The Secrets Between Us | ✓

|39|

"Thank you so much for bringing me here," Anaya whispered, a smile on her lips, as they stood outside the orphanage door, waiting for Aunt Anita. Despite the dark clouds hovering over the Imperial Royale Pack, Icarus kept his promise, and here they were, ready to meet the people who meant the world to Anaya.

"It's nothing, really." As long as it made her happy, he was willing to give her everything.

The door opened, but the lady who greeted them wasn't the one Anaya anticipated. "Hello. Nice to see you here. You want to adopt a girl child?"

"Hi. Um, no, I'm here to see Aunt Anita. I grew up in this orphanage, and she'd looked after me." 

"Oh! My apologies! I mistook you for the couple who called earlier. Please come in. I'll let Ms. Anita know."

Anaya nodded and stepped into the hallway with Icarus. It hadn't changed the slightest. Kids were strewn about the carpet, playing and chatting amongst themselves. A few stopped to cast their curious gazes on them before returning to their own business. Anaya found herself looking at the girl sitting by the window, and she was instantly transported back to her lonely childhood, when she would stand in the same spot and watch couples arrive and depart with different kids, none of them being her.

Footsteps behind her diverted her attention from those thoughts. She turned around, and a grin lit up her face. "I have missed you."

Anita's eyebrows furrowed, a displeased look on her face. "Where the hell have you been?"

She wrapped her arms around the small woman, unfazed by her words. She understood her sentiment and felt her love when she hugged her back. She used to visit the orphanage on Sundays, but she hadn't been here for over a month. It was reasonable for Aunt to be furious. She opened her mouth to explain but stopped short. Revealing that she'd been kidnapped by a werewolf and was living with him would sound insane. Aunt was a practical woman, she would never believe it.

"I-I'm sorry. I was preoccupied."

Anita frowned, her gaze shifting to Icarus. "Is he the reason you left so abruptly?"

Anaya blinked. "How do you know that?"

"Your luggage wasn't there in your room."

"Yeah, I did something stupid, and the owner kicked me out," she muttered, mortified by her actions. "Did you go to my flat? How are my friends?"

Anita's expression went blank. She took a step closer to Anaya and sniffed the air. "Have you been smoking weed, young lady?"

Anaya shook her head, rattled by Aunt's odd question. "What are you trying to say?"

She scrutinized Anaya's face. "You grew up here. You don't own any flat."

Anaya knew old age brought with it the problem to remember things, could that be the case? Had Aunt fallen sick while she wasn't around? She drew in a steady breath to break free from the fear gripping her chest. "I moved out once I got the job at the restaurant."