525: WHO ARE YOU?

WHO ARE YOU?

"You can come out now," Aliana said in light tone, as she stopped walking and tilted her head toward her left side, staring at a certain spot behind a big tree. 

Both of them were on their way to the orphanage, because it had been a while, since Iris met with Hanna, she also wanted to have a few conversations with Haco, who spent most of his time there. It seemed, he was fond of one of the children there, as he always spared his free time to play with the girl and taught her a few things. 

Iris stopped walking as well, she followed Aliana's line of sight, while the other four warriors behind them frowned as well. Eron, Dyne and Kian were not with them, thus it was only the other four and Aliana, who came with Iris to the orphanage. 

"Who is it?" Iris asked in confusion because she didn't see anyone there and the other four didn't seem to be bothered. 

"It's okay, you can come out." Aliana used a coaxing tone. 

Only then, Iris could see the movement behind the bushes and someone came out from behind the tree. 

"Ania?" Iris immediately recognized the little girl. She looked a little bit taller than the last time she met with her and her rosy cheeks looked so cute, as she was holding a white rabbit, hugging the animal with both of her arms, as it hindlegs dangled, while she walked toward Iris with a bright smile. 

The other warriors knew that Ania had been following them, but because they didn't see her as a threat, they were not concern at all, even though, it had never crossed their mind that Ania wanted to meet with Iris. 

"Luna Iris, you still remember me!" Ania said in cheerful tone. 

"She has been following us, since half an hour ago, I thought she only came toward the same direction, until I remember, she is supposed to be at home," Aliana explained, then she looked at Ania with a questioning look, which made the little girl pursed her lips and lowered her head. "Your father must be in panic to look for you now."

"I was on my way home, but then, I saw luna Iris. I want to greet her. Father didn't allow me to greet her when she returned to the pack." Ania looked sad. "He said, luna Iris must have forgotten about me, so I can't bother her."

Iris bent her body, so she would be on the same eye level with the little girl. She must be around six years old now. Iris was glad, she was fine. 

"There is no way I will forget about you, you are the cutest girl I have ever met," Iris said with a chuckle, as she caressed her rosy cheek and watched how her eyes lit up with excitement. 

"Really?!" Ania looked so happy when she heard that and then raised her rabbit. "Here, I want to show you this, luna. This is the rabbit that we saw months ago before you left for the capital city. They are big already. I take care of them!" Ania said proudly. 

"Good job!" Iris ruffled her hair and then picked the rabbit from her, as she felt it fluffy fur.

However, probably because she had spent a few times in the wild and the warrior used to hunt rabbit for their meal, Iris weighed the rabbit in her arms and unconsciously thought, it could be shared for her and Hanna, while the warrior could finish it alone within five minutes, but then, she snapped out of that thought and felt guilty toward the cute rabbit. 

"The rabbit is so fat and healthy, right?" Ania asked innocently, without knowing what Iris was thinking. 

"Yeah… the rabbit is so fat…" Iris's voice trailed off. 

"Ania, you need to go back, your father will raise hell if he can't find you at home, especially at time like this." Aliana reminded the little girl. 

"Okay," Ania felt dejected. "I only want to let the luna see the rabbit. We saw it together when the rabbit gave birth to the bunnies. Gamma Ethan said he will come and see the rabbit, but he has been so busy."

Ania was a little bit talkative than before. 

"Why don't we go together to see the rabbit with Hanna also?" Iris suggested and then looked at Reed. "Can you help me to inform Stone that Ania with us, so he will not worry?"

"Yes, luna," Reed replied and then walked away to find Stone, but before that, he took another glance over his shoulder at Iris, his brows creased slightly to see how easy she interacted with the little girl. 

Otis and Asher looked at each other, while Zephyr was deep in thought, as they watched Iris took Ania's hand and listened to her story about the rabbits and how she had named the animal. 

They had known Ania since she was a little baby and as far as they knew, Ania was a timid little girl, who wouldn't talk much with someone that she was not familiar with and now to see Ania actually took such effort only to see Iris, they wondered if there was some story between the two that they didn't know. 

It seemed, aside from when Iris saved the little girl's life twice, they met a few times and it left a deep impression on Ania. 

What this little girl saw in Iris?

"… and when it's rain, I put cover above their hole, so they wouldn't be drenched!" Ania told Iris stories. 

"You are so kind and brave!" Iris said excitedly, she listened to her ramble and look genuinely interest with whatever she said, though it was not anything important. 

"Luna Iris, can you hear now?" Ania asked. She blinked her eyes innocently. 

Hearing that, Aliana was about to reprimand the little girl, because it was not polite to talk that way with the luna.  2

However, Iris nodded. "Yes, I can."

"Really?!" Ania and Aliana said the words at the same time, but with different reaction. While the little girl looked excited, the latter looked shock. 

"I don't know that," Aliana said in defeated tone. "How?"

However, the people, who truly shocked the most were those three warriors behind them. They remembered, they had been talking about their luna, right behind her when it was only the five of them, without Eron and Dyne, knowing the other two had accepted their alpha's mate readily. 

Blood drained from their faces, as they wondered whether the luna reported it back to the alpha or not. They tried so hard to think what they had said behind her back, literally. But, the more they remembered, the more they felt terrified. 

On the other hand, Iris simply glanced at the three of them and they could feel shiver ran down their spines, yet she did or said nothing, as she continued to chat with Ania and Aliana. 

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The sun was almost set when Iris met with Haco, after she visited Hanna. She looked a little bit cheerful, since Will didn't push her away anymore, but the warrior would occasionally space out whenever Hanna was not nearby, as if his mind wondered somewhere far away and only Hanna's presence that could bring him back. 

Hanna and Will would be in charge for the orphanage once Aliana came with the entourage to the Silver River pack. 

Naturally, Hanna was shocked when she received the order, but after some explanation, she understood, though it was hard for her to be away from Iris, but she was sure, Aliana would be a better choice in this journey. 

While Hanna played with Ania and the other orphan children, Iris found Haco in one of the rooms in the main building. 

"Haco?" Iris opened the door, because she had been knocking for five minutes, but there was no answer from inside. Aliana told her that Haco was here. 

When the door was opened, she could see the reason why the sorcerer didn't answer her, he was fast asleep. 

"All of you can stay outside," Iris said to the four warriors that came with her to find Haco, while Aliana had a few things to be discussed with Hanna, since she would leave the responsibility of the orphanage to her. 

"But," Asher tried to argue, but Iris gave him a stern order. 

"Stay. I want to talk with Haco alone."

"Yes, luna," Asher replied, while the other three didn't try to persuade her, seeing how assertive she could be. This was not the luna that they had in their mind. She had such strong presence and her voice didn't falter. 

Iris closed the door behind her and walked toward Haco, who was sleeping in sitting position. The old sorcerer would complain having a backpain if he was sleeping in this way. 

"Haco. Haco, wake up. You need to sleep on the bed if you are so tired," Iris said, she shook his shoulder, trying to wake him up. 

This room had four beds, but this sorcerer chose to doze off on the table. 

"Haco. You will have a backpain if you keep sleeping like this." Iris started thinking to ask one of the warriors to carry Haco to bed when he grumbled and opened his eyes. "Haco, go to the bed and sleep."

There were a lot of things Iris wanted to discuss with him, but seeing how tired and exhausted Haco was, it could wait. 

"Who are you?" Haco asked, staring at Iris with serious expression, but then he widened his eyes. "Ah! Iris! How can I forget!?"

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