Page 94 of My Shy Alpha

“Okay, Andy, you need some attention right now? Thank you for telling me.” I hug him from the side, and his shoulders finally settle.

But my heart races as I decide to try something I’ve never tried at school before. Focusing on my wolf’s nurturing, soothing urges, I visualize my scent washing over Andy, loosening the anger in his tense shoulders.

He dives for me, burrowing his face into my neck with a whimper. “Luna...”

I hug him tight, my heart spiking at that name. “I’m here for you, Andy. But I’m your teacher, so you have to call me Miss Matsuoka at school, okay?”

“Okay, Miss Matsuoka.”

“Let’s go apologize for hurting Jenna’s arm. We can’t bite our friends anymore, okay?”

“But why? The Alpha bit you...” Andy’s eyes land on my mark.

My fingers automatically rush to cover it, my cheeks flushing.

Shit. I have no idea if wolves think it’s appropriate for kids to talk about marking. Noah healed mine into a faded scar by licking it, allowing me to wear collarless shirts around humans again, but he warned me other wolves would smell his scent embedded into me. We’re not just tied spiritually, but physically.

But Andy looks curious, so I answer his question as carefully as I can. “That’s because the Alpha is my mate. Have your grown-ups told you about the special type of bites mates give?”

“Yeah. It’s a mark.”

Oh, thank God. “Okay, then we can’t bite our friends like that, right? They’re not our mates.”

“Yeah... But...”

Wait, wolves do bite to play or solve issues. That would be so confusing for a little Lycan in a human school.

As expected, Andy peeks into my eyes for answers.

“We’re not with the pack right now either,” I say. “We can’t bite humans, not even as play.”

Andy puts the pieces together with a sage nod, hopping to his feet as if he’s heard that a thousand times. “I’m sorry, Miss Matsuoka.”

I chuckle. “Let’s go give that sorry to Jenna, okay?”

As Andy grabs my hand, my gut burns. Since I can’t tell Jenny about this, I’ll have to think this through with Amy or Noah. This changes the teaching game entirely. My teachers sure as hell never understood anything wolfy I did, let alone minor transgressions I made as a curious little one. How many of my instincts got all confused as a toddler, just like this?

Worse than confused, I’m horrifically behind; my preschooler student recognizes I’m another Lycan, knows all about marking, and understands my pack position well enough to contemplate complex social workings around my closeness to the top Alpha. I couldn’t even tell Andy was a Lycan when he was in my arms. Before he can smell it on my scent, I stifle the nauseating embarrassment in my gut as I guide him across the classroom. I’m 25 years older than him, one of his designated role models for a major developmental stage in his life, but his Lycan life experience far outweighs mine. Can I really claim I have what it takes to teach a Lycan child?

Andy readily apologizes to Jenna, but my eyes widen at what he says next. “I wanted attention. Next time, I will ask to play.”

I cover my smile; my heart whirs as Andy’s accomplishment erases the fears from my mind; Andy really took my words in, and applied it without my prompting. Most adults I know aren’t even that self-aware. These kids never fail to amaze me. Whether I’m prepared or not, these moments are why I’m here.

When Andy sits in his chair, I stick by Jenna, giving her dripping nose a quick wipe before lowering my voice to speak to her alone. “How’s your arm, Jenna?”

“It’s okay...”

My heart aches at her quivering pout, and I can tell she’s trying to be strong. “Aww, Jenna, it’s okay to be upset. That really hurt, huh?”

“Yeah...” She huddles into me for a hug, and I do my best to ignore Mrs. Jacob’s glare.

“Do you need a break, or do you want to do circle time with us?”

She shudders through an inhale, but the more she thinks about circle time, the more she smiles. My heart warms. Maybe I’m doing okay in this class after all.

“Circle time,” she whispers.

I smile, allowing her to grab my hand before rejoining the class. “Alright, everyone! Come join me for a special circle time on the carpet!”

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