Astrid

Chapter 2 - New Beginnings

     Andrew was besides himself; it was little Astrid's first day of school. He had decided to forgo pre-school and kindergarten for her. She didn't really need that... right? Oh well, what's done is done, and he could not refuse her a quality education. Or some social interaction that's not me, my mother, or the Beta Family.

     "Andy!" Astrid's tiny feet pattered down the stairs. She looked like she had been crying. Her dark brown hair that Georgina had painstakingly put into two buns (the girl could not stand still) had already come undone. Her face was read and blotchy and her big brown eyes were brimming with tears. Andrew sensed that a tantrum was imminent.

     "What's wrong darling." Seeing his mate in pain made him feel hopeless. He bent down to her eye level and wiped away the tears trailing down her face. He then took her in his arms and hugged her in an attempt to calm her down. After a minute or two her sobs had ceased to whimpers and she was able to speak.

     "Do... do I have to go to school?" Maybe barring her from attending school had stunted her social growth.

     "Oh Astrid. I promise you will have an amazing first day. You will make so many new friends, I pinky promise." He put out his pinky for the 6 year old to take. This seemed to excite her and she hooked her small pinky in his large one. Her face had lit up.

     "Well if you promise... I guess I can go to school." Andrew laughed. She had thought this was up for debate. Although, her tears could cause Andrew to try and move the stars for her. Maybe she was on to something?

     "Hop in the car. Here's your lunch and your backpack." He called down his mother to fix her hair and then placed her in her car seat to start her new adventure.

~~~{ }~~~

The drive to the school was only a half hour, yet it felt like an eternity. Andrew parked the grey Range Rover and escorted Astrid to her first grade class.

     "Hi sweetie! What's your name?" The teacher smelled human. She had a huge smile that showcased her teeth. She looked over at Andrew and suddenly her whole demeanor changed.

     "I'm Astrid." The little girl tentatively put out her hand to shake her teacher's, however, the young woman had something else in mind.

"Hello sir, I'm Ms. Green. You must be Astrid's - " Andrew cut her off.

"Guardian. I'm her guardian." Andrew crouched down and hugged Astrid, giving her a kiss on her forehead. He made her recite their emergency plan, and preformed their 'secret handshake' (something that Astrid had wanted to make after watching the Parent Trap). He nodded to the teacher and gave her a curt goodbye. He wasn't interested in the affection of females who were not his little Astrid. Although their relationship was far from what it would be, Andrew still kept his distance from unmated and human females. He hadn't felt true arousal in a while.

Astrid had used to ask about her parents, and he decided to tell her the truth. He was not her father, regardless of how many times Nolan jokingly tried to make her call Andrew dad. Andrew always told her that her real parents were with the goddess and love her very much. She asked who he was to her, and that would always stump him. He would say that he is a friend, but she would always pester him. Astrid was only 6; that was not a great age to learn about mates. Eventually she would learn about mates when she came of age to begin her werewolf training, but that was still a ways away.

     As Andrew drove away from the school, his wolf was scratching to the surface. It did not appreciate the fact that their young, innocent, defenseless mate had been left in the hands of seeming buffoons. His hands began to grip the steering wheel as his knuckles turned white; a conflict between beast and man was never ideal. After a few seconds Andrew had finally gotten his wolf under control.

     He spent the rest of the day cooped up in his office reading treaties and going over contracts with other packs. The day passed by painstakingly slow, and when 3 o'clock rolled around, Andrew had made sure he was first in line at student pick up.

     Looking through the sea of human children, he saw Astrid talking animatedly with a mixed group of children. As she turned to talk to the boy next to her, she made eye contact with Andrew which made her large, round eyes light up tremendously.

     "Andy! Andy! Over here!" She began waving frantically trying to beckon him over. Smiling at her excitement he walked over and engulfed her in a big hug.

     "How was your first day?"

     "Oh Andy you were right! I made so many new friends look." She pointed over to the horde of kids who were hanging off her every word "that's Kelly and Pierce and Emily and Ryan..."

     While she continued listing off the names of Andrew zoned out, his wolf comforted in the fact that their pup was safe and sound. Wait pup? She was their mate and he had to remember that. Well she will be our mate.

     "And last but not least this is Evan, my boyfriend." She turned to a scrawny kid with glasses and a backpack that was 10 times his size. Astrid held his hand as she introduced the two.

     Boyfriend? Isn't she supposed to be ours? How can she feel a connection to anyone but us? For a second time in one day, Andrew had to fight off his wolf. A growl formed at the back of his throat, but he swallowed it down and tried to direct an non threatening smile at the boy. At least I hope it's non threatening.

     "Don't you think you're a little too young to have a boyfriend." In the stress over having inadequate protection for his mate, Andrew forgot to keep her away from the male species.

     "Well I love Evan and we're getting married."

     Ha that's what you think.

     "Hm, well it was nice to meet you Evan." He gave a quick glare to the boy and was certain he could smell a faint scent of piss in the air afterwards. "Goodbye...other children."

     In the car ride home, Astrid fell asleep. This gave Andrew time to think, and what he thought was that this child would certainly bring many problems to him. However, he knew it'd all be worth it in the end.

     Or at least that's what he told himself.