427: APPRECIATION

APPRECIATION

People stole a glance at Iris with a mixed of expression, because they thought, Joel's request was out of the line, especially after what happened yesterday and how Iris refused to help Kaz and the other to get out of the trouble from the alpha. 

They had heard about how Iris had taught some of the warriors how to read and write, but because most of the people in the pack house didn't interact with the warriors constantly, the fact was burned on the back of their mind. 

They knew it, but didn't think much about it, just like how they knew Iris had helped her tremendously and go far and beyond for them during their darkest time, but they overlooked it so easily. 

However, seeing the interaction between Joel and Iris, they felt like someone just poured them cold water. They didn't know what to feel, as they lowered their heads. 

Meanwhile, Iris couldn't care less about them, because she wanted to find Hanna and ask her to get her and Cane breakfast, because on the second thought, she didn't want to go to the kitchen again, especially after she saw Maria. 

"Joel, have you seen Hanna? I am looking for her," Iris said, as she and Joel walked away. The young boy looked so excited to learn new thing from the luna, the way he walked, almost looked like he was jumping up and down. 

"Oh, I saw Hanna went to the market this early morning," Joel said, because he bumped onto her when he was about to go to the pack house and Hanna wanted to go out. 

"Oh." Iris was a little bit disappointed, as she thought she needed to go to the kitchen by herself. 

"Do you need some help, luna?" Joel asked, seeing how Iris's expression slightly changed. "Tell me what you need, I think I will be able to help."

"No, it's…" Iris didn't know how to bring this up. "I want to get some breakfast for me and Cane," she finally said. 

More so, she didn't think going to the dinning hall was a good idea, where she would meet a lot of people there. The last thing she wanted was to be crowded by the people, who judged her. 

"Why don't you…" Joel was about to blurt out about why she didn't ask for another omegas or servant to serve her, but then he remembered what happened and stopped himself. "I will get you breakfast, luna, don't worry, is there some specific food that you want?" He looked excited to help and this made Iris felt a little bit better. 

"No." Iris shook her head, but then she remembered. "Can you bring more meat?" Cane was a meat eater. 

"I will bring all the meat!" Joel said expressively, which made Iris chuckled a little. "You can go back to your room, luna, I will deliver it to you as soon as possible."

"Okay, thank you." Iris was truly appreciated his kind gesture and returned to the alpha's study room, and thankfully, Maria was no longer there, but the two guards were still standing on the same spot. They nodded politely at her when she walked past them, yet, Iris couldn't care less about their existence. 

It almost felt like her personality changed one hundred eighty after she was no longer talking with Joel. 

Once Iris inside the room, she found Cane was still sleeping, he curled his body in the same position, when Iris left him. How could he sleep without moving at all. 

Slowly, Iris came to him and sat down next to the alpha, she extended her hand and caressed his soft hair, in which, he seemed to notice her presence and snuggle closer to her touch, though he was still sleeping at this moment and this made Iris smiled. 

"Cane, come back to me, please. I am sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you." Iris ran her fingers on the scar on his face. He looked so beautiful even with the scar. 

From the window, the sunlight filtered through the glass into the room, which made an array of light that looked so beautiful with the dust swirled in the air. Iris stared at the sight, deep in thought. She remembered her conversation with Haco last night. 

But, she was snapped back from her reverie when Cane suddenly woke up and sat down, his face contorted, as his eyes fixed on something, or someone at the door. 

"What happened?" Iris was startled and out of instinct, she followed Cane's line of sight to the door and found Joel, Avid, Eron and Dyne entered the room. 

Iris knew Eron and Dyne because the two of them came with Cane to the capital city and they were also assigned by the alpha to be her personal guard during their time in the Riverside pack. 

The four of them came, while carrying a tray with them and Joel didn't look happy with it. 

"I told you I can do it myself!" Joel grumbled. "Why do you want to go here in the first place!?"

"Tone down boy. What? Do you want to get all the credit for serving the luna?" Eron asked. 

"Nah! Be nice, we are here to help," Dyne chimed in. 

"I don't need help!" Joel was frustrated because these two insisted to help him to carry the luna and alpha's breakfast when they saw him in the kitchen, while Avid followed them also and because his rank was higher than them three, Joel couldn't complain to him. 

Seeing this sight, Iris suddenly got the idea, 'the warriors', who had been bragging about knowing how to read and write. 

However, their heated banter suddenly stopped, as they took a step back, only then Iris realized, Cane had been growling dangerously at them. 

"Cane!" Iris hissed to the lycan. It was still this creature, who got Cane's consciousness. "Stop it!"2

The lycan immediately stopped, but his growl turned into a whimper, as he curled his body again on the rug sullenly. 

Iris didn't know what to do with this creature. The lycan was sulking, but all she could see, it was Cane and never in her wild dream she thought, she would be able to see him acted like a five years old child. 

This was so weird and so wrong in so many level, especially when she found amusement in it. She would make sure to tell Cane about this once he could get back his consciousness from the lycan. 

Iris ran her fingers through his hair to placate the cursed creature. That's why, come back to me, Cane. I missed you. 

"You can put the breakfast on the table," Iris said to the stunned four warriors. It seemed they didn't notice Cane's red eyes, since they lowered their head upon hearing the alpha was growling at them. "Why do you bring me too much?" Iris was fascinated to see how these warriors managed to ransack the kitchen by bringing so many meats. 

"You said the alpha loves meats and I think you also need some more meat to nurse your body, you have been running around arranging the welcoming party for the royal." It was Dyne, who replied to Iris, while Joel was not happy. 

"The luna is talking to me," Joel grumbled under his breath, but the other three ignored that, as they made a small talk with Iris before they left.

"Joel, can you find Ethan, Jace and Haco, and tell them to come see me here?" Iris asked before they walked out of the room. 

"Yes, luna! I will find them." And before he could hear Iris thanked him, the young boy had bolted out of the room, which rendered the three warriors speechless. 

"Luna Iris," Avid said, he looked a little bit hesitated, because he didn't think this was his place to say this, but then he thought, the luna needed to hear this. 

"Yes?" Iris waited for him to say something, while Eron and Dyne had gone, probably they wanted to tease Joel again and find the beta, the gamma and the sorcerer first. 

"Thank you for what you have done for us. Either it's something you have done in the past or right now. I can't say this on behalf of everyone, but for me, you are the perfect luna for this pack and I really appreciate all of your effort. Thank you."

Reading what Avid said, Iris felt like there was lump in her throat and tears in her eyes. She couldn't utter a single word, but then even if she could, she didn't know what to say. 

And when Avid closed the door, tears streamed down her face. She felt like someone squeezed her heart, but it was not in a bad feeling. 

She should be happy to get such appreciation from Avid, but why she was crying right now? She felt relief and the knot in her heart disappeared. 

She didn't know how much she wanted to be appreciated until Avid said those words. She always brushed off the way she felt about the people here, but she didn't know how much it hurt her, until Avid said the words she wanted, to feel appreciated. 

Cane pushed himself from the floor and pushed her head against his chest silently, as Iris cried in his arms, for a moment, she thought it was really Cane, who was hugging her, until he made a comment. 

Cane cupped her face and stared at her seriously. "Can you continue crying later? I am really hungry now. I promised I will hug you when you cry."

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