Chapter 159 A Lover's Painful Obsession

Chapter 159 A Lover's Painful Obsession
"And you call that protection?"

Pete's eyes filled with pain.

"No, Alpha." He looked down. "I call it the only choice I thought I had."

Armari lowered the gun by an inch. Not because he forgave him but because something else had caught his attention.

A faint gasp sounded from somewhere unknown. Armari's head instinctively snapped toward the house.

Pete noticed.

"She sensed me." He said. "Where is she now?"

"What?"

"Iris."

Pete looked toward the windows.

"Her wolf has sensed me even in her sleep."

Far away, Inside Alexander's mansion, Iris suddenly opened her eyes. Her heart was pounding but she didn't know why. She could smell something strange and painfully familiar. With a tinge of.... blood.

Her brows furrowed in irritation. Alexander immediately noticed.

"Iris?"

She looked at him.

"Someone is hurt."

Alexander sat upright. "Where?"

She pressed a hand against her chest.

"I don't know."

Her eyes slowly moved toward the window.

"But..." Her voice trembled. "...I know the scent. I just can't identify it."

Meanwhile, Armari stared toward the mansion.

Pete whispered, "She knows I'm here, I guess. I want to see her."

Armari looked back at him. His expression was so cold and hard.

"You are going to tell me everything."

Pete nodded weakly. "I will."

Armari's eyes narrowed and then he said. "But not tonight."

Pete looked confused. Armari lowered the gun completely.

"You're bleeding all over my fucking garden."

Despite everything, Pete almost laughed. Then his knees buckled and Caleb rushed forward and caught him before he hit the ground.

"He's losing too much blood, Alpha."

Armari stared down at his father. His face was still filled with hate and anger. But beneath it all, something far more complicated had begun to surface.

Pete had bravely returned because Iris was awakening. And somewhere, Iris was already beginning to sense him and he could tell.

Armari looked toward the house. Then back at Pete.

"Get him inside."

Caleb blinked. "You're letting him in?"

Armari's eyes hardened.

"No." He paused. "He's going to tell me the truth first."

Then his gaze returned to the dark forest.

Because if Pete was telling the truth, everyone else was already watching Iris more than usual and had somehow known she was awakening. And the awakening had only just begun.





IRIS'S POV:

Morning came quietly. For once, there were no screams. No gunshots. No frantic knocking. No terrifying dreams. Only warmth.

Iris slowly stirred. Something solid was wrapped around her and she frowned sleepily. Then she remembered.

Alexander.

She was tucked against his chest, her cheek resting against him while his arm lay securely around her waist.

Neither of them had bothered with the duvet. They had apparently fallen asleep exactly where they'd been talking.

She smiled faintly. Then she noticed something. Alexander wasn't breathing normally and his body was completely still. She lifted her head.

"Alexander?"

There was no answer and she blinked. He was staring at her now. He was not smiling and not moving. Just staring.

Iris frowned.

"What?"

His eyes were fixed on hers. Then she realized his expression wasn't one of confusion. It was shock.

"Alexander?"

He finally blinked and said. "What happened?"

His voice came out strangely quiet and Iris touched his chest.

"You've been staring at me."

"I know."

"Why?"

He swallowed. Then slowly lifted a hand toward her face. But he stopped before touching her.

"I saw your eyes."

Iris's brows knitted.

"My eyes?"

"Yes."

"What about them?"

Alexander hesitated. "I don't know how to explain it."

She sat up slightly.

"Try. What happened?"

He looked directly into her eyes again.

"They weren't brown."

Iris froze. "What?"

"For a second..." He exhaled. "They were red."

Her heart skipped.

"Red?"

"Red and gold."

There was silence. Alexander's gaze remained on her.

"Both colors."

Iris stared at him, trying to breathe comfortably. "You're sure?"

"I was looking directly at you." His voice became softer. "They changed while you were waking up."

Iris touched her own face. She suddenly remembered the strange sensations from the previous night.

The heightened hearing and the scent of blood. The strange pull inside her chest.

"What does that mean?"

Alexander shook his head.

"I don't know yet."

Iris's stomach tightened. "Is it bad?"

"No."

His answer was immediate. Then he smiled faintly.

"At least...." He shrugged. "...I don't think so."

She gave him an incredulous look.

"You don't think so?"

"I'm still learning too." He gently touched her cheek. "But I don't think you should be afraid."

Iris looked down.

"Honestly, I am."

Alexander's thumb brushed her cheek.

"Why?"

"Because every time something changes...." She swallowed. "....someone already knows what it means except me."

Alexander became quiet. She looked back at him.

"I don't even know what I am becoming."

He studied her for a moment. Then he leaned closer.

"Then we'll find out."

"Together?"

"Together."

Iris smiled faintly. Then her eyes flickered again. For the briefest second.... Red. Then.... gold.

Alexander froze. Iris noticed.

"What?"

He slowly smiled. "There again. Your eyes."

She laughed nervously. "Again?"

He nodded. "Again."

Iris sighed and covered her face.

"This is terrifying."

Alexander gently pulled her hands away.

"No. It's not. Look at me." He looked into her eyes. "It's beautiful."

She stared at him and he smiled.

"And slightly terrifying."

She smacked his chest.

"Alexander!"

He laughed. "What? I'm being honest."

She couldn't help laughing too. For a few seconds, everything felt normal. Then Alexander's smile faded slightly. Because beneath Iris's laughter, he could feel something ancient and long dormant speaking to him.

And whatever was inside Iris.... was beginning to look back at him.

Alexander pulled her gently against him. For a moment, Iris simply rested there, confused by the sudden seriousness in his expression. His arms tightened around her.

"I'll figure this out."

She blinked.

"What?"

"I'll figure out what is happening to you."

His voice was quiet.

"And I'll make sure you're free."

Iris slowly pulled back.

"Free?"

Alexander looked into her eyes. "From me."

Her heart seemed to stop. "What are you talking about?"

He swallowed.

"Iris...." He hesitated, as though the words physically hurt him. "This could be a cursed love. I mean.... whatever we have might not be supposed to be."

She stared at him.

"What? I don't understand you, Alexander."

"I don't know if I'm your fated mate."

Her lips parted. "Alexander...."

"I don't know if what you're feeling for me belongs entirely to you."

His eyes dropped.

"And I don't know if what I'm feeling belongs entirely to me."

Iris shook her head. "But I love you, Alex. So much."

"I know."

"No, you don't." Her voice cracked. "I don't know how to explain it. When I'm with you, I...."

She pressed a trembling hand against her chest.

"It feels like something opens inside me."

Her eyes filled.

"I want to be near you. I want to hear you laugh. I want you to touch me. I want to wake up and see you again and again."

She laughed through the tears.

"I don't even understand myself anymore, but I know that I love you."

Alexander closed his eyes for a moment as if holding back tears but a tear escaped anyway. He let it slide away while Iris watched it slide away, overwhelmed.

"I love you too." He finally said.

Iris stared at him.

"But I'm your Alpha's beta." His voice trembled slightly.

"And whatever happens..." He took a shaky breath. "...I will go back to Armari with a bleeding heart if I have to."

Iris's eyes widened. "Alexander. Listen...."

"I'll hate every second of it." Another lone tear slipped down his cheek. "But if loving you means fighting for you to be free..." He looked directly at her. "....then I'll fight."

His voice became rougher.

"Even if I'm growing blind with obsession. Even if every part of me screams that you're mine. I'll fight myself before I ever make you feel like you're trapped with me."

Iris suddenly began crying silently and Alexander reached up and wiped one of her tears.

"That's what makes this so fucking painful."

He laughed weakly.

"You love me. And I love you." Then he shook his head. "But you also love Armari."

Iris's breathing hitched.

"Liam and Jasper." He gave a helpless little smile. "And none of us even knows which of these feelings are truly ours."

Iris bit her lip. Alexander's voice cracked.

"Do you understand how frustrating that is?"

She nodded through her tears.