Page 5 of Iris
We both look at each other and laugh.
“Not by a long shot,” she says, and I grin. At least I got her to get her thoughts off her stupid family and her insecurities.
I lean my head against hers. “Let’s just have fun together this Season. Fuck being mated off.”
“Uh, not until our supreme breeder looks the other way.” Quinn nods to a raised platform on the other side of the room.
She sits there, hair bright silver, and in an outfit so white it would embarrass a snowflake. I guess Sophine’s committing to the theme by being the luminary. Or something. I’m betting she’s got a reason, but I don’t care.
In a sea of black and dark colors, she stands out.
Of course she does.
As if sensing me staring, her gaze falls onto me. It takes everything I have not to poke out my tongue. The band starts to play, and I can see Dahlia at the keyboards, the music modern but the right side of boring to fit with the archaic constraints of a ball.
“You, Quinn, are so lucky you’re loaded and free. You don’t have to do this,” I tell her. Quinn makes a noise, and I turn to heras my mini pings. “You can do anything you want. I have to be judged by the Monarch of the Moon.”
“The what?” The voice is cold, dripping in disdain.
I turn. It’s Sophine’s Omega and assistant—kind of. Fredrick. This time, he’s in the palest of ice blue. And he’s glaring at me.
“Monarch of All,” I correct.
He sniffs and moves off just as my mini tablet pings again.
“Iris,” Quinn hisses, “don’t insult him.”
I raise a brow. “It might be a brilliant way to get out of being part of the Season.”
“It might be a brilliant way of getting your family blackballed, and Heath?—”
“Ugh.” I roll my eyes. I should have worn my combat boots. I could stomp things. In heels, I look like a kitten. “Leave him out of it.”
“He’ll lock you up and throw away the key.”
He would. My mini beeps again. “What in the world?” Horror takes over when I see twelve new requests for dances. “Cowards. They can come here and be rebuffed in person.”
“Too scared, I’d imagine.” Quinn snickers.
“How do you…yes!” I delete them all.
When I glance up, an older and, frankly, fucking hot, Alpha heads my way. I dead-eye stare him down until he veers off to Omega-viper, known as Alicia.
They head to the dance floor.
“I’m going to the bathroom.”
“I’ll cover for you,” she says.
I smile. “You’re an angel.”
I turn and head toward the stairs. I don’t need a bathroom, but I’ll take breathing space and real darkness that’s silent, calm, and soothing.
When I reach the ground floor, I find that most doors are locked, but when a handle finally turns, I push it open. I thinkI’m close to the old kitchens, so this part of the house might be older and not used.
The door creaks, and I step in to the large space filled with ghostly, shrouded furniture pushed back to the walls, and a giant picture window.
With a sigh, I crack open the ‘shine,’ and take a swallow, closing my eyes.
