Page 13 of Alpha Wolf's Nanny
“With two different answers, I’m sure. What are they?”
He gave a surprised chuckle. “The agency didn’t tell you? I want a human nanny for my boys because, as it is, they hardly spend any time with humans. At school, they only really spend time with other shifter kids, and while they’re respectful enough with the humans who live in Silvermist, it would do them some good to get closer to a human. Help them grow up without some of the prejudices we…shifterkids can grow up with.”
“Prejudiced,” she echoed softly. “Is that because of the…”
“The attempted genocide? Yes,” Felix replied with surprising neutrality, as if he were referencing some ancient piece of history instead of something that had happened in the last hundred years. “The elders among our kind still remember the laws, the restrictions, theattacksthat humans carried out. They taught their children to be wary and fearful, who in turn taught their own. You ask me, the fear goes both ways, and it hasevery right to. I mean, how long had humans been terrorized by stronger shifters before that?”
“I guess I hadn’t thought much about it,” Cassie muttered, a blush rising to her cheeks at her own ignorance.
“It’s okay. It’s not taught in schools. Not even really talked about in polite company. Both humans and shifters are terrified of offending each other and breaking the fragile coexistence we’ve managed to fall into. Well, fuck that. It needs to be talked about. That’s what the Shifter Accords are for. That’s what I’m trying to do. So…human nanny.”
Cassie nodded, despite still having a thousand questions. She wasn’t sure how to ask them. I wasn’t sure if he would answer. She’d wait, she decided—find out more about Felix and his pack and everything when she was living amidst it all.
But her other question still remained unanswered. He’d avoided it on purpose, she was sure. She couldn’t really blame him. However, she needed to know. Needed to hear his reasoning before fully committing to life in his house, in his employ.
“But me,” she said, looking out the window at the trees flying past, “whyme?You could have turned me down when you saw me in the office. Why did you still offer me the job?”
Felix was silent for a long while before finally responding.
“I guess I think that you’ll do a good job.”
It wasn’t a good answer. She wasn’t even sure it was true. But if the look on his face was anything to go by, it was the only answer she was going to get from him.
***
Felix lived near the center of the charming town of Silvermist in a large log-cabin style house with a wraparound garden to hide it from the noise and hubbub of life beyond. Dark red wooden pillars stretched upwards, framing the grand triangular roof, and light glinted from the myriad glass paned windows. The lawn beyond was scattered with various toys and climbing apparatuses, no doubt the domain of Felix’s two sons.
Cassie’s heart clenched for a moment. What would her life have been like had she grown up in a place like this? She hadn’t seen much of Silvermist as they drove through, but she’s seen enough small towns in America to know that this one had real heart. Soul. It was in the small things: the abundance of small businesses, the shine to the streets, the well-kept trees lining the roads. This place was loved.
Her hometown on the outskirts of the Redwood Forest was a drab, concrete smear in comparison to this place. People had been hardened by it, and were hard in return. Or perhaps just honest. Her scrawny limbs and raggedy clothes signaled to everyone exactly what she was, and she was treated accordingly.
Somehow, she didn’t think people in Silvermist would be like that. Then, she remembered Felix’s growled warning.
I’m not a good man. I have not done good things.
She swallowed. Silvermist was a shifter town, and she would do well to remember it. The rules worked differently here. She would have to keep her guard up.
Felix didn’t say anything as he climbed out of the car, grabbing her pathetically small bag out of the trunk and carrying it up to the door for her.
Cassie took a deep, fortifying breath and followed him. He hadn’t told her too much about his boys, just that they were a handful and not too keen on the idea of having a nanny. Hehad, however, assured her that they would be polite to her, and secretly, Cassie hoped they would warm up to her. Life would be difficult otherwise. Besides, she’d always gotten on well enough with kids through her various diner jobs. She’d be fine.
From somewhere inside the house, a large crash erupted, followed by a series of shouts and accusations.
Felix sighed, briefly pinching his nose between his thumb and forefinger before glancing back at her over his shoulder. “Ready?”
Cassie stared at him as a moment of pure terror washed over her. But then, she remembered herself and gave one firm nod.
“Boys!” Felix roared as he swung the door open. “There better not be anything broken!”
Two boys, both with Felix’s dark blond hair, appeared at the top of the stairs before tumbling down together, each fighting to get ahead of his brother. They skidded to a screeching halt in front of their father, eyes downcast despite the cheeky glint.
“I’ll deal with whatever that noise was later,” Felix said sternly. “Right now, I’d like to introduce you to Cassie. She’s your new nanny.”
He stepped aside, gesturing at Cassie to step forward. Pasting a grin on her face, she walked forward and stuck out her hand. “Hi boys, it’s lovely to meet you. My name’s Cassie.”
Chapter 6 - Felix
Felix was well aware that the only reason his sons were holding their tongues was due to his looming behind Cassie as she introduced herself to them. He’d mastered the art of an intimidating stare to keep his boys in line when they were being too unruly. As she held out her hand with a bright smile, their eyes flicked upwards, and he gave them a pointed look.
