Big Bad Academy

But every single male wolf in the building is going to be able to smell her, and they’re going to want a bite. This probably shouldn’t bother me. Scratch that: it definitely shouldn’t bother me, but it does.

“Then what is it?”

“Heather, you smell...excited.”

Her eyes go wide and then she shakes her head.

“Of course,” she whispers. “I’m sorry. I’ll stop.” She bites her lip and looks away, and she seriously looks like I just kicked her and took away her puppy. Now I’m the one who feels upset because I never should have said something that was going to hurt her.

“Heather, it’s fine, it’s-”

“Please,” she holds up a hand to stop me, and she looks at me with tears in her eyes. “Let’s get this over with, okay? Whether you’re going to kill me or let me go, I just want this to be over.”

Is that what she thinks I’m going to do?

I mean, why wouldn’t she think that?

I haven’t exactly acted like a fucking hero to her. Nope. I’ve been too busy flashing my dick and showing off how big and powerful I am. I haven’t taken the time to show her that she’s important to our pack. I mean, she might be the villain, but something about her sweet disposition makes me think that there’s something I’m missing.

“Come on,” I finally say. I take her hand and tug, pulling her down the hallway to the last door. I push it open without knocking and walk into my father’s office. He’s sitting behind the desk and Maxwell is in here. Good. We can talk to them both.

Instantly, the two wolf-shifters are on their feet, and their senses are on high alert.

“What is this?”

“What have you done?”

“Who is she?”

“A human? Really?”

They’re both speaking at once and trying to yell over one another. Okay, so nobody says wolves were the smartest animals in the forest, and sometimes, even the highest ranking wolves make really poor decisions. Just because my dad’s the alpha doesn’t mean he doesn’t screw up, and this? This is a pretty big screw-up.

Instantly, Heather’s anxiety goes through the roof. I can scent her sadness and her fear. They waft together in a horrifying scent, and my father and Maxwell notice it, too.

They both stop, suddenly, and turn to her. My father opens his mouth, but I step in front of Heather, blocking his view of her.

“You need to calm down,” I tell him.

He looks shocked.

I’ve never spoken this directly with my dad before.

Ever.

Not when I wanted to join the basketball team in high school and not when I wanted to teach classes at the academy. I’ve never, ever spoken so bluntly, and he looks shocked when I speak now.

“Flynn? What’s going on?”

“We brought the girl. We believe she may know what’s going on with the missing shifters.”

“What girl? Who is she?” Maxwell asks.

“And who is we?” My dad asks, but then he shakes his head and mutters to himself. “Gaston, of course. No wonder. Those two are always getting into trouble.”

“She’s a writer.”

“A writer?” My dad tries to understand what I’m getting at, but neither he nor Maxwell was in the loop on this one. I didn’t tell them what I was doing because I knew they’d be morally opposed. Still, we don’t have time for pleasantries right now, so I just give it to them straight.