We stopped at a very huge door of about eight centimeters long.
"Wait here." Liam said before walking in, the door closing shut behind him. I leaned on the wall and tapped my foot impatiently. It had been over three minutes since he walked in and I was getting really impatient. I had promised myself that if he wasn't out in five, I'd walk in not caring about the consequences.
Seconds later, the door opened and out walked Liam. He looked gloomier than usual.
"Are you okay?" I asked as I assessed him.
"I'm fine." He grumbled.
"So what did he say? Does he still want to see me?"
"About that...."
"What?"
"He said no," Liam murmured and looked away. "I'm sorry. I tried to convince him but he just wouldn't listen."
"That's bull crap!" I hissed and balled up my fists. "I want answers and I will get them! I don't care how far I need to go to get them. Your father has no right to refuse seeing me, no right! He owes me!" I growled and walked toward the door.
"Iris," Liam called but I ignored him. "I don't think it's a good idea to confront him. He's a Lycaon, remember? And he's in a shitty mood."
"I don't care!" I snapped. "I'm also a Lycaon and if I have to beat the answers out of him, I will!!!" I roared out loud and barged through the door in anger, breaking it off its hinges.
Seated around a huge oak wood table were five huge looking men. They looked up at me, not a single look of fear in their eyes, they weren't even worried that the huge door was just broken, instead, they all looked relaxed.
Seated on the biggest seat was someone that reminded me of Liam; that must be his father, the former Lycaon King. He looked really pissed, well.... so was I.
"Mr. Alvarez, a word with you." I growled lowly.
"Who do you think you are to just barge in here like you own the place? Have you no manners?" A middle-aged looking man with brown hair asked with disgust.
"Mr. Alvarez." I repeated. "A word."
"Liam! Who is she?! Take her away, she has no business here!!" Another one of the five men snapped.
"Who am I? You really want to know?! Fine! I'll tell you! I am Iris Antonio Conte Winchester, daughter and heir of George Antonio Conte Winchester and Irene Antonio Conte Winchester, the Alpha and Luna of the Wildclaw Guardians Pack. Do the names ring a bell?!!"
I saw the look on their faces change from irritated and disgusted to shock and unbelief. "That's right." I continued. "I'm still alive, not like any of you cared anyway because if you truly cared, you would have never allowed my parents, my pack, my family die!! You all would have done something to protect them. Lycaon my ass. You all are just a bunch of weaklings and cowards!!!!"
"ENOUGH!!" Lance Alvarez roared loudly. "I knew your parents Iris and I know they never would have raised a brat, so act right!!!"
"I came here for answers and I won't leave without getting any. Tell me, why didn't you come to help, why did you let them die? My father was just like you all so why didn't you all come to his aid? Why?"
Lance stood up from his chair and walked toward me. "Because we saw no need to. Does that answer satisfy you?"
"Of course not!!"
"Well, that's just the truth. Your father was strong enough to handle himself so we saw no need to help." He shrugged and turned around to walk back to his seat. "But it seems.... We overestimated your father's ability. Pity." He tsked before taking his seat.
"You've crossed the line, Lance." Liam said darkly. "You have no idea what she's been through so you have no right to speak to her like that. You have never experienced half of what she has so watch your words.... Father." He gritted.
"Hmm." Lance hummed and reclined on his chair.
"My father was the strongest, bravest Lycaon I ever knew. He was never a coward and definitely didn't make excuses for being one unlike you guys." I hissed as I tightened my fists.
"Really?" Lance côcked his head to the side as he carefully watched Iris. "You didn't even know he was a Lycaon until you became one yourself. You assumed he was a normal werewolf just like your mother but unlike your mother, he didn't enjoy transforming. Tell me, have you ever wondered why your father never transformed in front of you? Why he always came up with excuses every time you asked?"
"Yes!" I snapped, already starting to completely lose my cool. "He was worried that I'll be scared of his Wolf. He did it to protect me, he didn't want me traumatized at such an early age."
"You have no idea how wrong and far off you are." He shook his head in a pity like manner. "You barge in here demanding answers when you don't even know anything about who they were, you don't even know who you are. Who you truly are. It is not my place to tell you anything Iris, it is your duty to find the answers yourself."
"And how do you suggest I do that?" I asked dryly.
"Start from the very beginning, right from when your parents were born." Lance replied cooly, ignoring my tone.
"Huh?" I asked, completely confused with what he said.
"Liam will help you. Now, if you excuse me, I have a very important meeting to conclude. Get out."
I growled under my breath and prepared to launch at Lance but one look at Liam's face, stopped me. He looked really pissed, he was literally fuming but I was pretty sure it wasn't at me.
"If you don't tell her.... Dad, I will."
"Then you'll make her fail the test before it even begins. Is that what you want? For her to hate you for the rest of her life? For her to blame you for something you nor anyone of us had control over? Go ahead then, tell her. Tell her everything Liam and doom us all."
I looked between them wondering what the hell they were talking about.
"I don't understand, tell me what?" When neither of them responded, I turned to Liam. "Liam, what's he talking about? Tell me what?"
Lance arched a brow at Liam, daring him. After not saying anything for a few minutes, Liam sighed. "Nothing, it's nothing Iris. Forget it."
Lance lips curled up at me. I really couldn't wait to wipe off the smug look from his face, fücking bastard.
"That's not right, Liam. You can't start something and not finish it!"
"Iris!" He snapped, shutting me up with the tone of his voice. "Let it go!"
I took a look at the old men seated around the table and then one last look at Liam before stomping out of the room in anger and up the stairs, not even bothering to take the elevator. I was just about to walk into the room when there was a loud, booming explosion downstairs, the force of the explosion shaking the house and throwing me against the door and into the room. I blinked continuously, trying to get my bearings, my ears were ringing so much that I couldn't even hear myself think. What was that sound? That sounded like an explosion but how? What could have exploded?
I rolled to my back with a groan. Whatever blew must have been so strong to throw me against the wall of the room.
I wonder how Liam is doing.
My eyes widened in fear at the realisation. Liam was downstairs with those old fools, so was Mabel. Oh my God! Oh my God!
I flipped myself up, groaning at the pain that raced up my back. I dismissed it and ran out of the room to look down from the balcony, what I saw had my mouth hanging open in shock. The walls downstairs were charred, feathers and foam were scattered everywhere from the blown up couches and throw pillows. Where the sixty inches flat TV was was a big round hole with broken glass everywhere. The table, basically everything downstairs had been blown up leaving only broken pieces of wood and the strong smell of smoke to prove that they once filled the living area. I could see everything a bit clearly through the thick black smoke thanks to my hybrid eyesight.
I sniffed the air. There was some strange smell mixed with the smell of burning wood and furniture. It smelt like..... Barbecue? Wait Barbecue? That can't be possible. I was damn sure Mabel wasn't preparing anything when I went to see Lance so why was the smell of barbecue so strong. Unless.... I covered my mouth and my eyes widened in horror. Mabel? No, it can't be.
I rushed downstairs trying to trace where the smell of barbecue was coming from even though the strong smell of charred carpet and the rest kept messing up my sense of smell. The black smoke was thicker down so I couldn't see much of anything like I could when I was upstairs, looking down.
"Liam!" I yelled out loud and let out a retching cough. I had inhaled too much smoke, I needed to leave before it got worse but I couldn't. I couldn't leave without finding out if everyone was okay; Liam, Mabel, Ryan and even those old fools. I covered my nose with the crook of my arm and kept on searching. At that moment, I was finding it hard to breathe.
"Liam!" I croaked. I couldn't see shit in the dark cloud of smoke. I kept walking, not sure where I was going but being extremely careful not to trip over anything.
After walking for probably a few seconds that felt like hours, my leg hit something hard. I looked down and I almost gagged. Laying on her tummy with a big hole on her back, her insides spilling onto the floor with her hair burnt but not too badly was Mabel. Even in the black smoke, I could see her as clear as day. I never really knew her but she was the sweetest person I'd ever met. She was the first person to give me motherly affection, to treat me like I actually mattered after eleven years of being treated like trash. Our last memory together was of me walking out on her with her face distraught and filled with regret.
When the realization set in, I went down on my knees by her side, not caring if I got blood and guts on me, and let out a shrill scream.
A second later, a hand clasped over my mouth and a voice spoke. "Shhh, not a sound." My eyes widened at the sound of the voice I recognized. "Nod if you understand." He whispered fiercely and I did so, not having the strength to fight. I looked down at Mabel's body and I couldn't control the tears anymore, they just kept pouring and pouring. He didn't say anything, he just pulled me up forcefully when I didn't budge at first and he whisked me away, away from the smoke and away from Mabel. I tried to fight, tried to run back to Mabel, I needed to apologize, even though she was dead and what I had to say didn't matter, I just had to get it off my chest. His hold on my arm grew tighter, his gloved hand digging deep into my flesh while his other hand was still firmly clasped over my mouth.