This week has been only side-quests for me 🪸

Lets end the month with a little gift... THANK YOU so much to @maiawe.bsky.social for helping me with the cover of this pack :3 Enjoy!!! FREE FOR EVERYONE!! link here: www.patreon.com/simmerianne9...

ASTRID! It was beautiful to see her big unique family showcased fully in Lya's story! I was blessed to be given this angel, who married Todd! Elsie helped them while they were going through a hard time, & can't wait to see more of them later on! 🥰

Lyaenidae@lyaenidae.bsky.social · last mo.

Kaye threw her arms around her oldest daughter’s shoulders. “Who would have known our first wolf would be so obsessed with teeth?” Astrid laughed, leaning into her mother’s embrace. “I did. Remember how she bit me the very first time I held her? Bragan never did that!” Everyone took a seat.

Am I stuck like yeaaars in the past and forever planning to catch up on Coley's legacy? Yes. Will that keep me from pushing everyone to go read it? ABSOLUTELY NOT 👏

Coley@tiptoesims.bsky.social · 4d ago

Orange eyes glowed, and laughter filled the air as the woman disappeared into the cloud of golden smoke. She had plans for the young siren…

That was it for today, what are we thinking of what Maura had to say? 👀

Close-Up of a Red Fox's Face

ALT: Close-Up of a Red Fox's Face

static.klipy.com

The fire seemed to swell, so quickly it was hard not to notice it. Maura settled on one of the chairs, not far from it, clearly not concerned. Isidora’s eyes landed on the flames and the smoke. A shape formed inside them. Long hair, the tips on fire. Glowing tattoos. Slowly, a woman emerged.

“I’m sure I would have!” Isi’s voice trailed off. “Trust me. She’ll never say those three little words. Not to me, not to Kaye… And surely, not to you.” Head about to explode, Isi pushed the fox away. “Enough!” The cackle that answered her was enraging. “Fine! It’s time anyway.” “Time?”

As Maura closed in, she lifted an eyebrow. Isi felt herself slip into a convincing posture instead of a defensive one, without even meaning to: “She’s never once even talked about it apart from the time she explained the concept to me. If it was on her mind, I’d have heard more of it. Right?”

“She doesn’t believe in that stuff, never has and never will. None of us do. It’s some stupid biological shit we don’t want anything to do with!” Throughout her tirade, Isi saw Maura smile sadly, take a step back, then start circling her. She was patiently letting her exhaust all her arguments.

Maura’s eyes softened, understanding coming through them. “I know… It hurts. Unfortunately, she’ll never get there. Do you know why?” Isi didn’t say anything. Didn’t move. “Because she’ll always hang on to the idea of her fated mate turning up.” “Bullshit.” This time, Isidora managed to answer.

“Listen, I’m just trying to help you out. Push you towards the realisation I took too long to have.” Isi started shaking her head, determined to put this woman in her place. Until she added: “She’s never said 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶, has she?” That earned her a pause. A hesitation.

“But I see I was wrong.” Maura stepped away, barking a short laugh. She lit a match and threw it in the firepit, waiting for the fire to light fully before she turned around to face Isidora again. “As I’m sure you are about lots of things.” Her hand landed softly on Isi’s back, as if in comfort.

“Just saying!” The redhead smirked. “You really never know when she’s going to move on to the next girl, your alpha, am I right?” Isi had to unclench her teeth to answer: “And to think I was willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. That maybe you weren’t as horrible a person as you seemed.”

“No. The actual owner of this house. Voan.” The werefox led Isi to the back door, exiting into a cosy backyard. “It’s hard not to notice Ava, though, isn’t it? Especially seemed to be for Rory.” Isi closed her fists, but she still didn’t have any grip on time. “Mind your own business Maura.”

Left alone, Isi observed the house. It looked both lived in and unused. As if it’s owner had taken great care to make it their own, yet didn’t come back often enough to enjoy it. “Don’t even think of stealing anything. She’ll know.” “Who, Ava?” Isi whirled around to face the silent intruder.

Rory just chuckled. “Can I see the spy cave?” Ava reluctantly agreed. And Isi wondered if this felt different because of the fight they’d had that day or because, for the first time in forever, Rory’s eyes as she looked at another woman didn’t just reflect distrust, but also some kind of interest.

They took half a step forward, the light from the sun, so low in the sky, illuminating them both. Rory smirked: “Yeah, having a badass spy by your side will do that to you.” Ava didn’t miss a beat: “Don’t try to butter me up. I don’t like you and I trust you only as far as I can throw you.”

“It is a cool bike!” Ava said, her eyes narrowed slightly. “So… You’re the 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙩 my wife was terrified of.” “Me?” Rory sounded like she tried to play it off. Tried to look… good. Isi shook her head as they walked inside: “Cel was scared of a lot of things. Less so, now, thanks to you Ava.”

Someone greeted them from the porch of the pink house. “Will Cel believe me if I tell her you came in early?” The melodic voice could only belong to Ava, Celene’s wife. As they got closer, her scent confirmed it. “All thanks to the bike, really!” Rory pointed out, a smile on her face.

They stopped in front of a pink house, the sun starting to set already. Still in silence, Isi untied her hands from the front of her partner’s body. She wished she could say something, do something… But the space stayed thick between them.

The trip to the next desert town didn’t take very long. The landscapes were just as breath taking, the temperatures just as high as in the Ridge, the ambient dust just as overwhelming. And throughout the ride, neither Rory nor Isidora said a word.

“I’m sorry. You believe in me, that shouldn’t be a bad thing. I just need-” Rory dropped her face in her hand, pushing her hair back. “Nevermind, I’ll let you sleep.” Isi did extend a hand, hoping her lover would turn around and see it… But she didn’t.

“I know. You just can’t help it, can you?” The tone was defeated, but the words were cruel. And Isi 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 to give her the benefit of the doubt. Surely it was the fatigue and the moon making her harsh… “I wouldn’t want it any different.” She managed to stand her ground, still.

“Okay… Just…” She hesitated, the words still holding a certain vulnerability. But she hoped they’d help steady her alpha. “Take your time, I love you.” Rory’s head dropped. Her hand fell out of Isidora’s. The reaction so different to the first time she’d said the words out loud.

“Oh, we don’t have to sleep then.” Isi’s heart squeezed. “Want to talk this through? There must be a lot going on in your head after Jake’s little show…” Rory just sighed, getting up slowly. “Not really in the mood to talk either.” Arms crossed on her chest, she looked so done.

She went straight to the shower, trying to scrub the last 12 hours off. Then, walking into the spare room, she found Rory on the floor. Kneeling next to her partner, Isi asked softly: “Should we try to have a nap before tonight’s meet?” Rory lifted her head. “I can’t sleep, but you go ahead.”

Rory shrugged her friend off and beelined for the door, only turning back to spit out: “Get as much as you can out of him, then kick him out.” Isi let go of Jacob as soon as possible and the boy turned to her, sassy: “You can keep your hands on me if you want to!” Shivering, she followed Rory out.

Jacob reacted immediately, fists balled, jumping out of his chair: “Yeah? Want to try me?!” Everyone took a step towards him but Isi was the one who reached him first, grabbing onto him as Rory flipped him off: “Please, all you can do is run your mouth!” Wren pulled her backwards. “Easy, easy.”

“Lone wolf’s not all it’s cut out to be” Isi snarked to Aymerik as he raised an eyebrow. “Better than taking orders from someone who’s lying to you.” Jake snapped back. “You should consider it, Isi. A woman like you shouldn’t have to put up with this.” “I’m going to bash your head in.”

“Cause you’re my alpha?! What if I wanted to be a lone wolf, huh?!” There was a pause, everyone taking in the demand. Rory grew even more annoyed. “Sure. You could refer to Wren’s alpha. But I don’t think she wants your dumb ass as a liability.” “No she don’t.” Wren added for dramatic effect.