CHAPTER 54: I CAN’T REMEMBER ANYTHING

Iris’s POV

A sudden reflection of light hit my eyelids, piercing through the fog of my consciousness. I stirred weakly, my body feeling heavy. My eyes slowly fluttered open, and a sharp searing pain hit through my skull. I winced, pressing a hand to my head, trying to steady the throbbing ache. Blinking against the haze, I scanned my surroundings as I realized I was lying on an enormous bed, a king size bed. The room screamed of royalty. Heavy velvet curtains framed half sides of the tall windows, letting in the glow of the morning sun. As confusion hit me. Where was I?

I pushed myself up slowly, my arms weak under the effort as I leaned against the headboard. My mind still churned in a confused state, trying to remember how I got here. What had happened? How had I gotten here? The harder I tried to recall, the more my thoughts slipped away, causing me more ache. My head was a blank slate, empty of answers I crave to know.

Shortly, the soft creak of the door snapped my attention towards the door as I saw a woman stepping into the room. She looked like she was in her early thirties, perhaps, with kind eyes as she smiled, approaching me. Her chestnut hair was pulled into a neat bun. She wore a simple navy color dress, with a white coat around her. A stethoscope hung loosely around her neck too, and her hands clutched a small leather bag that looked like a medical bag.

"You’re awake, my Luna," she said, her voice soft and sweet, sending more jolt of confusion through my core.

Luna? Nothing was making sense.

"I’m... a Luna?"

Her smile disappeared for a moment as she set her bag on a small table beside the bed. She adjusted her glasses and then tilted her head to study me. "I’m so glad you’re awake. I’m Dr. Becky, the pack’s physician. I came as soon as I was summoned."

I swallowed hard. "How... How long have I been asleep?"

Dr. Becky’s expression softened. "Forty-eight hours."

"Forty-eight hours?" What? Two days passed, and I had no memory of what it was like. I pressed my fingers harder against my head, as if I could force the memories to surface but I still can’t remember anything. "What happened to me?" I asked.

She hesitated but finally spoke. "I’m afraid I don’t know the details, dear. I’m just here to tend to you, to make sure you’re recovering." She busied herself with her bag, pulling out a small notepad and pen.

"What about my name? Do you know it?"

The question slipped out before I could stop it.

Dr. Becky froze, her pen hovering over the notepad. Slowly, she removed her glasses, letting them dangle from the rope around her neck. Her eyes searched my face and then she finally spoke. "You... you don’t remember your name?"

I shook my head, the motion sending another stab of pain through my skull. "I can’t remember anything. It’s all... blank."

Her expression shifted as she stepped closer. "That’s normal. It could be caused as a result of shock, or perhaps trauma. The mind sometimes protects itself by locking memories away." She reached out, her hand hovering near mine as if unsure whether to comfort me. "Can you tell me what you do remember?"

Before I could answer, the door swung open again. A man whose presence carried power and wealth entered, his presence commanding the room. I felt a shiver racing down my spine. He was tall, broad-shouldered and looked intimidating. His hair was streaked with white, evident that he was old but vibrant in look. His cold and emotionless eyes locked onto me, as if they could see straight through to my soul. He wore an outfit only meant for kings. And then he finally spoke, standing in front of me.

"How is she?" His voice was directed at Dr. Becky without breaking eye contact with me.

The doctor straightened, turned to face him. "Alpha Darius," she called, bowing her head slightly. "She’s awake, but... it seems she’s lost her memories."

His expression didn’t change, not a sign of surprise or concern. He stepped closer, and stopped at the foot of the bed. His presence was suffocating. "Is that so?" he said, as if my condition was a minor inconvenience. He turned to Dr. Becky. "Give her the treatment and leave. I didn’t summon you here to converse." Those were his last words as he left.

Dr. Becky bowed again, murmuring, "Yes, Alpha. My apologies." She turned to me. "Child, no more questions for now. You need your medication."

She moved quickly as she prepared a syringe from her bag. I tensed, my eyes darting to the needle. "What’s that for?" I asked, my voice sharp with unease.

"It’s to help with the pain and aid your recovery," she said gently, but her eyes flicked nervously toward Alpha Darius heading closer to the door. The door finally clicked shut behind him.

Dr. Becky approached, her touch gentle as she lifted the bed sheet covering from my waist to my feet. "This will hurt for a little moment," she said, holding the needle as she opened my dress, revealing my ass. I barely had time to say a word before the needle pricked my skin. Wincing in pain, my fingers clutched the sheets, but the pain faded quickly. She was done injecting me.

She stepped back, her smile returning. "Rest now, dear. You need it." With that, she gathered her things and left. For some strange reason, the injection began to affect my head. I am feeling weak now. How was this supposed to help me rest?

How could I rest when I didn’t even know where I was, who these people were, or even who I was? My mind raced, questions piling up without answers. What had they done to me? Why was I here, in this opulent room that felt like a cage? The word "Luna" echoed in my mind again, carrying the unease I couldn’t understand.

Suddenly, the door creaked open again, and a young girl in her early twenties entered, carrying a tray of food. She was slim, with her auburn hair tied back in a messy braid.

She wore a simple casual dress as she exclaimed excitedly. "Iris!" she called, her voice filled with emotion. "Oh, thank the moon goddess you’re awake! You scared me half to death." She set the tray on a table near the bed. "When I got back from my mother’s house and heard what happened... I’ve been so worried. You’ve been out for days."

I stared at her in confusion without a word. Iris? Was that my name? She moved quickly to embrace me, her arms wrapping around me in a hug, but I stiffened, my body refusing to return the gesture. Everything was happening so fast as I gently pushed her back, my eyes, meeting her confused gaze.

"Who are you?" The question left my lips.