THIS CHAPTER WILL CONTAIN BOTH IRIS AND LUCAS POV

LUCAS

Today is beyond words, the fact I marked Iris is still feeling like a dream to me.

There was finally peace of mind and relief with Ashton knowing she's now bearing our mark, and the fact she accepted the title Luna just makes me love her all the more.

As they left, I linked Nate to make sure Iris and the girls were okay while I handle some things for her coronation. Later on I linked Adrian to meet me at my house instead of the palace.

By the time I got there Adrian was already waiting. "Why your house this time?" He asks as I pulled out the keys to open the door.

"Just thought of an idea"

"Idea?"

"Yeah" I opened the door and we both walked in, everything was just the way i left it as, I haven't been here for more than two months now but I had people to come clean the place for me.

"So what's the idea?" He asks as he walks up to one of the couches

"Iris coronation. I want to invite all the Alpha's and Luna's for it"

"What!" Adrian jolted up wide eyed "c'mon dude you know Iris doesn't like crowded spaces why would what her to go through that"

I breathe, nodding to his complaints, I knew how close he was to Iris to a point Iris refers to him as a brother, him and Nate. He hasn't been this concerned about someone ever since him sister passed.

"I understand what you're trying to say" I nodded

He looked at me suspicious "does she know about this, or did you plan this yourself?"

"Well..."

"Seriously man! Damnit!" He hissed.

"But the thing i believe she can handle it" I told him, heading over to the kitchen to see what's in there and after some thoughts I decided to go with the fruit wine left in the fridge

"What do you mean Lucas" Adrian walks in folding his hands.

I sighed as I poured myself a drink and for Adrian "what I mean is she's no longer shy or anything, today she asked me to mark her and then after she told me how she's gonna show everyone she's my Luna" I said proudly.

With his eye brow raised, he came to take his glass from me "really?"

"Yeah. I'm really proud of her" I smiled thinking about her. Adrian ended up sighing as he sipped his wine. "Fine. Since she's okay with this"

"Oh right and..." I dusted my hands and brought out my phone "where can I get a ring like this?" I showed the picture on my phone.

"Uhh...yeah what for?"

Taking back my glass, I replied "I want to propose to Iris" he looked at me confused "propose? Didn't you say you already marked her? So what's the point?"

Usually once our mates are marked, it's like they're already married, with the mark as the ring. But I want Iris' own to be special

"I want hers to be different"

He glanced at me then at his cup "she deserves it anyway" he muttered.

"Right. So is there anything we haven't finished yet, I don't want any distractions for iris' day" I told him sipping down my wine. He looked like he was in a train of thought "well, we still  have combat training and war tactics today" he summarizes.

I gulp down my wine "then let's round it up" and dropped it on the island before heading out with Adrian.

We drove to the training site where the trainees were waiting and sparing with each other.

"Alright attention!" Adrian called and they all stood at attention

"Alpha! Beta!" They chorused.

"At ease. Alright look i don't have much time for words so it's either your in or your out" I briefed before Adrian came in.

"Alright you all know the drill, pair yourselves up and start. The alpha and I will be inspecting your skills, if you're called, you're out and need more training. Winners advance. Got that!"

"Yes sir!" They chorused

They did just as told and paired themselves, I scanned them all, they were about fifty of them and these were the toughest out of the first quarter of park fighters. The challenge started and I had already called five people out, later on three more and at the end there were about eleven of them out.

"Is this how you do in training?" I growled at them. "You expect me to be impressed with this nonsense" their heads were bowed as I roared at them

"No alpha!"

Bearing not a single glance to them I turned to Adrian "Adrian take them to junior trainees, I give them fourteen days, if they don't improve I'll deal with it" I informed him and he nodded

"And the rest of you. Don't slack off. Despite the results of today's training, you are needed at my mate's coronation in the next two days. But don't take it as an excuse to be disorganized once it is over you're to continue with the usual training" I warned and walked out.

"You're all dismissed for today" Adrian waved.

"Yes sir!"

We head back to the car and when I sat on the drivers seat I felt a like a squeeze in my chest. "What the...?" I held my chest, it was a light squeeze but I knew I could feel it "hey I think I'll be heading to get the ring... Uh, are you okay?" Adrian said from the window.

"Yeah I'm fine" I told him, worried if it could be Iris feeling this way. "I hope she's alright" I muttered under my breath.

_._

IRIS

We have been walking around the mall for hours now and honestly I'm starting to get tired.

"Guys, could we take a little break for awhile. My legs are hurting" I sigh breathlessly and feel my head spin.

"Yeah, I agree with Iris. My hands are killing me" Nate groans dropping the tons of bags on his arms on the floor.

"Nate! Careful with those!" Daphne yells.

"Maybe we head to a cateen or restaurant and take a five?" Christie suggested.

"Yeah" Nate and I chorused. "Alright let's do it!" Christie claps

Daphne goes out to look for a restaurant while the rest of us waited by the water fountain. "Hey are you okay Iris... you've been acting sluggish... lately"

I sighed as I stared at my foot, I thought I was covering it up well "I.. I erm..I kinda got...marked today" I shrugged and Christie gasped "i knew it! Your scent changed a bit" she then leans in and whispers" I even  thought the alpha was here with us" she says and we both giggled.

"Yeah... But I keep having pains in my chest area and I... I don't know why... I'm having these weird voices in my head but... Can't make out what it is" I pour my feelings out to her, genuinely worried. It could be snow, the voices did sound like her but we haven't talked for long while now so... I don't know what to think.

"Maybe...we could visit the hospital...my mom's a nurse there, she could help" she smiled at me holding my hands "you're going to be alright" she encouraged. "I really appreciate it Christie" I nodded smiling at her then we hugged.

"I found a place!" Daphne runs up to inform us, we quickly help pack up the bags while Nate went to keep the bags in the car.

"What do you wanna order Iris? Iris? Iris!"

"W...what?" I looked up to see Daphne staring at me worriedly "you okay?"

"Yeah I'm good. Just really stressed right now " I told her. She sympathetizes with me, "I'll go use the restroom, I'll right back" I said and excused myself.

Immediately I got in, I felt my heart squeeze again and my head spin, I had to rest on the sink for support "what the..."

"Iris?"

I turned around to see who called me but no one. "Iris, are you there?"

"Who's...there?"

"It's me Snow"

I turned around and saw a white little cat "wh... what? Snow? You're a c...cat?" The little cat approached me "long story, but it was the most reasonable form I could find"

"Form?"

"We're not normal beings, we're protectors, we can take any form to protect our other halves. The wolf was my first form, I needed energy and the wolf had that"

I stared at her dumb founded "b...but that was in my mind...how are you now.. here?!" I panicked was I going mad again?

"No you're not mad, and yes I was in your mind but that was cause I couldn't harness enough strength or energy to take form outside of your body"

"This is new" I sigh rubbing my temples "but you've been quiet lately why now?"

"I was inside of you learning new skills, ever since the eclipse, my powers have been unlocked and had been practicing with them"

"Wait. Is that why I was so hyped that day" I gasped remembering that day. "Yes, my powers must have boosted your body"

"Woah " I gaped taking it all in. "T..then what's-" I hissed as I felt pain in my chest again.

"Right. The mark" snow says

"You know?"

"I felt changes when he marked us, we are now his, isn't it? I could feel the connection with him"

I looked at my mark "do you think that's what's causing the chest pain?" I asked curious of it.

"I doubt. It's probably something else. Maybe Lucas"

"Lucas?" the door suddenly opens and snow quickly runs up into my arms before disappearing

"Iris. You were taking so much time. So I was getting worried" Daphne comes up to me "you good?"

"Yes. Yeah. I'm good" I smile wondering if she had seen anything. "I'll be right out" I tell her and wash my face and hands before following her.

Though I couldn't stop thinking about what snow said, how does this involve Lucas?

Maybe I do really need to meet a doctor.

We ate and chatted, then tried finishing up the shopping, from shoes to tops to gowns for the coronation, at the end we had about fifteen bags from shopping which I was very much surprised by.

When we finished packing up I told Daphne and Nate that I wanted to stop by the hospital to see someone, they were suspicious at first but agreed to it. When we got there Christie and I went in, as Christie went to the reception to look for her mom, I looked around they were people that were sick and I felt bad for them. I remember when I was unconscious, it was hard getting back on my feet after such a long time.

"Iris?" Christie called and I rushed over to her.

"This is my m-" she smiles and I was shocked to see "Mrs Ava!" I smiled gleefully. "Iris" she smiled back, "you knew my mom?" Christie asks.

Her mom chuckled and I smiled "Mrs Ava is my nurse" I told her and she stared back and forth from her mom and I "it's such a coincidence that it's you dear. Now Christie tells me you have an issue. Come" she leads me to a special room and tells me to sit.

"Now, what's wrong dear?"

I explain the same thing I had said to Christie and Mrs Ava listens to me attentively, by the time I finished she had a smile on her face.

"It seems your body knows something you haven't realized" she smiled and I froze confused

"What?"

"Honey. The thing is since you're already marked as newly bonded mates, you want to be close to each other to satisfy your urges" she explains. "I also think your ignoring something" she pointed out, and looks at me "huh? Ignoring what?"

"Your feelings dear"

I squint my brows confused "remember when you asked me what love was?" She raised her brown "and that I couldn't explain it that it was better when you felt it?"

Iris' eyes widen surprised looking at Mrs Ava. "You think..."

"Yes dear. You're in love"