Rejected By My Mate; Claimed By Lycan Quadruplets Chapter 76

Irene's POV

I woke up with a pounding headache. My eyes were gritty from lack of sleep, my throat dry, my whole body restless. I hadn’t stopped pacing the room since last night, wearing a faint track into the expensive rug beneath my bare feet. My nails were chewed down to the quick, and every creak of the floorboards or muffled sound outside my door made my stomach twist. I hated the silence between those moments—it was too loud, pressing in on me, suffocating me.

The walls felt closer today. I didn’t know if it was just my mind making it worse, or if they had somehow tightened the space to make me feel caged. I’d tried to open the door again hours ago, but the heavy lock didn’t budge. They weren’t just keeping me inside—they were keeping the world out. And the longer it stayed that way, the more I felt like some kind of prized animal in a gilded cage, on display for no one but my own misery.

I pressed my palms against my temples and kept walking. Back and forth. Back and forth. I had no idea how long I’d been doing it before I heard the sound. It wasn’t the usual shuffle of a guard passing by, nor the quick, soft steps of the maids delivering food. No, this was different—heavier. More deliberate. And then, the unmistakable click of the lock turning.

I froze mid-step.

The door swung open, and the first thing I saw was fabric—so much fabric. Flowing silks, layers of lace, shimmering satins in whites and ivories and golds. The maids were carrying them in carefully, their arms piled with gowns and accessories like they were handling treasure. Behind them, two guards stood like silent shadows, their eyes scanning the room before stepping aside to let the parade of dresses inside.

My heart sank.

One of the maids, a young one with wide eyes and a nervous smile, stepped forward holding the most elaborate wedding dress I’d ever seen—pearls sewn into the bodice, crystal beads catching the light in delicate patterns. Her smile widened, and she said the words that made my blood run cold.

“Congratulations, my lady.”

It was like she’d lit a match inside me. My hand moved before I even thought. The sharp crack of my palm meeting her cheek echoed in the room, followed by her gasp. She stumbled back, nearly dropping the dress, her face turning red where I’d struck her.

The guards tensed, stepping forward, but before they could say anything, a voice cut through the air like a whip.

“Irene!”

I turned, and there he was—my father. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes held that dangerous glint I knew too well. The one that meant trouble. He stepped inside, closing the door behind him with a deliberate click, the sound far louder in the tense silence that followed.

“Have you completely lost your mind?” His tone was sharp, controlled, but there was an edge of anger beneath it that made my chest tighten.

“She congratulated me.” My voice shook, but not from fear. “Like this is something I want. Like being sold off is a blessing.”

His jaw tightened. “You will not speak about this arrangement like that again. This is bigger than you, Irene. It is about alliance. It is about survival.”

“It’s about you,” I shot back. “It’s always about you. What you gain. Who you control. I’m just—”

“You are my daughter,” he interrupted, stepping closer until his shadow fell over me, “and as my daughter, you will do what is necessary for this family. If you cannot, then you are nothing to me.”

The words hit like a physical blow. I blinked at him, my breath catching in my throat.

“What did you just say?”

His eyes were cold. “You either behave—smile, play your part, and make this alliance work—or I will disown you right here and now. Strip you of your position. Reduce you to the lowest omega in the pack. No protection. No name. No power.”

The threat wasn’t just words. I could see it in his face—he meant it. He would do it without hesitation.

And it smote me in a way I didn’t expect. Because as much as I hated him, as much as I wanted to scream and throw everything in this room at him, I knew what being an omega meant. Vulnerable. Disregarded. At the mercy of everyone. It was a kind of prison even worse than this one.

I bit the inside of my cheek until I tasted blood. My hands were trembling, but I curled them into fists to hide it.

“So that’s it?” My voice was quiet now, almost calm. “Obey you, or be nothing?”

“That’s it,” he said without a shred of hesitation.

I wanted to spit in his face. I wanted to tell him I’d rather be nothing than be his pawn. But the image flashed in my mind—being cast out, no pack, no home, no allies. The danger that came with that wasn’t something I could ignore. My pride screamed at me to defy him, but survival whispered otherwise.

I didn’t answer. I just turned away, swallowing the burn in my throat.

He stood there for a moment, like he was daring me to keep arguing. When I didn’t, he gave a short, satisfied nod. “Get ready. The wedding is in two days. You’ll wear whatever they choose for you.”

And with that, he turned and left, the guards stepping aside to let him pass. The door closed behind him with a heavy thud.

I stood still for a moment, staring at the wall, trying to hold myself together. The maids shifted nervously, not sure whether to continue. I could feel their eyes on me, waiting for me to snap again.

But I didn’t.

Instead, I walked to the bed and sat down slowly, my movements deliberate, as if I was afraid I’d break something—myself, maybe—if I moved too fast. The young maid I’d slapped earlier was standing by the corner, her eyes wide, cheek still red. She looked like she didn’t know whether to stay or run.

“Put it all down,” I said finally, my voice flat. “All of it. Over there.”

They obeyed, laying the dresses and accessories in a neat display across the bed and the small table near the window. Pearls, tiaras, delicate lace gloves, jeweled hairpins—it was all so beautiful, so perfect, so suffocating.

When they left, the silence came back. Only this time, it wasn’t empty—it was heavy, pressing down on me, filling the air with a kind of stillness that made my skin crawl.

I lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling, my thoughts running wild. I thought about my father’s words. About the wedding. About the faceless man I was supposed to marry. About being trapped in this room until I walked down that aisle.

I curled up on my side, pulling my knees to my chest. My breathing was shaky, my chest tight. I didn’t cry—I refused to—but the knot in my throat felt like it was choking me.

I wanted to scream, but what good would that do? The walls wouldn’t answer. No one would hear me—not really.

So I just lay there, the wedding dress hanging in the corner of my vision like a ghost, waiting to be worn by a bride who had no choice.

And for the first time since I was locked in here, I wondered if this room would be the last place I’d ever feel like myself.