Kash:
The angrier she got, the redder her cheeks became, and the rosier they looked. It seemed that with time, Iris had only grown more confident and beautiful.
And I hated that my mind was focusing on her beauty. I even smiled when I noticed her nose turning red.
But then her angry glare made me roll my eyes and lean back. I also noticed her red, swollen eyes, she must have been really upset.
I mean, she had thought of running away from the settlement. If only she had stayed, things would have been very different. But now everything has changed.
This settlement was now going to cause me pain, even if it brought her a cure.
"So, I want to take my kids and leave," Iris snapped, her voice shaking. Even a confident woman trembles when it comes to her children.
And I must say, I was shocked to see how well she had taken care of the babies—my babies. I couldn't get enough of the two. When they first started talking, and when Amy woke up, it was like a completely different world.
The way she yelled at me in her tiny voice and called me a bad man for abducting them made me laugh at her courage. Then I had to tell them that I was really their father. She calmed down, but she said she didn't want to stay with me unless her mommy stayed too.
And well, good news for her, I didn't plan to leave Iris out either. She was going to stay here in the mansion, in the guest house with me. But also suffer for the betrayal she had caused me.
"Well, you cannot. We had a little conversation with the children, and it doesn't seem like you are a good mother. What kind of mother doesn't even teach the Alpha King's children anything about werewolves? You know what your little son asked me?" Lady Sofia was on fire.
I knew they would take my side. This was exactly why I called them, it would force Iris to accept my deal. So I didn't even have to speak, I just let them do the talking.
"He asked me if he was a werewolf too. How the hell have you not told your children anything about it? You know, a werewolf's child is supposed to know from the minute they start understanding words that they are werewolves. You stole them from their father, and then, to not even teach them about their heritage, you just proved you're not a good mother either," Lady Sofia went on, making Iris's eyes widen in shocked.
"I am not a bad mother. I took care of these babies alone, so don't you tell me what I am and what I'm not. And the fact that you're defending a man who cheated on his wife—his fated mate! You think he would have been able to take care of the babies well? He would've brought another woman in and been busy with her!" Iris yelled, her fists clenching.
I noticed the council members didn't look pleased. They began gesturing at each other, and at that point, I had to give them a discreet hand signal, just a subtle motion to let them know they should refrain from making such comments.
I don't even know why. I knew I should've been happy watching her get disrespected. But somehow, I realized I was signaling them to stop.
"Anyway, Kash is a really nice man, and kind enough to still come up with a deal. Instead of taking custody from you, he has suggested that you move into the guest house with the children so that you both can co-parent them," Lady Sofia said, and I knew she didn't like the idea.
Not because she couldn't see me with another woman, but because she was hiding another part of her life from everyone for now—her boyfriend.
"Or we can do this instead, we'll arrange meetings where they'll stay with their father separately for a few days. But I'm guessing you're not okay with that either, so you'll have to come here. You see, they are the Alpha King's children. We're not going to give you full custody, and that would be unfair anyway. If anything, he has more right over the children because he is the Alpha King, and they are his heirs," Lord Daniel explained to Iris, who was glaring at them like she could behead them.
I had never seen Iris so angry before. The woman who had returned was rebellious, so confident. I liked that. But the fact that she was so different now, and only looked at me with hate, angered me.
I wasn't the only reason our relationship fell apart. She had been waiting for the right moment to run away from me, or else she wouldn't have moved on so quickly.
"Fine, we're okay with the guest room arrangement. But I will move in with her. And if she continues to have a relationship with someone else, she will be allowed to do so as well," her mother stated, striking the deal.
I watched Iris turn to her mother, probably because she didn't want to accept the offer and come stay here with us. Her mother gave her a subtle hand gesture. Then she realized she had been staring at her for too long.
"If this is the only way you are letting my daughter keep her children, then we should accept the deal, but on our own terms. The Alpha King cannot just have other mates and be happy while my daughter becomes his prisoner. She will get to live her life normally while they share custody of the children," her mother continued.
I kept watching her, feeling a little uneasy. Why had Iris never told me about her mother? I remember when she met me, she told me she had no one in her life.
So she had lied about everything since the beginning, and I was only now finding out. Yet she had the nerve to look like a victim.
"Well, if that's the case, then fine. It's not like our Alpha King wants her in his life. They can initiate rejection whenever the Alpha King is ready. He just wants the children, and he's kind enough to give her a chance to stay with them as well," Lady Sofia said, making Iris drop her face into her hands.
Was it really that bad for her to return?
I stayed silent the entire time.
"Great then, we'll pack our belongings and start the move as soon as possible," her mother said, patting Iris on the shoulder.
Almost instantly, Iris started to cry into her palms. For a moment, I felt a little odd—uncomfortable, even. But then I reminded myself that her cries could be fake.
She was probably only crying because now she had to come here and live under my supervision.
And maybe, just maybe, her boyfriend would soon hear from me how cunning and convincing she could be when pretending to love someone.
And judging from the desperation in Iris's eyes, I could already tell she was going to come as soon as possible, to live in the guest house that I had once prepared for her four years ago.