The effects of the new moon

When Nate went to the kindergarten, he found Jaden frowning. He glared at him with all of his might, so much that Nate couldn't help but pat his head and ruffle his hair.

«What's up?» he inquired.

«I won't let you succeed,» Jaden said.

As expected, he wasn't accepting him yet. Neither Scarlet was, by the way. Nate knew very well the little girl was pretending.

«Hello, daddy!» she said, running to him and offering her hand.

He smiled by instinct.

He wanted to use the pups to reach his goal, yet his plan was already backfiring. Scarlet was so cute when she smirked at him. She would talk sweetly and act lovably.

She was even cuter when she stopped acting and glared or suspected him. Sometimes, he felt like looking in a mirror. Her features resembled him so much!

It was a pity none of the twins looked like Lara, but they had much of her in their poses. Their way of gesturing, walking, moving their eyes... It all reminded him of her. More than anything else, their smiles were just like hers. Except for when they were trying to trick him: those smiles were their alone.

«Are you hungry?» he asked.

Scarlet nodded. What a question. She was always hungry! Her mommy wouldn't have even asked. She was right when she said dads were useless.

«I work in the afternoon,» Nate said. «Do you want to go out? Or we can order some takeaway and eat in my office.»

«No out,» Scarlet said. Their mommy was afraid to bring them out, so she wouldn't use that chance to betray her.

«Not even if we go to a place where you can eat with your hands?»

«No out,» she repeated stubbornly. Yet, the offer was tempting.

She was curious about restaurants. She liked very much the one they went to the other time. It was her first time eating out.

«All right. Secretary Jack will find the best takeaway in Norwich.»

«Secretary Jack?»

«He helps me with my job. You should meet him. He can find anything for you if you ask him.»

«Why would he listen to me?»

«Why do you suspect everything I say? I'm your daddy, don't you trust me?»

«You are useless. Except you can make mommy rest when she's tired. I'm keeping you just because mommy is always so tired.»

«Does your mommy like sweets?»

Scarlet blinked a couple of times, thinking.

«I think she does.»

«Awesome. When we're done here, we'll go look for a cake.»

«For mommy?»

«For all four of us. She'll make dinner, and we'll bring the cake.»

Scarlet nodded, approving that idea. Her mommy would surely like the cake she chose.

Even if it was Nate who would buy it.

«I'll have a meeting in the afternoon, but you won't be alone. Secretary Jack will play with you if it's boring...»

«Secretary Jack is more useful than you,» Scarlet noted. «Maybe I should start calling him daddy instead of you.»

«He can't buy you cakes,» Nate said.

It was a lie. There weren't things Jack couldn't do, but the money would have been Nate's in that case as well.

«Oh,» Scarlet scoffed, displeased.

They walked into his office, and the little girl noticed the changes.

Her eyes flew to the corner where the televisor was placed. She was sure it was hanging on a wall the day before.

There was a soft couch. Two armchairs were around a lower table, conveniently placed in front of the televisor. And a black box with some weird things around.

Scarlet observed the corner, curious, but she didn't dare to run and check. Even if it did look like a place where to relax, Nate might have had other plans.

«I bought some video games,» Nate explained. «We can play together after lunch.»

«Didn't you say you'll work?»

«I did. But I first need to teach you how to play.»

«I don't need you to teach me! And I don't want to play. I want to watch cartoons.»

«That's fortunate,» Nate chuckled. «I'll show you how to select the channel.»

«Uh?»

«If one cartoon is boring, you can look for another one on a different channel.»

«Can I?» Scarlet inquired, widening her eyes.

«Sure.»

She nodded, pretending to be unfazed. Yet, her blue eyes shined content.

Nate had bought all the possible channels that had cartoons. He also made a technician set the televisor so that only those would be displayed. Just for safety, he added child protection on it.

He called Secretary Jack, who was already in the city ready to receive orders. Surprisingly, the man didn't feel any discontent with his role. He was rather happy to search for food for the cute pup.

Meanwhile, Scarlet walked around and checked the rest of the office. She didn't pay enough attention the day before. She couldn't be sure it was different, yet the whole room had a different atmosphere.

It felt cosy. Comfortable.

Even just the armchairs: she couldn't wait but try one. She was already looking forward to taking a nap there.

In the end, she returned to the desk and waited for Nate to be done.

«Food is coming,» he said, crouching down to pick her up. «What are we going to do while waiting?»

She surrounded his neck with her arms, leaning on him completely. He was warm and, even if his chest was hard, she didn't feel bad like that. No one could be as soft as her mommy, but he was the only alternative at that moment.

«My mommy is the best,» she sighed.

«I agree.»

They stayed hugged for a moment longer than needed, for both realised they wouldn't usually act like that.

«It's the Black Moon,» Nate said. «Wolves become more emotional during the Black Moon.»

«And when the moon is big?»

«Bright Moon.»

«During the Bright Moon?»

«We also become more emotional. Just, with the Bright Moon, we're more enthusiastic about everything. And over-excited. With the Black Moon, other kinds of feelings win over us. We usually need more warmth from others. And we're sensitive.»

«Oh, how bad...»