89: SUFFER IN SILENCE

SUFFER IN SILENCE

Iris could fathom why Kaz was reluctant to let her stay in this bedroom per the alpha's instruction. This room must have been previously occupied by her, the alpha's mate. Luna Leane.

However, no matter how long Iris looked at this room, she couldn't see any semblance of someone as important as a luna ever staying here. This room was so dull, the only pieces of furniture inside were a bed and a cabinet. There were no ornaments whatsoever either. Even the floor was so cold without the rug.

There was no way a luna had occupied this room before. It was not that she wanted to complain just because this was her room now. The fact that she was placed next to Cane was already enough to let people know that the alpha didn't think of her any less.

"Iris," Jace called her, while knocking on the door softly.

But then, the beta remembered Iris couldn't hear him, thus he opened the door gingerly and found the young woman standing in the middle of the room, staring at her surroundings.

Cane was right. This room was nothing like Leana's room.

Jace strode inside and tapped Iris' shoulder lightly which startled her. Her big blue eyes widened upon seeing him and he knew why, but the beta didn't want to dwell on that.

"I am sorry for startling you," Jace said apologetically, as he smiled warmly. "I just want you to know that the alpha is looking for you."

Iris grew anxious, she bit her lip in the presence of Jace. "I- I will go see him," she said curtly. She tried to avoid his eyes, but she couldn't really turn around and ignore him.

Since that night in the library, Iris was trying to avoid the beta. She was so uncomfortable with the fact he had seen her in such a state with the alpha. She couldn't help but remember the appalling look on his face.

However, she couldn't turn away from him.

"But, do you know why the alpha needs me?" Iris asked, she really needed to take a bath now.

"I don't know." Jace wanted to ask the same question to Cane, but seeing how dark his mood was, he couldn't bring himself to inquire about it.

Actually, there was another thing that he needed to say to Iris, which he kept mulling over for a while. Out of nowhere, he decided now was the right time to say it to her.

"Iris." Jace turned around and she lifted her head to look at him. Her bright blue eyes were gloomy. "I know what Cane has done to you was not right, but I hope you can understand that sometimes he is not in his right mind. He is fighting with the demons inside him and sometimes he loses it."

Iris didn't need to ask what event that he was talking about, because she was well aware of it. She didn't respond to that, but she paid close attention to what Jace was saying.

"I am not asking you to forgive him if you don't want to, but please be patient with him. He has a huge responsibility that is too big for him to handle. I am afraid he will turn into the monster that he hates even when it is not the new moon."

Iris wetted her lips nervously and nodded. "I understood."

A dreary smile tugged the corners of Jace's lips up. "Thank you. I am leaving him in your hands." He didn't know why Cane asked for her, but if worse came to worst, he needed to reduce the damage of the aftermath by warning Iris.

And after Jace left, Iris stared at the closed door and let his words sink in. It took her a few minutes before she could collect herself and then go to the room next to hers.

She knocked and stayed put for a while, waiting for Cane to open the door for her, since there was no way for her to hear the answer.

It took a rather long time for the door to be opened and the alpha appeared in his fatigue state. His eyes were as sharp as ever, but he looked spent.

Cane didn't say anything, but he left the door open for her, as Iris entered the room and stared at his bedroom. There was nothing significant in this room, it was the same as hers, only there was a huge table behind the window for him to work at and the floor was carpeted with a comfy and soft rug, thus it was less cold.

Meanwhile outside, the rain was pelting on the windows, the bright sky had turned so dark now. There would probably be another storm tonight.

Iris shifted her attention from the window and looked at the alpha, who gestured for her to sit down at his working table.

She was confused about what he was going to do with her. Did he tell her to lay on the table? The thought of it sent shivers down her spine, she knew only one thing would happen if he indeed commanded her to do that.

"Not on the table, sit on the chair," Cane said with a deep frown and watched Iris gingerly sit on a chair, as if that thing would gobble her up.

"I heard you can understand the Andel language." Andel language was used in the Andelus continent, the place where the holy kingdom was, Serafims came from that same continent too.

"Yes."

Thankfully, even though her father was twisted, he provided her with the best education and Iris was a quick learner. She could actually understand the Andel language and two other languages in this realm.

"I want you to decipher this." Cane gave her five scrolls, apparently documents. "Translate two documents and after that, you can go. Wake me up when you are done with them."2

After that, he gave her papers, quills and ink before he went to bed, lay down and closed his eyes.

Cane really needed to get it down, but the throbbing in his head wouldn't recede. He needed to lie down for a while. Another reason why he needed Iris to do it was not only because she would save him the time, but because he actually realized her scent helped him to relax a lot.

He noticed this on their way to the pack house when she rode the horse with him. Something about her made him feel relaxed a bit. Maybe because they were mates now and no matter what and how she got marked, they were still mates and she bore his mark, which meant the mate bond was starting to grow between them.

Cane stopped his train of thought, he was too spent to add more to the things that he needed to think of, thus with Iris' sweet scent filling this room, he fell asleep without so much trouble. It was the dreamless sleep that he needed the most, without any nightmares from his torturing moments and the loss of people that he cherished.

On the other hand, Iris glanced at Cane every now and then. Deciphering the documents was an easy task for her, thus she actually had plenty of time, but on the other hand, she couldn't help but smile.

"You are really making the most of me." There was no sinisterness in her words, but this tranquility actually felt nice. The sound of pelting rain against the windows and the wind outside, also the crackling sound in the fireplace, were the only sounds that could be heard in this room.

In the end, Iris deciphered all the five scrolls and went to wake Cane up from his sleep, just like what he told her to do. She came closer to him and looked at his sleeping face.

His brows were knitted and under the light of the candles, his scar was clearly visible. If he was not a shifter with a great healing ability, he would have died by now from all the torture that he had to go through.

Iris felt something tug at her heartstrings to see him like this.

Even after the slavery, he was still trapped by his duty as the alpha. Now, Iris understood what Jace had said to her earlier.

It was a huge responsibility for Cane to take care of all of his pack members. He would die for them and vice versa. And that thought made Iris think…

If someone relied on you so much, how could you show your weakness? Did he even have someone to talk to about the pain of shouldering his responsibilities? About what he actually felt? What he actually wanted?

Iris didn't think so.

Even though Cane was close with his beta and gamma, knowing his personality, he would endure everything alone in silence.

"Alpha…" Iris called him softly, but he didn't wake up, thus she shook his arm lightly, which woke him up instantly. His sharp eyes were directed at her, he was on high alert, just like a warrior in the middle of a battle.

It must have become a habit of his to be sober almost in an instant.

It took Cane a while to realize that he was in his own bedroom and the person before him was his mate, not some sort of enemy. He lowered his eyes and pushed himself into a sitting position.

"I am done translating the documents, can I leave?" Iris was in urgent need to take a bath.

"Yes, you can leave," Cane murmured and got off the bed, as Iris left.

He went to the table and saw her nice handwriting and noticed that she had indeed translated all the five scrolls. 

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