Iris:
"You are being ridiculous. Instead of recognizing the danger, you act like a selfish teenager, though you are not one anymore."
My mother chased me as I stormed out of my father's office. I climbed to the second floor, where both my bedroom and my children's rooms were.
"Even after being a bad mother, you can still look me in the eye?" I asked abruptly, stopped and turned. My mother folded her arms and rolled her eyes.
"I expected a more mature response from you this time. Last time, when we asked you to help take over the river and prepare to fight the werewolves, you fled your community. Now that you have a son who needs you, you are doing the same thing. So tell me again, who is the bad mother?" she asked, cocky as always.
I should have remembered that people do not change easily. I was confused because I never thought they could act so well, or pretend to be good parents to me for four years.
"You brought me back only because you wanted to take control of the river. You do not care about my child's health." I hissed and demanded that she be honest for once.
"As if our need for the river would benefit only us. It is for your son too. Think about that," she said, showing no guilt.
"If I have to go, I will go alone. I will not do it for any of you. I refuse to be used by anyone," I made my decision and kept my voice steady as I moved toward my children's door. I was going to leave this place forever and never return. These people were selfish.
My mother grabbed my hand and stopped me from turning the doorknob.
"What do you still have to say for yourself?" I asked her, still confused and hurt.
"You think that was all we did when we brought you back? Acted nice?" she said. "You have to listen to us, Iris, or else." She paused and smirked as my father arrived with James at his side.
"Or else what?" I asked. "I would rather go to Kash and tell him his son needs help. I am not like you, mother. My pride is not high enough to endanger my son's life. Kash is his father. I am sure, if not for me then for his son, he would fetch the water."
I shrugged because I remembered he had told me he would not kick me out. That was my decision. I was sure that even if he hates me now, he would still have enough decency to save his child.
I expected my parents to look bothered by my decision. Instead, they looked smug. I began to wonder what else they had been hiding from me.
"You will need to step away from the children's door for what we are about to tell you next. We do not want you to throw a tantrum and wake them," my mother said, taking charge. All this time she had been silent. I thought she had stepped back from her cruelty. I was wrong. She had been holding back for this day.
"Your brother is not dead," my mother said.
A gasp escaped my mouth. I covered it with my hands and stepped back, staring at them with judgment in my eyes.
"And you will not tell Kash anything," my mother uttered confidently. "You will do as we tell you. Do you know why?" she asked, smirking.
I could not ask her anything. She looked terrifying.
"Because if you do, we will intensify the pain Colin feels," she threatened. The threat was brutal. It was deadly for any mother. I wondered how she could threaten me with my son's life.
"How would you do that? It is not in your hands," I hissed.
"It is," she replied. "I am the one who connected your son's life to my son's." She pointed at her chest.
My body froze and tears blurred my vision.
"When you gave birth, I connected Colin to Wilson," she continued. "I knew you would never do anything for my son, but you would do it for your son. Every time Wilson wakes up and feels pain, your son feels it too. The rest of the time, Wilson sleeps peacefully. Unless you want me to keep Wilson asleep so your son does not go through the painful transition, lose his mind, and die, you will stay silent. You will not tell Kash anything. You will do what we tell you to do." She finished with a hard grunt from her mouth.
In the most brutal way, my mother showed me she was my enemy. I could not throw a tantrum. I could not scream or yell. I was terrified for my child.
I had seen what my brother's pain could do to him. The thought that my son had been fine but my mother had forced him into this pain killed me inside.
"How could you? How could you do this to me and your grandchild?" I finally screamed when the reality settled in.
"Do not raise your voice at your mother. She is a mother doing everything she can for her son, just as you would do everything for yours," my father hissed, stepping forward and silencing me.
If it had been my stepmother, I would not have felt so much pain. But it was my own mother, blinded by love for her son and willing to hurt me.
"I would never hurt my daughter for my son," I hissed, wiping my tears with the back of my hand.
"But your daughter would do everything to save her brother, something you never did," my mother taunted. "We had to take different measures. We are not here to apologize. You deserve this. Your son will be free once you give us what we want. All you have to do is remain loyal." She let out a deep breath as if she had been waiting to say all this to me all these years.
"The reason I connected my son's life to your son's is because I suspected you would go there, be manipulated, and reveal all the secrets to Alpha King Kash," she continued. "If you do, I will find out. I will wake Wilson the moment I learn you are double crossing us. Then you will watch your son lose control and kill everyone in his path. The entire werewolf pack will come together and demand his execution because they will never allow a beast among them."
As my mother shouted, tears spilled down her face. Her veins stood out, and I could not understand how she felt no pain for me as well.
"Do not waste time on crying and being emotional. Go get ready. You are going back there. We have a plan and a story prepared for you," my mother finally declared, stepping back and giving my father a proud look for always following her lead, even when it meant hurting her own child—me.
I was left with no choice but to obey their demands.