Chapter 174

NATALIE’S POV The mornings were the hardest. Not because of the wounds—though I still felt them when I moved too quickly—but because I woke up every day with so many questions in my head. To stay… or to leave. Iris had been strict with me about the healing process. “No exceptions,” she warned, crossing her arms at the foot of my bed. “If you want your strength back, you’ll eat everything on that list and follow every treatment detail. I’m not patching you up again.” I cracked a small smile. “Is this your way of saying you care?” She rolled her eyes but I didn’t miss the warmth in them. “I’m saying don’t make me put you in restraints, Luna.” I flinched slightly at the title, but I didn’t correct her. Not this time. The following days passed with a quiet routine. Eat. Medicate. Rest. Repeat. I hated it. I hated the stillness. My bones itched for movement. My wolf growled at me constantly, demanding I get out, run, fight. So, I finally asked to start training. The look on Iris’s face was