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Evaki................................................Two days ago..................................."Ow! Ow! Let me go. Let go!" I yelp, grabbing Tory’s hand and prying it off of me. What the hell? Is she trying to make my heart stop? She laughs, and I smack her arm before scooting up on the sofa and letting out a breath of relief that is short-lived as the pain intensifies. What the hell am I doing trying to go to a party when I should be heading to the hospital?"I can’t go, Tory," I defeatedly confess, looking at my throbbing ankle. “Damn you, Paris," I exclaim in anguish, making Tory laugh again before getting up and heading out of the room, saying she'll be back. She’s cruel.A moment later, she returns with her foot spa, and I frown, looking at the purple stuff in it."What’s this? I’m not letting you practice any more voodoo on me. I need a doctor," I complain, narrowing my eyes at her as she places the foot spa in front of me before trying to grab my foot. “No, didn't you hear what I just said?”“Shut up, and give me the foot. You're going to love me when I'm done," she says, grabbing my foot, and like a fool, I let her submerge it in the strange liquid."Do you feel that? I told you, I’ve got you," she says, as my eyes droop close, feeling relief from the pain. But I ignore her question, muttering, "I don’t know why I’m letting you do this to me.""Because you want to go to the party.""No, I don’t.""Liar! You want to see him again. I know you do. You can’t lie to me," she says, and I open my eyes, blushing. It’s true. I want to see him again even though I shouldn’t, considering he’s the reason for my anguish. I was busy drooling over him and not watching where I was going, and I slipped and fell, and now I can’t walk. If I had known it would be this bad, I would have gone straight to the doctor on my way from work, but it didn’t hurt this much yesterday. It’s only when I woke up this morning that I realized I was screwed.My ankle was swollen, and it felt like it was on fire when I tried to move. I wanted to go to the doctor, but Tory said she could fix me, and because I’m a fool, I trusted that someone who’s not a qualified doctor and knows nothing about medicine could help me. But in my defense, she did help me with the terrible back pain I had been struggling with for months."Isn’t Paris a girl's name anyway?" I ask, recalling the gemstone green eyes I’m dying to see again, even though he’s clearly out of my league, considering he’s my boss’s brother.Paris Iraklidis is Antonis Sarris, Tory's boyfriend's younger brother. Anton is our boss and one of the top ten wealthiest bachelors in the world. I’m a software engineer, and so is Tory. She and I grew up together, and we’ve been best friends since we were little, but her family relocated after a psychotic family started spreading absurd rumors about them.A guy who lived three houses down from them broke into their home and was caught by Tory’s father. The guys escaped after trying to attack and harm Tory’s father and failing. After that, rumors about Tory’s family being beasts surfaced. They said they were ritualists who practiced witchcraft, and the whole community turned on them. I will never forgive the Smiths for starting the rumors.My mother and Tory’s mother were best friends, and my mother tried to tell everyone that they were good people and that the rumors were false, but no one listened. The Smiths were ashamed that their son broke into someone’s home and tried to steal and hurt someone—that’s why they made up the baseless rumors and used their status as community leaders to turn everyone against Tory’s family.No matter how Tory’s parents tried to tell everyone that Mason was lying, no one believed them. Instead of dying down, the rumors spread like wildfire. People were coming up with ridiculous theories, and Tory and her family started fearing for their lives after receiving death threats. That led to them moving across the world, and I was devastated; I lost my best friend. We tried to keep in touch, but it didn't prove easy because of how far apart we were. We eventually moved on with our lives and lost contact until three years ago. The company I worked for sent me to represent them at a world summit, and I couldn’t believe my eyes when I bumped into Tory.We exchanged contacts and rekindled our friendship. So much had changed in our lives; we were completely different now, but our love for each other remained. She was saddened to hear about my mother's death and how it occurred. It was just my brother and me. Everett was my twin brother; he’s the reason I’m here right now, halfway across the world. He, too, left me. He died in a skiing accident two years ago after being attacked by a bear. But a child playing nearby said it was a man who had turned into a beast. My mother was also attacked by a bear while returning from a night shift. She had called my brother and me to come to help her with stuff she had brought home from work. Everett was not home, so I went alone and heard a scream just as I came up the little hill.I remember seeing glowing eyes as she screamed at me to run back to the house. I don’t know how the Smiths did it, but they had something to do with my mother and brother’s deaths. My family was the only one who stood up for Tory’s family, and they hated us. They said we were involved and we were beasts, but because my mother’s family was one of the founding families in our village, not everyone believed that. They just thought Tory’s family bewitched us. After my mother was attacked, the Smiths started with their theory again, and I know they killed my mother and brother so they could prove they were right and clear their son’s name. I hate that wretched family, and thinking about them makes my blood boil.I was relieved when I saw them loading their belongings and leaving four months later because I didn’t feel safe, but I had nowhere to go. I was suddenly alone in the world, and it was the darkest time of my life. I don’t think anything could hurt as much as losing my family. It broke my soul, and I spent countless nights praying not to wake up. I begged God to take me in my sleep and reunite me with my family. I never knew my father; all I know is the coward left while my mother was pregnant, leaving her to fend for herself.Tory came after the funeral and suggested I move here, seeing I had nothing left back home; I didn’t even think about it and agreed. It hurt, leaving everything behind, but staying hurt more. The memories brought more pain than comfort. Maybe one day I'll be able to return—to reminisce without falling apart—but I had to leave for now. I had to run."Well, not really. The pronunciation is different. Plus, he isn’t named after the city of France," Tory replies, snapping me out of my thoughts."He isn’t?"“No, Paris was the son of a king," she says, and I nod. I’m not big on mythology. “How does it feel now?" she asks, patting my foot dry, and I gasp, looking at my no longer swollen foot. How is this even possible?“How did you do that?" I ask, still staring at it, astounded, and she says maybe she’ll tell me one day, winking at me as she stands upright. "Thank you. I can’t believe the pain is gone," I add, carefully getting to my feet, and she assures me it’s healed as I reluctantly step on it. It’s true. It doesn’t hurt at all; it’s good as new. I pull her into a hug, thanking her again, and she says we must get ready for the party since it’s already getting late..."Champagne?" Tory snaps me out of my thoughts, handing me a glass, and I take it. She makes a toast to my first night out in the town, and we drink to that. I've been here for three months, and this is my first time going out. Tory wanted to take me out a few times when she and Anton would be going out, but I always felt like a third wheel, and I would always decline. Plus, I haven’t been interested in anything, but this is a staff function, and I am staff, or at least that’s what I’m telling myself, so I can feel better about crushing on my boss’s brother.I have never had a crush on anyone before; I’ve always felt relationships were not my thing, which is why I’m single. I dated a guy for a year after I turned eighteen, but something was lacking, something I couldn’t explain, so after I made him miserable enough, he broke up with me. But there was something about Paris when we locked eyes. I felt something lift; for a moment, my thoughts and body were not my own. I had a strange warm feeling that I couldn't put into words. It felt like I was breathing for the first time."Maybe coming to this party isn’t a good idea," I think to myself, or at least that’s what I thought until Tory asks why, bringing me back to reality and making me realize I said it aloud."I know you're not a social person, but you’re going to be fine. I've got you," she says, reaching for my hand before I can reply, and I believe her. I always feel safe with her around; it’s always been that way. She was always the fiercer one of the two of us.The car eventually slows down, and I look outside the window to see us stop in front of a huge mansion."Is this Anton’s place?" I ask Tory, placing the empty glass down as the driver opens the door for us, and she says no."It’s a relative's place," she adds, stepping out of the car after me while I look in awe. Just then, a voice speaks on our right, and we look to find Anton walking up to us. He and Tory hug and kiss before he looks at me and asks how I’m doing. I tell him I'm good, and he compliments us. We head inside, and my eyes widen upon finding the place packed. Some of the faces I haven’t met yet, and Tory tells me they are from other companies our boss also owns. Anton escorts us to where he is seated before making a speech, seeming to have been waiting for us.I look around as he does, my eyes desperately searching for a familiar face, but I don’t see him. Where is he? I turn to Tory to ask, but the mention of his name snaps my attention back to Anton. He says he has urgent business to attend to and won’t be joining us this evening, and my sluty heart hits rock bottom.I feel Tory’s hand on mine, and I look at her to find a sad look in her eyes as she gives my hand a gentle squeeze, and that does it. I’m snapping out of this madness. He’s not my boyfriend. I don’t even know him. Why in the hell am I acting like this? Who am I right now? I return Tory’s smile and assure her I’m fine. Her smile widens, but the sad look doesn't leave her eyes. I have to snap out of this nonsense. She was looking forward to tonight, and I’m not going to drag down my best friend over some random guy. I’m not like this. Why was Anton even mentioning him here? It’s not like this party has anything to do with him. I also didn’t miss the hundreds of disappointed eyes in the room at the mention of his absence. It’s probably best he's not coming because it’s clear I’m not the only one who came to see him.Anton comes back to our table, but my eyes widen when he starts explaining why Paris isn't coming, and I cut him off, narrowing my eyes at Tory. She told him? Now I feel even more ashamed. She gives me a guilty look just as the server brings drinks to our table and the music starts. I grab a glass and down it, without words to express my embarrassment. I can’t believe Tory just did that. Now Anton probably thinks I'm a psycho.Two guys walk over to our table and introduce themselves, but I’m not interested. I want to drink until I don’t remember why I came here...............................Hours later............................"Do you want to dance?" Tory asks, getting to her feet and giving me her hand. I nod, taking it and letting her lead me to the dance floor. It’s just after midnight, and I have almost successfully drowned my sorrows in alcohol. “You know we can go home anytime you want, right?"“Why? Don’t I look happy?"“No, you do. I'm just letting you know," Tory says over the music, and I give her a reassuring smile. But it doesn't last long when a woman who looks fresh off a catalog enters, escorted by two males. "Who’s that?" I ask, looking at the glowing young woman in a shimmering gold dress, and I watch how she smiles looking at Anton, who gets up and hugs her.“Stefania," Tory replies with a tone that gives me the feeling she isn't too fond of her, looking at them as the girl takes a seat next to Anton, and they start chatting. I open my mouth to say she’s beautiful, also noticing how everyone has quickly gathered around her like she’s some royalty; even her presence feels intense, but the words die in my throat when the green eyes I've longed for all night enter, causing an instant warm, swoony feeling in my stomach."He’s here," I whisper, letting go of Tory as my heart starts acting crazy, and just then, our eyes lock. He stops and holds my gaze, and I cease to breathe as everything fades to the background. But I’m snapped out of the trance by a hand on his chest, taking his gaze away from me. Stefania lovingly gazes at him, and they hug before she laces their fingers and leads him to the table. My hand flies to my neck, feeling a lump in my throat while tears pool in my eyes."I need to step outside," I softly mutter, failing to hold back my tears, and I run the moment I’m out of the hall. I slide inside the elevator, and I don’t even know what number I press before sinking to the floor and breaking down. What the hell is wrong with me? Why am I so bothered?The elevator opens, and I get out and see stairs going up, and I take them even though I have no idea where they lead. They lead me to the roof, and I stagger, suddenly drunker than a few minutes ago, as I desperately wipe away my tears that won't stop falling, scolding myself for acting so crazy. But just then, a voice speaks behind me, and I freeze. I slowly turn around, still a crying mess, but my traitorous heart skips a beat, looking at the cause of my misery.“Hi," he says, taking slow steps up to me, and the world and everything in it stops for the second time tonight, and the next thing I know, I'm taking long strides toward him. He meets me halfway and crashes his lips against mine. My hands fly to his neck, and I feel my left shoe drop as I wrap my legs around his waist when he lifts me up. I don't even look back at the shoe. All I can feel is him, and I want more. I want him to put out the fire he's ignited in my soul..............Evaki.............“Ah!” I moan, tilting my head to the side as his lips find the sweet spot on my neck. My hands move to his chest, and I undo his buttons with haste while his lips devour mine like it’s their favorite meal, our tongues fighting for dominance. I chuck the shirt aside but gasp in surprise when he suddenly pins my hands above my head and pushes me against the wall before resuming his sweet torture on my neck. My back presses against the cold paint, and I welcome its cooling sensation as my whole body starts to burn while the lace piece of clothing I have underneath dampens. My eyes flutter shut, but they fly open again when he suddenly turns me around to see a huge mirror covering the side of the wall. “You smell so good,” he growls against my ear, his voice sounding inhumane. I don’t know how he did that, but it covers my whole body in goosebumps, and I shiver, letting out another loud moan and tilting my head more to the side to grant him more access
.........Tory.........“Who is she, really?” Eva asks, stepping up to me before I can reply to her first question, and I swallow hard because, one, I don’t know how to explain the situation to her, and two, it’s not my place. “I thought you said he wasn’t seeing anyone,” she adds, and my heart clenches at the hurt look in her eyes.“He isn’t,” I start, still unsure what to say. I feel like I owe her since I got involved by telling her he wasn’t seeing anyone. I shouldn't have done that, but I couldn’t say I didn’t know since she already knew he was Anton’s brother; she would have known I was lying. Plus, I was too excited and happy they were mates. I was happy that my best friend was mated to a good man. She’s been through a lot and deserves all the love. So, the whole mess about Stefania flew out the window, and I started rambling, and now I don’t know what to say.“Don’t lie to me,” she says with teary eyes, and I take her hands.“I’m not lying. They aren’t seeing each other.”“Th
...............Stefania..............."I’m sorry, I-I will come back in the morning," Paris stutters for the first time in his life, turning to walk away, but I grab his hand, causing him to stop. "It’s okay; I wasn’t sleeping." I gently pull him inside, and he enters, the look in his eyes scaring me. I ask him if he would like anything, closing the door behind him, and he says he’s fine. We head to the living area and sit down.Paris and I are not mated yet, but we’ve been friends for so long I can almost feel his emotions. I can tell when he’s deeply troubled, and right now, he is. I’m not going to let him leave here until I’m sure he’s okay.He and I are getting married in ten months, and the kingdoms have begun to rejoice over the long-awaited union. Everyone is in high spirits – everyone except me. I’m dead inside, and every day that passes takes a piece of my heart with it. Our marriage is not out of love. Well, at least not on his part. Our fathers arranged it for differen
.........Tory........."Are you okay?" I ask Evaki seeing her staring at her phone, but she doesn’t hear me, making me worry even more. "Hey, Eva?" I call her again, and she looks up at me, apologizing, saying she didn’t get what I was saying. I ask again if she’s okay, and she says she is. "I don’t think I’m going to be able to go in tomorrow," she says, causing me to look at her again and ask her why not. "I’m not feeling well," she replies, looking away from me, and I ask what’s wrong and if she would like me to take her to the doctor, even though I know she’s going to decline. I know she’s not sick. I heard how fast her heart beat when she said that, and I think I know the real reason she doesn’t want to go. She’s scared she might bump into Paris. Eva hasn’t heard from Paris since their encounter, and it’s stressing her out, but she doesn’t want to say it because she doesn't understand the feelings she's caught. So she’s fighting them, thinking they make her seem desperate sinc
.........Paris .........Eva buried herself against the wall, shaking while still screaming her lungs out as I stepped up to her, and I shifted back to my human form, my heart breaking seeing her like this. “My love, I will never hurt you," I try to reassure her, taking another small step toward her, but she stomps her feet, freaking out even more, and I stop, raising my hands to show her I mean no harm. She tries to run, but there's nowhere to run and I open my mouth to try and calm her down again, but she lunges for the dresser and picks up a pair of scissors."Eva-" I start to say, but my eyes widen when she holds it against her neck. Goddess, why? I beg her not to hurt herself, stepping further away from her toward the door, not knowing what else to do. I open the door, so Tory can hear me say I will call her, scared she won't listen to me and hurt herself. I've never had to reveal myself to a human before, and I've never seen anyone as terrified as she is right now. She’s not
..........Evaki.........."No," I shake my head, tears streaming down my cheeks, and it moves closer. I tell it to stop, but it doesn’t listen, causing me to look around in panic while burying myself more against the door even though I know there's nowhere else to go."I don’t want to be your queen. I want to go home, please. If you let me go, I swear I will leave this place, and I will never tell anyone about you or your father," I beg, turning my face away, unable to look at it. But I gasp, feeling the familiar warmth spread across my chest before covering my whole body in goosebumps when it places its hand under my chin. My heart starts beating faster as I slowly look up and lock eyes with it for the first time since this happened."You are my soulmate, Evaki. You are my heart—my gift from the Gods, and I would die before I hurt you," it says, taking my hand and placing it on its heart while I seem unable to take my gaze away from it, and I believe it. I don't know how and I don'
..........Kyros ..........When I returned to my room, I had told myself I was going to wait until I got home to ask my father, as I felt this wasn't something to be discussed over the phone, but I couldn’t wait. If there was a chance he was my brother, I had to know then. Plus, I couldn’t think of anything else, so I called him. At first, he didn't want to talk; he said we would talk when I got home, but to me, that was already an admission, and I grew more impatient. So, I forced him to talk, and he said the guy was my brother, and even though everything told me he was, I was still shocked. I didn’t look like the woman I knew as my mother. I look like my father, but instead of black hair, I have blond hair. My father told me my mother was a human. After he met his mate, he took me from my mother. He said he and my mother decided it was better that he raised me since my mother knew nothing about wolves. He told me she was also still living with her parents when she had me, and it
..........Paris .........."You never have to fear me, Evaki. I will never hurt you, my love. I know this is a lot to take in, and I will give you all the time you need, but please give me a chance," I assure her, cupping her face when pulling back from the hug, my eyes pleading with hers after she asks me if I killed her parents. Another tear escapes her eye, skepticism and doubt etched on her face, and I didn’t think my heart could ache any more than it already does seeing her like this, but I was wrong because it feels like someone just punched a hole through my chest. I have to make her believe me. I have to make her see that she’s my heart and that we are made for each other."I know I frightened you. I know you are confused and we just met, but I swear to you, I love you. You are my soulmate, the one I’ve been searching for my whole life. I know you can feel it too. That connection we have is undeniable, and it’s real, my love. You don't know me, so I won't ask you to trust m
.......Tory.......My heart skips a beat and my eyes widen before tears quickly fill my eyes, taking in the breathtaking sight that greets us as we arrive at Antonis' father’s kingdom. I look at him to see a surge of emotions overwhelm him as he looks at me, his eyes mirroring mine, reflecting a mixture of joy, relief, and gratitude. The people have come out in droves to welcome us. The king and council pardoned Antonis, but we weren’t sure how the people felt, especially since they had been under the rule of someone with ulterior motives for so long. Dimitris might not have been the official ruler, but he still ruled, and many were born under his rule.We step out of the car and onto a raised platform, where we can see the sea of faces in the crowd. There are men, women, and children of all ages smiling and waving enthusiastically. I can feel the love and admiration radiating from the crowd, and a tear slips from my eye at the genuine warmth and acceptance we are receiving.Overwh
........................Author's POV......................................................Two months later..............................As the sun sets over the picturesque landscape, Evaki and Paris stand in awe of the serene beauty that surrounds them. They are attending a private wedding ceremony as witnesses, a momentous occasion for the brides and grooms. The couples look radiant, their eyes filled with love and excitement for the future.Evaki is wearing a silver gown with a regal silhouette that exudes elegance and grace. Paris stands next to her in a silver tunic tailored to exude sophistication and prestige, his hand resting on her lower back as they stand side by side. They are honored to be part of this special day, supporting their friends and family as they embark on their journey as husband and wife. Maia looks like the queen that she is in an exquisite masterpiece crafted from the finest burgundy silk, the color of Antonis's house. Kyros stands next to her in a g
........................Author’s POV......................."What’s happening Paris, please? And don’t tell me it’s nothing. Why do you reek of blood? What’s all this?" Evaki bombards Paris with questions, and Paris cuts her off, saying it’s Stefania. Evaki’s heart immediately accelerates, her eyes widening as she asks him what’s wrong with Stefania, her voice trembling with fear. Ever since she arrived, she couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong, and after her mother-in-law told her she couldn't see Stefania, she became more alarmed. Her mind starts racing. Is Stefania dead? Did she die in childbirth? Did she not wake up from the Lycan process? She starts asking herself but her thoughts are cut short by Paris’s voice, telling her that Stefania was not who they thought, confusing her."What do you mean?""She lied, Eva. She manipulated me; she hurt you. She…" Paris chokes on the lump that quickly inflates in his throat, and Eva cups his face, but Paris quickly turns
.........Evaki.........Confusion clouds my thoughts as I struggle to comprehend what's happening. My brother is supposed to be dead, buried in the ground, and yet here he is, standing in the flesh before me. My thoughts spiral into a whirlwind of questions while my heart pounds in my chest, echoing loudly in my ears and causing my hands to start trembling. I stare into the eyes that mirror my late brother’s. The same unruly mop of blonde hair, the same sharp jawline, and the same mischievous smile that used to light up our childhood memories. It can’t be."Everett?" I whisper again, my voice barely above a whisper, and my eyes wide with confusion as he takes small, cautious steps towards me, his eyes fixed on mine. His hand reaches out slowly, tentatively, as if afraid I might disappear if he moves too quickly."Hello, sister," he says, his voice choking with tears as I lean into the familiar touch. "My name is Kyros. I never met our mother, and I just found out that she never tol
.........Evaki ........The grandeur of the palace looms before us as we step out of the car, and my eyes widen with a new sense of wonder. My transformation into a wolf has heightened my senses beyond anything I could have imagined, making me see the world with a clarity I have never experienced before. The colors are richer, the textures are more defined, and the scents are incredibly distinct. I can even identify the faint scent of humans, which surprises me as they are nothing like what I imagined. Wolves can always tell when a person is human before they even see them, and I thought that meant humans had the same scent, but it turns out they don't. Humans have different scents, with the only common denominator being the strength of their scents, which are very weak compared to those of wolves. Everyone smells good, but Paris smells divine and intoxicating. I even found myself sniffing him on the plane.I look at him as we make our way toward our quarters, and my brows furrow
........Tory .........I look back as we enter the forest, even though I know the house is sealed and the baby is safe. I also have a monitor and will be able to check on him if he wakes up. I didn't want to bring him out here, but I couldn't miss witnessing this very special moment as my friend joins me on the supernatural side. Paris sets her down, and the elders walk up to check on her. We are outside in a clearing in the forest at the back of our place. The gods need to witness her first change and release their blessing upon her, so she had to be brought out here and make her first shift under the moonlight that is shining brightly above us, as though also celebrating with us. It's also the only source of light.I take a deep breath, the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves filling my nostrils and creating a sense of contentment deep within me. I love the fresh and earthy smell of the forest. I was terrified when Paris arrived with the two elders since Eva began this journe
.......................Author’s POV .......................Dimtris is still standing by the window, his mind racing with thoughts of his elaborate plot to usurp Veseleios, when the room's door clicks open. He turns, quickly fixing his face as he does, ready to shower Veseleios with a fake compliment about something he saw in the fields, but his breath catches in his throat when his eyes lock with Maia's.He doesn’t even register the uncannily Evaki look-alike next to her until a second later. "Daughter," he mumbles, his body turning cold, the look on Maia’s face sending shivers down his spine as it screams his worst fears. He wasn't kind to her the last time he saw her, and he knows she killed Charon.He quickly composes himself while thinking of how to get out of this. Charon was supposed to mark her and tell her who she was. His eyes quickly trail down to her neck, and she doesn’t have a mark, which means he didn’t mark her, but what about the truth of who she is? He can see in he
...............Stefania...............My heart races in my chest as the elder leads me to the room, and I look at my father, who's being escorted by the king to another room. He nods at something the king says, carefree with no worry in the world, while I'm dead inside. My mind is a whirlwind of anxiety, fear, and pain—the pain of losing my brother and mother. They never wanted any of this, and now they are dead. I only asked my father what killed Charon because I didn't need to ask what killed my mother. I already knew that losing her son killed her. He said he didn't know; he's waiting for the guards he sent to Red Lake to get back to him. But I knew he was lying to me. He knows because he said we can't let their deaths be in vain, which means my brother was killed doing his dirty bidding for this stupid plan that has now ended our family."This way," the elder softly says, gesturing for me to go down the stairs, and I can feel my palms growing sweaty as I clutch onto my skirts,
..........Paris ..........Antonis's voice booms over the phone. His eyes are burning with urgency as he barks orders to the guards, telling them to close all exits and stop King Dimitris and Stefania from leaving. My father and I stand frozen in shock, listening to him."Antonis, what's going on?" Father demands again, walking up to him. "Why are you closing the airport? What madness is this?" Father grabs him by the shoulders, stilling him."He's a traitor. All this time, he's been planning to kill us all. He wants to become a Lycan," he says, shocking us and Father asks him what he's talking about."You are not making sense; what are you saying? Who told you this?" he asks, now cupping his face and Antonis says it's the maid's daughter, Stefania's adopted sister."How? When?" Father asks, and I ask if she was the one mind-linking him, since this is all happening after the mind-link. He says yes, confusing us even more. Father demands that he sit down, take a breath, and then tell