Iris's POV

Eric started glaring at me again. Anytime I came around while he was with Evie, it was like I had committed a crime by just existing.

I knew that he was basically counting down the days he had to put up with me and Evie.

He never said it in front of Evie, but the moment we were alone, he made sure he never let me forget.

“I’m only playing along for a little while,” he said one afternoon as we stood by the car. “Just a few more days, I. Then I’ll be free of you and your games. For good.”

I clenched my jaw but didn’t respond. There was no point.

Later that week, the pack held a full moon celebration. Evie had been begging to go for days, and surprisingly, Eric agreed to take her.

I didn’t want to go, but Evie insisted.

So I dressed quietly and got into the backseat beside my daughter, while Eric drove in silence. Evie chatted the entire way, completely oblivious to the tension in the car.

Immediately we arrived, Eric excused himself to greet the pack members, leaving us by ourselves.

Evie clutched my hand tightly, looking around with a grin. “Can I go get juice, Mommy?”

I nodded. “Just stay where I can see you.”

Evie's grin widened, and she ran off..

“Still tagging along like an unwanted puppy, huh?” A taunting voice murmured from behind me. It was Zara. “I would’ve thought you would know when to leave the picture.”

I didn’t look at her. “I’m here for Evie. I don’t want trouble.”

Zara smirked. “Oh, come on, I. I'm not a troublemaker. I just want to chat.”

I ignored her, choosing instead to focus on Evie who had already gotten her juice.

“Tell me, how does it feel to be treated with disgust by your own mate?” Zara sneered.

I froze.

That was when Tiffany stepped forward with an identical sneer on her face, looking just like her mother. “You don’t look anything like the mate of an alpha. You look like his maid.”

I swallowed my pride and turned to walk away. I really didn’t have the energy for a confrontation, but Evie had already returned, and she had heard everything.

“Shut up,” Evie said quietly, standing in front of me. “Don’t talk about my mother that way.”

Zara raised a brow. “Sweetheart, you should learn to stay in your place as a child—”

“No,” Evie snapped. “You’re mean. And your daughter is mean too.”

Tiffany gasped. “At least I have someone who wants me! Your own father doesn’t want you!”

I stepped forward quickly. “Enough. That’s enough.”

Evie flinched like Tiffany had slapped her.

I glared at Zara. “Stop it. Teach your daughter to be a better person.”

Then I took Evie’s hands and walked away.

I tried to cheer Evie up, “Don’t listen to her, Evie. That’s not true, your father wants you.”

Evie’s lips trembled and tears welled up in her eyes. “Then why is he barely around?”

I cleared my throat as tears also welled up in my eyes. “He is very busy, Evie. He’s the Alpha of this pack. Didn’t you notice that he’s been spending time with you a lot lately? He has just been busy, that’s all.”

Before I could say anymore, Eric showed up with Zara and Tiffany beside him.

Tiffany’s cheeks were wet with tears as she held Eric’s hand.

“She said I’m not loved because I don’t have a real dad,” she cried. “She called me unwanted and said my mommy was chasing someone else’s mate.”

Zara sniffed beside her, pretending to be heartbroken.

Eric’s eyes darkened as he looked at Evie. “Is that true?”

Evie opened her mouth, her eyes wide in disbelief. “No, I didn’t—she started—”

“Apologize,” Eric snapped.

Evie’s lip quivered, but she shook her head. “I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Eric looked at me. “You’ve spoiled her. She’s just like you. Always playing the victim, and being manipulative.”

I stepped forward quickly. “Eric, don’t talk about her like that. She did nothing wrong. They insulted us.”

Eric glared at me fiercely, then he turned to Zara and Tiffany with a soft gaze. “Please excuse us. We need to talk alone.”

Zara gave a pitiful nod as she took Tiffany away. Just as Eric turned his back, they both smirked at me and Evie from over his shoulder.

I clenched my jaw. I then turned to Evie with a warm, reassuring smile. “Baby, wait for me here alright. Your daddy and I need to talk.”

I followed Eric out of the party, and towards the side of the building. From his clenched fists, I knew that whatever he was going to say was going to hurt.

Iris’s POV

“I’m done with this,” Eric said flatly. “I agreed to play nice for a month, but I’m already regretting every second.”

I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth. “She’s your daughter.”

“I never asked for her.” He spat.

The words struck me like a slap, and I flinched.

Eric continued. “All these never meant anything. You’re not my mate and we’re not a family. You were a mistake I tolerated. The only reason I played along was because you told me that after a month you would sign the divorce papers, and I would never have to see your faces again.”

I hadn’t realized Evie was right behind us until I heard the soft gasp.

Eric turned too, and his face drained of color when he saw his daughter standing there, wide-eyed and frozen, like someone had just slapped her.

“Evie—” I stepped forward, but it was too late.

She turned and ran.

“Evie!” I shouted, chasing after her.

We both ran after her, but she didn’t get far; she collapsed by a bench, and began shaking.

“Evie?” I dropped to my knees beside her, but my daughter was unresponsive. She was having a seizure.

“She’s seizing,” I whispered in horror. “Oh God, she’s seizing—Eric!”

Eric stood frozen.

“Pick her up!” I screamed. “We have to take her to the clinic—NOW!”

He moved then, grabbed her and rushed to the car. I sat in the back with Evie pressed to my chest, whispering her name over and over, trying to keep her eyes open.

Then Eric’s phone rang as he started driving.

It was Zara.

He picked it up. “I can’t talk right now,” he mumbled quickly.

It was on loudspeaker, so I could hear as Zara frantically spoke to Eric. “Tiffany fell down the stairs at the party. She’s bleeding and she won’t stop screaming. We need you now!”

Eric groaned under his breath, then he slammed the brakes.

I gasped in horror in disbelief. “No—no, no, no, Eric, drive! Evie is not breathing properly—”

“I have to go back,” he muttered. “Tiffany is hurt.”

“Are you insane?! Evie is DYING!”

“She’s faking it,” he snapped, turning the car around. “Like her mother always does. She’s trying to manipulate me, just because I told her to apologize.”

“You bastard!” I screamed, sobbing. “She’s not pretending! She’s barely breathing! Eric, please—don’t do this. If you ever cared for her, even a little—”

“Get out.” He snapped.

“What—”

“I said GET OUT! Take your little drama somewhere else. Tiffany is hurt, and I don’t have time for this.”

My mouth fell open in shock.

Eric pulled over and unlocked the doors.

I couldn’t believe it.

Evie stirred weakly in my arms.

“Mommy…” her voice was barely a whisper. She was turning blue.

“I’m here,” I cried. “I’ve got you, baby.”

Eric drove off, leaving me screaming and shrieking as I tried to chase after him with Evie in my arms.

A soft hand touched my cheek. Evie’s hand trembled as she touched my cheek.

“It’s okay, Mommy…”

“Yes baby, it’s okay. You’ll be fine.” I tried to assure her.

Evie shook her head slowly. “I know Daddy doesn’t love me,” she whispered. “Not like he loves Tiffany.”

I sobbed harder. “Don’t say that—please don’t—”

“It’s okay,” she said quietly and calmly, and my heart bled even more. “I just… I wanted it to be true.”

I held her tightly, trying to keep her warm.

“I know I’m sick, Mommy. I always knew. But I didn’t want to say anything because… because you would be sad. I just wanted to see you smile more.”

Tears poured down my face at Evie’s words.

Evie’s voice got weaker.

“You have to promise me something…”

“Anything, baby,” I choked.

“Promise me that you’ll be happy, like you used to be. Even if it means leaving him and moving on to a better person who loves you.”

I nodded, sobbing. “I promise, baby. I promise.”

Evie gave a weak smile, looking so much more mature than seven years. “Good…”

Then her eyes closed, and her body went still.

I froze. “No… no, no, no—EVIE!” I screamed.

I shook my daughter, begged her to wake up, cried until my throat was raw, and my voice cracked.

I tried reaching Eric through our mate link, but he had blocked me.

I carried Evie’s body in my arms, walking all the way to the clinic, barefoot, and shaking.

When I got there, the healers came running.

They tried.

They tried everything, but it was too late.

Evie was gone.