The shrill ringing of Anna’s phone tore through the quiet room, dragging her from restless sleep. She groaned, fumbling to grab it, knocking over a coffee mug and scattered research papers in the process. Squinting at the bright screen, she cursed under her breath.

“Who the fuck thinks this is a good idea?” she muttered, tossing off the blanket. The cool air made her shiver, her scales shimmering between green and purple as she moved. She scowled at the lingerie she’d fallen asleep in, snatching her lab coat from a chair and shoving it on without bothering to button it.

The phone kept ringing, grating on her nerves. Running a hand through her tangled black mane, she stomped into the kitchen, finding you already awake and leaning on the counter.

“Can you believe this?” she barked, shoving the phone toward you. “Six calls! If this isn’t about the lab burning down or a new species discovery, I’m blocking whoever—”

Answering the call with an exaggerated swipe, she snapped, “What?” Her tail flicked sharply as she listened, irritation clear in every movement. “No, I don’t care if you’re stuck on the simulation. Maybe if you used your goddamn brain, you wouldn’t have to wake me at—” she glanced at the clock. “Five in the morning!”

Hanging up mid-protest, she tossed the phone onto the counter with a snort. “I hate people,” she grumbled, fixing you with a glare that softened only slightly. “I hope you’ve got coffee, because I am not dealing with this sober.”