Chapter 167: Kitchen Encounter

I stared at Dad for a long moment.

My head was spinning and I was calculating.

My mother was alive. She was somewhere in Whiteborough territory. She was about to marry another Alpha. And somehow, after years of believing I had lost her forever, I was suddenly being invited to see her.

I couldn't process any of it.

"I need to be alone." I said and Pete's expression softened.

"Of course."

He didn't try to stop me. I turned away and walked back toward the mansion. I didn't want to see Armari.

Not yet.

I needed somewhere quiet.

I almost got lost but I eventually found a staircase leading toward the lower levels of the house and followed it down until the sounds of the mansion faded.

There was a second kitchen downstairs. One I had never seen before. It was smaller and quieter. Maybe forgotten even.

Perfect.

I sat on one of the stools and pulled out my phone. There was only one person I wanted to call.

Kimberly.

She answered almost immediately. It was a video call.

"Hey! Where are you?"

I swallowed.

"At Armari's."

There was a pause.

"Another crazy thing has happened?"

I sighed. "It's complicated."

"With you, everything is complicated now. We might be at the brink of whatever trouble this werewolves have brought to us."

I laughed weakly.

"You're not wrong."

Kimberly's voice softened.

"What's wrong?"

I stared at the empty kitchen.

"My dad is back."

There was a long silence. Then, she gasped.

"WHAT?"

I pulled the phone away from my ear.

"Kimberly!"

"I'm sorry!" Her voice dropped, but she still sounded shocked. "Your dad is actually back?"

"Yes."

"Like.... physically back?"

"Yes."

"Standing?"

I closed my eyes.

"Yes."

"IRIS!"

"I know!" I started laughing despite myself. "I know! I shouldn't even be laughing."

"How the hell did this happen?"

"I don't even know."

I rubbed my forehead.

"Apparently he was never actually crippled."

There was another silence.

"Your dad faked being crippled and now he's back amd looking so so different. I don't think you're taking this well."

"Apparently."

Kimberly groaned.

"Girl...."

"I know."

"This story gets crazier every day."

I leaned against the counter.

"And there's more."

"Of course there's more."

I told her about the bullet wound. About Armari admitting he'd shot my father. About my mother being alive. About Whiteborough. About the invitation.

Kimberly became increasingly quiet.

When I finished, she whispered,

"Iris...."

"Hm?"

"Do you even know what to feel anymore?"

I stared at the floor for a long moment. Then, I confessed.

"No."

She sighed.

"I don't blame you."

For a while, neither of us spoke. Then Kimberly asked quietly,

"Do you want to stay with your dad?"

I looked up. The question caught me off guard.

"Stay with him?"

"Yes."

She hesitated.

"I mean.... he's your father. And now that he's actually back and everything is so strange, you can't tell how overwhelming it will be...."

I thought about it. Really thought about it and I knew the lies still hurt.

The anger was still there. But beneath everything, I still wanted my father. The man I'd spent years believing I might lose. And now he was alive and well. I couldn't miss this.

"I'm staying." I whispered.

Kimberly exhaled.

"You are? You're sure."

"Yes."

I nodded slowly.

"I don't know what happens next. But I want to know him. Who he is now."

She smiled through her voice.

"I think that's a good choice."

I looked around the quiet kitchen.

"Maybe."

Then we both became quiet again. Kimberly eventually sighed.

"Do you ever think about everything that has happened?"

"Every second."

"We started with you getting your heart broken by Liam."

I laughed.

"And somehow ended up with werewolves, Alphas, witches, curses, mysterious women, your sudden relationship with Caleb...."

"Hey!"

I laughed harder.

"Don't 'hey' me, Kim."

"You're one to talk!"

"Fair."

We both laughed. Then the laughter slowly faded. Kimberly whispered, "And Roanna."

My smile disappeared.

"Yeah."

"She's been acting strange."

"I know."

"She cried and lied about it this morning."

I frowned.

"She told us she wanted to be alone. She said she was going to see Marc. I meed to call her. We need to watch after her and ensure her emotions concerning Marc aren't so overwhelming."

I remembered Roanna's red eyes. The way she'd refused to explain herself.

"Do you trust this Marc?"

Kimberly was quiet for a long time. Then, she said.

"I don't know."

"Neither do I." I sighed. "But something feels wrong."

"About him?"

"About everything."

Kimberly exhaled.

"We've been through too much to ignore that feeling." She said and I stared down at my hands.

"I just hope she's okay."

"Me too."

There was another silence. Then Kimberly whispered, "I miss when our biggest problem was boys, school and money."

I laughed softly.

"Me too."

"Now there are four werewolves. And likely witches. And packs. And your father. And your mother. And a secret someone is apparently trying to kill everyone. And they say you're something you don't even know."

I groaned.

"Please stop listing them."

She laughed.

"Sorry."

I smiled.

For the first time that evening, I felt slightly lighter. Then my eyes drifted toward the dark doorway of the downstairs kitchen.

Something about the house suddenly felt different. Like the quiet wasn't really quiet. Like someone was listening.

I lowered my voice.

"Kimberly?"

"Yeah?"

"I think we need to be careful."

She immediately became serious.

"About what?"

I looked toward the doorway again.

"I don't know yet."

But somehow.... I had the feeling we'd soon find out. Kimberly was quiet for a moment. I watched her expression carefully. And I could see she looked so faraway, brooding.

"And Caleb?" I asked, gently.

Her face immediately changed. Not anger exactly. Something more tired.

"I'm okay."

I didn't believe her.

"Kim....."

"I'm serious." She sighed. "The shock isn't as bad anymore. I'm not crying every five minutes."

She gave a small, humorless laugh.

"But that doesn't mean I'm over it."

I nodded.

"I know."

"He hurt me so much. He humiliated me."

Her voice softened.

"And I'm still hurt."

"You don't have to pretend you're not." I whispered. "It's totally fine."

"I know." She gave me a small smile. "I just don't want him taking up all my thoughts anymore. I just want to move on."

She looked at me and smiled.

"Right now, you and Ro are my priority."

My heart softened.

"Kimberly...."

"I'm serious. You have your father suddenly appearing, your mother possibly being alive, Armari, Alexander, Jasper, witches...."

She sighed.

"Girl, your life is a disaster."

I laughed.

"Thanks."

"You know what I mean."

"I do. And you don't have to rush yourself with Caleb."

Her expression became guarded.

"I'm not rushing for that idiot."

"Good. You can be hurt. You can be angry. You can take your time."

She nodded.

"And if you ever need to talk...."

"I know." She smiled faintly. "You're my girl."

Before I could answer, footsteps sounded behind us and Kimberly looked over my shoulder.

Her eyes widened slightly.

"Oh."

I turned. Armari stood in the doorway.

Kimberly immediately understood.

"I'll let you two talk. Take care of yourself, Iris."

"I will."

"And call me if you need anything."

"I will."

She gave me one blown kiss. Then she ended the call..

Silence.

I turned around and Armari was staring at me. And suddenly, my heart started pounding hard.

I hated it. Because this was the man who had caused half the chaos in my life. The man who had lied to me. The man who had shot my father. The man who kept secrets from me.

And yet.... the moment he walked into the room, something inside me loosened and when his scent hit my nose, it had me woozy and weak with emotions uncalled for.

My shoulders relaxed. My breathing slowed. It felt like my body had recognized him before my mind could object.

Armari noticed and his lips curved.

"Hey. What's wrong?"

"Uhm.... Uhm. Nothing."

"You're blushing."

"I'm not."

He walked closer.

"You are."

"It's hot in here."

He glanced around the cool kitchen.

"Interesting. I feel it too."

I glared at him.

"Don't start."

His smile widened.

"There she is."

"What?"

"My angry girl."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not your anything. Don't manipulate me."

He took another slow step.

"Didn't say you were my anything, Irie."

His eyes remained on mine.

"But you're still blushing."

I swallowed hard, trying to relax. He was close now. Too close. I could smell him.

My heartbeat became even louder. Armari's expression softened.

"You're nervous." He whispered and I felt a shiver slitter down my spine.

"No, I.... I just...."

"Your heart says otherwise."

I pushed lightly against his chest.

"You're so annoying. Get away from me."

He caught my hand.

"And you're terrible at lying."

I looked up. He didn't tease me again. Instead, his thumb slowly brushed across my knuckles.

And then.... his eyes dropped briefly to my lips. Then returned to mine. He gave me enough time to move away.

I didn't.

Armari leaned closer, slowly. So slowly and so carefully.

And then, his lips touched mine. Just once. But oh, so soft and so intimate and barely there.

He pulled back and I stared at him. My breath caught.

He smiled faintly.

"Still hate me?"

I swallowed.

"I.... I hate you all the time." I whispered, shakily.

He kissed me again. This time, a little longer and harder than I expected. My fingers curled instinctively into his shirt.

The kiss remained gentle, almost impossibly tender considering everything between us.

A shiver ran through me.

I hated how easily he could do that. How one touch could make my thoughts disappear.

A quiet sound escaped me before I could stop it and Armari pulled back slightly.

His eyes searched mine.

"Okay?"

I nodded fast, my eyelids fluttering in bliss. He smiled.

"Good."

Then he kissed me again. And this time, my entire body seemed to forget every argument we'd ever had.

My heart raced. My knees felt strangely weak. I breathed shakily against his lips.