Chapter 9: Healing and Discovery

Luna’s POV

I awoke to the soft sound of rhythmic beeping and the smell of antiseptic. For a moment, I was disoriented, my mind struggling to piece together where I was and how I'd gotten there. Then, like a flood, the memories came rushing back – the assassination attempt, my escape into the forest, the attack by the rogues, and finally, Ash's rescue.

My eyes fluttered open, squinting against the harsh fluorescent light. I was in what appeared to be a minor medical room, lying on a comfortable bed with various machines monitoring my vitals. My body ached, but the sharp pain I remembered from the forest had dulled to a manageable throb.

As my vision cleared, I noticed a figure slumped in a chair beside my bed. Ash. He was asleep, his usually composed face relaxed in slumber. Even in this vulnerable state, he exuded an aura of strength and authority.

I must have made a sound because his eyes suddenly snapped open, immediately finding mine. For a moment, we just stared at each other, the air between us charged with unspoken questions and emotions.

"You're awake," he said softly, leaning forward. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been run over by a truck," I croaked, my voice hoarse from disuse. "Where am I?"

"You're in Pack B territory," Ash replied, reaching for a glass of water on the bedside table and helping me take a sip. "My pack. You're safe here."

Safe. The word echoed in my mind. But was I really safe? Could I trust Ash, knowing what I did about his connection to my father's death?

As if sensing my unease, Ash leaned back, giving me space. "I know you must have a lot of questions," he said. "And I promise I'll answer them all. But first, you need to rest and recover."

I wanted to argue, to demand answers right then and there. But exhaustion was already pulling at me, my eyelids growing heavy.

"Rest," Ash repeated gently. "We'll talk when you're stronger."

As I drifted back to sleep, I couldn't help but notice the conflicting emotions in Ash's eyes – concern, relief, and something that looked almost like... longing?

The next few days, I was passed in a blur of sleep, medical check-ups, and brief conversations with the pack's healer, a kind-faced woman named Sage. She explained that I had been severely dehydrated and malnourished when Ash brought me in, not to mention the injuries from the rogue attack.

"You're lucky," Sage said as she changed my bandages. "If the Alpha hadn't found you when he did..."

She didn't need to finish the sentence. I knew how close I'd come to death.

As I regained my strength, I began to learn more about Pack B. Unlike my home pack, which was relatively small and traditional, Pack B was large and progressive. They had embraced modern technology and medicine, integrating it seamlessly with their wolf nature.

But it was Ash who intrigued me the most. He visited me daily, always polite and concerned about my wellbeing, but there was a distance to him that I couldn't understand. Sometimes, when he thought I wasn't looking, I'd catch him staring at me with an intensity that made my heart race. But the moment I met his gaze, he'd look away, his expression carefully neutral.

It was during one of these visits, about a week after I'd first woken up, that I finally gathered the courage to confront him.

"Ash," I said, my voice more robust now. "We need to talk."

He nodded, as if he'd been expecting this. "What do you want to know?"

There were so many questions swirling in my mind That I hardly knew where to start. But one stood out above the rest.

"Are you my true mate?"

Ash's expression tightened, a flash of pain crossing his features before he schooled them back into neutrality. "Yes," he said simply.

The confirmation sent a rush of emotions through me – joy, fear, confusion. "But how? I already had a mate. Caspian..."

"Caspian was your first mate," Ash explained, his voice carefully controlled. "But it's rare, not unheard of, for wolves to have a second true mate if their first bond is broken."

I absorbed this information, my mind reeling. A second mate. It explained the intense pull I felt towards Ash, the connection that seemed to defy logic.

"Is that why you ran from me at the ball?" I asked. "Because you knew we were mates?"

Ash's jaw clenched. "Partly," he admitted. "But it's... complicated."

"Then uncomplicate it," I insisted. "Ash, someone tried to have me killed. I found out my father's death might not have been what I was told. And you... you knew him, didn't you?"

Surprise flashed across Ash's face. "How did you-"

"I saw a photo," I cut him off. "You and my father, together. There was a message about a successful operation and a target being eliminated." I leaned forward, my eyes boring into his. "What aren't you telling me, Ash?"

For a long moment, Ash was silent, and internal conflict was apparent on his face. Then he sighed, seeming to come to a decision.

"You're right," he said quietly. "I knew your father. We worked together during the war. But Luna, you have to understand – there's so much more going on here than you realize. Your father's death, the attempt on your life – it's all connected to a larger conflict that's been brewing for years."

"What conflict?" I pressed. "Ash, please. I need to know the truth."

Ash ran a hand through his hair, a gesture of frustration that seemed at odds with his usual composure. "It's not that simple. There are forces at work here that... Luna, the less you know right now, the safer you are."

Anger flared in my chest. "Don't you dare try to keep me in the dark 'for my good,'' I snapped. "I have a right to know what's going on, especially if it concerns my father and people trying to kill me!"

Ash's eyes flashed, a spark of admiration mixing with the frustration in his gaze. "You're right," he conceded. "You do deserve to know. But Luna, once I tell you this, there's no going back. Your life will never be the same."

I met his gaze steadily. "My life already isn't the same. I can't go back, Ash. I can only go forward. And I'd rather do that with the truth, no matter how difficult it might be."

Ash nodded slowly. "Alright. I'll tell you everything. But not here. Meet me in my office tonight, after dinner. We'll have more privacy there."

As he stood to leave, I reached out, catching his hand. The jolt of electricity that passed between us at the contact made us both freeze.

"Ash," I said softly. "Why are you keeping your distance from me? If we're truly mates..."

Pain flashed in Ash's eyes. "Luna, I..." he started, then stopped, seeming to struggle with his words. "It's not that simple. There are... complications."

"What complications?" I pressed.

Ash gently extracted his hand from mine, and I felt the loss of contact like a physical ache. "I'll explain everything tonight," he promised. "Just... try to rest until then."

As he left the room, I couldn't shake the feeling that Ash was carrying a burden far heavier than just the responsibility of being an Alpha. There was a sadness in him, a loneliness that called out to something deep inside me.

I lay back in my bed, my mind whirling with questions and theories. What was the more significant conflict Ash had mentioned? How was my father involved? And why, despite clearly feeling our mate bond, was Ash fighting so hard to keep his distance?

As the day wore on, anticipation and anxiety built inside me. Tonight, I would finally get answers. Tonight, I would learn the truth about my father, about the forces that had shaped my life without my knowledge.

But as I thought about Ash, about the undeniable pull I felt towards him and the pain I saw in his eyes, I realized that learning the truth might just be the beginning of a much larger, more complex journey.

Whatever secrets Ash was about to reveal, I had a feeling they would change everything. And as scared as I was, a part of me – the part that had always dreamed of being a warrior – was ready for the challenge.

After all, I was Luna Evernight. I had survived betrayal, assassination attempts, and rogue attacks. Whatever came next, I would face it head-on.

With renewed determination, I began to prepare myself for the evening ahead. It was time to uncover the truth, no matter the cost.