Chapter 34: To Hell With You Both!
Iris’s POV
Dramatically, she gestured as she spoke.
"Guess what!" Liora’s voice rang out. "I’m going to make a beautiful bride." Her lips never cease to curve into a smug smile as she tucked some strands of hair away from her face to the corner of her ear.
She took a step closer and leaned against a table, careful not to let her dress touch the wet piles of laundry as she looked at us. "You wouldn’t believe how wonderful the triplets have been to me," she said. "Cade, Zane, and Zael. Oh, they’re just so attentive. They’ve showered me with gifts, you know. Cade got me this diamond necklace and he said it looked good on me." She fluttered the necklace on her neck dramatically, as if to emphasize the point. "And Zane? He had the seamstress make me a gown so fine it puts every other dress in Black Bane to shame. And Zael is just so perfect and clingy with me. Can you imagine? Getting treated like royalty by the three most powerful wolves in the pack, the future alphas."
Her words were a performance, each one delivered with a mocking lilt, as if daring me to react. I kept my eyes focused on my work as I was scrubbing the clothes. Amelia, beside me, stayed silent too. Liora’s gaze flicked between us, her smile widening.
"Oh, come now, Iris, don’t look so glum," she said. "I don’t want you to see me as an enemy. Truly, I don’t." Her eyes softened for a moment, but the sincerity didn’t reach them, it was like watching a snake try to smile. "That’s why I’m giving you this honor." She paused. "To be my personal maid at the mating ceremony as I mate with the men of my dream."
My hands froze in the soapy water. Then I looked up, meeting her gaze. She wasn’t done. "I know you don’t have anything decent to wear," she continued. "I mean, look at you, those rags you call clothes." She gestured vaguely at my worn dress, patched at the hem and faded from countless washes. "But don’t worry, Iris. I’m generous. I’ll give you one of my old dresses, something I don’t want anymore, of course, but it’ll still be better than anything you’ve ever owned. At least you’ll have a chance to look somewhat presentable for once. It’s been a long while, hasn’t it?"
Her words stung but I bit my tongue, refusing to give her the satisfaction of a reaction as I returned my focus to my work.
"You should leave here, Liora." Amelia replied.
"Don’t be harsh girl. I only came here to share some goodnews with you." Liora replied. "Be nice and be grateful I am giving you such opportunity." She added.