I looked up to see Liam looking at me in a strange manner.
"What?" I giggled.
*Huh?" He said like I just brought him back from some deep thoughts he was having. He shook his head. "Nothing." We got to the front of the house and he tapped on a button by the side of the door. A second later, both sides of the door opened to reveal a petite woman dressed in a servant outfit. She had dark brown hair that was packed in a messy bun and a smooth and glowing Olive skin. She looked nothing like a servant even with the servant outfit on.
"Your Highness." She said with a bow. "Welcome back."
"Thank you Mabel but I've told you countless times not to bow down to me. You practically raised me." Liam scowled.
"I can't help it, your Highness."
"Liam." He sighed and shook his head. "Now I think you're just messing with me."
The lady chuckled and shifted her attention to me. Feeling completely clueless as to what to do, I bowed down.
"Ryan told me you had brought a guest but I didn't expect the guest to be breathtaking and.... naked." She added as she looked me up and down and I swear my face was seconds away from exploding from embarrassment.
"She had a running in with Ryan...." Liam started to explain but she waved her hand.
"He told me all about it and didn't leave a single detail out." She shot him a look and he chuckled in amusement. "Anywho, I wouldn't want to keep your guest waiting. She must be freezing cold. Wouldn't want her to fall ill now would we?"
"She's a Lycaon, Mabel. She doesn't feel cold and can't fall ill."
"Well, forgive me for my lack of knowledge. As you already know, I'm neither a Lycaon nor a Werewolf." She said, sarcasm dripping from her tone.
*Typical." Liam rolled his eyes.
"Your sister's room has been prepared for your guest. Let her get dressed while I prepare something for her, she must be famished." Now that she mentioned it, I was starving really bad but I wasn't going to sit back while she made something for me.
"You really don't have...."
"Hush! She snapped. "My house, my rules. Now chop, chop. Liam take her upstairs." Her house? Now, I was pretty confused.
"Okay Mom and please take off that dreadful outfit, doesn't suit you one bit!"
"Upstairs Liam!" She yelled she he laughed as he pulled me away. I didn't even get the chance to admire the interior of the house.
We stopped at a door and he tapped on a button. The door opened to reveal an elevator and to be honest, I wasn't surprised. As someone who came from wealth, I expected nothing less. We walked in and the elevator door closed.
The silence between us was awkward especially after having an almost make up session. He looked everywhere but at me and I tried to act like it didn't hurt. I had no idea why I was feeling that way toward him. I had just rejected my mate and I was already feeling attracted to another man. Was Liam my second chance mate? Nahh, of course not. If he was, I would have felt it immediately I broke my bond with Ethan. So why did I feel that way? Why was I so willing to give myself to him? I barely knew him so why the attraction?I What the heck was wrong with me?
The ding sound from the elevator brought me back from my thoughts and I rushed out of it immediately the doors opened. I needed space to process my thoughts properly.
"Wow!" I said as I took a good look at his sister's room. "Was your sister a Batman or a Darth Vader fan?"
"Why?"
"Why?!!" I repeated exasperatedly. "Her room is set up in a Gothic style. Dark curtains, Black Bedsheets, pillow cases and quilts. Her entire wall is covered in paintings of bats, crows and skulls. Even her wardrobe and dressing table is black."
Liam looked around with an indifferent look and chuckled at my bewildered expression. "I could always get one of the workers to change the setting if you don't feel comfortable sleeping here."
"Change it? I don't want it changed, I love it! This is exactly how my room was when I still had a home. It's perfect!"
He arched his brow at me. "Then why the expression?"
"I was surprised. Not many girls like the whole dark personality thing. They're more into girly things so I found it weird that a girl had such a room". I sighed. "You know, if your sister wasn't dead, we would have probably been good friends."
"I guess so." He murmured. "Anyway, I'll leave you to get dressed. I'll wait for you downstairs."
"Thank you." He nodded and walked into the elevator.
When he was gone, I plopped down on the bed with a sigh. I couldn't get comfortable yet, I needed answers and I needed to start drafting out a plan. Knowing I'm still alive, Cray and Ethan, especially Cray, wouldn't let me walk around freely. They probably were already plotting on how to have my head and end the Winchester bloodline once and for all. I couldn't let that happen.
I got up and walked into the bathroom. I got under the shower and turned it on.
"Mhmm." I moaned as I felt the sprinkle of hot water on my back. It felt so good. The last time I showered with hot water was eleven years ago. All through my stay at Cray's pack house, I showered with cold water and I wasn't even allowed to stay for more than five minutes. In summary, my life there was hell. Glad to be rid of the place.
I took the shampoo and washed my hair like never before, it was way overdue.
XXXXXX
I walked out of the elevator dressed in a baggy sweatpants and a tank top. My finally neat hair was packed in a bun and I felt fresher than ever.
Without a word, Liam led me to the dining room. The table was already set and Mabel was seated at the head seat. Strange.
"Please sit." She said and Liam pulled out a chair for me.
"You didn't have to." I murmured as we locked gazes.
"But I did anyway." He smiled a little and moved closer to me. I stiffened as he brought his lips to my ear. "Also, Mabel would have my head if I didn't." He moved back and winked before taking a seat next to me. I shook my head and sat down. The entire table was filled with food and I started to wonder if more people were coming.
"Do you have people joining us?"
"Not at all. All the food is for you". Mabel replied.
"Me!" I squealed. "This is too much, I can't finish this."
"Of course you can and you will. You're far too skinny for my liking. Your neck is almost as long as that of a giraffe."
"Mabel!" Liam hissed.
"What? Someone needs to tell her. She's just too skinny. If she were my daughter, I would have stuffed her tummy with lots of food until she was as big as this house." Mabel scowled.
"She's been through a lot Mabel, that's why I brought her here. Her parents.... Her parents are dead."
Mabel looked completely shocked by what Liam said. "Dead? Oh my, I had no idea. I apologize, child for being so insensitive."
"No, it's fine. I was never like this. It's just.... circumstances that made me this way."
"How about we finish our dinner first and then you can tell me all about it. That's if you don't mind."
"I don't." I smiled and dug in. Goodness! The meal tasted heavenly. It was fresh and warm and just perfect compared to the leftovers I had to survive on. I could get used to this. Maybe living with the Lycaons wasn't such a bad idea.
After we were done and the table was cleared, I told Mabel a big thank you for the wonderful meal and funny enough, I cleared everything, not a grain or piece of food left. I really was that hungry, I guess. And then I went ahead to tell her everything from when my parents were killed to being treated like a slave at the Grimfur Canines Pack.
"Those monsters! I'm so sorry you had to go through all that Iris. You know, your mother and I were.... "
"Were what?" I asked and she looked at Liam then sighed.
"Nothing. I was just a huge fan of your mom because of how sweet she was. Everyone adored her. I do apologize for everything you've been through. No one should have to go through all that." She placed her palm over my hand with a sad smile. "I'm really glad you got your Wolves and you were able to finally get away from those Monsters. And you know, you're always welcome to stay here."
"Thank you." I smiled but I knew there was more to the whole thing. She must have seen something on Liam's face that stopped her from going on. They were hiding something from me and I was going to find out what. I might need to stay in the house longer than I imagined.
"Well, I'm not getting any younger so I need to retire. Do have a lovely night, both of you." Mabel said and got up.
"You're barely fifty Mabel."
"Oh shut up Liam." She rolled her eyes and gave him a kiss on his head before ruffling his hair. "Take care Iris." She added before walking away. Now, it was just the two of us, again.
"Where's Ryan?" I asked to break the silence. "I didn't see him at dinner."
"Probably off playing video games or beating someone else."
"How old is he?"
"Twenty. He turned twenty two months ago."
"He's cute by the way."
"Want me to link you up with him?"
"Nah, I don't do twenty."
"So what do you do?"
"How old are you?" I smirked and he laughed out loud. It was my first time hearing him laugh and oh my, he sounded so hot if that was even possible.
"Would you like to get stronger? Strong enough that you won't have to depend on your Wolves at all times?" He asked.
"Of course. Who wouldn't want that?! But.... Who's gonna train me?"
"I am." He said and I looked at him in shock.
"You?"
"Yes, me. I'm good at all kinds of fight, taekwondo, karate, jujitsu, you name it. My father had me taking lessons since I was five. He believed as the next Lycaon King, I needed to be versed in all aspects, fighting being one of them. He didn't believe in having to depend on one's Wolf alone. We needed to be able to depend on ourselves too. There are cases where a Werewolf isn't able to shift. If the Werewolf isn't good at fighting on his own, then he's as good as dead. I could always train you, all you need to do is say so and we'll start at dawn. So what do you say Iris? Do you want me to teach you how to beat people like Ethan up?"