The Wolves Among Us

Chapter8

2 MONTHS LATER

Raven’s P.O.V.

The sizzle of eggs in the pan was nearly drowned out by the sound of my voice carrying through the entire house.

“Lucy, did you brush your teeth?” I called, flipping the eggs expertly with a flick of my wrist. A muffled response came from upstairs, her voice slightly garbled.

“Yesh!”

I smirked, shaking my head.

“Don’t talk with your mouth full of toothpaste!”

This morning was more chaotic than I had expected it to be, but I should have seen it coming. The first day of school for Lucy, the first morning balancing work and getting her ready—it was bound to be hectic. But even with the whirlwind around me, I felt good.

Settled.

Two months back in Fairview, and we had already carved out a routine. It wasn’t perfect, but it worked. I had secured a job at the docks thanks to Callum, Koda’s contact. The work was grueling, but it paid the bills, kept food on the table, and gave us some stability. And after so long without that, it felt damn good. And now, with Lucy starting 1st Grade at Fairview Elementary school, it finally felt as if our lives started to come together piecefully.

“Daddy, what should I wear?” Lucy’s voice rang out from the first floor.

I sighed, placing the spatula down.

“The dress I laid out for you!” I called back.

“Daddy, no! I want to look nice!”

I chuckled, shaking my head as I plated the eggs.

“Nice, but also comfortable! You’ll be moving around a lot.”

Silence. Then a dramatic groan that made me wonder if this would be what puberty would look like around here in a couple of years.

“Ugh! But I don’t know what to wear!”

I pinched the bridge of my nose, breathing in deeply.

pick your battles

pick your battles

“Just put on what aunt Selene picked out last night.”

More silence. Then,

“I don’t like it anymore!”

Of course, she didn’t.

I glanced at the clock. Time was slipping away faster than I wanted. I had insisted on handling this morning alone—Selene had offered to help, but I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it. Lucy and I were a team, and we had made it this far. I wasn’t about to admit that maybe, just maybe, an extra pair of hands would have been helpful this morning.

“Lucy,” I said, trying to keep the frustration out of my voice.

“Just wear whatever makes you feel good, OK? Breakfast is ready, so hurry up.”

Footsteps thundered down the stairs, and moments later, Lucy burst into the kitchen, dressed in a mismatched outfit—her favorite star-patterned leggings and a slightly wrinkled pink dress.

“You look perfect,” I said without hesitation.

Lucy beamed.

“Really?”

“Really,” I confirmed, ruffling her hair before setting her plate in front of her.

“Now eat up, or we’ll be late.”

Lucy sat down, shoveling eggs into her mouth with enthusiasm. Despite her excitement, there was a nervous energy about her. I could see it in the way she tapped her fingers against the table, in the way her knee bounced slightly.

“You’ll do great, Lu,” I said, sitting across from her.

“I promise.”

She swallowed her bite and looked up at me with wide eyes.

“What if the other kids don’t like me?”

“They’d be crazy not to.”

“But what if—”

“Lu,” I cut her off gently.

“You’re smart, you’re kind, and you’re braver than most people I know. You’re going to make friends in no time.”

She studied me for a moment, then nodded, seeming to take my words to heart.

“OK.”

I exhaled, relief washing over me. One crisis averted. Now, if we could just get out the door on time, this morning would be a win.

"Daddy, can you do my hair today?" Lucy asked, her voice full of anticipation.

I sighed internally but smiled at my daughter. I might not have a say in her wardrobe—Selene and Eluna had already tried to take over that domain, and failed—but her hair? That was my battlefield, and I would make sure she went to school looking at least… presentable.

Setting my toast down, I grabbed a napkin to wipe my hands.

"Sure, sweetheart. What do you want? A nice, easy ponytail?" I could only hope.

Lucy shook her head, curls bouncing around her face.

"Nope! I want braids! The fancy ones, like the lady in the movie we watched!"

I exhaled sharply, closing my eyes for a brief moment. Of course. It couldn’t be simple. It had to be complicated. I silently cursed at myself for not just doing the ponytail before she had a chance to object.

"Alright, fancy braids it is." I stood, scooping her up from her chair and placing her on the kitchen counter. She giggled as I grabbed a brush and a few hair ties from the drawer.

"You better hold still, kiddo, or I’m going to make you look like a bird’s nest."

Lucy gasped, dramatic as always.

"You wouldn’t!"

"Try me," I said with a smirk, gently working the brush through her unruly hair.

As I began separating her hair into sections, Lucy kicked her feet against the cabinet below.

"My teacher is super nice, Daddy! She gave me a sticker just for saying my name!"

I hummed as I started the first braid.

"That’s a good teacher, then. What else did you do?"

"We got to color! And she has a reading corner with big, fluffy pillows! And she said we can bring a stuffie one day! I wanna bring Mr. Snuggles!"

I chuckled. I hadn’t been able to go with her to meet her teacher event—work had kept me tied up—but Selene and Eluna had taken her, and I was grateful for that. More than anything, I was relieved that Lucy seemed so excited. The last thing I wanted was for her to be nervous or afraid of starting school.

"Sounds like you’re going to have a great time, Luce."

"Uh-huh! And guess what? Miss Evans said she has a pet turtle! His name is Peanut! Isn’t that funny?"

I laughed as I secured the last braid.

"Peanut the turtle? That’s a great name." I took a step back, examining my work with a satisfied nod. The braids weren’t perfect, but they were neat enough. And, most importantly, Lucy looked happy.

"Alright, fancy braids complete. What do you think?" I turned her toward the mirror hanging by the door.

Lucy gasped in delight, turning her head this way and that.

"Daddy, you’re the best!" She threw her arms around my neck, squeezing tight and warming my heart in a way only she could. I hugged her back, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

"Yeah, yeah. Just don’t tell anyone I’m this good, or I’ll have a line of kids waiting for me to do their hair."

Lucy giggled.

"Only me, Daddy!"

"That’s my girl. Now, finish your breakfast before it turns into mush. We’ve got a big day ahead."

As Lucy happily returned to her eggs, I picked up my now-cold toast and took a bite. It wasn’t the cozy breakfast I had planned, but as I watched my daughter beam at her reflection, I decided it was all worth it.