The Alpha: Claiming His Enemy's Daughter
Chapter 66: I AM IN PAIN

Chapter 66: I AM IN PAIN

"I have to let you go if you act out again." Cane cherished the woman before him, but their objectives were completely different.

He couldn’t risk having her creating an internal conflict at will with the power he gave her. She was smart, but he didn’t appreciate her using it to drift the people apart.

Cane had noticed her jealousy, but he didn’t do anything about it because that was not something important to him.

However, after realizing how she could influence a mass of people to take her side and how smoothly she made people sway to her tune, he knew she could be troublesome for him one day if he didn’t stop her immediately.

Even though he didn’t want it to be like this, he needed to let her go if she didn’t listen to him going forward. He had a grand plan in his mind and he needed to get rid of any disturbance and if she turned out to be one of them, he didn’t have any other choice.

Aria staggered when she heard what Cane said, especially when she knew how serious he was with every warning that he delivered. "Wh- what do you mean you want to let me go?" A tear escaped her eyes, her vision was blurry while her heart ached so badly.

"I want you to stand down, Aria," Cane said firmly. "Enjoy your life, you are no longer a slave now. Buy clothes that you want and also jewelry, go to places that you want to visit. Live your life." Cane approached her and caressed her head. "Don’t turn into a monster that you are not."

Aria was stunned when Cane touched her gently. The way he caressed her head showed how much he cared for her, but not in the way Aria was thinking or wanted him to.

"That’s the only way for me to repay what you have done for me in the past, since I can’t give myself to you, because there is nothing left of me." Cane put down his hand and looked at her, exhausted. "There are already so many monsters out there, I don’t want you to be one of them."

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The flowers kept coming even after two weeks of Iris being unconscious. Grace and Ardand, the former head healer, had done everything within their power. Even after they got her the rarest herbs, she was still unconscious.

Her room right now smelled of roses and fresh flowers. Hanna made sure to take care of everything there and give Iris’ medicine on time. Sometimes, Amee and Grilla would come to see Iris, yet there was nothing significant that had happened.

During the third week after the event, the tents in the front yard were taken down because all the people had healed and those who needed extra care could get it in their respective houses, since their lives were no longer in danger.

They had buried the dead already and the houses that had been destroyed during the attack had been rebuilt as well. Everything went smoothly without any hiccups because the pack could fund it without any problems with the treasury that they found with the help of Iris.

Things would be perfect if she could just wake up now, considering how many people wanted to express their gratitude to her and how they regretted what they had done to her.

Some people were still skeptical, especially those, who were not there to hear Hanna’s outburst, but the number of those people was nothing compared to the others who kept praying and sending flowers, asking about Iris’ wellbeing.

They kept saying their prayers fervently when they were told that Iris was still unconscious while Hanna refused to step out of the bedroom if it was not necessary. She was afraid to leave her missy alone. She didn’t believe those people and for a while, she didn’t even believe Amee and Grilla to be left with Iris alone.

The two of them were there and did nothing to help when the incident happened, regardless of what they believed about Iris. How could they watch someone be stoned to death callously? So was the case with Grace, but Hanna couldn’t help but trust her, since she was a healer and there was Ardand too.

"Ah... I forgot..." Hanna muttered to herself how clumsy she was for forgetting to get a jar of honey. Amee was here a few hours ago and she should have gone to fetch it from the kitchen, but she forgot because both of them chatted lightly and once again, Amee apologized to her and the unconscious Iris. "I have been so forgetful recently..."

Hanna clicked her tongue and went out of the bedroom, she was half running when she turned at the corner and almost ran into Will who just exited the alpha’s study room.

"Are you okay?" Will was surprised to see Hanna’s face up close, this was their first encounter after that unfortunate event befell on Iris.

"Oh, yes. I am fine." Hanna immediately steadied herself, she looked a little bit embarrassed. "I am sorry, I shouldn’t be running around like that."

"No harm has been done. Don’t worry." Will looked at her slightly pale face. She must have not slept well during these few weeks since her missy was still unconscious. "Where are you going? You seem to be in a hurry."

"I am going to the kitchen to get a jar of honey. I am running out of it. It has to be mixed with the other medicines."

Hanna was about to bid him goodbye and continue to go to the kitchen, but then she realized Will was following her.

She turned her head and looked at him.

"I will help you to carry the honey." That was what he said and Hanna muttered a small ’thank you’, while they walked toward the kitchen together and Will ended up taking four jars of honey with him, so Hanna wouldn’t need to run back and forth for it.

At this point, Hanna was allowed to take anything from the kitchen per the alpha’s permission. She even got meals with larger chunks of meat than she usually got, which she was grateful for.

On their way back, both of them didn’t talk much, though they were slowing down their steps and seemingly wanted to start a conversation, yet they didn’t know what to say.

In the end, even until they reached Iris’ bedroom, not a single word left their lips.

Will then silently put all four jars on the table, he glanced at Iris for a brief moment and felt bad for her, remembering how their people had mistreated her.

"It still surprises me that she had done all of those things at such a young age," Will said, as he looked at Hanna, who was starting to grind the herbs because it was time for Iris to take her medicine. "Why didn’t you speak up sooner?"

Hanna wanted to tell Grace that the medicine didn’t work, because Iris had not yet woken up, but then she didn’t know any better.

"She actually didn’t want me to say anything about it," Hanna replied, as she looked at Iris warmly.

"But, why?"

"Because according to her, it will not help with the situation and it will not change anything," Hanna muttered and recalled what Iris said. "One of the reasons is because she was afraid that no one would want to eat the food if they knew it came from her. In that case, all her efforts will be in vain."

What Iris was afraid of was not baseless, because Will also thought the same, with the hatred that they had for alpha Gerald and his son, receiving food and help from Iris could be misinterpreted and even though they accepted it, they wouldn’t eat it with an easy mind. It would only add to their complicated thoughts.

They wouldn’t feel the pure joy and gratitude as they felt whenever Hanna and her friends came sneaking in some food and medicine.

"Why didn’t you say anything after? You could have saved her if the alpha knew about it."

"Will you believe it?" Hanna asked point blank. "Before what happened, I have told everyone about Miss Iris, that she is not like her father, but not a single soul believed me."

Even if they had the slightest faith in Iris or Hanna’s words, they wouldn’t have done the thing that they did to her.

"Even now, there are still people who question my story and intentions, right?" Hanna smiled at Will sadly.

Meanwhile, Will understood why Iris didn’t want to be exposed and what her concern was.

"I am not an angel like you said, that entire ’angel’ image actually belongs to her." Hanna shifted her attention toward Iris, smiling warmly. "She is an angel. Her heart was so pure, but she suffered so much. In fact, I only knew about your condition because she witnessed you being tortured."

There was silence between them after that statement, until Will cleared his throat awkwardly and then looked at Hanna.

"Yes, I am very grateful for what she has done, she is kind and... different from her father." Hearing that admission, Hanna turned toward him and looked at the man with gratitude. "But, it doesn’t mean that you don’t deserve to receive our gratitude. You played a huge role and for me, you are like an angel. My view of you didn’t change at all." And he hastily added before it became more awkward. "So was the case with everyone else."

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A month passed and things went uneventfully. The fortress had been strengthened, houses had been rebuilt and people started to trade again, while Iris was still unconscious.

There were a few problems here and there, but everything was still under control, especially since they had the funds.

An urgent problem that Cane had to face right now was; the orphans. Those children, whose parents died during the attack and had their house destroyed. He didn’t have any idea what he needed to do with them. If they were a little bit older, he would send the boys to training and the girls to help with the other omegas in the pack house.

However, there was nothing that had been settled yet.

And another important problem was; the monster hunting. After the attack, it was proven that the monsters had grown significantly in number.

After a few long discussions, it was decided that the monster hunt would be held within four days from now and they would send the Blue Moon pack’s former warriors to venture deeper into the mountain.

In order to make sure that they did their job, none of them would be allowed to return without killing ten monsters each, which, of course, ensued an uproar for them.

But, it was easily suppressed when Stone reminded them that they had done the same thing for the past ten years and mocked them about how incompetent they were for whining over such a thing.

Redmond was the leader of the warriors and he looked agitated beyond words when, as a slave, he couldn’t change their impending fate to face the monsters.

"I know you are frustrated, but you will get used to being a slave at one point," Stone mocked him openly and this almost caused a ruckus if it was not for Cane stopping them in time.

But, the day before that would be so tense, since they wouldn’t be given the Rottingbane tea, which meant they would be able to shift into their beasts and entertain the funny idea of attacking them instead.

Thankfully, nothing like that happened after Cane gave a serious warning to Redmond that he wouldn’t hesitate to toss them all out of the fortress after cutting off their limbs.

And just like any other day, he went to visit Iris.

He didn’t do anything and just stood by the bedside and stared at her for ten minutes and then left again without saying anything.

But, this ten minutes tonight happened to be the time when Iris finally opened her eyes, after being unconscious for a month long.

Cane’s jaw ticked when he saw Iris groggily open her eyes. She took her surroundings in and met his eyes.

"How are you feeling?"

"I... I am in pain..." Iris replied absentmindedly.