Chapter 100: Threads in the Tapestry

Zoey nodded slowly, her sharp mind piecing together the timeline. “So in all these years, you’ve never actually met a single member of her family?”

“I met her dad once,” Iris replied, her brow furrowing. “Just for a few brief minutes when he dropped her off at campus during freshman orientation. He barely said two words to me—he just had this cold, distant demeanor, like he was completely disconnected from everyone around him. And Vanessa was always so quick to change the subject whenever her family came up. I never pushed it.”

Zoey picked up her espresso, swirling the dark liquid thoughtfully before taking a slow sip. “If Vanessa is a witch, Iris, then that means she’s known about the supernatural world this entire time. She grew up in it. And she never said a word to you.”

Zoey set the cup down with a sharp, decisive click against the saucer. “Which brings me to the million-dollar question… do you think she knew what Jason was from day one?”

Iris swallowed hard, the memory of catching her boyfriend of three years in his own bed with her best friend sending a cold, sharp pang through her chest. She closed her eyes briefly, taking a slow breath before opening them again.

“I don’t know, Zoey. Maybe she knew he was a werewolf, maybe she didn’t. I don’t think we can know for sure unless Vanessa tells us herself.”

“I am telling you right now, she knew,” Zoey insisted, her tone laced with conviction as she gestured with her hand. “Think about it. You caught them cheating two weeks ago. Since that night, she hasn’t called, she hasn’t texted, and she completely vanished from sight.”

“And she wasn’t in class today,” Iris added softly, her thoughts drifting back to the packed lecture hall earlier that morning. “Professor Whitmore explicitly stated that attendance for Alexander’s introductory corporate lecture was strictly mandatory for every upper-level business student. But her seat was completely empty.”

“That is beyond weird,” Zoey said, leaning forward, her tone shifting into a speculative edge. “Because I was about to say that since she always had a subtle envy toward you—and since she’s part of this hidden supernatural world—she probably recognized what Jason was the moment they met and engineered the whole affair to take him from you.”

Zoey paused, her expression darkening as a heavier thought crossed her mind. She looked at Iris, her voice dropping an octave. “Iris… do you think the Montgomery pack killed her?”

Iris blinked, startled by the sudden shift. “Why on earth would you think that?”

“Because we were literally sitting on our apartment sofa discussing discretion laws four hours ago!” Zoey demonstrated with her hands, making a sharp cutting gesture across her neck. “Oliver basically told us that anyone who threatens the secrecy of the supernatural gets quietly eliminated to keep the humans completely oblivious and in the dark.”

“Zoey, we know now that Vanessa isn’t an oblivious human,” Iris reasoned gently, placing a steadying hand on her friend’s wrist. “She belongs to that world. If the Montgomery pack found out about her bloodline, killing a witch from an established lineage would probably spark an entire feud between the covens and the packs. I don’t think they killed her. It has to be something else.”

Zoey exhaled a long breath, relaxing her posture slightly. “Yeah, fair point. I mean… maybe Jason officially took responsibility for her after the fallout, and now she’s tucked away in some lavish Montgomery compound getting ready to become the next pack princess….or whatever it’s called. She probably decided showing up to a college lecture was suddenly beneath her status.”

Iris remained silent for a beat, watching the storm clouds roll over the distant pines through the high arched window. “We don’t know the full details yet. Maybe if I can find Derrick or Oliver later, I can ask them if their intelligence network knows where she actually went or how she is.”

Zoey stopped, turning her head to stare at Iris with a complex, unreadable expression.

Iris noticed the prolonged, intense look and frowned slightly. “What? Why are you staring at me like that?”

Zoey let out a soft sigh, leaning back against the velvet sofa and looking at her friend with a mix of gentle concern and quiet confusion. “Iris… why do you even want to know about her? I mean… she betrayed you in the worst possible way. She slept with your boyfriend in his own bed, destroyed your trust, and walked away without an apology. You should be furious with her. You should be glad she’s out of your life, not sitting here worrying about her whereabouts.”

Iris looked away, her fingers tracing the armrest of the sofa as she absorbed the truth of Zoey’s words.

“I’m not worried about her, Zoey,” Iris said softly, her voice carrying a quiet, grounded maturity that seemed to reverberate through the room. “At least… not in the way you think.”

She turned back to face Zoey, her eyes filled with a serious, resolute light.

“The truth is, whether I asked for this or not, I am linked to Alexander now. He is a three-thousand-year-old Lycan king, and his mark is stamped into my skin. I am already part of his world.” Iris reached up, her thumb brushing gently against the collar of her shirt, right over the mark that connected her life directly to the monarch down below.

“If there are hunters, witches, and rival packs moving in the shadows around us, I cannot afford to remain ignorant. Learning that Vanessa is part of that hidden network isn’t just about what she did to me—it’s about understanding the board we’re standing on. If I’m going to survive in his world, Zoey… I need to know every single piece on the board.”

Zoey nodded slowly at Iris’s words, her expression shifting from lighthearted teasing to genuine, quiet respect. “You’re right about that, Iris. As the future Lycan Queen, you really should know every single thing that happens in this shadowed world.”

Iris looked at Zoey in mock offense, quickly snapping her gaze toward the far corner of the room to avoid direct eye contact. “Queen? Since when am I a queen? Don’t start talking absolute nonsense, Zoey.”

A sly, knowing grin spread across Zoey’s face. “How on earth is it nonsense? The man is a three-thousand-year-old Lycan king, and by every supernatural standard we’ve heard tonight, you are practically his wife.”

Iris let out a dramatic, horrified huff, placing a hand over her heart. “Wife? Since when am I someone’s wife? How come I don’t remember walking down an aisle, signing a registry, or getting married at all?”

“No, but you definitely remember sleeping with him two weeks ago to get back at your cheating ex-boyfriend, don’t you?” Zoey countered, her eyebrows dancing with wicked amusement.

The color instantly rushed into Iris’s cheeks, turning her face a deep shade of crimson as she looked away, entirely incapable of offering a defense. Zoey broke into a rich, delighted laugh, leaning over to throw her arms around Iris’s shoulders in a tight, affectionate hug.

“Iris, my dear… my sweet Iris,” Zoey cooed playfully, her smile still fondly etched across her face. “You are honestly way too cute when you get shy.”

Zoey pulled back slightly, her tone settling into something far more grounded as she searched her friend’s eyes. “In all seriousness though, Iris… you do realize that in his eyes, you kind of…are…his wife now, right?”

Iris let out a heavy sigh, running her fingers through her hair as she leaned back against the plush velvet cushions. “I don’t know, Zoey. Before I came over to your suite, he took me into his master bedroom and explicitly told me that I’ll be staying in there with him. But everything felt like it was moving at a thousand miles an hour. It felt way too fast, so I refused and asked for space. He definitely didn’t look pleased about it, but he respected my plea and told me not to take too long.”

“Honestly, I can understand where he’s coming from,” Zoey admitted, her tone turning thoughtful. “Think about every fantasy novel or wolf lore we’ve ever come across—the bond between mates isn’t just a casual relationship, Iris. It’s biological, ancient, and absolute. I’m not part of this supernatural world and I don’t pretend to understand what they experience, but before you push him away too hard, I think you should take the time to really learn how his kind operates. That way, a innocent refusal doesn’t accidentally trigger a major crisis.”

Iris nodded slowly, absorbing her friend’s grounded advice. “You’re right. That’s exactly why I’m trying to take things step-by-step with him instead of rushing in blindly. I’m a complete novice in this hidden world, Zoey. I have to be incredibly careful with every move I make.”

“Take all the time you need,” Zoey said softly, offering a warm, reassuring smile as she squeezed Iris’s hand. “You’re not doing this alone. I’m right beside you. And, clearly, so is your Lycan king.”

Finally we’ve reached the 100th chapter mark!!!