Page 132 of Grin and Bear It

“Those police officers from our community are doing their best to suppress reports and they should keep the information from the shifter hunters, but you didn’t happen to have any kind of record of that conversation, do you?” the lawyer guy asked. “Texts, emails?” He sighed when Nash shook his head.

“So, what, we all just walk around on eggshells, hoping none of the boys slip up?” another mother said.

“It’s what we’ve always done,” one of the older men said, his arms crossed.

“But don’t you want more than that?” The words were out of my mouth before I even realised and then I had the whole room staring at me.

Shit.

I swallowed, my eyes darting around the room before I dared speak again.

“Like, it'snevera reasonable thing, to expect kids to behave perfectly at all times. Kids fuck up all the time and… I’m guessing young bear shifters do too.” A series of nods at that had me forging on. “Human families will be worried if and when they find out. I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but there’s good reason for that.”

“We retain our good sense in fur as well as in skin,” the older, grumpy man said. “We’re no danger to anyone.”

“But they don’t know that, and you probably won’t get a chance to explain.” I frowned then, my mind starting to race. “How do they manage this back in the States? Has anyone ever set up a bear shifter school? You could have a purpose-built facility, one where young shifters have a safe space to go when they are feeling on edge, where they can learn how to control their responses without hurting anyone.” I stared, but didn’t see the room, seeing something else altogether. Green grounds and wide open hallways, big enough for a full grown bear to manifest in, with plenty of room for kids to scuttle away. “You could design a curriculum using the national one, but tweak it to focus on the history, the reality of being a shifter…”

“We’ve tossed the idea around before,” one of the older women said. “We even bought a piece of land to build it on, but where were we going to get teachers from? No one stepped forward who was willing to go through the training and run the school.”

“We might be able to help with that,” Nash said, a hand landing on my shoulder and giving it a squeeze.

Chapter66

There was something different about the conversation that ensued after that. Not just the shift from problem identifying to problem solving, but more than that. I loved teaching but, like many teachers, I found the burden of bureaucratic bullshit that came from our state education department stifling at times. The conversation I had then with those of the bear shifter community assembled? It was an entirely different one. A child-centred discussion, where what the kids needed, and how we could provide that, was frankly dizzying.

“Something for our girls as well,” one of the mothers said with a slight frown, casting her eyes over the crowd. “We focus a lot on our sons, but the girls are just as important. I’d like to see more for them.”

There was definitely a lot of agreement about that.

“More sport,” Knox said with a definite nod of his head.

“And next you’ll say no maths curriculum.” I shot him a knowing look.

But, as he smiled sheepishly at me, other adults butted in.

“More physical outlets for energy will help the boys’ control,” one said. “Letting it all out on a sports’ field often means they are less likely to shift in an inappropriate setting.”

“And you’d need some bear shifters on staff,” one of the older guys said. “If the worst came to the worst…”

“As adults, we can help control a boys’ shift,” Nash explained to me. “We did when Knox got drunk. If we’d been there today…”

“And is anyone going to volunteer to do that?” Meryl asked with a sharp voice, her eyes raking the crowd. “You lot are always so busy with all of these building jobs.”

“I could.” The grumpy older guy stepped forward then and he looked at several other men his age. “We’re too old for swinging tools anymore and god knows our sons would like us out from under their feet.”

“Damn right…” a younger guy muttered, then winked at one of his dads.

“Honestly, a job like this could be just the ticket. The old fellas always said they kept their boys by their sides, working with them, because you could get away with dropping out of school a lot earlier then. This school…” He eyed me speculatively. “It’d be like going back to the old days.”

And that’s how it happened. From a lot of conversations and arguments, thoughts aired and explored, a concept was born. A way forward, with hope for the future. And I found that was something I needed a lot.

I was humming with that feeling as we got into the cars to head to Nash’s place. I ended up wedged in the back with Lin and Cole, Tyson driving the boys home in his car, Nash in the driver’s seat of ours. But once the doors closed and the engine turned over, I let out a sigh.

“It’s been a big day, love.” My eyes jerked up at the curiously sweet tone of Cole’s voice. He moved slowly, so that I knew I could pull away at any moment, but ended up wrapping an arm around me to hold me close. My eyes fell closed then, just for a second, as I let myself sink into that deep, warm, pulsing feeling.

“The biggest,” I agreed. “I think I need carbs, salt, a shower and then to sleep forever, in that order.”

“You heard our mate,” Lin rumbled. “A mass order of Pizza Heaven’s finest cuisine, then a hot bath, and bed with me.”

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