Rejected By My Mate; Claimed By Lycan Quadruplets Chapter 200

Irene's POV

I was lounging on my chaise when the door opened, and my maid crept in like the little mouse she was. She curtsied quickly, her eyes darting around as though she carried the secrets of the world.

“My lady,” she whispered breathlessly, “they’ve arrived. Lord Bryan, Beta Henry… and Lisa.”

I sat up so fast the glass in my hand nearly slipped. “Lisa?”

“Yes, my lady. They came through the gates not long ago. They’re being escorted into the main hall as we speak.”

A slow smile spread across my lips. I could feel the corners of my mouth curve with something sharp, something that had been waiting for years. Lisa. Finally.

I stood, brushing invisible wrinkles from my gown, and motioned for my maid to fix my hair quickly. She fumbled, but I didn’t scold her. My blood was humming too hot, too fast. My chance was here.

“Good,” I said finally, glancing at my reflection. My smile looked warm, but I could taste the venom beneath it. “Prepare yourself. We must make her feel welcome.”

The maid hesitated, like she wanted to ask if I truly meant those words. But she knew better than to question me. She curtsied again and followed me out.

---

I glided down the steps into the hall, and there they were. Bryan stood tall, his expression taut as always, while Henry lingered at his side. And then there was Lisa.

She looked smaller than I expected. Tired. Pale. But there was an aura about her, a quiet kind of strength that irritated me to no end. Everyone’s eyes seemed to follow her, drawn to her like moths to flame, and that alone made my skin crawl.

“Oh, Lisa!” I exclaimed, spreading my arms as though I had missed her dearly. My voice rang with sweetness that even I almost believed. “It has been so long!”

She stiffened when I reached her, but I ignored it and looped my arm through hers. I leaned close, my lips curving in what the others would see as a welcoming smile.

“You must be so tired after such a journey,” I cooed. “Come, let me take you to a quiet room. Somewhere you can rest before the healer’s work begins. You deserve comfort.”

Her eyes flicked to Bryan for a moment, but when he gave a short nod, she let me guide her away. Oh, how easy it was.

---

The moment the door shut behind us, my smile dropped. I yanked her arm, pulling her deeper into the room until we were alone, the sound of footsteps muffled beyond the walls.

And then I struck.

My palm connected with her cheek in one sharp, satisfying crack. The sound echoed, and my chest swelled with the thrill of it.

“You bitch,” I hissed. “Waltzing back into this house like you belong here. Acting as though you’re some savior when all you’ve ever been is a stain on this pack. Do you know how much I hate you?”

Lisa’s head had snapped with the force of the slap, but when she turned back to me, her eyes burned like fire. Before I could smirk again, her own hand shot out and smacked me across the face just as hard. The sting made my eyes water, and shock froze me where I stood.

“You dare?” I breathed.

Her voice came low, steady, and laced with a venom far stronger than mine. “I don’t need to lift a finger to end you, Irene. Don’t forget that. If you cross me again, you won’t live to regret it.”

The air around her seemed to thrum with power, faint but undeniable. My throat tightened.

She didn’t wait for me to respond. She turned sharply, her gown swishing as she strode to the door. Without another glance, she walked out, leaving me trembling between fury and fear.

My cheek burned. My pride burned more.

And as her footsteps faded, I promised myself—this wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.

I stormed through the corridor, the sting of Lisa’s slap still blazing across my cheek. The nerve of her. The audacity. My blood boiled so hot I thought it might set fire to the walls. Every servant who crossed my path shrank against the edges, eyes wide, but I didn’t care. Let them see. Let them fear me.

Bryan was in his study, bent over a map with Henry hovering beside him. When I burst in, both of them looked up. Bryan’s eyes darkened immediately. He could always read me too well, and the sight of his expression—hard, warning, cold—only made me angrier.

“Irene,” he said sharply, voice cutting across the air like a whip. “Whatever is burning in your chest, keep it there. Don’t bring it near Lisa.”

I froze, my nails digging into my palms. “You’re defending her now?” I spat. “That woman has—”

“I said don’t,” he interrupted, his voice low but deadly. His gaze pinned me to the spot. “Irene, I won’t tolerate you meddling. Lisa is here for a reason, and if you dare interfere, you will regret it. Do you understand?”

The authority in his tone, the absolute dismissal, was like another slap to my face. My mouth opened, but no words came. I had to clench my jaw to stop the fury from spilling out.

He turned back to Henry, already dismissing me. As though I wasn’t even worth the air I had just wasted.

I spun on my heel and left, every step shaking with rage. By the time I reached my quarters, I thought my chest would burst from holding it in.

The moment the door shut behind me, I let it out.

“You useless wretches!” I screamed at my maids, who jumped back like frightened rabbits. The closest one stammered, “My lady, wh–what—”

I didn’t let her finish. I hurled the nearest vase at the wall, shattering it into a hundred glittering pieces. “Do you think standing there trembling makes you less pathetic?” I snarled.

They scrambled to clean, but I grabbed the nearest girl by her hair, yanking her to the ground. She whimpered, her hands flying up, but I didn’t stop. My hand struck her face, once, twice, the sound sharp and cruel.

“Get up!” I barked, shoving her away. “All of you—worthless, every single one!”

Another tried to steady the broken glass, and I kicked the shards toward her, not caring if her hands bled. “You think you can stare at me like that? Like you pity me?”

Their eyes darted anywhere but mine, their bodies shaking, but it wasn’t enough. Nothing was enough to cool the fire raging in me.

I tore through the room, pulling sheets from the bed, upending a chest of dresses, shrieking at them to fix it faster, better, perfectly. One dropped a cushion, and I slapped her so hard she crumpled to her knees.

“This is your fault!” I shouted at all of them. “If you were worth even a fraction of your keep, I wouldn’t have to endure this humiliation. Do you hear me?!”

Tears streaked their faces, but they whispered, “Yes, my lady,” over and over, like broken dolls.

But nothing—nothing—dulled the humiliation simmering in my blood. Lisa’s face haunted me. Bryan’s warning echoed in my ears. And the bitter truth sank deeper: I was trapped, powerless in my own home, raging at shadows because the real enemy was untouchable.

Still, I swore under my breath as I hurled another object across the room. One day, Lisa would pay for every slap, every smile, every ounce of arrogance. She would pay, and I would be the one to deliver it.