After making sure Sable was wrapped snugly in a fresh towel and seated comfortably on the soft bouncy sofa, Alina stood and turned to the others. Felix was sitting silently, a dry cloth already in his hands. His silver-blue eyes lifted when she approached.
"Would you like some help, sweetheart?" she asked, offering him a fresh, fluffier towel.
Felix blinked once, his tone polite but firm in that baby-serious way only he could master.
"No need. I can wipe myself."
Alina smiled, her heart warm again. "Alright. You're very responsible."
He gave her a small nod, already patting his sleeves dry with such precision that it almost looked rehearsed like a baby soldier dressing for an invisible ceremony.
Next, she turned to Vlad Jr. and Drake, who were both halfway through pulling their wet shirts off. The moment she walked over, Drake grinned like he'd been waiting for her attention all morning.
"Teacher! Teacher! Look, I already wiped my face twice!" he said, flailing the towel in one hand like a victory flag, the other hand rubbing over his fluffy golden-red hair.
"Very good, sweetheart," Alina said, laughing gently as she knelt beside him to help with the parts he missed—his damp ears, the back of his neck, and the bottom hem of his little pant. He wriggled and giggled the whole time.
Meanwhile, Vlad Jr. stood nearby, neatly dabbing his own arms with the grace of a miniature gentleman.
"I prefer doing it myself," he said loftily, though his little cheeks were still slightly red from earlier embarrassment.
"Of course you do, my little lord," Alina teased, her voice playful.
Finally, her eyes landed on Rocky.
The little earth spirit was standing completely still near the corner of the room, arms stiff at his sides, face blank, eyes fixed forward like he was a statue in a museum.
Alina walked over with a fresh brown towel and crouched in front of him.
"Rocky?" she called gently. "May I?"
He gave one blink. Then another and said nothing but he didn't move away either.
Alina smiled and began drying him carefully—his stone-speckled skin warm under the towel, his cheeks round and slightly pink, his short black hair sticking out in all directions. As she wiped under his chin, his ears twitched slightly, but he never said a word.
Just stood there. Like a boulder with feelings.
"You're doing so well, sweetheart," she whispered softly.
And somewhere deep inside that rocky little body, he felt it. As Alina gently patted his arms dry and wiped behind his ears with the soft towel, Rocky's big round eyes blinked slowly then widened.
Her hands were so warm. So soft. Her face…So close.
Her skin glowed like morning sunshine. Her voice was sweet like the wind through grass. Her eyes sparkled like the sky after rain. Rocky's heart did a very tiny, very shy backflip.
And suddenly, panic settled in. His tiny brain clicked on one very important memory:
"Rocky, sweetheart," his mother had told him once, "you must never let a girl touch you like that unless you're going to marry her! That's how respectable boys behave!"
And now—
Teacher touched him.
His arms.
His shoulders.
His neck.
Even his belly!
He was practically half-married already! His cheeks flushed a soft earthy pink. His feet wobbled on the floor as he stood there, frozen stiff.
His tiny voice echoed inside his mind:
"I have to marry Teacher now."
"I touched her towel too. That means I agreed."
He blinked up at her, then quickly looked away—flustered, overwhelmed, and deeply committed in silence.
Alina, of course, had no idea. She just smiled and said sweetly, "There you go, all clean! You're such a good boy, Rocky."
Rocky nearly fainted.
He nodded once slowly, reverently his decision made. That's it. She's the one. He would never tell anyone. Not now. Not yet. But someday… someday, when he was big enough to carry his rock backpack like a real man, he would tell her—
"Miss Alina… I think we're married."
Luna, in her tiny wolf form, had claimed the corner of the softest sofa like a true royal. She was curled into herself, her fluffy gray tail wrapped around her wet paws, ears twitching in irritation as she furiously licked at her damp fur with little growls between each stroke.
She was determined to handle this on her own.
She didn't need help. She wasn't a baby. She was a proud, strong wolf pup.
That's what she told herself.
But then… she felt a shadow fall gently across her head.
Her yellow-brown eyes slowly looked up ears still alert, fur sticking in odd directions and there stood Alina, holding a fresh, fluffy towel in her hands and a soft smile on her face.
"May I help, Luna?" she asked, kneeling down beside the sofa.
Luna blinked. Once. Then again.
Her lips parted slightly, but she didn't answer. Instead, she huffed and turned her head to the side with a little "hmph," sticking her nose in the air.
But she didn't walk away. Didn't growl. Didn't even shift back to her human form. She just... stayed right there. Which, in wolf language, meant:
"Fine, but I'll act like I don't want it."
Alina giggled softly under her breath and draped the towel gently over Luna's small damp body. The little wolf twitched slightly, then lowered her head with slow, hidden delight. Alina began rubbing her dry with slow, warm circles, fluffing out her fur and patting her tiny back paws with featherlight touches.
"You're such a beautiful pup," Alina whispered. "Such a strong, smart girl…"
Luna's tail thumped once.
Then again.
Then it wagged very slowly under the towel like she was trying to hide it from the entire world.
And when Alina leaned in to dry her ears, Luna pressed her wet little nose against her hand, just once.
Not a hug. Not a thank you.
Just a quiet sign:
"You're my pack now, Teacher."