of the price t had paid. I had done what was demanded of me, and now I stood at the threshold of a new, far more daunting aftermath.
