Arthur


    I bolt out of Iris''s apartment, barely remembering to close the door behind me. The Mindlink from Ezra still rings through my


    head.


    "Alpha, we found the car. It''s a Lotus Eletre. Only three in all of Ordan...”


    "Selina," I mutter under my breath as I m my car door shut and turn the ignition. The engine roars to life.


    Her family loves those fucking cars.


    I always knew Selina was ambitious. But this? Attempting to murder Iris? Sending CPS to take Miles away? This crosses a line I


    didn''t think even she would breach.


    By the time I reach her home, an expensive modern mansion overlooking the city, my wolf is demanding vengeance. I pound on


    her door.


    "Selina! Open up!"


    A momentter, the door swings open to reveal Selina. Her eyes widen slightly at the sight of me, but she recovers quickly.


    "Arthur, darling, what a pleasant surprise,"


    I push past her. “What did you do, Selina?"


    "What?"


    "Your silver Lotus. Are you really dumb enough to think that I wouldn''t recognize it, or did you hope I would?"


    A flicker of something crosses her face before she quickly masks it. "I have no clue what you''re talking about, Arthur. The Lotus is


    being serviced. The alignment was off."


    "Bullshit. A silver Lotus was caught on camera hitting Iris''s cab. The same day she almost fucking died."


    Selina doesn''t flinch. Doesn''t even blink. "Huh. What a strange coincidence."


    "Is it?" I can feel my control slipping. My wolf wants to shred into her throat. Right now, so do I. “Just like it''s a coincidence that CPS showed up at Iris''s door today? After an anonymousint?"


    Her red lips curl. "Oh, did they? How unfortunate for her."


    The casual admission hits me like a punch to the gut. I knew it, but hearing her practically confess it with a fucking smile on her


    face sends a new wave of rage through me.


    "So it was you," I snarl. "You tried to kill her. And when that didn''t work, you tried to take Miles away."


    Selina walks past me to pour herself a drink at the bar in her dining room, her movements graceful and unhurried. She pours gin.


    +20 Bonus


    into a ss, then plops a slice of lime in. "I wa


    just trying to do what''s right, since you clearly won''t do it."


    My blood runs cold. "So you admit it? Just like that?"


    "Why deny it?" She takes a sip of her drink. "We both know what''s at stake here, Arthur. Your presidency. Your legacy. Our


    future."


    “There is no ‘our future," I snap. "I ended our engagement. Rather publicly, if you might recall."


    "A temporary setback," she says with a wave of her hand. "You''lle to your senses eventually. Especially once that human


    and her damaged spawn are out of the picture."


    I freeze. "What did you just call my son?"


    Selina''s smile turns vicious. "Oh, don''t act so surprised. I''ve seen his medical records. Developmental dys. Possible autism


    spectrum disorder. Learning disabilities." She shrugs. "All typical in hybrid children, apparently. The human DNA corrupts our


    superior werewolf gics."


    My wolf howls with fury, and I feel my eyes sh gold. "Miles is a wolf. And even with his disabilities, he''s no less important to


    me or Iris."


    "Wolf or not, he''s still half-human! A mongrel! He''ll never be a proper Alpha heir. Is that what you want for your legacy? A weak, defective child who can barely string two sentences together?"


    I lunge forward, grabbing her wrist hard enough to make her drop her ss. Neither of us looks down as it shatters on the floor. I


    Imow she wouldn''t care, anyway-she''d just order a servant to clean it up for her. "Don''t you dare speak about my son that way."


    Selina doesn''t even flinch. "It''s the truth, Arthur. Iris ruined him with her inferior genes. But I can give you strong, pure-blooded


    children. True Alpha heirs worthy of your line."


    "You''re sick. You need help." I release her wrist and take a step back.


    "I''m only trying to save you from yourself," she replies. "Think about what you''re throwing away, Arthur. All for what? Some human you fucked five years ago? A defective half-breed child?"


    My control snaps. “That ''human'' is my mate! That ''half-breed'' is my son! And you tried to kill her and have him taken away!"


    Selina seemspletely unbothered. "Miles would be better off in a specialized facility anyway, with his.... challenges. And Iris


    is... well, she''s going to die much sooner than you anyway. Everyone knows humans have shorter lifespans than we do."


    I can hardly believe what I''m hearing. The cold calction in her voice, the utter


    wife. Maybe only in a contractual sense, but still. It makes me sick.


    "You''re insane," I breathe.