To Love a Beast

Ailment

Over the course of a week, Sin managed to create a routine for herself in the wolf's den. After their last conversation, Cedric didn't make a reappearance—much to her relief—so she took it upon herself to acquaint herself with her situation.

One must always scout the enemy before making a move.

The coven she was trapped in throughout her childhood worshipped knowledge and as an impressionable child, the ideology stuck. Which explained what she was doing covered in flour and slobber.

"Sin, honey? Do you mind grabbing the cookies out the oven?" Margie called from the kitchen.

After Cedric vanished from their last conversation, Sin was left to wander her way back to the room. Instead, she happened her way into a nursery room of sorts, where she met sweet ole' Margie.

"Sure thing, Margie," Sin said after extracting herself from the pack of excitable wolf pups. She held a soft spot in her heart for children, so she wasn't surprised when the pups in the nursery grew on her in record time. What surprised her was how fast the pups took to her.

Sliding on oven mitts, she slid the baked cookies from the hot oven. She licked her lips.

Mint-chocolate chip cookies. My favorite.

As though smelling the baked goods—which Sin was sure they could—she heard a stampede of children's footsteps. Soon enough, a hoard of pups was crowded around, peering up at the platter with doe eyes.

"Alright kiddies, who wants cookies?" But as soon as Sin asked the question, she regretted her decision to ask when the chorus of voices answering back nearly rendered her deaf.

Niklaus, one of the more bold and vocal boys of the group spoke, "We shouldn't eat them right out the oven, or we'll burn our fingers. We should eat them when they're cool."

At that, he glanced at Penny, one of the shier girls. The care and attention Niklaus showered on the girl was so obvious and adorable, Sin felt her heart warm at the pair's interactions. She didn't know if Lycans were able to discern their mates as pups, but Niklaus and Penny made her believe the situation possible.

Two other boys spoke up, twins Calum and Chalid, who fancied themselves the head honchos of the group.

"You always ruin the fun," Calum said and Chalid made a sound of agreement.

"Well, your kind of fun is stupid," Niklaus said with a frown.

Before things could get ugly, Margie stepped in. With the patience of a saint, she commanded all their attention and settled them down.

"The cookies cooled down between all your squabbling," Margie said with a pointed stare at Niklaus and the twin. They stuck their tongues out at each other in response.

"Now, no more fighting between you two or no one gets a single crumb!"

Margie's threat worked like a charm and soon enough, each child was racing back to the playroom, cookie in hand. All traces of the impending squabble was forgotten.

"I don't know how you can manage so many children. You are a dream, Margie," Sin said. Even at the human orphanage, she worked at, each volunteer was only responsible for three to five kids.

"You get better with age, honey. Like a fine wine." Margie sent her a wink. "And once you have pups of your own, you just figure it out, for the sake of your sanity."

Sin grinned at the old lady in an easy manner, choosing to ignore Margie's choice of words.

Pups. Meaning Cedric...