96: WHIMPERING IN PAIN

WHIMPERING IN PAIN

Cane had his back to Iris, so she didn't know what he was talking about until it aggravated Redmond, but she was speechless to read the warrior's statement.

"She can't do anything and will only slow us down. It will be troublesome if she gets sick! Have you forgotten how weak she is!?"

Iris grimaced. She was well aware that she could easily get sick and was thankful when Redmond stood up for her, but to say it blatantly to her face, especially when he spoke as if she was not there, rendered her unable to decide whether to thank him or get annoyed.

"If you are lucky, you can only bring four people with you! She will be only a waste of space!"

Iris frowned even more. This… his words… she felt so angry just to read that.

"It is not up to you to decide," Cane replied placidly. He didn't flinch at all to see the animosity in Redmond's eyes, he had gone through hell to be intimidated by a mere warrior. "Scram."

Redmond moved aside when he heard that cold voice without him realizing it. Such an intimidating aura was something that alpha Gerald would never have. That man was straightaway cruel and egotistic.

Outside, the rain was no longer pouring, but it was slightly drizzling and the petrichor emanating from the wet ground filled the air with a refreshing smell.

However, before he walked out of this tunnel, Cane turned around and frowned at Iris. "You are not going?"

Iris was surprised that he remembered her. Waving her hand at Redmond, because she didn't want to talk to him, since he upset her, she followed Cane to the pack house.

"Come, it is raining." Iris tilted her umbrella toward him, but he pushed it away.

"I am drenched already." There was no point in taking shelter under that shabby and small umbrella, when it was barely enough to keep her dry. The alpha was even more surprised that they could find an umbrella at all, since they didn't use them.

Both of them walked in this drizzle, while the sky started to get bright. It had been raining for the last few days, there wasn't a clear sky day since they arrived here.

"So, you decided to go to the black market?" Iris felt awkward walking side by side with Cane, while he didn't say anything. More so, she was curious about why he changed his mind.

Iris looked at Cane, but he didn't reply.

"What happened to the merchants?" Iris asked again, but she was greeted with silence. "Why do you need me to go?"

Cane still didn't want to reply, which made Iris stop asking him as she resumed walking in silence.

Once they were in the pack house, Iris thought Cane would immediately go somewhere, but he actually walked toward his room, which was next to hers, but before she entered her own room, he held the door.

"Tell Grace to prepare all the medicines that you will probably need for a long journey." Cane stared at her pale face. "Make sure you don't get sick on the way."

And after saying that, Cane strode into his bedroom and closed the door, leaving Iris in silence.

"I don't want to get sick as well, you know…"

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"You will go to the black market?" Hanna widened her eyes in surprise. She looked very concerned as she didn't think it was a good idea. "You have never traveled that far, Miss and from what I heard, it's a very dangerous place." She bit her lip nervously.

"I will go with the alpha," Iris reminded her.

Hanna frowned. "The alpha is so weird to ask you to go on this trip." It was not like he would protect her missy if something happened, right? He probably would rejoice if something bad befell on her.

Even though Hanna didn't show it, she was still holding a grudge about what happened to Iris when she almost died, being stoned by people. The alpha didn't even punish his mistress, despite knowing it was her who had provoked the people.

"Why don't you ask why he wants to bring you along?"

"I have asked about it, but he didn't reply." Yet, Iris had her own guess. Since it would be a long journey, no one could tell if he would be able to return before the new moon or not.

And for some odd reason, her presence made the lycan feel calm enough to not create an uproar and from what she understood, her presence lessened his pain as well.

"I don't want you to go…" Hanna complained. She scrunched her brows.

However, Iris couldn't say the same thing. She had been locked in her own room for years because her father and brother thought she was a scourge. It was only a handful of times she could go out of the pack house.2

Therefore, to be able to see other places was something that she really wanted to do.

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A pale crescent moon shone like a silver claw in the night sky, frost grew over the windows even when the brazier kept the room warm.

However, Cane still felt this coldness, it was the type of coldness that seeped into his bones. The only thing to do was to keep moving, keep moving toward home and the steady warmth of the hearth.

The sky was a rolling blanket of clouds the color of wet ash and the ground was so dark and as he kept walking, he saw flickering light in the distance.

However, before he could reach that, Cane woke up with a start. Sweat layered his forehead, as he looked around him in alert.

Only when he realized that he was alone that he put his guard down.

He pushed himself up from the bed and held his throbbing head. And when reality finally dawned on him, he heard a whimper coming from Iris' bedroom.

Cane frowned and got up from the bed, he walked toward the adjacent door, from behind it, he heard how Iris was whimpering in pain.

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