From that day forward, Anya stayed by Mika's side as much as possible.
Whenever she wasn't with him, that sense of isolation and loneliness would creep back in.
The feeling of being the only one left out, the only one who didn't belong.
But when Mika was there, she could almost forget.
"He's MY Mika." She would declare when her sisters tried to drag him away.
"Anya, we just want to play with him!"
"No! He's staying with me!"
"You can't just hoard him!"
"Watch me!"
The fights became legendary. Even Charlotte, who could be terrifying when she wanted to be, learned to back off when Anya got protective of Mika.
The timid, quiet girl became shockingly fierce when it came to him, surprising everyone in the family.
"I've never seen her like this." Yelena remarked one day, watching Anya physically position herself between Mika and her sisters.
"She's found her person." Fauna said, smiling. "Everyone needs someone who makes them feel brave."
—
