Too Late Alpha The Mate He Never Wanted (Iris and Eric) novel Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Iris’s POV

I woke up to the scent of food.

For a second, I thought I was dreaming, probably still unconscious. My body was too sore to move, so I kept my eyes shut. But the smell kept tugging at me sharply, like it was poking at my hunger with a stick. My stomach twisted painfully, and rumbled sharply, reminding me that I hadn’t eaten in a long time.

I forced my eyes open.

The ceiling was different from the last room. I was in a different room from the one I had woken up in before.

I blinked a few more times and turned my head.

There was a small table a few feet away. On it, there was a covered tray of food. Beside it, there was a note.

I sat up slowly, groaning as all my muscles ached. Pain shot through my ribs, and I winced. I touched my injuries to realize that

someone had redressed the wounds while I was unconscious.

My stomach growled again.

I reached for the note first.

‘Eat up. You need it to heal faster. -R.‘

I stared at it for a long moment, then I looked at the covered tray of food again. It could be poisoned, sure. But I didn’t care.

If it was poisoned, then fine. Everything would be over. There would be no more pain, and I would reunite with my Evie.

But if it wasn’t poisoned, then I needed the strength. I had to get out of here soon. I wasn’t going to let myself grow dependent on anyone again, not even Rowan Bane.

I opened the tray. Inside it was a fresh loaf of bread, some stew, and a bottle of water.

I grabbed the spoon and took the first bite.

The stew was hot and delicious. It wasn’t too seasoned, it was just… perfect. I swallowed with a small moan. It was the first real food I’d had since I left Crescent Moon.

I ate slowly, because my hands were still weak. Each movement took serious effort. My arms trembled, and I had to pause to catch my breath.

But to my surprise, I finished every single thing on the tray.

Afterward, I leaned back on the bed and looked around. Rowan didn’t take me back to the previous room after I lost consciousness. Whose room was this? Probably an empty guest room?

The room was simple, but nothing about it felt cheap. The dresser was made of dark wood. It looked smooth and solid.. A single armchair was placed by the wall, made of dark leather. The curtain was soft gray, and it was opened halfway to let in the morning sun.

The hardwood floor was smooth and spotless, with a thick rug under the bed. Everything was expensive, but not flashy. The room was clean and sharp. There were no clutters, and no personal photos.

My bag was on the dresser.

I narrowed my eyes at it. It was untouched, again. I hoped that no one had gone through it.

I dragged my legs off the bed with a groan and planted my feet on the floor. Pain shot through me, but it was not as bad as earlier. The food had given me a little strength.

1/2

Chapter 25

+25 Bonus

But I didn’t try to stand, though.

I didn’t want to take the risk of collapsing again, and tearing my stitches.

I glanced toward the door. It was closed. Was I locked inside this room? I didn’t know.

A strange feeling started to build in my chest.

Part of me was expecting to see Rowan walk through that door. Maybe to check if I had woken up or eaten. Maybe to scold me again for sneaking around with my injuries and weak body, then take me back to the former room. Or maybe just to stand there, and watch me with that quiet, calm, and unreadable expression of his face.

The thought made my throat tighten. I wasn’t used to attention like this. Eric had looked past me for so long, like I didn’t exist, and I got used to it.

Now, this stranger who was noticing me, and caring even a little just felt too much. It felt uncomfortable because I didn’t know what to do with it.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify