Chapter 6

Connor's POV

After warning Hailey, I returned to my room. Truth was, quiet or not, a good night's sleep was impossible for me.

Every night, I had to try blanking out my brain. It was the only way I could get some rest. Less noise would make it easier for me to do so, though.

Good thing she didn't make a peep after that.

The next morning, I woke up as the sunlight shone through the curtains.

After washing up, I came downstairs, wondering what Hailey would cook for breakfast. To my surprise, the dining table was empty.

I couldn't help but sneer, thinking, 'I knew she was putting on an act! After just one day, she gave up. Well, talk about persistence.'

I turned around, ready to leave. But just as I passed by the laundry room, I caught a scene through the cracked door that astonished me—Hailey was lying out cold on the floor.

I gasped, a weird surge of anxiety running through me.

Then I rushed over and carried her out. Her body was so soft, which keyed up the unease in me.

Werewolves rarely got sick, and even when injured, we would bounce back real quick due to our amazing self-healing abilities.

I could sense that Hailey was badass. After all, she got an aura that overpowered Matt.

So why exactly did she faint all of a sudden?

"Ike, I need you in my villa now." I mind-linked the pack doc right after putting Hailey on the sofa.

Soon, Ike arrived.

"She fainted. Give her a check-up," I told him.

Ike wasn't there at the mating ceremony yesterday, so he didn't know who Hailey was.

But instead of asking any questions, he did a basic examination on her as I commanded.

"It's nothing serious. She just crashed out," Ike explained to me after straightening up.

I was confused. "Crashed out? I just carried her all the way here, and we are talking right in front of her. How come she's still not waking up?"

Was she just faking it?

"It's 'cause her tank's empty, both physically and mentally. Then her wolf forcibly entered a state of dormancy. It's a deep crash, so she won't wake up for now," Ike flicked a glance my way before filling me in.

I pondered for a bit before asking again, "Anything else?"

Ike shook his head. "Well, seems to me she's in perfect health."

After confirming she was fine, I gave a snort.

'I never stopped her from getting a rest,' I thought.

"Wake her up," I commanded.

Ike nodded, and he took out his phone to play some loud music.

After about five minutes, Hailey groggily opened her eyes. When she noticed me, she gasped with surprise.

"I fixed the washer," she whispered, a hit of pride in her tone.

Then, she fell asleep again.

So she stayed up all night just to fix that damn washer?

Geez, she was really pulling all stops to stick around.

"Connor?" Ike looked at me, not sure what to do next. Since he had done his job, I waved my hand, signaling him to leave.

After he left, Vita and the other Omegas came at the appointed time, beginning their daily routine.

To not get in the way, I carried Hailey back to the room she was staying.

Walking in, I was immediately stunned—it looked neat as a pin, completely different from the way it used to be.

There were a few stuffed animals on her bed. I couldn't help chuckling, thinking, 'What is she? A baby?'

I gently placed her on the bed, and she was still asleep.

There was a calm smile on her face, like she found some serenity in dreamland.

Feeling amused, I stood up, ready to go out.

Just then, a unique scent caught my nose, stopping me from leaving.

It wasn't like the fragrance of flowers. It was a more profound and natural scent—like a mix of damp earth and fresh sprouts from the woods.

I wasn't usually one for scents, but this one was something I'd never nosed before.

Derek started to get restless, but it was out of glee instead of pain and stress.

It was my first time feeling him all buzzing with something other than agony.

I looked around, all vigilant. My past experiences taught me to expect the unexpected.

After searching the room, I didn't find any potion made of wolfsbane. So I calmed down a bit.

I closed my eyes, trying to talk to Derek, but he fell silent after letting out a deep growl.

I was puzzled—Derek had never reacted like this before.

I had gotten used to his pain and frenzy, but now, he seemed to be dropping hints about something I couldn't wrap my head around.

His calmness made me sleepy, which was a rare case since I could remember.

Whenever I fell asleep, those painful memories would come back to haunt me. So gradually, sleeping became something I hated.

But now, I was actually craving a rest.

So I sat down on the sofa next to Hailey's bed, thinking I was just gonna rest my eyes. But unexpectedly, I fell into a deep slumber.

This time, I didn't have any nightmares.