The Alpha: Claiming His Enemy's Daughter
Chapter 865: BARGAINING WITH ABBY

Chapter 865: BARGAINING WITH ABBY

"His spirit is fine, because I took the brunt of it, but his body is very weak. He can move because of my will power only," Lu sulked. He avoided Iris eyes and scoffed.

Iris knew it would hurt Lu’s feeling when she asked about Cane, but he needed to know that he was not the one her heart desire.

"Lu, you know very well that I am not Na." Iris wanted to say that Na had gone, but she didn’t have a heart to point out the obvious, since she was sure, Lu was well aware of that. "You look for her within me, but I am not her. You know that too, right?"

Lu still avoided her eyes and this made Iris sat down and talked to him even gentler.

"I love you, Lu, because you are part of Cane and you love me not because of me, but because of the remnant of the woman you love. Just like how you only want your Na, I also only want Cane." Iris caressed his head. "Give Cane back to me, okay?"

"I want a hug." Lu didn’t wait for Iris to give him a hug when he pulled her against his chest and Iris allowed him to do so. He had been very clingy to her, but not once he mentioned about sex.

It seemed, no matter how hard Lu tried to deny it, he knew Na had gone, thus it was so wrong for him to have such intimacy with Iris, just like how she couldn’t do it whenever Lu occupied Cane’s body.

However, Lu was still clinging to the only thing that reminded him of Na, which was Iris. Though Na had gone, Iris had her power and some of her memories.

Iris was the closest thing to Na and Lu helplessly held onto it.

"He needs more time to rest." In the end, Lu only said that.

"Okay." Iris sighed. She felt relief because it meant, Cane was still there. He would return to her at some point. It was fine for him to rest, Iris could wait for him...

The next day, Lu woke up grumpily, because he was still sleepy, thus he continued to sleep inside the carriage, while Iris looked around, checking on the people about the preparation and gave some tasks to the pack member of Diandem pack while they were away. She took care of everything very well, more than people expected of her.

Right now, the warriors treated her with the utmost respect. They would bow politely at her whenever they saw her.

Iris thought, this was what she wanted, this was what she really desired that people finally saw her in bright light and she could escape from the curse of being Gerald’s daughter and finally people saw her for the way she was.

However, Iris didn’t feel as happy as she thought. It was nice for them not to see her with hostility, but that was all.

She did everything that she had done not because she sought their acknowledgment, but because she wanted to and she was able to do so, it had nothing to do with her desire to be part of them like she used to think in the past.

There were so many important things that became her concern right now and their acceptance was no longer her priority, but because of how she saw things from different perspective, it became easier for her.

"Where is he?" Ethan approached Iris when he saw her walked alone among the warriors and the pack member of Diandem pack, giving them instruction and simply talked to them.

"He is in the carriage, sleeping."

Ethan stopped looking around. "I wonder where he is, since you are alone." Whenever the lycan occupied Cane’s body, he wouldn’t leave Iris’s side, thus Ethan had his hope rather high to think Cane had returned. "What about... Cane? The warriors have been wondering about the alpha too, since they knew red eyes meant it’s not the alpha."

Iris then explained what Lu had told her and Ethan was visibly relief. "At the very least, we know that we don’t need to deal with the lycan forever." He liked the way Lu ended the meeting with the elders, since he thought, he would be stuck in three to four hours boring meeting, but the lycan put it to end within less than half an hour!

But still, he needed the alpha. It made all the warriors nervous because their alpha was not here.

"I thought you like the lycan," Iris teased Ethan, reminded him of what he said before to Lu. "I think Lu likes you too."

"Well, it’s an achievement to be liked by the lycan. I would rather have him liked me than hated me." Ethan shuddered to think what the lycan could do, but then he lowered his voice, as if he was afraid Lu suddenly appeared and listened to their conversation. "Don’t tell Lu that I asked this, okay?"

Iris laughed with his request. "I thought you said it yourself that everyone loves you, in that case, there is no way Lu will hate you."

Iris was in good mood, she teased Ethan relentlessly and the gamma could only laugh and tease her back. It felt so nice and their life felt normal when they had this banter, talking about trivial thing, or laughing at something foolish.

But then, Ethan’s voice became a little bit serious. "I want to thank you. I have not yet thanked you properly because the situation has been very hectic, but I really appreciated what you have done to save my life."

"Being very serious doesn’t suit you, Ethan." Iris smiled gently at the gamma.

"How can’t I be serious when I thank you for saving my life." Ethan sighed deeply, he lifted his head and stared at the sky. "I thought I would die, because the pain from that disease was very unbearable. But, then I saw Aliana was crying for me and I have this ridiculous thought; at least, I know that she cared, with this I could go with content."

"Don’t be silly, Aliana always cares about you. Even if she doesn’t like you romantically, she still cares about you." Iris saw Ethan’s ears turned red and he became timid. "What is it? Something happened between you two?"

"N- nothing!" Ethan denied it too fast, which only made Iris became more suspicious.

"What is it? Tell me!" Iris scooted closer, wanted to get the tea from the gamma.

"Actually..." Ethan scratched his head awkwardly, as he looked around him, making sure no one would listen to this conversation. "I kissed her the other night and she didn’t push me away..." Ethan bit his lip. "I think she even reciprocated it..."

Iris gasped, her blue eyes lit up, she was beaming when she heard that. "Ethan!" She was so happy for him, as if she was the one, who got kissed by the person she loved. "I am sure she started to open her eyes for you!"

"I am not sure about that..."

"She must be very scared of losing you that she finally realized she is in love with you!" Iris hyped him up.

"Well, in that case, I should thank the disease, but Aliana actually acted very normal after the kiss."

"Nahh..." Iris waved her hands to dismiss his doubt. "She must be embarrassed and surprised, but there is no doubt, she liked you!"

"But, she acted like she didn’t. I was so sad to think I was dreaming about that, she made it like it was a dream. Loving someone is annoying," Ethan grunted.

The two of them talked a little bit more about it, until Abby approached Iris and asked to talk with her. The two of them then went to Abby’s carriage to have a private talk.

Iris glanced at Abby’s stomach, she was still not showing under her dress and cloak. "I hope everything is well in your end."

"I can’t say so," Abby said bitterly. The pressure from the elders was still bearable, but it was only because they had something else to think of, but after everything was done, it would go south very fast for Abby, especially Cedric. They still assumed Cedric was the father.

"I thought they don’t allow you to go because of your condition."

The elders insisted for Abby to be left behind because of her pregnancy, because no matter what the baby might be the next Serafim. "I insisted to go."

And then silence.

Iris took a deep breath. This was not the reason why Abby asked to have a talk with her. "What do you want, Abby?" Iris asked.

Abby looked hesitant, but then there was this determination in her eyes when she looked at Iris. "I need your help."

Iris had guessed it. "What kind of help do you want?" She folded her arms in front of her chest, a gesture that said she was being defensive.

"I know there is no good for me to hold this title any longer. I don’t have power to hold onto it." Abby meant it, whether divine power or the power against the Holy Kingdom, she had none.

"And what you want from me?" Iris narrowed her eyes.

"Claim the title. I know you are more than capable to do it and with divine power you are holding now, you more than deserved it."

"You want me to shoulder the responsibility? And then what do you want?"

"I only need your protection."

"And what will you give me in return?"

"I will tell you about Rei."