Her Nature

|Chapter 21|

After Luciano left, I flopped onto the bed still heavily saturated in his scent. I let out a long groan and dragged my hand over my face. "What have you gotten yourself into, Aura?"

My bones were jumpy from the adrenaline that still pumped through my veins. Getting up because I couldn't sit still, I walked aimlessly around the room.

I couldn't settle enough to read another book, but I wasn't ready to leave the comfort of the room either. After more direction changes, I realized the room was too small. The confines did not allow me pace to satisfaction which only made me pace more.

The frustration was too much for me, my choice to stay here broke. I pulled on Luciano's sweater, yanked the door open and stomped down steps.

Thankfully, the house wasn't empty like the morning. Pups ran from room to room trying to growl like grown wolves while teenagers lounged on couches. A few of the younger ones even slept on the floor in front of the fire. My heart swelled so much it hurt. I was able to settle my nerves and joined the rest of the pack. I found a seat near the fire like usual and watched the children interact.

"You're back!" A little girl with fiery red hair rushed up to me and hopped into my lap. My eyebrows raised in surprise but I caught her in my arms anyway. "I guess I am."

She gasped and leaned into me sneaking a sniff. "Humph, I was right." Her little arms crossed her chest defiantly with a raised chin. I laughed at her haughty attitude, she was a cute pup. Playing along, "Of course you were. You're always right." I lifted my chin too.

"Henry!" she shouted the name towards the other room. "You were wrong, I was right. I'm always right." She repeated my words.

I half expected the boy she called to come running to us, but no dice. "Who is Henry?"

She tugged her ponytail and looked over my shoulder, "My brother."

Oh. The other fire headed boy from dinner popped up in my brain. He also ran in from the room. "No one cares, Harriet!" He yelled before sticking his tongue out and sprinting away.

Harriet immediately stuck out her tongue back and humphed again. "Hm. You wanna get him back?" I whispered to her mischievously.

She grinned with all of her teeth, "Definitely."

"Let's go!" I hugged her to me and stood up. She kept wiggling in my arms, her arms around my neck trying pull herself higher.

Understanding what she wanted, I lifted her over my head and sat her on my shoulders after moving my hair out of the way. Her tiny hands anchored herself under my chin.

"Henry!" She yelled above me.

We marched into the other room and spotted Henry easily. The little redhead stuck out like a sore thumb. He looked back from his group of friends and his mouth dropped in surprise. "Harriet, how did you get up there?"

The two, along with a few others, were noticeably smaller that most of the juveniles. I didn't think such young pups lived in the pack house.

"Because I was right." She smiled victoriously.

His mouth still hung over as he stuttered, still oblivious to me. "Well- well I wanna go up there too."

The pout on his face made the impulse to snatch him up and pinch his cheeks hard to resist. Remembering Harriet and I's mission, I put my hands on my hips. "Boys that are mean to their sisters don't get to go up there."

His face scrunched in offense, "I'm sorry, Harriet."

Her little feet nudged me and she leaned to my ear to whisper, "Down please." I complied and set her on her feet. She walked to Henry with her arms crossed over her chest again.