Page 352 of Warlords, Witches & Wolves

“Sounds like fun,” she said, talking to Cole as she hurried to Luna’s classroom. Her girl would worry if she didn’t get there soon to pick her up. It was the first day after all. “Do you think my daughter will like it?”

“You have a kid? What’s her name? Is she at our school?”

Tabitha laughed. Kids—so easily distracted.

“Her name’s Luna, she’s in Year 3. Now, will she like these markets?”

They’d almost reached the classroom when Luna barrelled out, tears streaming down her cheeks. She threw herself into Tabitha, only relaxing when her mother dropped her box to the floor and wrapped both arms around her.

“What’s wrong, baby?” It worried Tabitha. Luna was a confident, energetic kid. She most definitely wasn’t a crier.

“They hate me.”

Luna muffled the words against her shirt, but Tabitha caught them anyway.

“Who hates you, chick? I’m sure it’s not as bad as all that.” But kids could be cruel. Especially in Year 3, when they hadn’t learned to keep things to themselves yet.

“We had P.E. today. The girls laughed at me when I came last running. And when I dropped the ball in basketball.” The tears bubbled up. “I’ve never played basketball, Mummy! Why would I be good first go?”

Tabitha nearly growled. Wolves. Too bloody athletic for their own good, even at that age, and not enough sense to realise they were different.

“Who were they?”

The words came from Cole, who she’d all but forgotten in the moment. He had a ferocious little scowl on his face and hovered protectively over her little girl. She almost smiled. That right there was the reason they’d be safe in this town. Wolves protected their own, and once one of them accepted you as ‘theirs,’ they were intensely loyal.

Luna had just found herself a big protector. She sniffed back her tears and peered through her golden curls at him, curious. “The Fleet twins. And their friends. Most of the class, really.”

Probably all the wolves. Once one got something into their head, particularly if they had an alpha personality, the rest of them followed. One twin must have alpha tendencies.

Just like Cole.

“My sisters,” he said in a rumbly little growl.

It was adorable really, but Luna slunk back further into her. She sighed. They would have to have a talk about why they were there. And how to handle wolves.

“I’m their big brother Cole, and you can bet I’ll be talking to them tonight,” the boy continued, speaking directly to Luna. “Just because someone’s different is no reason to be nasty. Wanna come and play while you wait for your mum?”

Truer words were never spoken. Cole held out his hand for her daughter, who tentatively took it, the lure of friends and fun too great to ignore.

“We’ll just be in the gym, Miss. I’ll show Luna some basketball moves so she can hold her head up high next P.E. day.”

With a little wave, Luna trotted off beside the bigger boy, hope in her clear, blue eyes.

Tabitha smiled. Tomorrow would be a better day.

“You definitely had a stroke of luck there,” a petite redhead said with a grin as she poked her head out of Luna’s classroom. “Cole’s going to take care of her like he’s her own personal bodyguard. The Year 3s won’t know what hit them.”

Tabitha returned her smile, holding out her hand for the introduction. “You must be Regina Klau, Luna’s teacher. I’m Tabitha.”

“It’s Reggie. Regina is a woman with her nose in the air looking down on everyone,” she replied, shaking Tabitha’s hand enthusiastically. “I’d rather be down in the dirt like everyone else.” Her smile faded a little. “Sorry her first day was awful. The P.E. teacher isn’t particularly tolerant himself and tends to ignore when the kids are arseholes. Says it’s ‘character building’.”

Reggie scrunched up her nose.

“Motto of chauvinistic arsewipes the world over,” Tabitha said. “That being said, for athletic kids, it’s hard to understand that everyone can’t pick it up like that.”

Reggie looked hesitant, then seemed to gather her courage, forging on. “I’m sure you’ve figured out the people in this town are a little… different.”

Different was right. Reggie possessed that woodsy scent Tabitha associated with adult wolves. The wet dog stench attached itself only to pups.

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