The leaf and the wind

She had searched high and low for her. Ulyss rolled her eyes, frustration evident as she bit her cheeks. "That kid, I swear..." The defeated mother walked back home, slamming the door and muttering curses to herself. She aggressively tackled the dishes. In response, Kyle, her mate, tried to silently set his paper aside and reach for the open window. Unfortunately, she witnessed his attempt to escape, and she threatened him with her piercing gaze. Quickly, he stood straight, moving toward his loved one with a melodramatic tone. Kyle: Ooooh, poor baby. There, you're fine, my sweet love. Don't worry about Annie; she's probably with Nathan or Posy. She'll come around. Let me give you a kiss. She didn't want her foul attitude to piss him off. Instead, she gave in to his touch to calm herself. Her inner wolf couldn't get enough of him and begged her to kiss him, but she brushed that feeling away. She was worried sick about her daughter. Ulyss: The Lycan King will be coming in a week. What if he take her away from us because she's... not like us? Kyle tried to reassure her, but he was as worried as she was. Their Alpha seemed happy when they asked to raise Annie. She remembered the day they found her vividly. It was pouring rain. Ulyss and Kyle, in their house on the forest's edge, heard a scream—a cry for help. Rushing outside, they discovered a baby inside a dead tree, saved just in time from the rain filling the bark. They searched for her parents for months, but no one claimed her. No one knew who she was or why she was there. Ulyss couldn't help thinking it was the moon goddess sending them a gift since they couldn't have children. She asked Alpha Mederik to keep the baby, and he agreed. It was the best day of her life. Annie turned out to be a lovable but untamable child. Once an idea got into her thick skull, nothing could change her mind. She lived life to the fullest, making her different from others. The Moonclaw pack accepted and protected her as their own. Though a bit annoying at times, Annie became the most talented doctor and scientist they could ever have and she was only 19 years old. Ulyss tried to resist the urge to bite her nails. Though she felt somewhat reassured, a nagging feeling persisted, warning her not to let her guard down. She couldn't shake the sense that something was about to happen. The king, beyond being strong and ferocious, was cruel, adamant, violent, and hot-tempered. She thought she could hide Annie when he came to visit, but the unease lingered. In search of solace, she found herself in the arms of her mate, kissing him tenderly to alleviate her stress. However, even after their bodies intertwined, the anxiety persisted. It clung to her, prompting her to pace around the house. ----------------------- Nathan: I think you're... This one! The boy pointed to a black and white rabbit within the fence of his farm. He got startled when Annie leaned her elbow over his head, making him wave his hand in every direction to make her go away. Nathan: That's cheating! She playfully slapped his shoulder, exclaiming, "You're it!" and started to run in the opposite direction. The little boy chased after her, his long blond hair covering his brown eyes as he kept calling her a cheater. They reached the other side of the barn where they had drawn a circle in the dirt. Posy, a girl with short brown hair and blue eyes, approximately the same age as him, stood in the center, holding Annie's hand. Posy: She never said anything about a rabbit, you fool. Nathan: Take that back! Or I'll shift early like daddy and bite you! Posy: Oooh, I'm scared! Annie: No violence. It's a game, and we won fair and square. Come on, don't be a baby and enjoy these with us. She pulled three maple lollipops out of her backpack, giving one to Posy, putting one in her mouth, and waving the other to tempt the boy. His pride took over as he sat down and sulked. Seeing this, Annie approached the candy to her lips with a cocky smile. Annie: Or maybe you want me to eat it? Angry, Nathan stood and tried to snatch the treat from her hand, but she quickly withdrew. Annie: Uh, uh, uh! What do we say? He simmered down; he knew she would wait for him to cool off before doing anything else. So he breathed, just like she taught him. Once he was calm, he swallowed his pride and said "Please, Thank you." She mimicked a bird flying with the lollipop to put it in his mouth. After a few licks, he had forgotten why he was angry in the first place. He was all smiles and happiness, sharing a treat with his friends. Soon, Jimena, his mother, called out to them for dinner. Annie knew it was time for her to go back home with her very nervous mother. She had noticed how her mother became overly stressed when she learned that the Lycan King was coming soon. That's why Annie tried to avoid coming home. ------------------ Annie: Mom, I'm home! Ulyss almost tripped on her feet when she heard her voice. Her father signed something with his hands to make her aware of her mother's emotional state. Annie rolled her eyes while she pulled a rat out of a cage and tossed it to Screech. The eagle snatched it mid-air, gulping the rat down his throat in a happy whistle. She then proceeded to feed the multitude of spiders, lizards, scorpions, and snakes inside a little room she called "the laboratory". Her mother poked her nose in with a frown. Her bulky blonde hair was a mess, her skin seemed darker around her blue eyes, she appeared restless and a bit crazy. Her father's ambers eyes were also decorated with deep dark circles. It seemed like her mom kept turning and tossing last night, keeping him awake. She smacked her thick lips apart, thinking she would probably sleep with her mom that night. Ulyss: Where were you? I kept looking for you everywhere! Annie: Mom, please. I was playing with the kids, alright? It's not like the mighty king would behead me for having fun with children. Relax. Ulyss opened her mouth in shock. Annie quickly touched some wood, calming her mother right down as she did the same. The mom then put her hands on her hips, leaning her weight on one leg. Ulyss: You know, he might not appreciate that we adopted a stranger! Annie widened her eyes at her mother, opening her mouth in the same shocked expression her mother had. Annie: What? I'm adopted? Kyle chuckled, looking at his daughter and winking at her with a side smile. Only physically, it was obvious she was not their blood and flesh. Her mother was a tall, slender woman with blonde and bulky hair. Her eyes were deep blue, she had a squared jaw and thin lips. Her father had dark skin, short hair, and a curly black beard. He was tall and built to own a farm. On her part, she tended to be on the short side. Her white skin was covered in freckles. Her slim nose and soft jaw made her look delicate and fragile. She had thick red lips, emerald green eyes, and wavy red hair that she kept over her shoulders. After mimicking her mother's angry face, Ulyss shot them a death glare to shut them up, and it worked like a charm. Ulyss: I am serious here! Annie: All right, mom. I get it. I'm a bit freaked out too, but you should not get yourself all crazy like this; it makes me want to flee. Dad too, to be honest. You should get some sleep. Please, I won't let a dumb king kill me; you should know better. Her mother nervously nodded, and Annie led her to her room while her dad gave her a look that meant: "Why did you throw me under the bus? What did I do to you?" She stuck out her tongue with a smile before putting her mother to sleep. She knew she was stressed, so to soothe her a bit, she spooned her and waited until she fell asleep in her arms before sitting down for a meal with her dad.