That night, my cold had healed enough that I could finally be reunited with Elva. I ran to her, and she ran to me. When she came close, I scooped her up into my arms and held her. Her arms came around my

neck and she held me right back.

“I missed you, Elva. So much.”

“I missed you, Mommy.

Mark and the nanny eventually joined us and I thanked them both profusely for watching my daughter.

Thank you!” Elva said. “Thanks, Uncle Mark!”

I blinked.

Uncle Mark?

I looked at him and he looked embarrassed.

“I didn’t teach her that, I swear. She started doing it all on her own.”

I had been surprised, but I supposed I shouldn’t have been. After all, it had been a similar sequence of

events that had led Elva to calling Anna, Auntie Anna.

“Don’t worry,” I told him. “Elva has a mind of her own about some things.”

Mark seemed relieved.

“Mommy,” Elva said. “Are we going to meet wolves tomorrow?”

looked to Mark for

invited

could be dangerous.” I didn’t have an inner wolf so couldn’t speak to the wolves like the others

would have limited warning if a wolf was growing

situation,” Mark said. “He’s

Elva have anything to

meet the wolves,

Of that, I was certain. If he said we would

we would be safe.

go and

“Yay!” Elva cheered.

my nerves continued to be heightened as I carried Elva out past the gardens and into the grassy fields beyond, where the wolves were lined up,

“Down, please,” Elva said.

her down. “Now don’t run

hands.” She stubbornly

“Elva,” I said, stern.

She mirrored my

don’t want to go

“No.” She pouted now.

my fingers. She sighed

we walked across the

directed each girl to their assigned wolf as

hand.

sitting politely on the grass.

curiously.

Mister Wolf!” Elva

her back at a

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