DARIAN

I blink, caught off guard by her question. The words hang in the air, heavy and unexpected.

"Your ex-mate."

I stare at her. Did she just…?

Your ex-mate.

The words echo in the room like a gunshot. Sudden, and jarring.

I don't say anything at first. Just stare at her while my brain catches up.

Iris shifts where she sits, her shoulders tensing. That spark in her eyes falters. She realizes it now, she’s crossed a boundary she didn’t even know existed.

Her fingers fidget around the bottle in her hand. “I…maybe I shouldn’t have asked that,” she murmurs, eyes dropping to her lap. “I wasn’t trying to pry.”...