10

Having to deal with schools and their people over summer vacation was a problem. A serious problem… But also some fun. One principal we arrested at Disney World to completely humiliate and fuck over their vacation.

Good. They were a horrible person and enjoyed supes being bullied. They didn't get to enjoy the most magical place in the world then.

Or I thought that was what it was called.

I'd have to come back to handle some of the students and give the right warnings when the shifters were all in their correct schools and classes. But I had enough to start some problems. One of which was at a cheerleading retreat and a baseball camp.

"You can't do anything to us, we're just kids," one of the little shits had the balls to say to me.

"Bad call," one of the ancients chuckled, shaking his head at the twelve-year-old.

A cold grin formed on my face that scared smart people. "I can't throw you in prison , but there are absolutely places for children. They're called juvenile detention centers. Adults don't go there. Kids do. So maybe start repenting instead of thinking you're smarter than I am and that you're untouchable."

"I'm not afraid of you. My dad's a cop," he boasted.

I snickered. "Great, you just announced to everyone here that he's corrupt." I moved closer to him and showed him my ID. "Does local cop beat division chief of the FBI?" I raised an eyebrow at him. "No, no, it does not. So your dad's badge is nothing when you commit federal crimes , kid."

The little shit finally looked worried.

The dad showed up in full gear and was a ball of seething rage… But respectful, knowing full well he was out of his league and bested. His wife—not so much, and he had to hiss to her several times to shut it or go wait outside.

I had enough of her shit and attitude and brought them into another room along with the parents of the kid theirs had been targeting.

"I'm not being trapped in a room with so many disgusting animals," she seethed.

"The only animal here is you ," I chuckled darkly. "Now get in the fucking room before I lose my patience and send your son to juvie because that is on the table after all the shit he's pulled. And yes, I can do that and your husband knows it."

"She can," he confirmed. "Or worse. And I can't stop it."

I met his gaze. "I'm glad you're smart enough to understand that. You also understand that I'm going to make an example of you because you wear that badge. You have a duty to set the example and your son is the worst of the list of shits running rampant at that school. He basically told me to fuck off because you are a cop and I couldn't touch him. In public ."

I felt better when he winced.

"He needs to be checked," he agreed. "And I certainly haven't gotten him out of any damn trouble…" He didn't have much of a leg to stand on when I raised my eyebrow.

Fine, no one was calling them on the crap they were doing, but he was committing crimes.

"Kids bully," the wife snapped. "It's part of growing up and harmless to—"

"Your son has broken bones of our child," the father of the wolf snarled.

She snorted. "They heal like a paper cut."

Even her husband looked at her like she was over the line.

"That's not how the law works, and our rapid healing doesn't make it any less of a crime," I told her, moving closer and intimidating her with my size. "I'm Alpha. I can do a lot. I can actually make you not feel pain if I want. So I can break you and you wouldn't feel it the whole time you healed. Are you saying that doesn't count as my assaulting you then?"

She swallowed loudly, getting the corner I'd just backed her into.

Her husband smoothly moved her behind him. "I didn't know it had gotten to that level. I truly didn't. Violence is never okay, and while still not okay, I thought it was some of these immigrant wolves coming in that a lot of us have a problem with."

The three of us that were wolves snorted, but I replied. "They weren't even allowed into the schools at all. No, these are local wolves from here with longer family roots than yours since your family moved here from the East Coast and she's not even from here. So you are the outsiders and yet they didn't bully your fucking kid!"

I adjusted my neck and had to take a few steps back, sighing when the wolves gave me a worried look.

"They broke his fucking bones and she defended it and the school did nothing. This is all I deal with. It grates on me. Day in and day out and it just never ends," I grumbled. I met the mom's gaze. "Your son destroyed a laptop. Books. Steals food. Is so cliché he steals lunch money. Rips clothes. We're talking thousands of dollars of damage, and you will pay it."

"We're not—" she started to blast.

"We will, absolutely," the dad agreed, meeting the parents' gazes. "Yes, get me a list. It won't be today, but I can replace the laptop right away, and I will sign for it. I swear to you that I didn't know—I will get my kid under control, and I am sorry."

"But you still think we're not people," the dad growled.

The cop swallowed loudly. "I can't help how I feel, but I took an oath to protect all the residents of Sioux Falls, and I'll be damned if my kid is going to be breaking bones of a child no matter what that child is. Even if he was just a damn wolf that is fucked."

"Glad you understand that because I want your kid in therapy." I shrugged when he seemed shocked. "Animal abuse is the sign of a psychopath. We both know that, and he sees their son as just a dog . He's not, so that's a whole other issue, but your son thinks he is and wanted to break him. I want him with a professional. Nonnegotiable. Or juvie."

He nodded, knowing a judge would agree with me in a heartbeat.

Yeah, a judge would.

And should.

I asked the wolf parents and his wife to step out, realizing I could make progress with this cop. He seemed hesitant but willing to talk to me.

"You hate us because you're scared. I saw you hunting and what looks like a bear get someone," I said gently.

"My uncle," he admitted, his tone saying to let it go.

"We're not like that, man. I'm so far from a wild bear that it's like comparing you to a damn dolphin because you're both mammals." I swallowed a sigh when he didn't budge. "You're not fit for duty if you're so full of hate that it's leaking to your kid like this." I held up my hand when he went to argue. "But I won't push it if you're willing to try."

"How?" he hedged.

"We're sending some prey shifters here for protection. You will do some community service with your son, father-son bonding time where you watch the little bully and get some of his bad energy out away from his toxic mother." I nodded when he seemed hesitant. "She hates it here. She also hates you and is cheating."

"She would never," he growled.

"I have the guy's face," I told him. "I could find him if I saw him, and I got the feeling he's someone you know. I know it sucks and hurts, but kick her back to wherever and save your son because seriously, what he's been doing—you know the statistics. If you don't get him help now and seriously turn him around, he's going to end up in prison and dead."

He swallowed loudly. "Will you help me get the proof and the divorce?"

Well, that got me the perfect lead-in. "The pack will." I nodded when he seemed hesitant. "They can smell the guy on her and track him. You promise to really give them a chance and reeducate your son, get him to therapy—all of it and even extend the hand with some of your officers and they will help. We're good friends to have."

"I will try," he said after a moment, looking uncomfortable. "I just can't be around a bear, and—can you warn them I'm not ready to be around them shifted?"

"Yes, and we understand that. We do. Hell, there are some of us that are scared after what we've been through. I know wolves who can't be around male wolves because one infected them. We all have to give more understanding and compassion."

I felt a lot better after that.

And shockingly enough, he stood with me as I talked to the other parents and made other deals. They were all signed and handled so things didn't go through the courts or affect permanent records for school. We had the attorney who worked for the pack manage it all, and it was a lot, but more would get done even after I left.

Especially because it wasn't only that school and a lot were on vacation.

But it was a good damn start.

The next day when most of it was handled—or at least for now—I stopped at Felix's to tell him we were leaving… And walked into a mess.

"I said no!" he yelled inside the house. "Your mother hated such things. Do not ask again!"

The front door flew open seconds later and his daughter almost crashed into me. I caught her around the waist and spun us around so she was okay, noting the tears trailing down her cheeks.

I gave her a kind smile and spoke in her native language. "I know you're upset, but the property isn't secured yet, so you cannot go running off, okay?" I waited until she nodded and let her go, waving for her to follow after me. "When I was your age, I was at a good home for a bit, and we had a rule that if I needed space, I could climb the tree in the yard.

"That was my time-out place, and the parents would leave me alone. Do that. Talk to your dad so he knows and will leave you alone there. It's your spot to be outside and not trapped but also safe so he doesn't worry." She looked relieved that I understood, agreeing and walking with me to pick one within view of the house. "Tell me what happened."

She did, and I promised her that I would handle it, reminding her men were idiots and needed women to beat them into line.

Something Felix was not happy about when I went back to the house.

"While I have enjoyed the time we have shared, you are not her mother and—" he bit out.

"Don't. Just don't ," I warned. "That's not remotely what this is about." I sighed when he ground his jaw. "This is being your friend and seeing a huge mistake you're making that you don't understand. And it's also being Alpha, but we'll get to that." I waited until he nodded. "Growing up as someone who constantly had her parents thrown in her face—you're doing damage.

"You're doing huge damage to her, Felix. You're doing damage to your mate's memory ." I gave him a moment with that. "Her memories of her mom will fade. She's just a kid. Don't let them be replaced with you always blaming your mate for her not getting what she wants." I was glad when he flinched like he started to understand.

"She hated that—" he rallied.

"Yeah, I get that, but she's not here ," I whispered. "She's not. I'm sorry, but she's not, and you can't change that." I gave him a moment to settle with that even if it had been years. "You also can't know how she would react in this moment. She hated it years ago, but she's not here to make the decision now .

"Everything is different. You're here now. Your mate could have a whole different opinion on this situation, here and now, and we both know that." I moved closer and rubbed his arm. "Honoring her memory is different than what you're doing. I can't begin to understand where you are, but I'm on the outside of this, so trust me in what I'm seeing.

"You're wrong in this. You're speaking for a woman gone who could have a completely different opinion on this situation given it's years later and everything has changed. What hasn't changed? She loved your daughter. She'd want her happy and safe , right? That's the important part. That's what you need to focus on. Always making sure she knows she was loved."

"She adored her children more than anything, more than me," he said firmly.

"Then that is what you tell your daughter," I whispered. "Not make her the villain who won't let your teenage daughter have a phone when everyone else will. That's what you just did."

His shoulders slumped and he looked like a pup who got hit with a newspaper. "I am out of my depth. I cannot handle a teenage girl."

"Luckily for you, I was one. And I deal with them all of the damn time in my pack. We've handled this issue. In all of my packs. So this is where being Alpha comes in, okay?" I felt better when he looked relieved. Just to be a brat, I leaned in and flicked his forehead. "Don't be a dick and accuse me of trying to move in as their mom again."

"That was too much. I apologize." He snuck a quick kiss.

Dick.

I called in his daughter and sat them both down at the counter on the new stools they had. "Now, first of all, what your dad was trying to say was—"

"I heard," she told me. "And Mother did hate—he's right that she hated those girls who live on their phones and everything is influencers. But she also said that it was sexist, and they picked on women but never men and the gym bros. It was all sexist against Americans."

I smiled at her passion. "I would have liked your mother a lot. Truly. She sounds awesome." I was glad when she smiled. "Good. Then I'm glad you know what your mom really thought. Yes, you can get a phone." I held up my hand to Felix when he growled. "For safety , you should have one as a freshman in high school.

"All our pack has them. But you cannot break the school rules with it. Other kids might, but you do not. None of you will or you will be punished even if the human kids aren't. We cannot take the scrutiny." I waited until she nodded. "And as the daughter of the Alpha, you have to set the example. My little brothers do. It's a burden but also a privilege."

I gestured to their new fancy mansion as the example.

"Yes, Alpha, that is fair."

"Good. Now, everything is also about perception," I continued. "You have to get out in front of things. That is how you sidestep a lot of the bullying and issues you will face in school. You all get on the same page—all the shifters who will be at that school. That's how my pack did it, and they stuck together to avoid the pitfalls and protect each other."

She frowned. "I don't understand."

"I know, and I will have a few of the college girls speak with the teenage and preteen females of this pack to help," I told her and Felix. "They will help and make the parents understand. But the main one is how—you can't be bullied on social media if you don't have it. But you want social media. Of course, you do.

"You want to be normal and have fun." I patted her hand when she blushed, totally busted. "It's all about attitude. So you'll have a private Instagram. Why? Because you know you're gorgeous and you don't want creepers checking out your pictures." I turned up my nose. "Gross. Like old guys and people you don't know? Yuck."

She chuckled, but Felix looked less than thrilled.

"But no one at school can then just access your stuff and bully you," I said gently. "You're a wolf and you can't be normal. You will be hated for being a wolf but honestly, I'd do the same if you were a human teenager. The world is scary. You shouldn't have public social media. And someone will check your social media for threats."

It was hard not to laugh when she shot Felix a scared look.

"Not your dad," I hurried to say. "Some of the older female wolves in the club check it for the college girls just to make sure and report any threats. Just so—the world is scary. We should all have backup. They're not going to read your DMs and tell your dad. Just glance through things as long as you're not being shady. No deleting stuff—be open and there's no reason to worry."

"It seems invasive," she grumbled.

"It is." There was no reason to deny it. "It's training wheels to acclimate you to the US and being an adult. You're not an adult, and if you want the privilege of being on social media and having this extra that not everyone has, you need a bit of…" I rubbed my neck, thinking how Simone put it. "‘Auntie oversight.' That's how we keep people safe.

"But it's also—Ashley doesn't care if Gail sees she liked some guy's abs or commented he's looking fine. You should not be doing that yet at fourteen, but she's an adult. You'll get that comfortable and realize it's no big deal." I shrugged. "I have an open phone policy with my lovers. They never use it because I have it. You get what I mean?"

I was glad that she did.

"What else?"

"For now, you only get private Instagram," I told her. "What you say to others is Twitter doesn't interest you because of bots and Facebook is for grandparents. That's the brush-off you give. You also don't give your phone number out. You blame the pack. Pack rules are you don't give your phone number out within thirty days of changing schools or jobs for security."

That shocked both of them.

I smirked at Felix. "As I said, we've done this. It worked well as all the demon boys and bully girls get bored by then, and it's normally just shared with the nice humans who they can do school projects with and make friends with. But it's all about having the answers ready so you don't get cornered and then you're prey. You're not prey .

"And it's also knowing they're going to bully you because you're gorgeous." I snorted when she blinked at me. "Baby girl, you are gorgeous . You are an exotic beauty from Europe like boys around here don't see. You are going to have every hormonal male chasing after you. Do not listen to them at all. They will assume you are dumb and uneducated prey."

"I'm not prey," she snarled.

"No, no, you are not, and you smell bullshit from a mile away," I said with a smirk. " But you don't make enemies. You don't call them on their lies and shit. You will make enemies and trouble for the pack. Don't take bullying or them touching you, but you don't call a guy out on lies."

"I don't understand the difference," she hedged.

I blew out a slow breath and glanced at Felix. "Don't lose your shit, Dad." I waited until he nodded, noting the way he crossed his arms over his chest. "A boy will ask you to go for a drive and you'll smell the lie. He wants more than to go for a drive. Don't call him on that. He wants your body. That's normal teenage stuff. Just say no and dodge. You know what I mean?"

"This is more complicated than I realized," she grumbled.

"It was for me as just a human too," I assured her. "Being a teenager is rough no matter the species, and we have it a hundred times harder as girls." I rubbed her hand again. "You'll figure it out just fine though. I'll give you the right numbers and you guys stick together. The male wolves at your high school will help as well. You guys are the team to protect and shield."

"Thank you, Alpha."

"Always. I know this is a lot and overwhelming, but it's a great chance for you to have a better life too. Heal and breathe a bit better." I pulled my card out of my pocket and gave it to her. "And I'm always available as an auntie to help. I'm not good at the girl stuff because I didn't get a lot of it in high school and avoided people, but I know who to get you to, okay?"

She took it and jumped to her feet, giving me a huge hug. "Thank you, Alpha Sera. It's been so hard to know who to talk to and how not to fail. Some of the girls were talking about getting fairy clothes for the first day since they're all over social media and popular, but that could cause more problems and Dad hates fashion and—"

"It's hard to navigate for all of us," I assured her, kissing her hair. "And I don't know the answer to that one. You could start more trouble for sure. Maybe for school pictures? Simone would be more in the loop and could help. I'm not in the loop of fashion or any of that."

She leaned back and frowned. "But you have a clothing company."

I snickered. "I just put up the money." I shrugged when Felix chuckled.

I didn't handle any of that.

When would I have time?

But it would be good for them to wear the cute hoodies and more to support Siren's Kiss and be cool. We could make that happen.

Right? Or was that bad for high schoolers?

Yeah, Simone needed to get involved on that side, but I was glad to help bridge this issue between them before I left.