Chapter 37: A Fortune’s Unexpected Turn

Chapter 37: Chapter 37: A Fortune’s Unexpected Turn

She took a long shower, changed into comfortable clothes, and climbed into bed with the intention of resting for an hour. But it seemed she was more exhausted than she thought, and within minutes, she was fast asleep. And almost immediately, the dreams and the mountain returned.

There was snow everywhere, white and endless. It was the same mountain she had been seeing since the mysterious wolf mark appeared on her neck.

Iris stood in the middle of the frozen landscape, her breath forming clouds before her face. She looked around, her voice a whisper in the silent expanse, "Where am I?"

Nothing answered her, and then she heard it. A howl. The sound came from somewhere high above her. Iris turned immediately, and right there, standing against the enormous silver moon, was the creature.

Iris recognized it due to seeing a picture of it when Zoey was searching about it on the internet. It was a Lycan. Its body was enormous, covered in dark fur that seemed almost black beneath the moonlight. Its head was raised toward the sky, and another howl tore from its throat.

But this wasn’t the sound of an animal calling into the night; it was the sound of pain. It was a raw, unbearable agony. Iris felt it deep in her chest, a sympathetic ache. Her eyes widened.

"Why are you hurting?"

The creature lowered its head. For a brief moment, its eyes met hers. They were bright red, and their gaze felt strangely familiar to Iris, stirring a vague, unsettling memory.

She took a step toward it, drawn by an inexplicable urge, but the mountain trembled beneath her feet, and the entire vision shattered.

Iris woke with a gasp. She sat upright, breathing heavily, her hands gripping the sheets, her heart hammering against her ribs.

For several seconds, she couldn’t remember where she was. Then the familiar room came into focus, and she remembered that she was in her bedroom at her home in Spokane.

She looked toward the window and found that it was already dark. How long had she been asleep? She reached for her phone and stared at the time. "Shit," she muttered, seeing the late hour. She had slept for hours.

Her hand instinctively moved toward her neck, her fingers brushing against the mark. A strange warmth pulsed beneath her skin, and Iris immediately pulled her hand away as if burned.

She stared at the floor, a frown creasing her brow. "What are you?" she whispered, not knowing whether she was speaking to the mark or to herself.

The visions had begun after it appeared, and every single time she touched it, something happened. Sometimes she saw the forest, sometimes the mountain, sometimes she felt as though she were running. And now she could feel the pain of something she had never even met... Something that shouldn’t exist.

Iris couldn’t help but wonder if maybe Zoey was right... maybe the supernatural does indeed exist, because nothing else made sense right now. She pushed the thought away, the unfamiliar chill of the unknown settling deep within her, and climbed out of bed.

The smell of food reached her before she even reached the stairs, and her stomach growled. She hadn’t realized how hungry she was.

She followed the scent into the kitchen and saw her mother standing at the stove, stirring something in a pot, steam rising gracefully around her. Her father sat at the kitchen island, his sleeves rolled up, absorbed in something on his phone, the soft glow illuminating his face.

The moment he noticed her, his face lit up, a wide smile spreading. "Well, look who finally decided to join the living among us," he teased gently, pushing himself up from the stool.

Iris smiled, a genuine, unforced one this time. "Hi, Dad."

Daniel stood and opened his arms, a silent invitation. "Come here, sweetheart."

Iris walked into his embrace, leaning into the comforting strength of his hug. "How was the journey, then? Your mother was quite worried you’d be utterly wiped out after traveling solo like that."

"It was long and tedious," Iris admitted, pulling back slightly, "but nothing a good nap couldn’t fix, apparently."

"I can imagine." Daniel’s eyes, kind and knowing, searched hers briefly.

Her mother turned around from the stove, a wooden spoon still in hand, a playful glint in her eyes.

"You said you’d only rest for a while, young lady, but you ended up sleeping for hours! We almost thought you’d gone into a coma." She wagged the spoon good-naturedly.

"I guess I didn’t realize how tired I was," Iris replied, offering a sheepish grin.

Daniel looked at her more closely, his smile fading a touch. "You do look exhausted, honey. A bit pale, too."

Her mother pointed toward the table with the spoon. "Come and sit down. Dinner is almost ready, and you must be starving."

Iris helped her set the table, pulling out plates and silverware, a comfortable rhythm settling between them. The three of them eventually settled around the dining table, and for a few minutes, the conversation remained light, punctuated by the clinking of forks and the gentle hum of the refrigerator.

Her mother asked about school, more especially about the boys that might have a crush on her, because according to Sophia...every boy on campus Must have a crush on her beautiful daughter.

But she subtly kept from asking about Jason, sensing that there’s a story there, though her glances at Iris were pointed. Her father, ever practical, asked about her preparations for her final semester and future plans.

Iris told them about her upcoming classes, the stress of finding an internship, and the daunting prospect of post-graduation life, weaving in anecdotes and observations about her professors and classmates.

She also deliberately avoided mentioning Jason, which her mom noticed with a tightening of her lips and a quick, discerning look, but instead, chose to remain silent about it, allowing the moment to pass.

Eventually, though, her father looked at her, a thoughtful expression on his face. "So, how long are you staying with us this time, Iris? Just until you head back to the chaos of campus?"

"Just until school starts again, Dad. About a week, maybe a little more, depending on my schedule." Iris took a sip of water, a sense of quiet settling over her.

"That’s good. That’s really good, actually." Daniel smiled, a broad, almost giddy expression that seemed a little out of place.

Iris looked at him, a sudden curiosity bubbling up. "Speaking of which, Dad..."

Daniel raised his eyes from his plate, a piece of chicken suspended on his fork. "What, sweetheart?"

"I thought you said you wouldn’t be home this week," Iris continued, a slight frown creasing her brow as she tried to reconcile her memory with his presence.

"When you called me on my birthday, you specifically mentioned Grant Enterprise was having its annual meetings, and that you would probably be tied up with work, practically living at the office.

You even said the company was doing some major financial reviews and reversals, and that Mr. Grant was personally attending some of the meetings, which you never see him do. So, how did you suddenly find time to come home in the middle of all that?"

Daniel coughed, a sudden, almost theatrical clearing of his throat. Sophia, who had been listening intently, now looked at him too, a suspicious glint in her eyes.

"What? Out with it, Daniel," she demanded, her fork clattering softly onto her plate. "What happened? Please, for the love of all that’s holy, don’t tell me you finally got fired after all these years." She leaned forward, her face a mixture of alarm and exasperation.

"What? No! Of course not, Sophia, what a thing to suggest!" Daniel leaned back slightly in his chair, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes that belied his feigned offense.

"Actually..." He glanced between his wife and daughter, a dramatic pause hanging in the air. "That’s something I wanted to tell both of you, something rather... significant."

Sophia put down her fork, her gaze fixed on him, an unspoken command for him to get to the point. "Tell us what? Daniel, you’re going to give me an ulcer. What is it?"

Daniel wiped his mouth with his napkin, drawing out the suspense just a moment longer. "I got promoted today."

There was a beat of stunned silence. Iris stared at him, her mouth slightly agape. Sophia stared at him, her eyes wide with disbelief. Then, their gazes met across the table, a shared look of utter shock and surprise passing between them.

"What?" The word escaped both women simultaneously, a perfectly synchronized gasp of incredulity.

Daniel laughed, a hearty, booming sound that filled the kitchen, thoroughly enjoying their bewildered expressions. "That was almost exactly my reaction when I was told, believe you me."

Iris leaned forward, her voice still laced with disbelief. "Wait. Dad, you actually got promoted? Seriously?"

"Yes," Daniel affirmed, a smug, satisfied smile playing on his lips.

"After all these years?" Iris pressed, her mind struggling to process this sudden turn of events.

"Apparently," he chuckled, shrugging playfully.

Sophia shook her head slowly, a bewildered smile gracing her features. "Daniel, are you absolutely sure this isn’t some kind of... mistake? A prank, perhaps? You know how those HR folks can be." Her skepticism was evident, though tinged with genuine delight.

Her husband laughed again, a sound of pure contentment. "Funny you should mention that, Sophia. I asked the very same thing, believe you me. I even double-checked the name on the official letter."

"I mean, don’t get me wrong, darling, this is wonderful news, truly," Sophia continued, picking up her fork and tapping it lightly against the table, "but you’ve been working there for five years now, a senior financial analyst all this time, steady as a rock. And suddenly they decide to promote you now? After all that waiting?"

Daniel nodded, his smile unwavering. "That’s precisely what happened, my dear. The universe, it seems, finally decided to acknowledge my long-suffering brilliance."

Sophia narrowed her eyes playfully. "And who, pray tell, was the brilliant mind behind this sudden recognition of your long-suffering brilliance? Who made this momentous decision?"