Marked By My Best Friend's Dad

061

~ iris

The apartment felt quieter than usual. Too quiet, maybe. Ky had gone back to her family the other week, and the space she’d filled,her energy, her laughter, the subtle warmth of her presence,was gone. I didn’t realize how much I’d relied on it until it was gone, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I sat on the edge of my bed, the award from Duncan sitting on the desk across the room.

Top ten in the school, a recognition I should have been proud of, yet I couldn’t stop my mind from drifting elsewhere. To Ky.

I missed the way she’d casually brush a strand of hair behind my ear, the teasing smirk she’d give when she caught me staring at her, the soft vulnerability she rarely showed anyone.

The bond between us hummed even when she wasn’t here, a thread pulling me in ways I didn’t fully understand yet.

I thought about the night she’d confessed she wasn’t angry about… that night. The night we almost crossed a line that shouldn’t have been crossed. My chest tightened at the memory, my cheeks warming. I knew she didn’t regret it. And I didn’t either. Not fully. But we’d both chosen to step back, to respect the boundaries that existed,me with Alice, her with… herself.

And yet, the ache remained.

I rubbed my temples and let out a soft sigh. I had Alice, of course I did. She was patient, understanding, and completely unaware of the storm that brewed inside me every time I thought of Ky. My relationship with Alice was steady, warm, comforting in ways Ky never could be,yet, in contrast, Ky was… magnetic. Dangerous, in the sense that she stirred something primal, something I couldn’t cage.

I got up and walked to the window, the city lights glowing faintly in the night. I let my hand rest on the glass, imagining her here, imagining her leaning against the sill with that half-smile, half-sigh she always wore when she was deep in thought.

I whispered her name softly, almost hoping she’d appear in the doorway, her laugh filling the silence. “Ky…”

The sound of my own voice felt pathetic, like a tether to something I couldn’t reach. And yet, saying it out loud made the absence real in a way my thoughts alone never could.

I checked my phone again. No messages. No missed calls. Nothing from her since she left. I knew she’d be back next month,but the days stretched in front of me like empty hallways. Long, cold, echoing with the memory of everything we’d shared.

I sat back on the bed, letting the tension seep from my shoulders. I reminded myself of my priorities: Alice, my schoolwork, my obligations. Ky’s presence was a complication, a thrilling, intoxicating complication that I needed to navigate carefully.

But no matter how hard I tried to push her from my thoughts, no matter how much I told myself to focus on what I had, there was a pull I couldn’t resist. Her laughter, her gaze, the way she made the air feel charged around her,all of it haunted me.

I closed my eyes and let out a soft breath. “Next month,” I whispered to myself. “Next month,you’ll be back.”

She was my other best friend.

And with that small promise, I tried to focus on what I could control. On Alice. On my life. On staying grounded.

Then buzz.

I checked my phone, it was Duncan.

“ Meet me at the reservo hotel by 3pm.”

I smiled. I don't really know if he likes me or I'm just some s*x toy but all the same. I never get tired of him.

I started to look for clothes, today, I was going to dress sexy.

As I began to look for clothes, Alice came in.

“ Hey babe.” I said, and kissed her.

“ Heyy, what are you doing?” She asked.

“ I'm going out this afternoon.” I said.

She frowned.” You've been going out lately these days. Is it to meet ky?”

I laughed,”God! Babe are you so jealous, come on, ky is our friend. And you know she's out of town.”

She pouted.” Then who?”

Your dad.

I wanted to say that.

“ My aunt, family diner.” I said.

“ Oh, can I come?” She asked.

“ No..” I said quickly,” it's family. Private.”

She nodded, but the hesitation lingered. Alice always noticed the pauses, the way my answers sometimes came a beat too fast, too rehearsed.

“Okay,” she said finally, forcing a small smile.

“Don’t stay out too late.”

“I won’t,” I replied, reaching for my jacket to avoid her eyes.

She watched me for a moment, like she wanted to say something else, then stepped forward and hugged me. It was warm. Familiar. Safe. And somehow, that made the knot in my chest tighten instead of loosen.

When she pulled back, she brushed a kiss against my cheek. “Text me when you get there.”

“I will,” I promised.

The door closed behind her softly.

I stood there for a second longer than necessary, my hand still on the handle. Guilt crept in, quiet but insistent. I hated lying to her. Hated how easy it had become.

I shook it off and focused on getting ready. Simple. Clean. Just enough effort to feel confident without looking like I was trying too hard. I caught my reflection in the mirror and frowned slightly.

Who was I trying to impress?

Your mate, my wolf said to me.

The answer came too quickly.

I checked the time.

2:42pm.

Plenty of time.

Later, Thorne came to pick me up.

“ You look good miss” he said.

“ Thanks Thorne!” I said, smiling.

I mean this is the first time throne had said something nice to me.

He's nice, don't get me wrong but you know what I mean.

He opened the door for me and I entered inside.

The drive through, was quiet, I looked outside through the wind shield.

I was going to see my mate. My Alpha.

Alice father.

But something wasn't right, I can feel that this wouldn't end well. For me, or for him.