CHAPTER 41: YOU NEED TO APOLOGIZE TO IRIS, ZANE! DON’T MAKE ME ASK AGAIN.

Iris’s POV

Liora stopped just a few feet away, her hands balled into fists at her sides, with barely contained rage. "First, you throw yourself at the triplets, and now you’re cozying up to Lucas? Do you have no shame? I am not surprised. This is what Lucas has reduced himself to."

I opened my mouth to respond, to defend myself, but the words caught in my throat as I felt the weight of Zane’s gaze. Lucas, standing beside me, stiffened without saying a word. I stole a glance at him, and his eyes, calm some moments ago, now filled with something dangerous.

"Liora," Lucas called. "That’s enough, you shouldn’t be dramatic all the time. Your words are not nice. Why are you so mannerless and stupid?"

Liora wasn’t listening. Her eyes blazed as she took another step toward me, her hand rising as if to hit me but before her palm could reach me, Lucas’s hand shot out, catching her wrist mid-air. His grip was not painful but Liora gasped, her eyes widening in shock before narrowing into slits.

"How dare you!" she shrieked, yanking her arm away, but Lucas held firm, his expression calm now. "You’re going to hit me now? I’ll tell Father! I’ll make sure everyone knows what kind of son you are! And make sure father strips you off every title. Don’t dream big."

Lucas’s lips twitched, not quite a smile but something close, as if her theatrics amused him. "Go ahead and tell him," he said coolly, releasing her wrist with a gentle push that made her stumble back a step. "But you’re not touching her."

Liora’s face flushed with more anger. She turned her fury on me, pointing her finger in my direction. "You think you can just seduce every man in this pack? You are nothing but a cheap whore."

Her words hurt. I clenched my fists, my nails biting into my palms, but I kept my chin up, refusing to let her see how much it hurt. Before I could find my voice, Zane stepped forward as he positioned himself just in front of Lucas. His dark eyes flicking between Lucas and me.

"Well, well," Zane drawled, his voice dripping with disdain. "You’ve only just arrived, and here you are, Lucas, parading around with a maid." He spat, his lips curling into a smirk that didn’t reach his eyes. "What’s this, huh? Slumming it with the help now? Or is she just your latest distraction? Oh man, there are other beautiful ladies out there."

My stomach twisted, and I felt the heat of humiliation creeping up my neck. I wanted to disappear, to melt into the ground but Lucas didn’t flinch. Instead, he took a step closer to Zane, his hands slipping casually into his pockets. And then he spoke.

"Being the alpha’s son doesn’t give you the right to talk down to anyone," Lucas said, his voice cold. "You owe her an apology."

Zane’s smirk disappeared, his brows shooting up in disbelief. "What? Hell no." he snapped. "Apologize? To her?" He gestured toward me with a dismissive flick of his hand. "Never. I don’t apologize to someone beneath me."

Lucas let out a short, humorless chuckle and took another step closer to Zane, closing the distance until they were nearly chest to chest. "You will apologize," he said. "To her. And Liora will do the same."

Liora’s head snapped toward Lucas. "Have you gone insane? You don’t get to order me around, Lucas! You’re not my alpha yet! And you will never be." She turned to Zane, her hands on her hips. "Zane, do something! He can’t talk to us like this!"

Zane’s jaw clenched, his hands curling into fists at his sides. For a moment, he stood still in an angry breaths. Then, in a sudden burst of movement, he swung his fist toward me to hit me but Lucas was faster. His hand shot out, catching Zane’s fist mid-air, his fingers locking around Zane’s wrist with a grip that made Zane wince. "Never," Lucas said, "raise your hand to a woman. Not when I’m here."

Zane struggled, his face contorting with frustration as he tried to wrench his arm free, but Lucas’s grip wasn’t letting go. The muscles in Lucas’s forearm flexed, and his expression remained calm as he held Zane in place.

"Let go of me," Zane snarled. He swung his other hand, aiming a clumsy punch at Lucas’s face, but Lucas was too quick. He sidestepped smoothly, releasing Zane’s wrist just as the force carried Zane’s fist into a nearby tree as a wince of pain left Zane’s lips the moment he’d hit the tree hard accidentally.

Lucas straightened, his hands returning to his pockets as if nothing had happened. "You have ten minutes," he said. "Apologize to Iris. Now."

Zane’s eyes burned with defiance as he cradled his bruised hand.

Liora came rushing towards Zane. "Oh my God! Are you hurt? You are bleeding." She approached, trying to take a look at his fist and then she approached me. "You will regret this, trust me."

I didn’t know what to say, what to do. Then Zane’s cold gaze flicked to me, then back to Lucas as Liora shifted, her hands fidgeting as if she wanted to say something but didn’t know where to begin.

Lucas didn’t move, didn’t blink. His presence was commanding, his alpha power rolling off him that even I could feel. I’d never seen him like this, so cold, and it sent a shiver down my spine.

Zane didn’t speak yet, didn’t apologize. Instead, he glared at me one more time, as if in a dangerous warning look, his eyes promising revenge, and I felt a chill settle in my bones as he returned his gaze to Lucas as Lucas’s words shattered the moment.

"You have 10 minutes," Lucas repeated. He turned slightly, his eyes meeting mine for a brief moment. Then he faced Zane again, his expression hardening once more. "Don’t make me ask again."