Chapter 23 ~ More Letters
Everyone is sitting in the living room. They look concerned, but Iris doesn't seem to notice. She's in a dull, numbing state of shock right now. Her boyfriend, who is now wearing a pair of pants at least, looks the most concerned of all.
"What did I just see?" She asks when no one seems to want to say anything. The atmosphere is tense. She realises that her friends all know the truth, yet no one seems to want to come clean. Frustrated, Iris sighs and drags a hand through her hair.
She looks at Kanan first, but he simply avoids her gaze. When she realises he's not likely to explain, she looks at Zander and Noah, but they both just frown at her, as if whatever they're keeping from her could break her at any moment.
Hannah bursts into tears very suddenly. Everyone's attentions are quickly turned to her as she sobs into her hands. She shakes her head, wiping the tears away dramatically, before speaking.
"I'm just going to out and say it. Iris, we're werewolves. All of us."
***
Iris didn't think anything could surprise her, not after Duarte had magically appeared for the first time. She thought she was immune to shocking revelations by now, since her entire life seems to be one, but then a few werewolves get thrown in the mix and it's all blown out of control again.
Well, a lot of werewolves, actually.
She spends the rest of the day in her room, pondering over what Hannah had told her. Her only friends in the world are werewolves. All of them. She doesn't really know what to believe anymore.
If werewolves exist, what other monsters could roam the earth? For all she knows, every stranger she passes could posses a secret like that. It's scary when you think about it, really.
That night, she's staring at the television mindlessly, the action have becoming a habit when she's thinking, when the show suddenly turns to a news broadcast. The grim-looking reporter stares back at her and she groans. More bad news.
"We have an urgent broadcast to all US citizens. The president's office has just declared that our military will be sent in to help fight against the African Rebel Force," the man on the television announces.
Iris' heart sinks. She's screwed. Completely and utterly screwed. She came to America to hide from the Rebels, now they want to go and fight against them? This is all very messed up, a cruel joke someone must be playing on her. Surely, the last few days couldn't be real?
They are real, though. She'll have to face the facts sooner or later. Her friends are supernatural creatures that could kill her at any moment, which shouldn't be too big of a shock since she met Duarte, but it still is, and no matter where she goes, she can't hide from the even scarier monsters from her past that call themselves the Rebels.
"Also on our list of urgent news is that there will be a supernatural force helping us in defeating the enemy. This will be explained in the following clip," the reporter says after a few moments of silence.
A video clip of Mr Kingsley standing behind a glass podium at a conference appears on the screen. He leans casually against the podium, seeming to be at complete ease in front of so many people.
"You are all gathered here today to either accept or deny a public offer of alliance. Before we get into that, I would like to reveal something to you. Some of you already know, but some don't, and that's why I'm about to show you this," he says. He steps back from the podium before the sickeningly familiar sound of bones snapping and shifting fills the air. A moment later, standing in Mr Kingsley's place is a now familiar black wolf.
To Iris' surprise, no one in the crowd panics. Instead, they gape at him in awe. It makes her sick, seeing people react like that after seeing something that could potentially change the rest of their lives. Something so frightening, they should be running for their lives instead of admiring the strange spectacle.
The black wolf stands there for a moment, letting everyone take it in, before turning and disappearing behind a curtain. Again, but this time less prominent and more distanced, the sound of bone against bone can be heard, before Mr Kingsley steps back out and onto the stage.
"Ladies and gentleman, the supernatural exist. We're part of your everyday lives. We work alongside you, we talk to you, we form relationships with you," with the last part, he looks straight at the camera. Iris feels as if, somehow, he's looking right at her. Foolishly, she looks away from him in an attempt to escape his intense gaze.
"We mean you no harm. If we did, you wouldn't be alive here today. The ugly truth is that we're lethal, well trained individuals who want to work with humans, not against them."
"The reason I'm here today is to offer you all an agreement, which would be in your best interest to agree to, of course. The Rebels are a group of rejected supernatural individuals that want to wreck havoc on humans. We call them rogues. They're dangerous, and we, the Royal Leaders of the Supernatural, would like to offer our entire race's assistance in getting rid of them and restoring the peace."
"So, without further ado, let's vote, shall we? Who here agrees with the notion of forming an alliance with us?" Mr Kingsley finishes, looking at the crowd for their reactions.
To Iris' complete horror, everyone in the room raises their hands. Suddenly, as the television switches back to an image of the reporter, she remembers something that happened earlier.
Duarte, when I touched Mr Kingsley earlier, why did I get that... feeling? Was it some kind of magic thing he did? She asks Duarte in her head. The wolf takes a moment to reply, but when he finally does, his tone is as calm as ever.
Iris, what you felt was what supernaturals like to call the mate bond. You felt it because he is your soulmate.
***
The next morning, there's a letter waiting for Iris downstairs. It's sealed in a white envelope with her name written on the frong in a familiar cursive font. The letter is from Mr Kingsley, no doubt.
She's not sure if she wants to read it or not. She suspects the letter to serve as a rejection, to which she has fully prepared herself. Duarte explained that some supernatural creatures can do that, but it's very dangerous. Something about your other half and all that nonsense.
Besides, he doesn't want to be her 'soulmate' or whatever it's called to them. She's a human, after all, and she's not entirely sure if she wants to be with him either.
Honestly, she's come to terms with all this new information with alarming speed. She's not freaked out by the thought of her friends being wolf monsters anymore, but she does feel a tiny bit of betrayal since they didn't tell her. Also, the thought of her and Mr Kingsley isn't as surprising as it was a few hours ago. She'd realised he'd reject her and they'd be over with. Or she'd reject him.
Reluctantly, Iris opens the envelope. She pulls out a large piece of neatly folded paper, unfolds it and starts reading.
Dear Iris Acacia Knight,
Kingsley Industries, or more personally, Mr X. Kingsley, is happy to inform you that you have been releaved of your position as show jumping trainer of Kingsley Family Stables.
Your contract has been paid for and you and your horse will be sent to Canada as war refugees. There, an apartment and boarding facility is readily waiting for your arrival.
Our kind regards,
Kingsley Industries.
At first, Iris can't believe her eyes. She'd finally been set free and will be on her way to a new life with Theo. That's what she's always wanted, and it should make her happy.
But it doesn't. It doesn't because she's grown fond of the people around her, despite their secret. She doesn't want to leave them, and something deep inside her aches when she thinks of never seeing any one of them again.
She has to go. It's what she'd been working for and what would be best for her and Theo. They'd be happy, safe and free, somthing she'd always dreamed about. They could start over, no more baggage and no more fear.
Her mind made, Iris opens the envelope again to put the paper back in. To her surprise, a smaller piece of paper flutters to the ground. Confused, she bends down and picks it up.
Dear Iris,
I want you to be safe. You leave for Canada tomorrow. You'll be driving down with your horse, alone. A car has been dropped off at your house and a trailer is waiting for you at the stables. They are yours to keep.
I also need you to forget about what you've seen. The wolves, I mean. I assume they have told you by now, and that's why you need to forget. You've become too attached to them, and they, to you.
Your soulmate,
Xavier.
Outraged, Iris slams her fist with the paper in down on the table. How dare he sign the letter 'Your soulmate', as if he's taunting her. As if it's just something he can put down on paper, a normal title for a normal relationship?
If her mind wasn't made earlier, it is now. She will leave tomorrow and take Theo with her. She won't look back, not even once, and she won't forget about them.
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