Crossroads

Happiness is a direction, not a place

Song: Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong - Summertime

The weather was getting warmer as there were only a few days that would signify the end of June and the start of the hottest month of the year for this part of the world. Pierce's mate, Dani, made a point to remind me of it and I controlled my laughter as I pointed out that I had grown near the sea and I was no stranger to heat. I didn't particularly like it but I was used to it, most wolves preferred cooler climates and I was enjoying the cool night breezes that came from the mountains that surrounded the pack. I was convinced that these northern wolves wouldn't fair well back in my home.

Nevertheless, the days had gotten warmer that's why I was enjoying the large fan that was situated on the ceiling of Ian's office in the main house while I was reading through the thoughts of my students on the book that I had them reading.

Ian had the young of the pack, up until the age of sixteen, on a mandatory summer school that consisted of various activities. The younger ones were taking extra classes in Math and English that would help them in advancing faster in their education while the older ones, from age thirteen and on, were also getting fight training and were introduced in the ways of how to control your wolf so that they could be more equipped when their first shift occurred. Physical extrusion was a great way to keep these juveniles controlled, occupied and to build up their stamina. All these took place in the mornings for four hours and in the afternoon there were two optional classes, one was music and the other was woodworking.

He explained to me that he wanted the next generation to have a shot at doing something different if they wanted to and not end up at the mines as workers but rather have key points at the management or start something of their own, in the near vicinity of the pack. No one ever strayed too far from their pack, it was in our nature to be close to family and the only reason we ever left for good was our mates. Usually we found a match in our pack or a nearby one but I was one of the exceptions, I never met a match in my home. Us being together right now was quite rare.

His ultimate goal was to have humans in the mines, he knew how hard it was for wolves to work underground and it was hard work at the lumbers mills as well. He would give the tools to work for a better future but it was up to them to decide what they wanted, not everyone was cut out for advancement but it would be their choice and not lack of opportunity.

He suggested that I take a few hours in teaching grammar and spelling with the younger ones, seeing that their current teacher was halfway through her pregnancy and that would help ease up her work load. I was excited at first and then I was scared of the thought. They would hate me. Their age group was between six to eight years old and they were pups that were forced to study during their summer. Plus I was a stranger, just a substitute teacher. I would hate me if I was in their place. Ian laughed when he saw my distraught face and said to give it a try. This was in my area of expertise but I was a student myself nearly a month ago. I decided to try. How bad could it be?

My first day was awful. They were little devils disguised as cute pups. At first they wouldn't speak to me at all, their noses picking up the scent of their Alpha on me. Even before we fully shift, our senses were better than humans, arming our children against possible dangers. After the initial shock, they started asking questions about me and Ian and I was faced with the total lack of reserve that children possess. Their honesty can easily break the hardest bone and the simplicity of their thinking is extraordinary. Before I knew it, the hours had passed and we hadn't done anything of significance except for me giving them all the crucial details of my life that I was sure would be passed on to their parents. Who needed hard core interrogators when you were in a room with fifteen adorable future beasts?