ASTRID'S POV.
The car ride was quiet, but the silence was heavy. I couldn’t help but notice that Dane kept looking at me with his eyes fixed on mine for longer than necessary.
It made me feel uneasy and on edge, as if his gaze was holding me back from collecting my thoughts.
I had anticipated a private drive with just Dane, but Beta Ivar was driving us, which added to my confusion and made it harder to figure out Dane's intentions or plans.
“Are you sure you're okay?” Dane asked, breaking the silence.
His voice was filled with concern, which was typical of him; he never kept his feelings or thoughts hidden.
At that moment, I desperately needed a quiet place to process my thoughts and find some inner peace.
I wanted to avoid any more conversations that would only make me worry about how my problems might affect him.
“I’m fine, Dane; I told you it was just a hallucination,” I said, lying once again. I had seen how enthusiastic Dane was when he announced our outing, and now I felt a pang of guilt that my downcast mood was overshadowing his excitement.
“You don’t look fine to me,” Dane responded, his tone filled with concern.
“You’ve got this tense expression on your face and a frown. You don’t seem to be doing well. Look, if something or someone is bothering you, you can always talk to me about it. You don’t have to go through it alone. I’m here for you, I promise,” he said, trying to comfort me.
I let out a sigh, forcing a smile despite how exhausted I felt.
“Do I really look that unhappy to you?” I asked, tilting my head slightly to try and appear more convincing.
“I’m not sad, Dane; I’m just a bit confused about where we’re headed, that’s all,” I added, trying to downplay my unease. He responded with a reassuring smile and a playful wink.
“That’s going to ruin the surprise, isn’t it?” he asked, noticing my attempt to hide my feelings. I nodded in agreement.
He then reached over and pulled me closer, allowing me to rest my head on the back seat. I moved in closer to him, feeling a bit of comfort in his presence.
I took a deep breath, trying to compose myself. I didn't want to let my swirling thoughts resurface and make Dane question me again.
“We’ve arrived at your destination,” Beta Ivar announced, pulling me from my inner confusion. Dane quickly opened the car door and guided me out.
We were standing in front of one of the city’s most exclusive restaurants, the kind with an opulent facade and glowing lights that hinted at luxury inside.
A genuine smile began to spread across my face as I looked up at him, feeling a bit of the weight lift off my shoulders.
“Do you like it?” Dane asked with a hint of pride in his voice, clearly eager to see my reaction. I nodded enthusiastically.
“You tease... I love it,” I said, my voice filled with genuine appreciation as I leaned in to give him a quick peck on the cheek.
He smiled back at me with a look of satisfaction and then led me toward the entrance of the restaurant.
Inside, he had arranged for us to have a private booth, set apart from the rest of the diners.
A chef and a team of attendants soon approached our table, putting on an elaborate display of the food.
They performed with flair, creating a spectacle as they prepared and presented each course.
I laughed, smiled, and engaged in lighthearted banter, trying to savour the experience and keep my anxieties at bay.
As the meal progressed, Dane's gaze was on me, his eyes searching for my reaction. “You look happy; do you like it?” he asked again, his tone gentle yet filled with curiosity.
Despite his efforts to make me feel special, a pang of guilt struck me.
I looked around, taking in the lavish setting and the attention to detail. It was all so perfect, yet it felt overwhelming.
I couldn’t shake the fear that this happiness might be fleeting.
What if things reverted to the way they had been before? The thought of looking back on this night with regret or self-loathing troubled me deeply.
I questioned whether this kind of fleeting joy was worth the heartache that might follow.
“Did I say something wrong?” Dane asked, noticing my sudden shift in mood.
“No,” I replied, though a wave of frustration surged through me.
“Maybe you’re right; I’ve been seeing things all wrong. From the moment I joined your pack, it felt like you’ve had issues with me. You don’t seem to care about me at all.”
“And yes, we’ve had sex a few times. You did attend my father’s burial and saved my life twice, but none of that changes how I feel now, does it?” I said, letting my feelings out. Dane didn’t seem angry; instead, a faint, wistful smile appeared on his lips.
“Come on, don’t focus on those past mistakes,” he said gently.
“I know I messed up badly, and I’m truly sorry for it. I should have handled things better. But don’t ever think that anything I do for you is too much.”
“You’re my mate, and you deserve nothing but the best. I want to make sure you’re happy, always. Nothing terrible should happen to you, so I’ll do whatever it takes to ensure your well-being,” he reassured me.
As I listened to him, a warm feeling spread through my chest. Maybe he was right—holding onto past grievances wasn’t going to help us move forward.
We both settled into our meals, trying to enjoy the evening.
However, my fleeting sense of happiness was abruptly cut short when I noticed a man staring intently through the window at us.
He wasn’t wearing a mask this time. The man’s face looked familiar, but I couldn’t quite place where I had seen him before.
He lingered nearby, almost as if he was trying to get my attention and signal me to come outside.
Feeling a mix of curiosity and apprehension, I stood up, dabbing the sides of my lips with a napkin to appear nonchalant.
“I need to use the restroom,” I told Dane, trying to sound casual despite the urgency I felt.
“Be quick,” he replied, his tone light and trusting. I nodded with a forced smile and headed towards the back of the restaurant, my heart racing with anticipation.
I slipped through the back door and scanned the area, searching for the man. When I spotted him, he was standing a short distance away, his posture somewhat defensive.
“Stay calm. I’m not here to hurt you,” he said, lifting his hands in a gesture of surrender.
“Who are you?” I demanded, my voice firm.
He slowly removed his mask, revealing himself to be Beta Drake, Alpha Halfdan’s beta. Recognition hit me like a jolt, but I was still confused and wary.
“What do you want from me? Why did you try to kill me, or are you here to abduct me on Alpha Halfdan’s orders?” I asked, my anger evident in my voice. My fists clenched at my sides, ready to react to whatever his intentions were.
“Trust me, Luna. It wasn’t my intention to harm you,” Beta Drake said, his tone earnest.
“Then what was your intention?” I pressed. “You clearly tried to…”
Before I could finish, he quickly placed his hand over my mouth, silencing me. His eyes locked onto mine with a serious expression.
“I can explain,” he said, his voice low and intense. “Camilla sent me here.”
“Why would she do that?” I asked, my mind racing to piece together the implications of his words.
“Simple,” Beta Drake said with a grim expression.
“She wants you dead and needs your blood as proof. She saved me years ago, and I’ve been trying to repay that debt. But now, I’ve come to realise that my entire existence has been built on a lie.”
“A lie?” I echoed, my confusion deepening. “What do you mean by that?”
“I can’t go into all the details right now,” he said, his voice filled with urgency.
“But I’m certain that it wasn’t Camilla who saved me all those years ago. It was you, Luna Astrid. I only came to understand this after looking into your eyes and getting your scent from up close.”
“Saved you? What are you talking about? I don’t remember saving anyone from dying!” I protested, my mind struggling to grasp the significance of his statement.
“That’s what you think,” Beta Drake said, his tone serious.
“That’s what they want you to believe. You must have lost your memory of events from ten years ago, but I haven’t. Now I understand why Camilla wants you dead.”
His words left me reeling. I attempted to recall any events from that time, but my memory was shrouded in fog.
There was no point in delving deeper into memories I couldn’t access. The more I tried to remember, the more distant the past seemed.
Staring at him, I couldn't help but notice the uncomfortable situation etched across his face. There was no doubt that Camilla would do something crazy to him if he didn't return with my blood.
Just then, an idea came to my mind.
“Fine… Since Camilla wants my blood so badly, why don’t we just give it to her?” I said, resolutely reaching for Beta Drake’s knife.
He swiftly held my hand, stopping me from taking the knife. “What are you trying to do, Luna Astrid?” His eyes bulged out in fear as he asked.
“What does it look like? Let me handle this…” I demanded as I pulled the knife out.
If Camilla was so determined to see me dead, then pretending to go along with her plan might give us a chance to uncover her true intentions.
“Luna you…” Beta Drake was going to say but I cut in.
“Don't worry, I have a plan.” I carefully sliced a small cut into my wrist.
Beta Drake, trying so hard to maintain his calmness, placed the tiny bottle beneath my arm to collect the blood.
He handed me a tissue immediately to clean the area before sealing the bottle and placing it securely.
“You shouldn't have done this, Luna Astrid.” He said with a worried tone.
“It's for the best… I think you should head back now.” I commanded, the cut on my wrist slightly stinging.
“Thank you so much; I won’t forget this day,” he said with a tone of genuine gratitude. I nodded in acknowledgment as he walked away, disappearing into the night.
As I looked down at my wrist, I realised that there was no way I could conceal such an injury from Dane. My thoughts raced, trying to devise a plan to address the situation but just then, he came in.
“Who is the man that just left?” Dane’s voice cut through my thoughts, icy and penetrating, coming from behind me.