The Protector (Complete)

Chapter 24

Greta looked up as the last bell rang. Her students were on a field trip, giving her the last hour free to grade papers and get grades into her grade book. But that freedom was soon to be over. Patrick and Isabella were soon going to be in her classroom. It wasn't that the guard Alexander sent for the two went off duty as soon as Patrick and Isabella were in her room, but Greta felt the increased pressure of having the two under her protection.

The pressure was just getting more and more unbearable each day. And it had barely been two months.

"Hey, Miss Klassen," Isabella said as soon as she walked into the room.

Patrick only looked Greta's way before falling into the desk closest to the door. He didn't look happy. Something that hadn't changed much from the beginning of the year.

"How was the field trip, Isabella?" Greta asked, straightening up her papers.

"It was wonderful." Isabella said with a smile covering her face.

Greta was pleased to see the smile. The last two months hadn't given her two charges much to smile over. It was hard for both of them to be away from their families, although Patrick hid it better than Isabella did. She was hoping that she would be able to give both of them some sort of happiness over Winter break.

"Patrick and Isabella, you'll be heading back to the house with your guard. I have a meeting and will be back with supper. I expect you to have your homework done when I get back."

Patrick looked pensive again. He wanted to override Greta, but knew he couldn't. He settled for moving from one foot to the other. Greta sighed and took pity on him. "What is it, Patrick?"

"Mr. Waslow isn't going to be happy if you don't come back with us."

Greta smiled at Patrick's words, wondering to herself which bothered him more, the fact that she was possibly putting her in danger or the fact that Alexander was the only one who could keep her on the property. "Patrick, you don't need to worry. I have already talked to Mr. Waslow, and I will have the protection I need until I am safely back at the house." She looked up as two of the six-man guard came into the room. "Please take the children back. I expect them to be safe when I get back."

"Miss Klassen..."

Greta held up her hand to stop what she knew was going to be a protest from one of the guard. "I have already talked to Alexander. Take them back now." Once more she looked at the children. "Change out of your uniforms and do your homework."

"Yes, Miss Klassen," Patrick and Isabella said in unison. They followed after their guard, but Patrick did look back once. He didn't like the whole situation. He could smell the Lycans still in the building. It was possible that one of those Lycans was there to protect Greta. He didn't have all the scents of the Lycans in Alexander's clan, so it was possible. Even still, Patrick would have been happier if he had seen the Lycan protecting Greta. He ground his teeth in frustration. He couldn't bring it up because Greta was his leader.

Greta slipped on her coat as soon as the guard and her charges had left the room. She wasn't entirely sure what was going through Patrick's mind, but she had a clue. He was too much like the other Lycan men she had met. Too protective of her. She was the adult. It was her job to protect them.

Uselessly she locked her door. None of her students would want to get in her room, and if Alexander wanted to get in, a lock wasn't going to stop him. But perhaps it would give her a small amount of time to accomplish what she wanted.

She had no doubt that Alexander was going to find out that she hadn't come back with her students. She had even less of a doubt that he was going to come look for her. Patrick and Isabella only knew that she would be at the school. He would come there first.