19. Wanessa's jelousy of soup

AT THE SAME TIME

XAVIER'S POINT OF VIEW:

The morning light streamed through the tall windows of the dining hall, casting a warm glow over the long table where we all sat. Elias entered, carrying a large pot of steaming soup, the rich scent filling the air instantly. Even I had to admit, whatever he put in that dish had an almost addictive smell. She wasn't usually patient, but the moment Elias set a bowl in front of her, her eyes lit up.

"Fresh and hot, just the way you like it." Elias said with a grin.

"Thank you." Wanessa murmured, immediately picking up her spoon.

The first taste had her shoulders visibly relaxing, her ears,, still slightly more wolfish than human twitching slightly. Then, something unexpected happened. A low, almost vibrating sound filled the air. I stiffened, as did Michael and Terrence. Wanessa… was purring. At first, I thought I misheard it, but no. The soft, deep sound rumbled in her throat, like a well fed feline completely at ease.

Elias chuckled, clearly pleased.

"That's new."He said.

Wanessa, still focused on her food, blinked at him. "What?"She asked.

"You're purring." I pointed out, staring at her.

Her spoon paused midair.

"No, I'm not."She blushed in embarrassment.

Michael scoffed.

"You are."He said

She opened her mouth to argue, but the sound betrayed her. The deep hum was unmistakable, vibrating softly as she continued eating.

Terrence folded his arms, looking both amused and confused.

"I thought only cats did that."Terrence said.

Elias laughed.

"Apparently, well fed wolves do too."He said.

Wanessa's face turned red.

"It's just really good, okay?"She muttered, embarrassed.

"Oh, we can tell."I said

She scowled at all of us before shoving another spoonful into her mouth, clearly pretending none of this was happening. King William raised an eyebrow as he took a sip of his own soup.

"If nothing else, at least we now know how to keep her calm."He said.

Michael leaned back in his chair, shaking his head.

"What have we gotten ourselves into?"Michael asked.

I simply watched as Wanessa, despite her embarrassment, continued eating, the soft purring still lingering in the air. If this was what happiness looked like on her, I wasn't going to complain. As Elias served a bowl to everyone at the table, I saw Michael and Terrence eye their portions cautiously, while King William and Queen Clara took theirs without hesitation. Wanessa, still happily eating, was purring softly, an odd but strangely endearing sound. Curious, I lifted my spoon and took a sip. Rich, perfectly seasoned, with a depth of flavor that lingered on the tongue. It was warm, soothing like something made to be felt as much as tasted. I glanced at Elias, raising an eyebrow.

"You never said you could cook like this." I muttered.

Elias smirked.

"You never asked."He said.

Terrence took a hesitant bite, then his eyes widened. "Alright, I get it now."He said.

Michael hummed in approval.

"No wonder she keeps demanding this."Michael said.

Even Queen Clara, who was always composed, nodded in appreciation.

"This is exceptional."She said.

King William leaned back, pleased.

"I see now why our little wolf here is so obsessed with it."Dad said.

At those words, we all turned our heads toward Wanessa, who had stopped eating. Her spoon hovered in the air, her lips slightly parted, her expression frozen. Then, a low growl rumbled from her chest. I blinked. Was she… jealous? She narrowed her eyes at us, specifically at our bowls. Her fingers tightened around her spoon as if we had just stolen her most prized possession.

Michael smirked.

"Oh? Does someone not like sharing?"Michael grinned.

Wanessa huffed, ears twitching as her tail, still slightly visible due to her unstable transformation, gave a flick.

"I didn't say that." She grumbled.

"But you're growling." Terrence pointed out, looking highly amused.

Elias chuckled.

"She's acting like a wolf guarding her food."Elias said.

Wanessa scowled, pulling her bowl closer to her chest protectively.

"I just… wasn't expecting you all to like it."She said.

I smirked, leaning my elbow on the table.

"You didn't expect us to have taste?"I asked.

She shot me a glare before hurriedly taking another bite, as if making sure she got her share before we could take more. Michael outright laughed.

"I can't believe this, Wanessa, are you really that possessive over soup?"Michael laughed.

She swallowed and huffed.

"Shut up."She growled.

Elias, looking more amused than ever, set his spoon down and grinned.

"Don't worry, little wolf. I'll always make enough for you first."Elias smirked.

Wanessa, still sulking, didn't respond, but the way her ears twitched in satisfaction told me everything.