Chapter 1My mate said I relied on him too much.
"You're a grown woman, Iris. Act like one."
"Stop being so damn needy."
I thought that was just Matthias being Matthias.
A man who didn't do clingy girlfriends.
Until Juniper showed up.
Now he's all caring and attentive.
He knows her cycle better than she does. Keeps painkillers stocked for her.
She wants some specific donut at 1 AM?
He's driving an hour to get it.
At pack events, he introduces her to everyone:
"This is Juniper. Look after her, yeah?"
Every time I brought it up, he'd shake his head.
"She just shifted for the first time, Iris. She's practically a kid."
Right. A twenty-one-year-old "kid".
And I'm only three years older.
That's when I stopped calling. Stopped asking for things.
Gave him all the space he wanted.
NOW?
Matthias suddenly won't leave me alone.
---
Matthias started noticing I'd stopped running everything by him.
Mistfall Pack offered me a position.
I signed the contract and never mentioned it.
When my best friend invited us to her wedding, I went alone.
Even booked my own treatment at the healer's without telling him.
"You're getting treated tomorrow?"
Dr. Graymoor handed back my file, looking confused.
"Isn't Dr. Ironwood back from that conference? You could wait..."
"It's my body. I'll handle it."
Dr. Graymoor looked shocked, but I got it.
Everyone at Thornridge Medical knew me as the girl who dragged her mate to every appointment.
Walking out, I ran straight into him.
Matthias was pulling his suitcase, still in his conference clothes.
Must've rushed straight from the airport.
Juniper was behind him. Wearing my black coat over her scrubs.
The one I'd given HIM for our anniversary.
"What are you doing here? Sick again?"
Again.
That familiar annoyance in his voice, like I was some problem he had to deal with.
He grabbed my file and scanned it.
"I'm swamped tomorrow. This isn't urgent. Reschedule for next week. I'll come with you."
Without thinking, I said:
"I've got it. Thanks though."
The cold politeness in my voice made him freeze.
I used to call him crying over paper cuts.
Text him twenty times asking what to wear.
Every meal, every choice—I always asked him first.
Now I was scheduling a procedure without even telling him.
If we hadn't run into each other, he wouldn't have known at all.
I grabbed my file back and accidentally knocked something from Matthias's hand.
A pill bottle.
The label stared back at me.
Birth control.
"It's not what you think."
Matthias bent down to pick it up, his voice going flat.
"Juniper gets bad cramps. These help."
Juniper pulled my coat tighter, looking embarrassed.
"I'm so sorry, Iris. Matthias was heading home, but the pain got really bad. I had to ask him to come with me."
She paused, her voice going soft.
"I wish I could handle stuff on my own like you do. Then Matthias wouldn't have to drop everything for me."
When I'd had stomach pain once, I asked Matthias which doctor to see.
This guy—youngest head physician in Thornridge Pack's history—said he didn't know.
When I pushed back, he rubbed his forehead like I was some annoying kid.
"Just Google it."
"You're an adult. Figure it out yourself. Stop being so needy."
"I'm not your dad. I shouldn't have to walk you through basic shit."
Funny how that works.
Won't lift a finger for his girlfriend, but personally takes his coworker to the pharmacy.
Anyone watching would think Juniper was dating him.
Before, I would've lost it right there. Made a scene.
Instead, I just shrugged.
"Pills won't be enough. You should rub her stomach, stay close to keep her warm. Hold her when it gets really bad."
Juniper's face went bright red.
"Iris, I didn't mean—"
Matthias thought I was being sarcastic. His voice went ice cold.
"You're still pissed about the conference?"
He meant that thing.
Two weeks ago was his birthday.
I'd busted my ass to get time off, cooked his favorite meal, had his gift custom-made weeks ahead.
He never showed.
Only found out from Juniper's Instagram that he'd flown to some conference in Europe.
When I confronted him later, Matthias acted like it was nothing.
"It was work. I don't need permission to travel."
"Birthdays happen every year. Career opportunities don't. Thought you'd get that."
"Don't you have your own life? Why are you tracking my every move?"
Years of disappointment finally exploded.
I yelled back:
"Am I always gonna come dead last with you, Matthias?"
While I was completely losing it, he stayed calm as ever.
"You're being irrational. We'll talk when I'm back."
Chapter 2
After I calmed down, I signed the pack transfer papers.
My supervisor looked uncomfortable.
"This transfer means leaving Thornridge territory. That's huge. Maybe discuss it with your mate first? You two are basically bonded."
I finished signing without hesitation.
"No need."
Last time I was considering positions, I showed Matthias two offers from different packs and asked what he thought.
He barely glanced up.
"Your life, your choice. Don't drag me into it."
Yet he spent weeks helping Juniper with her healer apprenticeship applications.
Made sure she got into the top program so she could train directly under him.
Matthias always said I wasn't independent enough. Too clingy.
He'd tune me out during my stories about work, reviewing medical journals instead.
Like I wasn't even there.
When I was running late, he wouldn't give me a ride.
Said his schedule couldn't revolve around my screw-ups.
I wanted to join his pack friends for drinks. He told me to make my own friends.
I thought that was just Matthias. Distant with everyone.
That maybe, if I tried harder, I'd be different.
Then Juniper came along.
She was some family friend's daughter. His parents asked him to keep an eye on her.
I expected him to hate the hassle. Instead, he agreed immediately.
Turns out she got to be what I never could.
When Juniper complained about her roommates, Matthias actually listened. Asked follow-up questions.
When she wanted some specific pastry on a random Wednesday, he drove forty minutes to get it.
At pack gatherings, he made sure everyone knew her.
"This is Juniper, my apprentice. Look after her."
Every time I brought up how unfair it was, he'd shake his head.
"She just shifted. She's practically a pup. Grow up."
"I'm helping her because I have to. You're seriously jealous of that?"
"She's twenty-one, you're twenty-four. Want to compete with actual children next?"
Three years. That's all the difference between us.
Every excuse I'd made for him—
pack duties, his personality, doesn't do needy mates—
crumbled when I saw how he treated her.
Whatever.
After tomorrow's treatment, I'd be gone anyway.
Matthias could have his perfect little apprentice all to himself.
...
My best friend Hazel took time off to stay with me for the treatment.
"Get that guest room ready for your personal nurse!"
I was laughing as I opened the door.
"I cleaned it twice and got you new sheets. You're gonna—"
I stopped dead.
The bedding I'd carefully picked out was crumpled on the floor.
The guest room was packed with someone else's stuff.
A huge stuffed wolf sat on the bed like it owned the place.
The front door opened again.
Soft giggles floated in.
"Thanks for taking me to that place, Dr. Ironwood. The food was amazing."
"That dessert totally made me feel better after all the roommate drama!"
Matthias saw me standing there and shrugged.
"Juniper's having roommate issues. Can't stay in the dorms. She's looking for a place."
"Nothing yet, so she's crashing here temporarily."
I let out a cold laugh.
"Matthias, I told you a week ago Hazel was staying here."
He froze. That blank look said everything.
He'd completely forgotten.
When I'd mentioned it, he'd sounded annoyed.
"Just handle stuff like that yourself. Don't run everything by me. It's irritating."
Now Matthias pressed his lips together, his voice going quiet.
"Sorry..."
He held up a bakery bag, his tone turning gentle like he was calming an upset kid.
"That place we went to seems like something you'd like. I'll take you this weekend."
I saw the logo on the bag.
The same restaurant I'd been begging him to try for months.
He'd always said he was too busy with pack work.
I took the bag and dropped it straight in the trash.
Matthias's brief relief turned to shock.
Juniper pushed forward, her voice soft and sweet.
"This is my fault, Iris. Your friend and I can totally share the room. I really don't mind."
I let out a cold laugh.
Grabbed Juniper's bedding and that ridiculous stuffed wolf,
then kicked everything into the hallway.
Juniper stared at me, eyes getting watery.
"Iris, I need those tonight. What am I supposed to do?"
I glanced toward the master bedroom and smiled.
"You can stay with Matthias. I don't mind."
Juniper's face went bright red.
"If you don't want me here, just say it! Why humiliate me like this?"
Acting like I'd committed some terrible crime, she teared up and ran off.
Matthias didn't chase after her. Instead, he turned on me.
"She's always been clumsy, kind of immature. She didn't wreck your stuff on purpose."
"If you want her gone, just say so. I'll get her a hotel. No need to embarrass her."
I dropped the smile.
"This is our place. Shouldn't you ask before moving someone in?"
His frown deepened, like I was being completely unreasonable.
"Juniper's getting bullied by her classmates. She's really hurting. I thought you'd show some empathy, but you're just mad I didn't ask permission."
"It's only for a few days. Why would temporary stuff need discussion?"
"Like Hazel staying over. You didn't check with me about that."
Before, I would've invited some male pack member to crash here that night, just to watch Matthias lose his mind.
Now I just nodded calmly.
"You're absolutely right. No discussion needed."
Same logic applied.
Leaving the pack and ending things with him probably didn't need his input either.
Chapter 3
"Go book Juniper a hotel."
I held the door open for Matthias, then started throwing clothes into my bag.
He didn't like my calm reaction. Grabbed my wrist.
"She's an adult wolf. She can handle it herself."
"Why are you packing? Where are you going?"
I yanked my arm free.
"Don't you have your own life? Why are you obsessing over my plans?"
Matthias went quiet.
He recognized his own words thrown back at him.
After a beat, he said gently:
"Not telling you about the Summit was wrong. I'll keep you in the loop from now on."
"Tomorrow I have to go to the training center. Juniper's roommate situation escalated. The pack elders want to meet with family, but her parents can't make it. So I'm going."
"Push your treatment back a day. I'll come with you."
Guess I was still at the bottom of his list.
I kept packing.
"Don't bother. Won't change anything anyway."
Matthias looked at me like I was missing something obvious.
"I can get you the best healers, explain your results. At least handle the boring stuff like paperwork and waiting."
His phone buzzed before I could shut him down again.
Juniper's panicked voice filled the room.
"Dr. Ironwood, someone's messing with my door... I'm so scared..."
Matthias's face went pale. He bolted for the door.
"Wait," I called.
He spun around, already annoyed.
"Seriously, Iris? You think I need permission to help someone who might be in danger?"
"This isn't the time for your jealousy. She could be in real trouble. Can you drop the attitude for once?"
He paused, then sighed like I was being unreasonable.
"I'll be at your treatment, but right now you need to figure out what actually matters."
He had it completely wrong.
I was trying to tell him not to bother with the treatment at all.
But he was already out the door.
...
My treatment got rescheduled anyway.
Matthias knew my healer personally. He'd gone behind my back and pulled strings.
"Stop giving that poor guy such a hard time."
Dr. Graymoor smiled like he was talking to a stubborn pup.
"Dr. Ironwood filled me in. All that talk about going solo was just you being upset with him."
"He really cares about you. Man's completely swamped but rearranged his whole schedule for a routine procedure."
I started to speak but couldn't get words out. Just felt completely drained.
My original plan was simple: treatment today, leave for Mistfall tomorrow, start my new position the next day.
Instead, Matthias had wrecked my entire timeline.
I called to give him hell. Juniper answered instead.
"Matthias is passed out. He's been up all night. What do you need?"
She whispered like she didn't want to wake him.
"Your treatment's today, right? He probably can't make it now."
Then she caught herself, rushing to explain.
"I mean, don't take it the wrong way, Iris..."
I ended the call.
As if I'd somehow misunderstand.
Juniper's Instagram lit up minutes later.
[Nothing beats feeling safe and protected. Best mentor ever!]
The photo showed her hotel room.
Matthias slouched in a chair by the window, completely out, with dark circles under his eyes.
Like he'd been standing guard all night.
I blocked them both and contacted a healer in Mistfall territory.
Whatever.
Good thing it was a minor procedure. No overnight stay needed.
If Thornridge couldn't work, I'd find another pack that could.
