Rose sat at the kitchen table in her childhood home, a steaming cup of tea cradled between her hands. Being here felt strange. She thought she would be too angry at her parents for marrying her off to want to see her parents again, but here she was.
"I'm so glad you could come visit, sweetheart," her mother said warmly, settling into the chair across from her.
Rose smiled, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly. "I've missed you, Mom," she admitted, glancing around the cozy kitchen.
"How are things at the…um…your husband's house?" Elisa asked.
Rose sighed, her fingers tightening around the warm ceramic mug. "It's been… challenging," she confessed, her gaze drifting to the steam curling from her tea. "I don't belong there, Mom. The werewolves are too different from us."