Puppy Dog Eyes
(Sunday) April 9, Year 3
Leah watched Bailey as she attempted to fish. However, she was doing so without a fishing rod. Almost in a trance, she peered into the river, watching the water flow and the fish swim across. Her eyes dilated similar to a feline and Bailey slowly inched her hand closer to the edge with a rolled-up sleeve before striking to potentially catch something.
“Is it just me, or does Bailey have more energy lately?” Leah asked as she watched her from a distance. When she didn’t receive a response, the artist turned her head, only to see the blonde fixated on her camera, altering the lens to capture the smaller of the three. She couldn’t help but softly laugh. “Wow. You are smitten with her.”
“Ugh. No, I’m not. She’s just nice to look at… and she has these little quirks that give her a charm… Oh! And she’s very photogenic. I haven’t had a bad photo of her yet.”
“So you admit to taking photos of her?” the artist teased.
The comment created a flush to burst across her face and Haley pouted at the implication like a child caught swooning over her school crush. Before she could say anything, Bailey hobbled over to the pair with wet arms due to the river.
“Look! I caught a lizard!”
Leah and Bailey stared at the tiny reptile before the latter released it back near the river. The redhead managed to notice the little details on her hand and studied them. Scarred knuckles and calloused palms told silent stories about the small diplomat. However, her eyes began to wander up as she noticed there were other markings on her forearms, markings that looked animalistic. Her heather-colored eyes glanced at Bailey's face for a second before looking away to avoid admiring her. Haley was right next to them. On instinct, Leah checked to see if the blonde had seen her but it seemed that she was distracted herself.
It was at that moment when Bailey realized how close they all were and anxiously scooted away. As if looking for an excuse, she lifted her head to see the sky to tell the time.
“H-Hey. I just remembered that I told Esteban to run some urgent errands. I’d better head back to the far-!” She tripped, making the two worry before she hopped back up like nothing. “To the farm! I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Bailey stumbled around to get her crutch, followed by her limping back in the direction of Bumble Field, leaving the pair of artists confused.
“That was weird,” Haley said. “That must be the fastest I’ve ever seen Goldie move.”
“Did something happen?” Leah asked. “You’ve been spending more time with her than me.”
“She never mentioned anything. I can try asking Kai or even her brother. If I see them at all today…”
Like all werewolves, Bailey kept track of the moon phases. However, unlike the rest of her family, she took extra precautions since a majority of her kids could also shift, and she tended to run more on instinct when in her primal form.
…
That’s why she was spending most of her time with Kairius until nightfall.
“Fucking Gods! This is not working!” she groaned. “I’m still understimulated…”
“You barely burned any calories today. Where’s all that upper strength that you always show off?”
“I’ll show you upper strength!” Bailey climbed up the tree she was resting in and grabbed a Ridgeside Apple, chucking it down at the devil boy, who leaned to the side to dodge the attack. It was honestly impressive that she managed to stretch up to climb higher with only one stable foot.
Kai watched as she maneuvered herself to climb.
“Alright, show-off. Maybe you should just stay here for the full moon. You might snap at Thunder if we keep you inside. Plus, I heard from the wizard that you can go further into the forest for some monster killing. You manage to let loose and you won’t bother anyone in your beast form. Everybody wins.”
Bailey hooked her knees on a sturdy branch and hung upside down, relaxing her arms and startling Kai.
“This is nice,” she commented. “Maybe we should take precautions just in case.” That’s when she felt something in her stomach, making her curl up to fix herself and then plopping down on the spot next to Kai with a thud. “I’m hungry again.”
“Goldie, at this rate, we won’t have any for the night.”
“Hungry! Me want more food,” she whined playfully.
“You’re a freakin’ weirdo,” he insulted as he threw a bag of dried meat over to her.
Bailey quickly ate her ration before getting up, shaking out a bit of energy like a dog before morphing into a large canine. Her muzzle and ears grew out while her hair turned from black to blizzard white. Her clothes merged as she shifted and once she was completely different, she fell forward to stand on all three. Back scars tattered her fur but they’ve aged, sprouting small patches of her pelt.
It was much easier to walk as a wolf than as a human for her. Kai learned this the hard way when Bailey suddenly bolted into the shrubs, making the devil boy scramble to get up and chase after her.
“Bailey! No!”
…
“There’s a sudden change in the forest.”
“Is that bad?”
“Hmm. It’s difficult to say. This force is strong, not human, however, the wielder is aware and they are in control. Powerful yet contained. Peaceful but not harmless.”
“I’m assuming you’re gonna watch them since it’s in the deeper forest levels.”
“That’s the peculiarity in this, Corine. This is not from the Spirit Realm. This one came straight from our world, and I wish for you to document this. Report to me as soon as you obtain more information.”
…
High noon, and the only ones from the farm that the townsfolk had seen were Catty and Lucy. Even then, it was for quick errands.
“This has been happening every month for three years and you never thought of anything weird about it?”
Haley was invited to a random meeting in the library. Well, not random, but Abigail has been hosting these more often. She would gather people who were interested in odd magic, fantasies, and monsters and then have a meeting or discussion about them. Lately, they’ve been focused more on the Greyhowl family that owned the farm.
“Abs, some people like a rest day,” Penny suggested. “Maybe it’s a coincidence that they have it once a month.”
“Oh. A rest day on a full moon?!” She threw down a lunar cycle calendar. “It wasn’t weird when it was only Thunder and his sons. But now it’s not just them. Esteban was supposed to clear more levels in the mines with me, but he’s suddenly ‘running errands for his mom.’ Then Lyra normally goes out into town to bother Penny with questions.”
The sweetheart teacher gasped and crossed her arms, upset with Abigail’s statement. “Lyra does not bother me! Though, she could learn to respect my teaching methods… and possibly learn to listen to Flor’s lessons more. However, she’s very bright for her age and doesn’t mean any ill to anyone else.”
“Okay, but has she come to either of you today?”
Penny opened her mouth to answer but then promptly closed it when she didn’t have one. Typically, Bailey’s daughter would come around to curiously ask questions about anything that involved the town. Maru, Flor, Penny, and even Gunther were always there to listen whenever the young girl wanted to satiate her curious mind.
However, they haven’t seen her at all, and Abigail seems to have hit the jackpot.
“Aha! See!” She pulled out various notes and spreadsheets. “Here are some other things I think are important to point out. Greyhowl? Yeah, the royal Trecen family shares that last name with the farmers. You wanna know a funny thing? The royal family was rumored to be related to ancient lycanthropes and even their kingdom is said to be built and raised on mystical grounds that ordinary humans couldn’t set foot on!”
“Abigail, you’re creating conspiracies from myths,” Penny deflated. “Catty and Thunder have been nothing but the kindest folks since they’ve moved here.”
“Okay. But that doesn’t mean they are human. While they are living among us, there have been more odd canine sightings at night. And guess what? They’ve been more common on full moons!”
“So you mean to say that the family is a bunch of monsters, Abby?” Haley scoffed. “I’m pretty sure I would have noticed if my best friend was some sort of werewolf.”
“Best friend. Sure,” Sebastian mumbled, earning a look from both Haley and Emily, one pointed while the latter was suppressing a laugh. “And Lewis isn’t the mayor. Abigail, there is no way that Thunder is a werewolf and we wouldn’t have noticed. We would’ve seen a giant bear if he turned out to be one.”
Haley couldn’t help but wonder about the adventurer’s speculation. She tried to think of other signs that she’d possibly missed. Constant need for protein, and amazing upper body strength, Dusty is very aggressive towards her…
Okay, maybe Abby was connecting something together but that didn’t matter in her opinion. Bailey would never hurt a fly… on purpose or without reason at least. She was too sweet and docile to do such a thing.
…
“Princess Bailey Feathers Greyhowl I of Trecen! Get back here and quit slaughtering the fucking locals!”
Kairius was losing his mind trying to keep Bailey under control in the forest, making him lose control of his glamor spell and revealing his fiendish form.
His usual tan had an odd red tint to it and his horns started at the edge of his hairline, following the curve of his skull before curving slightly at the very top of his head. His pupils were sharp and his teeth sharp, feeling cold as he panted for air. Kai’s neck veins were slowly becoming a bright blue as smoke began to rise from his throat up to escape through his mouth. He was about to run after his friend but knew better than to interrupt a lycan’s hunting spree.
The giant wolf lifted her head, spit, and spiritual ooze from the recently slain spirit dripping from her maw, making her fangs glisten. Bailey shook the tail of a mauled serpent like a smug dog before getting up and trodding over past Kai, who was too tired to even chase after her. He decided to lie on the floor, completely deflated from energy. Her ears twitched and her wild pupils dilated. She froze, sensing something change around her. Her cold, black nose quivered as she tracked someone.
Someone was observing. Human. Young. Female. She’s on the southwest side. Position is… sloppy. Breathing is loud. Heart rate is slowly increasing. Possible apprentice scout of the Cult of the Lady with the Red Tail.
She knew to investigate any magic and possible rumors when coming to a new area.
Bailey closed her eyes, lowering her head and pinning her ears back. She slowly crept towards a tree. She flexed her paw to feel the earth, digging her claws into the dirt before snatching a rock and launching it to the girl, initiating a fight. The single second of tranquility was easily broken just as easily as it was created.
She morphed only some of her body into her human form, but Bailey kept her beastly limbs. Exactly as the hybrid predicted, the woman appeared before her, however, she was armed and Bailey changed her plan. Rather than deflecting the strike, she dodged to avoid the attacking dagger.
The brawler used her left paw to grab the attacker’s wrist, gripping hard enough to force her to drop her weapon and then throwing her to the side. Like an animal, Bailey crawled on all three and crept to the fallen girl.
She stared up at Bailey with worried magenta eyes and cradled her sprained wrist. Bailey’s wolfish eyes leered at Corine. They remained unblinking as they kept her in place.
The brunette wasn’t expecting the werewolf to effortlessly outmaneuver her tactics.
“Introduce yourself, scout,” Bailey growled. “State your mission.”
Her calmness was unnerving but she did as suggested anyway without stuttering.
“Corine. I’m an apprentice and I was assigned as a recon scout because the magical energy suddenly changed in the forest. How’d you do all that so easily? Why are you even here?”
After hearing Corine’s brief explanation, Bailey suddenly calmed down. The feral look in her eyes was subdued and she stopped snarling.
“Oh. Okay.” Bailey plopped on the ground, rolling in the grass. “Gods. I thought you were here to kill me. If you must know, I’m here to blow off steam. It’s a full moon tonight. If I don’t satiate my wild side, then the wolf gets crazy, and I don’t plan on painting the town red. I’ve even got a chaperone just in case.”
She stayed on her back and stared up at the sky. It was well past the afternoon but it wasn’t dark yet.
“Not sure how well-informed you are with underground fighters, but I happen to be an ex-champion so fighting is something that comes to me naturally. My name’s Bailey, but most refer to me as Goldie.” Bailey stretched out in her new nest in the forest. “Well, the evening is coming in. You can either report back to your folks while I stay here or meet up with my buddy at the edge of the forest if you truly don’t trust me.”
She was kind. Despite not being human, Corine was fascinated by Bailey herself. Everything about her was an enigma.
Corine watched as Bailey took in a deep breath before exhaling, closing her eyes, and relaxing as if she wasn’t just at her neck a few minutes ago. Golden eyes that went from predatory like a hunter’s to something as gentle as a puppy dog, toned muscles that were marked with scars that seemed too perfect to pair up with the fact that she wasn’t human. However, as soon as she discovered that Corine had no bad intentions, Bailey was easily subdued.
With her objective completed, the scout watched her for a bit longer before disappearing in front of Bailey’s eyes. She certainly wasn’t harmless, Corine’s bruised wrist was evidence of that, but at least Bailey was friendly enough to introduce herself, so the brunette had a good feeling about the werewolf.
…
She had not answered her phone at all, she was nowhere to be seen, and even her family was absent from the town. Haley remembers that once in a while, Thunder would have a boys-only camping trip, but with Lyra and Bailey being gone, she was starting to doubt that.
Catty mentioned that Kai had taken his best friend to the Ridgeside Forest, so that’s where Haley decided to search. Her flashlight turned on with a click and she began to walk through the forest, looking down at each step to make sure that her pointed boots wouldn’t get ruined. The Ridgeside Forest wasn’t a place she was familiar with but she was willing to brace herself if it meant getting at least one answer. If her memory served her right, then there should be an opening in the north.
The beauty’s flashlight shined a spot between two cliffs. There was a stump nearby with something reflecting her light. Curious, she went closer to inspect it.
There was a metal stake implanted into the wood with sturdy chains made of steel. Because of how clean it was, Haley assumed that the chain was brand new but upon closer inspection, something broke them like it was nothing. Even picking up the chain proved to be difficult due to how heavy it was. She left it and continued to inspect any other clues of what was there.
Some clumps of white fur were clipped inside the stump. Whatever was chained to the tree stump struggled to break through before it clawed its way into the woods.
That’s when Haley felt something piercing into her skin. Something was watching her, but when she turned to shine the light in its general direction, she found nothing. She stayed silent in case whatever was there wanted to hurt her and she cautiously started to walk back.
She was starting to have second thoughts, but if there was something out there, Bailey could also be in danger. At least, that’s what she thought.
Haley continued to hike through the forest past the ridge, only to be stopped immediately by an approaching animal. Something that would tower over her. She collided with it face-first and fell back, startled by the sudden obstacle. Rather than attacking though, it flinched away, putting distance between them. It pushed away bushes like nothing and proceeded to hide.
She scrambled for her flashlight, shining it at the animal. Its yellow eyes reflected the light and Haley only had a second to see that it was a canine before it disappeared into the heavy woods in a white blur. Haley was still wide-eyed when it registered to her that the beast was gone. As it began to sink, her fear turned to fascination and she got up to follow after the canine.
While it was uncharacteristic of her to do so, Thunder’s adventurous side and Catty’s empathetic nature had rubbed off on her. Not to mention the odd familiarity she felt when she saw those golden eyes.
“Psst. Hey, come here, girl.” All signs showed that it escaped from the spot on the ridge.
However, it continued to walk ahead, ignoring her. Haley tried to call the animal again, only for it to continue forward. Without a warning, it spun around to confront her, its head was down and it lowly growled, warning her to stay back. Its muzzle lined up perfectly in front of Haley’s face, showing canines that could pierce into her skull. Yellow irises reflected her flashlight once again, making it hard to see its pupils.
“Hey. Shh… It’s okay,” she tried to calm it down. “Come on. It’s okay.”
She could see what it was now that it slowly approached her. A wolf.
Its paws dragged on the forest floor as she approached it, brushing past the blades of grass and leaving behind small dents in the greenery. Haley was fascinated by the beast. She sat on the ground to make herself smaller, not caring about the grass stains rubbing into her leggings. Looking at the wolf, Haley felt a familiarity with the beast and she wanted to interact with it further.
“Come here, girl. Don’t be afraid.”
It stopped baring its teeth, however, it kept its yellow eyes sharp and its chipped ears pinned back. That’s when Haley noticed the scars across its face and the missing lines of fur that ran from the lower left side of the bottom of its neck up to the right where the jaw and throat met. Though they were light pink and healed, Haley noticed the wolf flinch and brace itself as put her hand down. Startled yet defensive, it flashed its teeth and growled yet stopped when it saw her stop moving.
Blue eyes looked over scars and she noticed the unique pattern of a certain hybrid. Without hesitation, the blonde called out softly once again.
“Bailey?” The wolf blinked and lowered itself even further. However, its pupils expanded upon hearing the name. “Is that you?”
They remained still. The tension could be cut with an axe and Haley could’ve sworn that time really did freeze. Based on the wolf’s reaction, Haley knew exactly who she was.
“Oh. Oh god. You really are a werewolf…”
She was about to bring her hand closer but the white wolf snarled and attempted to nip, telling her to keep back. Yet when Haley pulled away, she seemed to realize what she did and finally laid down on her front, whining and tucking her paws in. Her tail curled to the side, showing guilt.
“It isn’t bad, Goldie. But maybe try, like, not to bite my hand off?” They sat for a bit, regret evident in the wolf’s demeanor. When Haley tried once again to pet Bailey, she was slow when doing so. Upon making contact with her white fur, Haley finally found how large Bailey was in this form but she also felt relieved to still see her gentle. This time, the latter allowed her to stay close, looking up at the blonde like a sad dog. Haley continued to softly caress the well-groomed cheek fur because her expression tugged at Haley’s heartstrings.
“You have the sweetest eyes. I would recognize them anywhere.” Surprisingly, Bailey slowly blinked before leaning into Haley’s hand. It was then that the blonde realized how scarred the werewolf was.
The ones on her face were crooked yet clean, showing that it was lashed by an animal with claws. Her ears were clipped to make them pointed, reminding her of a fierce fighting dog, clearly manmade. Haley can’t help but wonder how she did not see it before. Dozens of marks were on her back and her white pelt looked tangled. Rather than crooked scratches, these marks were cleanly cut, meaning they were purposeful. Clumps of fur were missing from Bailey’s bite marks on the front of her legs.
Without any warning, Bailey’s eyes flew open and she sprung to her paws. The action startled Haley.
“What’s wrong?”
The wolf leered into the dark forest, staring at something that Haley couldn’t detect. That’s when she leaped. A purple serpent flew at them and Bailey caught it while it was in the air, inches away from piercing fangs into Haley. The momentum made them land a few feet away from where the pair were resting. Rather than fearing for her near death, Haley was worried about the werewolf’s safety, unaware of Bailey’s combat experience.
The serpent wrapped itself around Bailey’s entire body before latching its teeth into Bailey’s throat. However, rather than flesh, it got a mouthful of fur as it missed her pulse point. Bailey struggled as she tried to grab the monster. She changed strategies quickly and rammed the side of her body into the closest tree, dragging her weight onto it to make a long scrape on the serpent’s side. Everything was moving quickly in front of Haley, and she was left to do nothing as the other fought off the monster.
Flinching from the pain, the serpent finally let go of the canine, sending stands of white wolf hair to float in the cold air. With a clawed hand, Bailey grabbed the monster by the throat, right underneath its jaw so that it wouldn’t be able to flail, before pinching her claws between the jawbone and skull. She had pinched it so hard that it crushed the joint that connected all of its nerves, quickly killing her opponent.
Once it laid limp on the forest floor, Bailey panted, showing her labored breaths precipitating in the air. Her canines were tainted with black from the monster and her shrunken pupils dilated as the hair on the back of her spine flattened once her golden gaze landed on Haley, still wide-eyed by the scene that played out in front of her. As the adrenaline high drastically decreased, the werewolf collapsed right before she could take a step forward and her vision began to grow dark.
(Monday) April 10, Year 3
Bailey could feel the sun heating her shoulder as birds began chirping. The bed sheets she rested in smelled like coconut oil and sea salt with the slightest hint of artificial flora. Her eyes groggily adjusted to the morning light and a groan escaped her throat. Upon opening them, she was met with blue eyes that were staring at her like she was the entire world. She felt Haley brush her dark bedhead away as memories from the full moon slowly trickled into her mind. However, the plump smile on the blonde’s face told her exactly what she needed to know so Bailey decided to move on like it was normal.
“Good morning, Puppy.”
The unconscious grin she had immediately fell while Haley merely giggled with the reaction.
“Great. Did Kai teach you that one?”
“Mhm. I thought it was weird at first but I can see it now,” she mumbled. “You have those puppy dog eyes. Can I hold you? Does anything hurt?”
Bailey moved in closer, noticing that her jacket and scarf were off. She merely wore a dark undershirt and work slacks. Typically, insecurity would poke at her whenever her neck scar was exposed but she felt content with Haley.
“Nothing that I can’t handle, lovely.” She hummed when she looked at her bare arms, surprised to see her own skin for a bit. “You seem to be… adjusting to this quickly. I thought my family secret wasn’t known.”
Haley wrapped her thin arm around Bailey’s torso, burying her nose into the crook of the smaller woman’s neck. Despite spending most of the night in the woods, Bailey seemed to take only a handful of scents. Cedarwood and lavender were strong in some spots while dew seemed to linger around the werewolf. Their size difference wasn’t drastic but Bailey wrapped her legs around Haley’s waist as she cradled the blonde into her. Being able to hold something brought comfort after her monthly episode, showing the emotion with a sigh of relief.
“Eh. I stopped thinking about it when I realized that most Trecenians aren’t human. It’s amazing what you can find on the internet. Why were you alone in the woods though? I thought Kai was supposed to be there with you.”
Haley heard her heartbeat increase yet didn’t make any sudden movements. Rather than rubbing into her back, she brought her arms up to detangle Bailey’s short locks, relaxing her instantly with the simple comb.
“Out of my entire family, I tend to be the most aggressive and the strongest. Kai brought me to Ridgeside to let me let off steam but I insisted on staying in the forest. I told him to chain me up since the other village was close but seems that I still managed to escape.”
They were quiet after that answer, cherishing their tranquil morning. Bailey felt light fingers slowly cease their movements and start to drag down, feeling every curve from the back of her neck. The ticklish touch raised goosebumps as a shudder ran down her spine. Haley seemed pleased with the response and continued.
“This is the closest we’ve ever been so stop me whenever you want,” Haley said, entranced as she tried to memorize the little details. Bailey hummed while she felt drowsy, nearly dizzy by the simple action that the photographer was doing.
Haley’s fingers ran over each bump and crevice, lingering over certain scars as if dropping a lipless kiss. The countless scars felt like braille to the blonde but she attempted to guess their story by tracing them. The lightly colored slashes on her shoulder blades expanded and then shrank while Bailey took each breath as the ones around her waist remained dormant, showing that she breathed with her lungs and chest. When she pressed her fingertip deeper into Bailey’s muscles, Haley could feel toned muscles instinctively tense up.
Bailey squirmed and grumbled, “Don’t do that. Sensitive.”
This was beginning to be an inside game between the two. One would dance her fingertips over the other’s skin as if to coax shivers while the other would sleepily move or mumble something under her breath, either a purr or a grumble. It felt like hours had passed before an alarm had finally gone off. Bailey groaned as she curled around Haley, who managed to barely reach for her phone on the bedside table to shut off their disturbance.
“What time is it?”
She was quiet before Bailey heard her put down her device, nestling back into the werewolf’s warmth. The werewolf put her arm over her, welcoming her back in her arms.
“You’re very snuggly.”
“Lovely, what time is it? I need to help my brother.”
Bailey could feel Haley frown and hold on tighter.
“It’s ten and Kai asked me if I’ve seen you at all today.”
When she didn’t continue, Bailey asked, “Haley, what did you tell him?”
She was silent and Bailey knew what she said. She splayed herself out, about to roll over to escape, but Haley moved on top of her, still clinging to the smaller woman.
“Haley, I need to get up…”
As much as she hated it, the day needed to be taken on. Bailey sat up, instantly feeling the chilly air, and then turned to get off the bed. However, she comedically fell on the wooden floor with a thud. Haley was officially awake and she pulled Bailey back up onto the bed. Her eyes scanned the werewolf for any injuries while she was kneeling in front of her.
“I forgot that I’m missing a foot…”
Haley sighed, glaring up with blue eyes.
“Yeah, I didn’t see any of your things. I would’ve given you your crutch or your leg, but they weren’t there. Don’t scare me like that, please. Here, I’ll make you breakfast before Kai shows up.”
Haley stood in front of her, ready to help her up and preparing for Bailey to lean on her. When she was sitting at the table, the blonde was about to pull away. However, the royal gently tugged on Haley’s arm, asking her to lean down. Once she was close enough, Bailey craned her neck up to steal a light peck before releasing the blonde, who gasped and went red. She stood there for a few moments, processing the action, before going back to the kitchen behind Bailey. From where she sat, the werewolf could hear how fast Haley’s heart was if she focused close enough. She could also hear how her lover’s hands seemed to shake but she wasn’t one to remark.
(Monday) April 17, Year 3
Even though it was clear that their relationship was more than platonic, the pair never excluded Leah, and she couldn’t tell if she was jealous of one of them or both of them.
Whenever Bailey was busy with number crunching, Haley would stop by her cabin, excitedly showing off new photos she recently developed. If the latter happened to be late, Bailey’s down-to-earth nature would retell vivid stories with extreme details, encouraging Leah’s imagination.
However, bring them together and you could see how complete they were with one another.
“Hey, Bonbon,” Abigail greeted playfully.
“You call me that shit again and I’ll kick you into the next level of the mines.”
Leah was doing her weekly grocery run at Pierre’s when she heard Abigail and Esteban.
“Are you coming to the Egg Festival this week?” she asked as she was arranging the shelf.
“My family will but I don’t think my mom can,” he replied. “Phoenix is taking a bit of her time.”
“Well, why can’t she just bring him?”
“My mom worries how the town will be towards him since he isn’t… exactly… like everyone else.”
Leah knew exactly why. Once Haley explained what happened the day after Abby’s conspiracy meeting, Bailey was quick to explain her youngest’s oddities.
“So how do draconic bloodlines work?”
“A lot more messy because of the polygamy in Trecen, but Nix is estranged from his dragon clan since his other parent is a donor. I know who it is but it’s up to Phoenix whether he wants to one day meet his father or not. Either way, he’s a part of my family and I want him to be happy.”
However, Phoenix was also born in the country, making him an official Pelican Town resident. While she understood Bailey’s worry, it didn’t mean that she should exclude herself from the festivities. Leah was quick to pay for her things and made her way to the forest, finding Haley and Bailey already by the river. For once, Bailey wasn’t her jacket and her hair was tied back, giving her a more rebellious butch appearance thanks to her dark clothes as well as healed scars.
Leah didn’t realize she was staring until the pair approached her, offering to help her.
“Oh! Yeah, the help’s appreciated.”
She waited for both of them to take her bags before unlocking her cabin and pushing the door for them. Leah watched as they helped, fondly watching them make themselves at home. She noticed how the photographer would constantly linger near Bailey, who seemed to have grown accustomed to the attachment.
“Lee’s paints go on that shelf.”
“I can’t reach it. You know this already.”
“Yeah. But I like it when you ask for help!”
Bailey playfully pushed Haley before urging her to put it away. The tiredness in her golden eyes was absent and Leah knew exactly why. She couldn’t stop the giggle that escaped her mouth, catching the werewolf’s attention.
“Yes?”
“Oh. It’s nothing. I just think that you two are cute,” Leah bluntly said.
For a second, the artist saw her grin fall and then her gaze avoided eye contact. However, her giveaway was the tips of her ears flushing and the way she tried to hide in her red scarf almost like a security blanket.
“Haley is nice,” Bailey confessed. “I mean she keeps me happy and she has been getting along with my kids. It’s weird to hear how she used to be a stereotypical mean girl until I came along.”
“Well, Catty managed to scratch the surface and eventually Haley became tolerable. Then you made her whipped.”
“Do you blame me?” Haley asked as she came back. “I mean, look at her. Your flushed puppy face makes me wanna eat you up.”
“Haley, I swear to gods…”
“Not really,” Leah replied. “If Thunder and Catty are so likable, it makes sense for another family member to be similar.”
The hybrid was beginning to dread the tag team and hid once again in her scarf, whining and pleading to drop the topic.
“Stop talking about me as if I’m not here…”
They stayed in Leah’s cabin a bit longer before Bailey needed to leave, excusing herself since she needed to go back for her family. Rather than walking her back, Haley stayed behind, leaving the werewolf a quick peck on her head before shutting the door. There was a glow between the two that Leah noticed. Both were playful and somehow completed the other.
The photographer sat at Leah’s table, putting together different portfolios of photos that the artist could take inspiration from.
“You have a lot of photos of your girlfriend and her family. By the way, do you think she would go to the egg festival?”
Haley made an exasperated groan and plopped down on the table. “She doesn’t want to because she heard that there would be a lot of people from Ridgeside and the town. She’s scared that they would find out about her son’s dragon half.”
“I don’t think anyone would mind,” Leah commented. “There’s that guy who lives in the mountain and then someone who stays in that odd tower. There have been weirder things in this valley than a baby dragon.”
A comfortable silence lingered as they continued with their separate activities. The occasional shuffle and movement was all that filled the room. In the quiet, Leah couldn’t stop the pondering thoughts that seemed to somehow flutter in her mind. It began with a small sliver of curiosity about the couple. She would look over her shoulder as if to observe Haley and then wonder about the dashing other half when she turned her head back to her sculpture.
Two types of beautiful people; Haley as a modeling muse and Bailey with a golden heart. It wasn’t difficult to be allured to both of them.
The question was now if she was allowed to feel this way…