Page 7 of Bully Wolf's Nanny
“I’ve been assured that you are one of the most reputable nanny agencies in the country,” said Nicolas eventually, “despiteyour specialism. What sets you apart from a… human-focused agency?”
Molly blinked. “Well, it’s simple really. We understand that the political climate has left humans and shifters deeply mistrustful of one another. We have to coexist, but our institutions remain frustratingly separate. Humans have government, shifters have their local packs, humans have the police, shifters have pack enforcers, humans prefer country-based identification, shifters identify with their territories. Yes, we may have various accords between us, understandings both legal and unspoken, but it is undeniable that both species would prefer to govern themselves.”
Nicolas nodded slowly, his fingers steepled together.
“Here, we believe that there is nothing more important, more requiring of trust, than childcare. Increasing numbers of studies have shown that human nannies who lack adequate training in shifter children, and shifter family dynamics, often enter households utterly unprepared, and it is the children who suffer for it. We seek to remedy this by providing comprehensive training to our nannies, and of course, carefully vetting them for their…shall we say…political views.”
“So you provide nannies who aren’t blatantly anti-shifter.”
Molly turned slightly red. “In a nutshell, yes. In fact, we’ve just finished training a wonderful young woman who happens to be a shifter herself, and a mother to a shifter child. I think she could be an excellent fit to your needs.”
“Hold on,” Nicolas said, holding up a hand, his voice dropping, “how the hell do you know anything about my needs? I’ve only been here for ten minutes! Do you seriously expect meto just accept the first woman you put in front of me and let her look after my daughter?”
“Please, Mr. Accardi, just—"
“No, this is ridiculous. I have to admit, I had my doubts, but you have convinced me that you are nothing but unprofessional, lazy, money-grabbing—"
“Excuse me, Molly,” there was a hesitant knock at the door, “Janice said you wanted to see me?”
Nicolas turned, fully ready to direct his ire at whoever was stupid enough to interrupt him.
Daisy Copperfield blinked up at him, her lips parted, her eyes wide with shock and fear.
“...Nicolas?”
Chapter 3 - Daisy
Eight Years Ago
“I can’t believe Mr. Sandhurst. Like, does he think we have no lives? Like, does he think we spend all weekend in the library or something? Who has time to write a thousand-word essay in two days? I’m supposed to be going camping with my dad as well, does Mr. Sandhurst think I’m gonna, like, haul all my textbooks on a wagon into the forest or something?”
Daisy sighed, leaning back against the locker, letting Megan’s words wash over her in a haze of teenage angst. They had a free period before geography, and Daisy had wanted to finish off some homework assignments, but Megan had insisted they go into town for milkshakes. Daisy hadn’t argued.
“—gonna take, what, like two hours to get there? I can’t write essays in the car or I’ll get sick!”
“Why don’t you write it tonight, then?”
“Because Cody and his dumb jock friends are having that bonfire party in the woods? Duh?”
Daisy winced. The bonfire party. Shit.
Seeing her friend’s pained expression, Megan slammed her locker shut with an alarmingly loud crash. “Wait, you are coming to that, right?”
Daisy chewed her lip, tugging nervously at a lock of blonde hair. “I don’t know, I don’t think my dad will let me. It’s too close to the border, and there have been more skirmishes, and…”
“Border? Wait, shit, is that like a pack thing?”
She shrugged. “I guess. If I get into any trouble then Dad will be in trouble with the alpha, and that’s just like…too much to deal with right now.”
“Ugh, I’m so glad I’m not a shifter, all these stupid politics. I don’t know how you have the time for it. Like, it’s a party? Who even cares?”
Daisy shrugged again, not knowing what to say. Megan was nice enough, but she had a habit of conveniently forgetting that Daisy was technically an Iron Walker sometimes. Though, to be fair, it wasn’t like Daisy ever went to any of the socials or hung out with any of the shifter kids, or even turned all that often. But she was a wolf. And her dad wouldn’t let her forget it, even if she really, really wanted to.
“I heard that Nicolas and Dane are going,” Megan said, her tone deceptively light. Daisy frowned.
“So?”
Megan raised an eyebrow. “So, they’re also shifters, right? And they’re in our grade, and they’re going. So why can’t you?”
