The Wolf Princess Takes A Mate

08 Tiny Miracle

Adrianne Baxter of Evergleen Burrows grew up with the burden of the people's expectations and aspirations of him being the next leader of their little pack over his shoulders.

Even though their pack is considered to be the smallest in all the Wolf Shifter packs that exist in Calenroth's Shifter Grounds, their area is not only abundant in resources but their history as a pack is rich.

So rich, that the three main and powerful packs in Shifter Grounds, also known as the Big Three, owe their prestige, power, and authority today because of the ancestors from little Evergleen Burrows.

Therefore, despite the size of their pack, they sure pack quite a punch. No pun intended.

And that's a good thing since even though they have an abundance of resources, they've never been a target of any attacks from other packs or outside groups in Shifter Grounds.

All because they are under the protection of the three main Pack Groups which are the Silver Arrow, Shadow Moon, and Sable Fanghunter, as gratitude for all the things their ancestors had done for the Big Three in the past.

And lately, just a couple of generations ago, it seems that Evergleen Burrows is not the pack that it used to be.

Sure, the resources are as abundant as ever. However, the leaders of the pack are becoming more and more average with each generation that passes by.

Usually, the leader of Evergleen Burrows would be more than enough to overpower the leaders of the Big Three combined during the Annual Shifter Spars.

The Annual Shifter Spars is an annual event where all the packs, big and small alike, in Shifter Grounds are welcome to participate for the sole purpose of merry-making and getting together with each other as a race.

Other races and other shifters are free to attend to watch and enjoy the festivities. However, they can't participate in the main sparring event.

However, in every Annual Shifter Spars where Evergleen Burrows gets soundly beaten, the pressure from the pack of wanting to be able to redeem their pride as part of the Evergleen Burrows now rests on the eldest and future leader of the pack's shoulder.

And that is him. Adrianne Baxter of Evergleen Burrows.

Even though his parents don't take the Annual Shifter Spars that seriously, encouraging their children to be who they want to be and not have the pack dictate who they will become, Adrianne doesn't think that is something he is capable of doing.

Not only did he want to be the leader of the pack in the future but he also wanted to redeem their pack's honor in the Shifter Spars even without the pack elders urging him to. He wants to do all of their bidding not because he has to but because he wants to.

However, despite that thought in mind, he just can't seem to convince the people around him of his goals.

He couldn't convince his parents that turning himself into the ultimate pack leader, like their ancestors in the past, is something that he wants to do.

And he couldn't convince the elders that he is being serious about aiming for what they wanted. That they don't need to watch his every move or breath down his neck in order to make sure that he is taking the path of the pack's redemption.

All that pressure to be good and to be better, for himself, his family, and his pack, is building up inside of him despite all the effort he's been doing.

And...it seemed like whatever he does, it was wrong.

His wanting to be the ideal pack leader is wrong in his parents' eyes. His being NOT the ideal pack leader is wrong in the pack's eyes.

It's like, whatever he does, he always lacks something and he can't satisfy the two important parts of his life.

This made him seem tense and defensive as he grows sick and tired of having everyone doubt him, worry about him, or be scared of whatever he will do.

It also doesn't help that other children his age are terrified of him because of his above-average skills and abilities in the arena as well as in his academics.

And even with that, the elders are still not convinced he can win the Annual Shifter Spars.

Even though he can now easily cut down a thick tree from the base of its truck with one swipe of his transformed hand--with the rest of his body still in Human form, it was still not enough for the pack.

Additionally, his growth not only improved his strength and abilities, but also boosted his aura which was more than enough to instill an instinctive fear in the people around him.

Except for his parents and a few of his brothers.

However...this little girl, the one shaking in his arms and holding him tightly as if he were a lifeline, was only born just some weeks ago.

Since she was just born, her Wolf still developing within her. So pups like her have little to no protection from outside forces, they especially have nothing to protect them from other young adult or adult Shifters' auras.

Their bodies will have natural defenses from the auras of their parents but other than that, they are defenseless.

Which is the reason why it puzzled Adrianne so much.

He knows that his younger brothers after him may not have an aura that was as intense, threatening, and overwhelming as him. However, he knows that most of his brothers are being shunned by their own pack because of their overwhelming auras as well.

The triplets included.

Therefore, it made Adrianne curious as to how the triplets suddenly made it a routine to come over and visit the new and youngest member of their family on a daily basis. Especially when he knew his other brothers are dying to see their youngest, one and only little sister.

Adrianne wasn't part of those who yearn to see Annallee Natalia, the only girl--and the only one who had skewed the naming system their parents made, of the family.

It was just another day, another end to his classes and another wait to endure for his younger brother, Christian Dale, the second eldest, to arrive so they can spar.

That was the moment when he chanced seeing the triplets rushing towards the separate small house that was connected to the main house, just beside the office where their parents are working.

He can't deny that it piqued his curiosity.

After some indecision, he finally decided to follow and when he arrived, he saw his youngest brothers in the midst of jumping on each others' throats. Their menacing aura was heavy, cloying, and, to those who are weak from their auras, suffocating.

However, it was no sweat off Adrianne's nose. Whatever auras his little brothers are making can be distinguished in the air but it doesn't bother him one bit.

But...

His eyes stopped on the small figure that was leaning on the wooden posts of the crib.

Her reddish-brown tuft of hair was tied in a small ribbon, creating a small cow lick on top of her head. Her eyes, the same eyes as their father, flicker with amber from their mother as they seem to spit with anger while looking at the triplets. Her cheeks are puffed up and he somehow guessed that she was about to shout at the boys.

But he doesn't want her to exert so much effort her little body probably couldn't do, so he shooed the triplets out of her room himself.

And since he was already there, he might as well ask her one of the pressing questions that have been swirling in his head since he arrived.

"Tell me, little pup, are you scared of me?"

But that was moments ago.

What's happening now is that she seemed to have slipped and would have fallen if not for him quickly catching her before she falls to the floor. And when she started wriggling, he intended to put her back in her crib but she suddenly struggled to get to him.

Now, he has a koala clinging around his neck for...some reason. A koala who seemed to be terrified but it doesn't seem like it was because of him since said koala was hanging onto him for dear life.

And he's stumped.

It seems...that everyone was right. He's still lacking. He's still inadequate.

He had already mastered using every weapon available in the arena, academically learned all the things he needed to learn, and is currently studying subjects that are advanced for his age, and many more.

However, he knew that the elders were right that he was still not ready. And his parents were also right that he is overdoing his duty as the heir and neglecting some aspects of his life.

Like caring for his siblings and mingling and socializing with others in the pack.

Because discovering that he doesn't know what to do and how to ease and comfort his younger sibling was beyond him, is an eye-opener. And the fact that he's more in a daze and reeling at the realization that this little girl feels no fear of him at all.

Instead, it seems like she's fearing something else and was looking up to him, clinging to him, for comfort and safety.

Which was something he had never felt from anyone in the pack before.

Despite him thinking that he was already capable and reliable thanks to all that he knew and learned, maybe...just maybe, he was feeling so inadequate and unappreciated because...no one was making him feel like he was needed or that no one relied on him.

He got nothing but endless expectations, duties, and responsibilities only to be met by equally endless looks of disappointment and worries.

No one had looked at him or made him feel like he is capable and that he did well.

Awkwardly, but gently and softly, he raises his arms and gingerly wraps them around her little form.

So small. So fragile. Yet so sweet and strong at the same time.

At this moment, with this little person in his arms, it occurred to him this was probably what he needed.

Someone to rely on him. Someone who can depend on him and believes in him. And more importantly, someone who is not afraid of him.

Someone...like his little sister, Annallee Natalia.

And for the first time in a very long time, he felt at peace. Like a heavy load was lifted from his shoulders at the fact that for once, he was not an outcast or a constant disappointment.

That there is still someone in this world who can accept him for himself. No questions asked, no hesitation. Someone who will jump out of the blue and be there for him.

Just like his little sister did.

He feels his lip wobbling from emotion as he hugged her close, still careful not to hurt her as he inhaled her comforting scent of powder and flowers that eased his troubled existence.

She might not know and she might not even remember this moment in time, but Adrianne will never forget this.

How this small and fragile creature had looked beyond everything that he considered the ones that block him from everything and leaped without hesitation into his arms and sought his protection.

She changed his life forever...and for the better.

****

Meanwhile...

Sniffle. Sniffle.

I perk up a little from shoving my face in between my eldest brother's neck when I hear the sniffling.

Was...was he crying? But why? Was I holding him a little too tightly?

Please, how can a small and weak little kid like me hold him too tightly to the point of pain that would send him crying?