Ava Francis woke in her small room, the morning sun filtering through the window. After a night of warmth with her family, she felt light and happy, ready to tackle the day. She headed to Lone Wolf Tech, the crisp April air brushing her face, her family's laughter still lingering in her mind.
"Breakfast, Ava!" Greg called from the kitchen, chili simmering from last night. Lila bounded in, brown hair bouncing, smirking. "Texting Hot Boss?"
"Work, not flirting," Ava shot back, grabbing a bagel. "He's a puzzle, not a crush."
"Solve him," Lila teased, dodging Ava's playful shove. Greg chuckled, stirring a pot. "Careful with puzzles, kid. They bite."
Ava laughed, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "I bite back." She stepped out, her mood bright, a shield against the odd tension from her recent village trip with Ethan, where they'd visited an orphanage, though WolfSnap's glitches had hummed in the nearby woods.
---
At Lone Wolf Tech, the office buzzed—phones chirping, papers shuffling, coffee steaming. Ethan Nicolas was absent, his cabin empty, the door shut. Yesterday's crowning rituals in Blackwood Forest had drained him, the antler crown's weight and the pack's howls sapping his strength. He'd stayed home, too weak to face the day.
Ava strolled in, dropping her bag on her desk, her happy vibe cutting through the office chaos. She started her WolfSnap designs, sketches popping with color, but her mind drifted to Ethan—his absence was unusual, and their village trip still nagged at her.
Claire from accounting arrived, her blonde hair frazzled, followed by Tara from design, her blonde hair swaying. They cornered Ava at her desk, curiosity sharp in their eyes. Claire's voice was tight, laced with resentment. "Hey, Ava, spill about that village trip with Ethan. You two were gone all day. What happened?"
Tara leaned in, smirking. "Yeah, looked cozy. What's the deal?"
Ava looked up, marker in hand, unfazed. "We went to an orphanage, guys. Ethan wanted to treat the kids—brought toys, snacks, played games with them. I helped out, took some design notes for WolfSnap. That's it. Why's it a big deal?" Her tone was chill but pointed, sensing Ethan's charity hid something deeper, maybe tied to WolfSnap's eerie signals in the village woods.
Claire's eyes narrowed. "Just you two? I've been here longer, and he never asked me for stuff like that."
Tara giggled, tossing her hair. "Sounds sweet, but Ethan's not the charity type. You sure that's all?"
Ava shrugged, calm but sharp. "That's what we did. Kids loved it. Ethan was… intense, but he was good with them." She remembered his quiet moments at the orphanage, his eyes distant, and WolfSnap's growls spiking near the forest. "Anything else?"
Claire huffed, backing off. "Whatever." Tara winked, sauntering away. Ava shook her head, returning to her sketches.
---
Across town, Ethan woke late in his house, nearly noon, his body heavy, muscles aching from the crowning rituals. His dark hair was a mess, green eyes bloodshot, face pale and drawn. He wore a crumpled t-shirt and sweatpants, slouched on his bed, emotionally and physically wrecked. Last night, the pack's chants and the crown's thorns had faded into memories of Sophie—her blonde hair, her soft laugh, every moment of their life together replaying like a wound torn open. He'd felt like he was reliving it all, her rejection—"You're a freak"—cutting deeper than the viper cat's bite.
His mother, Linda, knocked softly and stepped in, her apron dusted with flour. "Ethan, dear, you look so dull. What's wrong?"
Ethan stayed silent, staring at the floor, his jaw tight. He couldn't speak of Sophie, the pack, or the weight of the crown.
Linda frowned, worry creasing her face. "Come have breakfast, at least."
He shook his head, voice low. "It's already twelve, Mom. I'll eat lunch at one."
She sighed, lingering a moment, then left quietly. Ethan rubbed his scarred arm, Sophie's shadow clinging to him, the pack's loyalty a distant echo.
---
Back at the office, Marcus and Riley chatted loudly near Ava's desk, their laughter filling the air. Marcus, his brown eyes bright as he teased Riley, a wiry coder with a quick grin. They tossed around jokes about a buggy WolfSnap feature, bonding over shared gripes.
Ava looked up, smirking, and leaned over. "You two done flirting with each other, or should I get you a room?"
Marcus laughed, tossing a paperclip at her. "Jealous, Ava? We're just too cool for you."
Riley grinned, nudging Marcus. "Yeah, she can't handle our vibe. Bet she's still mooning over that village trip with Ethan."
Ava rolled her eyes, tossing the paperclip back. "Mooning? Please. I carried that trip—Ethan was too busy playing hero with the kids." They all laughed, the banter easy, their bond tightening. Ava felt the office lighten, her happy mood spreading.
When Riley stepped away to grab coffee, Ava slid closer to Marcus, her tone low but playful. "Marcus, you love Riley, don't you?"
Marcus blinked, caught off guard, then grinned, scratching his neck. "Yeah, she's awesome. Got a spark, you know?"
Ava nodded, but her smile faded, her mind turning. Is Marcus like Ethan? A player? She'd seen Ethan's charm, his flirty games with Claire and Tara, the way he dodged her questions. Marcus was his best friend—maybe he was cut from the same cloth. I should talk to Ethan about Marcus, she thought, her gut warning her to dig deeper.
---
That night, at 7 p.m., Ethan sat in his dimly lit room, still weak, Sophie's memory a heavy ache. His phone rang, cutting through the silence. He picked it up, voice rough. "Yeah?"
Ava's voice came through, bright but curious. "Ethan, you free? Can we meet now?"
To be continued...
---