ASTRID'S POV
"Dane was here?" I asked, my voice trembling as the words left my lips. My throat tightened as a sudden, terrifying realization hit me—someone had been watching us, listening to us. That someone was Dane.
Without wasting a second, I yanked the drip out of my wrist and bolted toward the door, my heart racing.
"Where are you going, Astrid?" Beta Ivar's voice called out, halting me in my tracks. But I couldn't stop.
I ignored his questions and lunged for the door, desperate to escape. My fingers just barely brushed the doorknob when I felt his hand gently grab my wrist, pulling me back.
The sudden tug made me stumble, and I flinched in surprise, realizing I was caught.
"Talk to me. What's wrong?" he asked again, his voice laced with concern.
I could feel goosebumps rise on my skin as memories of what had happened flooded my mind, making my heart race with anxiety.
"I have to leave; I need to speak to Dane. I have to explain something to him," I shot back, struggling to free myself from his grip.
My desperation to get away only grew stronger, but Beta Ivar held on firmly.
"You can barely stand, Astrid. You almost died yesterday; you should still be in bed, resting," Beta Ivar argued, his tone firm but caring.
His words only made the tightness in my chest worse, like a weight pressing down on me with every second I spent arguing with him.
But I couldn't stay here. Dane had seen Halfdan and me embrace each other, and he had completely misunderstood the situation.
The thought of him storming off in anger because of something so innocent—because of me—was unbearable. I couldn't let him think the worst.
The idea of living with that misunderstanding, knowing he was hurt because of it, was too much to bear.
"I can't. Please, you have to let me go, Ivar," I pleaded, my voice trembling with desperation.
"You don't understand; Dane is angry, and it's because of me. I need to set things right before it's too late," I repeated, my words breaking as tears threatened to spill.
"Then calm down, Astrid," Beta Ivar urged, his voice steady but insistent.
"Explain it all to me. I can help you, but you need to talk to me and get back to bed. Arguing like this isn't going to do you any good."
"It wasn't my fault, Ivar," I insisted, my voice cracking as I swore at the moon goddess.
"I only wanted to talk to him. He begged me to listen, and I just needed to get out of my room for a bit. But when I stepped out, I ran into Halfdan.”
“He begged for a chance to explain, to apologise, and then he pulled me into a hug. I tried to pull away as fast as I could, but it was too late.”
“Dane saw us, and he misunderstood everything. Now he's furious, and if I don't set things straight with him, I feel like I'll lose my mind."
My voice grew thinner with every word, the weight of the situation pressing down on me. I couldn't stand the thought of Dane believing something that wasn't true, of him being hurt because of a misunderstanding. I needed to fix this, no matter what.
I pushed open the door just as the doctor walked in, a faint smile on his face that quickly faded when he saw the tension in the room.
"Is everything alright?" he asked, his tone cautious, but I couldn't bring myself to answer. My silence spoke louder than any words could.
"You need to take your daily dosage and get some rest," the doctor said gently, his concern evident.
"No... I can't rest, not like this," I insisted, shaking my head.
"Not without sorting things out with Dane. Ivar, please, you have to understand. I can't let him believe something that's not true. I can't let him think the worst of me.”
“Please, say something. You know I have to explain everything to Dane. I can't bear the thought of him carrying these negative thoughts about me." My voice trembled as I spoke, the desperation in my words spilling over into tears.
"You heard what the doctor said, Astrid. You know your body needs rest," Ivar responded, his tone firm yet concerned.
"You can't go sprinting after the alpha, whether he's angry or not. Dane wouldn't want you out of your hospital room in this condition."
"I don't know the full story," the doctor added, his voice calm but serious, "But I strongly advise against any strenuous activity today—no matter how light it seems. Your stitches are barely holding together, and your body is weak. You need to keep your drip on and take your medications. Anything else puts you at serious risk."
Their stares bore into me, a silent plea for compliance. I could see the determination in their eyes, and I knew I had no choice but to go along with what they wanted, at least until I got the dose of whatever the doctor was talking about.
"Come on, let's get you settled back into your room," the doctor urged gently, guiding me with a steady hand.
My legs felt like lead, but I took slow, deliberate steps until I finally reached my room and sank onto the bed, exhausted.
The doctor worked quickly, passing me the infusion and carefully injecting me with the medication.
"This is harmless," he explained, his tone reassuring. "It's necessary for your recovery, Astrid. You need absolute rest."
His words were clear, yet they echoed in my mind like distant sounds, blending with my own chaotic thoughts.
After finishing his task, the doctor left the room quietly, leaving me alone with Beta Ivar.
"You need to rest now, okay?" Ivar said softly, his voice gentle as he passed me a faint smile.
"I'll take care of everything. I'll talk to Dane and explain the entire situation to him—make sure he understands it was all a misunderstanding."
With that, Ivar left the room, and the door clicked softly behind him, leaving me in the stillness of the room.
I sighed deeply, running my fingers through my tangled hair, feeling the weight of exhaustion settle over me.
My mind was a whirlwind of regret and frustration. I knew I had to rest, but I couldn't stop the thoughts swirling in my head.
How had I ended up here, tangled in this mess? I had only wanted to clear the air, to find some peace, and now I was trapped in a situation that seemed to spiral out of control.
I wondered how much longer I would be a fool—a pawn in everyone's game, constantly reacting instead of taking control.
I never should have walked into that room with Halfdan. I should have ignored his pleas, kept my distance.
The moment he finished apologising, I should have lashed out, hurled angry words at him, and stormed out in fury.
Maybe then, none of this would have happened. Maybe Dane wouldn't be angry, and I wouldn't be lying here, helpless and filled with regret.
But now, all I could do was hope that Ivar could fix the mess I'd made before it was too late.
Dane needed to know the truth; he needed to understand that what he had seen between Halfdan and me was nothing like what he believed.
There was absolutely nothing between us; no hidden feelings, no betrayal. The very thought of losing Dane was unbearable; I had already lost my child, a pain so deep that it nearly broke me.
I couldn't survive making another mistake like that. I couldn't bear to lose him too.
The more I dwelled on the situation, the more the pain and frustration fueled me. I kept thinking that I could have handled everything differently, that I should have.
If only I had ignored Halfdan’s words, if only I hadn’t let him draw me into that unnecessary conversation.
It was all so clear now, and it tore at me, knowing how easily things could have gone another way.
My eyelids grew heavier with each passing thought, the weight of exhaustion pulling me down. Slowly, I felt myself drifting off to sleep, my mind still tangled in regrets and what-ifs.