Chapter 169 The Enemies Alight Again
Chapter 169 The Enemies Alight Again
I was still breathing against Armari's lips when he pulled away.
Only slightly.
Just enough for me to open my eyes.
His forehead rested against mine, and for several seconds, neither of us spoke.
I could feel his breath.
Feel his arms around me.
Feel the steady rise and fall of his chest beneath my hands.
And somehow, that was even more dangerous than the kiss.
Because kissing Armari was confusing.
But being held by him?
That was worse.
I swallowed.
He stared at me.
I stared back.
Then his lips curved slowly.
"What?"
I narrowed my eyes.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Like what?"
"Like you've won something."
His smile widened.
"I might have."
I immediately pushed against his chest.
"Armari!"
He laughed and caught me before I could properly move away.
"Relax."
"You're impossible."
"And you're still in my arms."
I froze.
He froze too.
For one awkward second, we both stared at each other.
Then I quickly looked away.
His laugh came again.
"Oh, you're really enjoying this."
"Enjoying what?"
"Me being embarrassed."
"Very much."
I glared at him.
"Asshole."
"That's more like it."
I tried to pull away again, but his arms tightened around me.
Not forcefully.
Just enough to keep me close.
My body immediately relaxed again.
I hated that.
I hated it so much.
I sighed and rested my forehead against his shoulder.
Armari became quiet.
His fingers slowly moved through my hair.
The teasing disappeared.
For a while, we simply stood there.
And strangely...
I felt tired.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
Everything had happened so fast.
My father.
The bullet wound.
The lies.
My mother.
Whiteborough.
The curse.
My awakening.
The witches.
And now...
Armari.
My voice came out quietly.
"Are you okay?"
His hand paused in my hair.
I felt him look down at me.
"Me?"
"Yes."
He was quiet.
Then he laughed softly.
"I should be asking you that."
"I asked first."
"That's not how it works."
"Well, it should."
His fingers resumed moving through my hair.
I could hear his heartbeat.
For a few seconds, he said nothing.
Then he sighed.
"I'm trying."
I lifted my head.
"Trying what?"
His eyes met mine.
"To be okay."
Something about the answer made my chest tighten.
His smile was faint now.
Tired.
"I know everything is a mess."
I swallowed.
"That's an understatement."
That made him laugh.
"True."
He leaned against the counter behind him and looked down at me.
"But I'm serious, Iris."
The way he said my name made me pay attention.
"I'm trying to figure things out."
I stared at him.
"You're always figuring things out."
"No."
His expression changed slightly.
"I'm usually controlling things."
I blinked.
Armari looked away.
That surprised me more than anything.
"I know I've done that to you."
I didn't answer.
"I've kept things from you."
His jaw tightened.
"I've made decisions about your life without asking you."
Still, I remained quiet.
"And I've convinced myself it was because I was protecting you."
His eyes returned to mine.
"Sometimes it was."
I swallowed.
"Sometimes?"
He nodded.
"Other times..."
He looked frustrated.
"I was scared."
I stared at him.
Armari?
Scared?
He seemed to read my thoughts because he gave a dry laugh.
"Don't look so shocked."
"I am shocked."
"Yeah, well."
He rubbed the back of his neck.
"You're terrifying."
I almost laughed.
"Me?"
"Yes."
"I'm terrifying?"
"Extremely."
I folded my arms.
"You're six feet something, a Lycan Alpha, constantly angry, surrounded by armed men, and you think I'm terrifying?"
His eyes darkened with amusement.
"You clawed my face."
My mouth fell open.
"YOU DESERVED THAT!"
"Probably."
"Probably?"
He laughed again.
I tried to stay angry.
I really did.
But then he smiled.
And damn it.
I smiled too.
The smile faded slowly.
Armari reached for my hand.
His thumb brushed gently across my fingers.
"I'm going to try."
My heart skipped.
"Try what?"
"To make things easier for you."
I stared at him.
His voice became quieter.
"I'm not promising perfection."
"That's good because I wouldn't believe you."
He smirked.
"Good."
"But I mean it."
His fingers tightened slightly around mine.
"I'm going to stop making you feel like you have to fight me to know what's happening in your own life."
My expression softened.
Armari continued.
"You have enough problems."
I looked down.
"You have no idea."
"I know more than you think."
I looked back at him.
He swallowed.
"But not enough."
The words came out quietly.
"I don't know everything you're feeling."
Something tightened in my chest.
"Iris..."
He lifted his other hand and gently pushed a strand of hair away from my face.
"I know I've hurt you."
I didn't know what to say.
"I know you're angry."
"I'm very angry."
"I know."
"And confused."
"I know."
"And I hate you sometimes."
His lips twitched.
"Sometimes?"
"Shut up."
He smiled.
Then he became serious again.
"And you don't have to forgive me because I kissed you."
My eyes widened slightly.
He watched me carefully.
"That doesn't erase anything."
My throat tightened.
Armari leaned closer.
"I just..."
He paused.
His voice became softer.
"I want to make your life easier."
For some reason, those words nearly made me cry.
Maybe because nobody had been able to make anything easier lately.
Everyone had secrets.
Everyone had explanations.
Everyone wanted something from me.
My father wanted me to understand.
My mother wanted me to come.
The witches wanted to examine me.
The Alphas wanted answers.
The curse wanted something I couldn't even understand.
But Armari was simply standing in front of me.
Holding my hand.
Telling me he wanted to make things easier.
I looked away quickly.
He noticed.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"Iris."
I shook my head.
"Nothing."
His fingers touched beneath my chin and gently turned my face back toward him.
"You're about to cry."
"I'm not."
"You're a terrible liar."
"You say that too much."
"Because it's true."
I rolled my eyes.
Armari smiled softly.
Then he leaned forward and kissed the corner of my eye.
I froze.
His lips lingered there for a second.
Then he pulled back.
"Don't cry."
That only made my eyes sting more.
"You're annoying."
"I know."
"Very annoying."
"I know."
"And stupid."
His eyebrows rose.
"Stupid?"
"Yes."
He looked offended.
I almost laughed.
"You've been hiding things from me for weeks and now you want to stand here and act like some emotionally intelligent boyfriend."
He stared at me.
Then his mouth slowly fell open.
"Boyfriend?"
My entire body froze.
Oh.
Oh no.
I quickly pulled my hand away.
"I didn't mean—"
"Emotionally intelligent boyfriend?"
"Armari!"
His grin was immediate.
"Say it again."
"I hate you."
"That's not what you said."
"Forget it."
He caught my waist before I could escape.
"Did you just call me your boyfriend?"
"No!"
"You did."
"I didn't!"
"You literally did."
"I DID NOT LITERALLY—"
He kissed me.
The rest of my argument disappeared.
His lips moved gently against mine, and I instantly forgot why I was angry.
Again.
I hated him.
I hated him.
I hated—
My hands found his shoulders.
Armari pulled me closer.
The kiss deepened, slow and warm.
My heart began racing.
I felt him smile against my lips.
I immediately pulled back.
"You are so full of yourself."
He looked completely pleased.
"You kissed me back."
"Because you're manipulative."
"I'll take that as a yes."
"To what?"
"My boyfriend."
I gasped.
"ARMARI!"
He laughed loudly this time.
I shoved him.
"You're disgusting."
"You're blushing again."
"I'm leaving."
"No, you're not."
"I am."
He caught my hand again.
I turned around.
Armari's smile softened.
"Don't leave."
The playfulness disappeared.
His voice was quiet.
"Not yet."
I stared at him.
Something in his eyes made my anger weaken.
I sighed.
"Fine."
His smile returned.
"Good girl."
My eyes widened.
"Excuse me?"
His grin widened immediately.
"Nothing."
I raised my hand.
He quickly stepped back.
"Violence?"
"Yes!"
He laughed.
Then suddenly—
The kitchen door flew open.
Armari and I jumped apart so quickly that I nearly slipped off the stool.
Caleb stood in the doorway.
His chest was rising and falling as though he'd hurried through the entire mansion.
He stopped.
His eyes moved from Armari.
To me.
To my red face.
To Armari's expression.
There was a long silence.
Caleb blinked.
I blinked.
Armari's face immediately darkened.
"What?"
Caleb slowly lifted one hand.
"Well..."
"WHAT?"
Caleb's lips twitched.
"Nothing."
Armari took one step toward him.
Caleb immediately became serious.
"Your dad is here."
Everything changed.
Armari stopped.
"What?"
"Alpha Boris."
The name alone seemed to change the temperature in the kitchen.
I looked between them.
Armari's expression hardened.
"Why?"
Caleb shook his head.
"He didn't say."
Armari's eyes narrowed.
"And?"
Caleb hesitated.
I immediately noticed.
"And what?"
Caleb looked at me.
Then back at Armari.
"He didn't come alone."
My stomach tightened.
Armari's jaw clenched.
"Who?"
Caleb's expression became grim.
"He brought Stella."
Silence.
My heart dropped.
Armari slowly turned toward me.
And suddenly, all the warmth in the kitchen was gone.
I folded my arms.
"Oh, absolutely not."
Caleb looked at me.
I pointed toward the door.
"Tell them I'm dead."
Armari stared at me.
Despite everything, his mouth twitched.
"Dead?"
"Yes."
"Iris."
"I don't care."
"Iris."
"I am emotionally unavailable to Stella today."
Caleb almost laughed.
Armari rubbed his forehead.
"This is serious."
"So am I."
"Iris."
I stared at him.
He stared back.
Then Caleb cleared his throat.
"Actually..."
Both of us turned toward him.
Caleb's expression became even more serious.
"Your father is demanding entry."
Armari's face changed.
"Demanding?"
Caleb nodded.
"He says he needs to speak with you immediately."
"About what?"
"He won't say."
Armari stared toward the doorway.
Every muscle in his body seemed to tense.
I suddenly remembered my father.
The bullet wound.
Boris.
Stella.
The alliance.
Everything that had happened.
My stomach twisted.
Armari noticed.