Chapter 99: The Primordial Witch (2)

Chapter 99: Chapter 99: The Primordial Witch (2)

"Wait..." Iris frowned, her mind stumbling over the revelation. "Witches are real? Like... actual witches living among us?"

"Indeed," Derrick said calmly. "And I believe your other friend belongs to one of their prominent lineages."

Iris’s eyes went wide with pure shock. "My other friend? Wait... don’t tell me... Vanessa?"

"Yes, Miss Vanessa Chase," Derrick confirmed with a crisp nod. "When Alexander ordered a comprehensive background check on you and everyone within your immediate orbit, our intelligence network uncovered that the Chase family line traces its lineage directly back to the ancient covens of New England and, ultimately, the Old World. Miss Chase may not even be fully aware of the extent of her dormant heritage yet, but her bloodline is unmistakable."

Iris shook her head in disbelief, the world expanding around her into a terrifying web of hidden magic and danger.

Derrick stopped in front of a pair of carved double doors at the end of the west wing corridor, placing his hand near the iron handle.

"Miss Brooks is just inside," Derrick informed her smoothly, turning to look down at her with a warm, reassuring expression. "I know you still have many questions, and whenever there is an opportunity to speak like this, I will do my best to answer them. If you require anything at all—food, fresh clothing, or simply answers—you need only ask the staff outside. We are all at your disposal, Miss Carter."

"Thank you, Derrick," Iris said softly, feeling a genuine wave of gratitude toward the formidable man. "For everything."

Derrick gave a final, crisp nod, stepping back into the shadows of the corridor as Iris turned the heavy iron handle and pushed the door open.

"Iris!"

Before the door had even swung fully open, Zoey was across the room. She grabbed Iris by the shoulders, pulling her inside and kicking the door shut with her heel, her eyes wide as she scanned Iris from head to toe.

"Are you okay? Did he do anything? What happened in there?" Zoey blurted out, her words tumbling out in a frantic, unclipped rush as she dragged Iris toward a plush velvet sofa in the center of the lavish guest suite. A silver tray piled high with gourmet sandwiches and two steaming cups of espresso sat on the marble coffee table in front of it.

Iris sank into the cushions, letting out a long, shuddering breath she felt like she had been holding for an hour. "I’m fine, Zoey. Really. He... he just left to go deal with the Council and the regional Alphas."

Zoey dropped down beside her, tucking her legs under her frame and grabbing a cup of espresso. "Girl, you look like you just got hit by a freight train of pure sensory overload. And don’t think I didn’t notice how long you were in his room! Derrick Williams literally had to escort you down the hall like you’re visiting royalty!"

"Derrick was actually very nice," Iris murmured, running a exhausted hand over her face. "He explained a few things."

"Nice? The guy is worth forty billion dollars and he bowed to your... new boyfriend!" Zoey gestured wildly with her cup. "Can we talk about that for a second? The fact that the most powerful men in the corporate world are bowing to Alexander like he’s an emperor?"

"He’s not my boyfriend, Zoey," Iris said quietly, though her fingers brushed unconsciously against her swollen lips, the lingering, electric taste of him still haunting her senses. "He’s... it’s complicated."

"Complicated?" Zoey leaned forward, her eyes narrowing as she caught the subtle gesture, her sharp instincts picking up on the flushed skin of Iris’s neck and the soft, dazed look in her eyes. "Iris... look at me. What happened in that room?"

Iris looked at her best friend, the subtext passing between them thick and undeniable. She didn’t need to state it outright; the sudden flush rising up her cheeks and the slight tremble in her hands said everything Zoey needed to know.

Zoey’s eyes widened to the size of saucers, her lips parting in absolute shock. She slowly set her cup back on the tray, leaning closer. "Oh my God... he kissed you, didn’t he?"

Iris didn’t answer with words. She simply looked away, a soft, helpless exhale escaping her as she stared down at her lap, her hands tightly folded.

"He did," Zoey breathed, a mix of awe and protective anxiety lacing her tone. "Iris... be honest with me. How are you actually handling this? Because forty-eight hours ago, we were complaining about our medieval history syllabus, and now you’re marked by an immortal Lycan king."

"Who apparently has a walk-in closet bigger than our entire apartment, Zoey!" Iris said with a heavy sigh, trying to anchor herself to the absurd mundane details.

"Honestly, that’s the least surprising part," Zoey remarked with a wry smile. "We both knew the guy was filthy rich."

Iris slowly turned her head, looking out the grand window of Zoey’s room toward the dark, misty mountains surrounding the estate, where storm clouds were beginning to gather over the ancient pines.

"I’m terrified, Zoey," Iris admitted softly, her voice carrying a raw, grounded honesty that filled the room. "I’m terrified because everything I thought I knew about the world is a lie. But when he touches me... when he looks at me... every rational part of my brain tells me to run, but my body feels like it’s finally where it belongs. I don’t know how to fight that."

Zoey reached out, her expression softening into deep, unyielding empathy as she wrapped her hand around Iris’s trembling fingers.

"Then don’t fight it yet," Zoey whispered gently, giving her hand a firm, reassuring squeeze. "Just take it one step at a time. We’re in this together, okay? Monster kings, billionaire security details, ancient councils, and whatever else comes next."

Iris looked at her friend, a quiet, genuine smile finally breaking through her exhaustion as she leaned her head against Zoey’s shoulder, taking comfort in the simple human warmth of the room while the dark, ancient world outside braced itself for war...

The heavy silence of the guest suite settled over them like velvet, broken only by the rhythmic, steady tapping of Zoey’s fingers against Iris’s shoulder. It was a familiar, soothing gesture—a quiet anchor holding Iris to the physical world while her mind spun through a maze of ancient curses, immortal bloodlines, and forty-billion-dollar empires.

Suddenly, Iris gasped softly, sitting bolt upright on the plush sofa.

Zoey jumped, her hand freezing mid-air as she turned her full attention toward her best friend. "What? Did your mark throb again? Are we being attacked by ancient mercenaries?"

"No, no," Iris said quickly, rubbing her temples as the lingering fog of sensory overload cleared. "Derrick... Derrick told me something important on our way down the gallery hall."

Zoey shifted on the velvet cushion, pulling her knees up toward her chest and setting her coffee cup on the marble table. "Alright, lay it on me. What else does the tech titan turned Lycan lieutenant have to say?"

"He told me that witches are real," Iris said, her voice dropping into a hushed, incredulous whisper. "And that Vanessa is one of them."

Zoey’s eyes widened to the size of saucers, her lips parting as she stared at Iris in absolute, unadulterated shock. "What? Are you serious? Vanessa Chase?"

"Yes," Iris replied, her fingers nervously pleating the hem of her sweater. "He said her family line is incredibly old and powerful—that it traces all the way back to the original coven lineages of New England."

"Oh my God," Zoey breathed, leaning back against the sofa as if the sheer weight of the information required physical support. "I cannot believe Vanessa is an actual witch. But wait... you two have been friends since high school back in Spokane. You came to Emerald Heights together. Did you seriously never pick up on anything? No weird candles, no secret spellbooks, no strange family rituals?"

Iris let out a long, thoughtful breath, looking down at her hands as memories of their past slid through her mind in a whole new, disturbing light. "Truthfully, I didn’t. When we were in high school, she’d occasionally sleep over at my house for the weekend, but... I was never once invited over to her place. Not even once."

Zoey tilted her head, watching Iris closely. "And you never asked?"

"I didn’t want to pry," Iris admitted softly, a faint edge of regret tingeing her tone. "I figured she had some private family issues or financial struggles that she was embarrassed about, so I just respected her boundaries. Then, when we both got accepted into the Business Administration program at Emerald Heights, I originally asked her if she wanted to look for a two-bedroom flat together. But she immediately shut it down."

"Why?" Zoey asked, her eyebrows drawing together. "Rent near campus is absurd."

"She claimed she had a relative living here in Seattle," Iris recalled, a subtle realization dawning in her eyes. "She told me she could stay with them rent-free and save her money. So I dropped it, put out an ad for a flatmate, and met you instead."