Chapter 6

Iris Bennett's POV

There were so many things I wanted to say to Adrian. But I didn't want to hurt him. The current situation was the best solution I could think of.

"I just want to rest." I closed my eyes helplessly.

He didn't say another word. He just turned and left. The hospital room fell silent again. I lay there staring at the sky through the window.

"You should eat something, Iris." Amelia walked into the room.

"Don't worry, Adrian's out in the hallway chatting with Zoe right now. Honestly, I can't tell who's supposed to be the sick one here—Zoe or you. He's been comforting her this whole time!"

"She's helped me so much. It's only fair." I tried my best not to look as devastated as I felt, but tears were already streaming down my face.

If I could, I'd tell Zoe right now that I'd leave on my own. That I wouldn't make her sad. But she probably wouldn't believe me anyway.

"Okay, forget about that for now. Why did you suddenly insist on coming to Silvermoon Pack's hospital?" She sat down on the edge of my bed and placed her hand gently over mine.

"There are some things I need to handle. I can deal with it." My voice broke.

"Alright, sweetheart, take your time. You can tell me. Whatever it is, we'll face it together." Her voice was impossibly soft.

"Honestly, I've always thought Adrian wasn't right for you. He's powerful, sure, but with Zoe around..."

"Of course. But it's not just her. There's something else." I took a deep breath and decided to share my biggest secret with my closest friend.

"I'm pregnant."

"What? Moon Goddess!" she hissed under her breath.

"Whatever you decide—whether you keep the baby or not—you can trust me to help you through it."

Her words filled me with strength. No matter what, there were still people in this world who cared about me. I needed to find a way to live my life well.

"Of course. I'm going to keep him and live a good life. Now tell me—how's the pack doing?" I forced myself to change the subject.

Just days ago, rogue wolves had attacked Silvermoon Pack. In the past, Adrian had always been the one to help us clear out the rogues. But this time, his own pack was facing a crisis. He couldn't help us anymore.

I realized something then. I used to be a spoiled princess. Now I was Adrian's Luna. But I could never protect Silvermoon Pack the way a strong, capable Alpha could.

So what were they supposed to do?

"Not bad, actually! The Alpha's been a huge help!" She sounded cheerful at first. But then her tone shifted, as if she'd suddenly remembered something.

"Don't worry too much about the past. None of that was your fault. To Silvermoon Pack, you'll always be one of us. If you want to come back, we'll welcome you anytime."

"If there's anything I can do to help, please tell me." I slowed my words, making the promise as sincere as I could.

"I'll figure something out."

"Don't worry, it's already taken care of. Right now, you need to rest." Amelia smiled again.

"Do you want to stay at our hospital a few more days? I can arrange—"

"No. No, thank you. I have a lot to deal with." I glanced toward the door.

Zoe was leaning against Adrian. The light behind them cast long shadows, making the scene look like something out of a dream.

I couldn't watch anymore.

So what was I supposed to do after I left Adrian?

I thought about that question the entire ride back from the clinic. Even after I'd washed up and climbed into bed, my mind kept spinning.

During my time with Adrian, I'd gained some experience managing a pack. But it clearly wasn't enough for Silvermoon Pack. In my current position, I had no way of making the older wolves listen to me.

For an Alpha, that was practically a death sentence.

The only option left seemed to be becoming a rogue wolf. But if that happened, what would become of the baby in my belly? Just thinking about the kind of life he'd face made it impossible to stay calm.

"Think of something, Iris. Think! We can't just wander between territories with a pup!" My wolf howled in my mind.

"I know! But..." My mind went completely blank.

I needed to find the wolves who still trusted me. But that was the hardest part. Silvermoon Pack had essentially been absorbed into Adrian's pack, and because of that, many had chosen to leave. Where was I supposed to find them?

The Alpha had been paying a lot of attention to Silvermoon Pack lately, but I couldn't rely on him completely either.

My head was pounding. I gave up trying to think.

I didn't know how much time had passed when I felt someone unbuttoning my collar.

I opened my eyes groggily. A familiar figure was standing over me. He leaned down, the mattress sinking beneath his weight. My vision wouldn't focus, but I tried my best to look at him.

"Adrian?" I was completely confused.

I knew everything about him. There was no way I could be mistaken. But how could he possibly be here right now? When I'd been lying in that hospital bed, he'd been with Zoe. Their world only ever had room for each other.

I envied what they had. But that didn't mean I'd try to take what wasn't mine.

Either way, this would be the last time.

This had to be a dream.

I couldn't hold it in anymore. I started crying helplessly. I leaned into this false version of Adrian and wrapped my arms around his waist as tightly as I could.

"Because... because this is the last time. You don't belong to me. I know that."

My head was throbbing. I couldn't think straight.

"This has to be a dream. Otherwise, why would you come back to me?" I buried my face in the man's chest.

He smelled exactly like Adrian. Even my stomach didn't hurt as much anymore.

"Why do you think I'd leave you? You know that if you'd just ask me..."

His mouth kept moving. It looked like he was saying more, but my head was filled with a buzzing sound. I couldn't hear a word.

All I knew was that Adrian didn't belong to me. Soon, I'd be leaving this pack. I would treasure everything while I still could.

"It's just a dream anyway. I can do whatever I want." I kept repeating it to myself as I leaned up and kissed him fiercely.

Let me keep all my dreams in this moment. When the sun rose, Adrian and I would still be professional partners. We'd still manage our pack together—at least in name—until the day I finally left.