"Ah!" I yelp as a werewolf toddler launches himself onto my back while I'm sitting cross-legged on the carpeted floor.
"Jackson, wait!" I panic, preparing to gently catch him as he scrambles over my shoulder, clearly wanting to leap dramatically into my lap.
We tumble together, landing in a heap. I twist mid-fall to make sure Jackson lands on me and not the floor.
I exhale sharply, wind knocked out of me, but relief floods in when I see Jackson sprawled across my stomach, giggling like it's the best ride he's ever had.
"Jackson!" Maggie scolds the young boy from across the room. The boy jumps, startled, and bolts off without a second thought, leaving me breathless and flat on the floor.
Another face pops up above me, her long hair tickling my face. The 6-year-old-looking girl offers me a smile and I try to genuinely smile back, but I'm sure the pain is preventing me from doing so.
She waves at me before running off, and I groan while pulling myself into a sitting position and notice that Maggie isn't around anymore. Probably back in the kitchen.
What I don't expect is for the little girl to come running back, a teddy bear tucked under one arm. She stumbles into my lap, the oversized plush nearly swallowing her.
I steady her gently and help her sit upright. She doesn't utter a single word while dolling up the teddy bear, and I sag my shoulders and let her do her thing.
The first thing I've learned about these children is that they do whatever pleases them. They crave attention, and they'll stop at nothing to get it. Their parents are either patrolling all day or doing some other job.
Another thing I have learned about them, is that they are mostly human at this stage. Except for their wolf-like appetite and energy. Only at age sixteen do they "evolve", in Xavion's words, gaining heightened senses and their wolf form. Most find their mates between the ages of eighteen and twenty-two.
I let the little girl stay nestled in my lap, her quiet presence oddly comforting.
From the corner of my eye, I spot Tasia slipping out of the kitchen. Her steps are careful, almost stealthy, as she manoeuvres past the chaos and settles beside me.
She doesn't say anything right away, just sits, watching the children with a soft smile.
"You okay?" I glance over my shoulder to tease Tasia, catching her eyeing the kitchen like it's a trap.
"Yeah, I just escaped before Maggie can start suggesting that I wash the dishes," she sighs dramatically, and I laugh at her predicament. She playfully glares at the ceiling in response.
"I'm glad I chose babysitting duty," I confess, and Tasia stops glaring to look at me.
"I let you have babysitting duty," Tasia corrects with a smirk. "I don't think Xavion would be very pleased if you were stuck with kitchen cleaning duty. Besides, bonding with the pups strengthens your connection to the pack." Her words catch me off guard.
I blink, absorbing the new information.
"I didn't know," I admit out loud, letting silence fall between the two of us as my mind processes the new details.
To think that just plainly being around the children is already creating a bond. I'm not even sure if the rest of the pack will accept me as a human, but before that, I still need to figure out if I even want to be a leader of a whole bunch of people.
And not just any people, werewolves.
The more time I spend with Xavion and the others, even in fleeting moments, the more I want to stay.
Which terrifies me.
The more I spent time with Xavion and everyone else, even if it was just a minute, the more I want to stay here.
Which scares me, to be perfectly honest. I have never developed feelings so quickly with anyone, it usually happens when I'm around animals, hence my job. And I haven't even started thinking about my job, Python, or even my house. There's so much to think about, yet I'm already bonding with a whole community all at once.
Loud sniffing from Tasia snaps me out of my whirlwind of thoughts. At first, it scared the living daylights out of me, but then I remember wolves' keen sense of smell.
I lean over to Tasia while trying not to disturb the child in my lap and whisper, "Is something wrong?"
"Very wrong," she replies, her voice low and her expression suddenly serious, more serious than I've ever seen.
Tasia jumps to her feet and rushes to the window. I keep my eyes on her, noting how the children remain blissfully unaware of her growing anxiety.
Except for one.
The little girl in my lap stops playing and gently sets her teddy bear aside. She's the only one who seems to sense the shift in the room. She quietly removes herself from my embrace, and I whisper a soft thank-you before rising to join Tasia at the window.
What catches my attention isn't the trees, but the stand-off unfolding just beyond them.
Xavion stands firm, flanked by a few familiar warriors. Opposite them are three men with rough, weathered looks. The one in the centre radiates dominance, his posture rigid, his stare locked onto Xavion's with unmistakable challenge.
"Who are they?" I ask Tasia in a quiet tone.
"Rogues," she whispers, her eyes never leaving the scene.
My breath catches, not expecting her answer.
"They dare?" I voice my thoughts, knowing that if any rogue wolf steps onto another wolf's territory, they're guaranteed a death sentence. They're rogues for a reason, and a pack won't tolerate a criminal with the audacity to try and infiltrate a community.
But by the looks of the current situation, the lack of blood being spilt means that werewolves seem to want to talk it out first.
"That's exactly my question." Tasia's voice is calm yet deadly, making me understand the severity of the situation.
I continue looking out the window with Tasia, hoping a fight doesn't start breaking out when the leader of the trio suddenly puts his gaze on me.
I take a step back in shock, his yellow eyes making me realise that he could be the same wolf that lurked in front of my house the other day. The very one that made Xavion panic, which resulted in an early vacation.
I almost forgot about that.
Xavion whips his head around, following the rogue's line of sight. His eyes darken, fury flashing across his face. He starts to lunge, but Royce catches him just in time, holding him back.
Before I can see more, Tasia grabs my arm and pulls me away from the window.
"I think I know why they're here," she says, gripping my shoulders.
And before she can explain, I speak up, "Me too."