Chapter 104 BONUS CHAP. 14 - WHO'S DADDY?
\-BLAYNE'S POV-
"Have you all been harassing my daughter?" My eyes jumped from one face to the other until I got a vivid view of all of them. Their fearful eyes blinked violently as a result of the tiny force I was channeling out.
"How many of you told her that she doesn't belong here?" I asked with a flat, yet domineering voice. "And who said that her Mom's a murderer?"
Five out of the fourteen children pointed a shaky finger at a little blonde-haired kid in the middle. Humph, I knew his parents. They were going to get the full dose of my rage when I was done.
"Do you know me?" I sharply inquired from them.
A bold caramel-skinned girl with hazel eyes responded. She bobbed her head without taking her eyes away. "Yes. You are Gamma Blayne. " I could see her as being the bright kid in the classroom who raised her hand to answer all the questions that the teacher asked.
"Have you got that?" I harshly asked the rest of the bunch, like a drill sergeant.
"Yes, Gamma," they returned almost in unison with two lazy voices catching up with the others.
"And if she's my daughter, where does she belong?" I moderately snarled.
Some sagged their shoulders as they looked at each other, trying to come up with the right answer.
A chubby red-haired boy said, "At your house."
Another black-haired boy loudly shouted proudly, "Here with us."
"But her mother....." The instigator of the bullying began to state with judging eyes.
"Zip it, shut." I silenced him with the exact deadly face that I gave my warriors. "I train our warriors. Do you know what that means?"
Tiny beads of sweat formed on their foreheads. They appeared hot and strained under my heated chastisement.
"You protect us." He replied with red sclera on the verge of crying and peed his pants.
"Yeah," came a soft squeaky voice from the back.
"That's right. They are the same people that protect you every day. And if you keep harassing my daughter, I'll ensure that your parents take you to the training center for your punishment. And I won't let you go home until Zoe grants you permission."
The approach could be wrong, but I thought that they deserved it. Besides, I was going easy on them.
He gulped. The other children glanced at Zoe with their mouths gaping.
"Do you like it when someone calls you terrible names?" My focus was on the ring leader.
Soft "no's" could be heard while some slowly shook their heads.
"When I ask a question it's either 'yes Gamma' or 'no Gamma." I grilled. "Am I clear?"
"Yes, Gamma." They collectively murmured in fear.
"If they have nightmares tonight, it's because of you." My wolf mocked while enjoying the show.
"Is it funny when someone says bad things about your parents?" I hit another point and cribbed my ferocity.
"No, Gamma." They duplicated.
"Do you enjoy being mean to others?" I fiercely asked. Zoe leaned her head on my shoulder and played with the top button on the front of my navy blue shirt.
At most, about a half of them replied, "No, Gamma." The rest were indecisive.
"You are going to stay right there until your parents come to collect you. Form a line from left to right." I indicated with my fingers and they obeyed, simply because they had to. "Repeat after me.....bullying is wrong, bullying is against the law."
They chorused my words as I walked down the line.
"Again!" I shouted, making them echo the phrase with elevated voices. Was this too harsh for children? Gee, I don't know. But I was learning. I walked back up the line and stood in the center. They said it until they were tired, but for a bunch of ten-year-olds, I'm sure they could handle it.
When their parents came, they could not move without my authority. The penitent look on their little faces begged to be released. With my piercing eyes, each parent came up behind his or her child. Each received a stern lecture about the repercussions of what would happen to them in a subtle and indirect manner, if their children bullied Zoe or anyone else at the elementary school.
They glanced at their parents only to realize that they could not disobey me either.
"Dad." The ring leader tremulously called out when he saw his father sauntering over to us, thinking that he would be rescued.
"Hey!" I barked, furrowing my brows and pointing a rigid finger. The child jumped and stiffened and at the same time snapped his terrified head to look at me. "Your Daddy can't save you."
To the children whose feet were aching from standing rooted too long. "Are you going to bully anyone again?"
"No, Gamma!" Though they were exhausted, their voices came out with vigor.
Bending down, I placed Zoe on her feet and gave a buoyant nod. Her amber orbs glistened with gratitude as though I was her saving grace. I smoothed her dress down and lovingly pinched her cheek, then held her tiny hand.
"Now," I was ready to take her home. Sporting an unwavering militant façade, I stood and commanded, "Each one of you will step to my daughter and apologize to her. Then you go back into the line."
They obeyed flawlessly. Their parents cowered behind them with the acknowledgment that they were responsible for ensuring that their children understood and adhered to the prohibition against
tyrannizing others.
"Good," I uttered in satisfaction when the last one mumbled an
apology. "Will I have to show my face around here or will you behave and be good law-abiding citizens?" My eyes swept over each jittery face. "Because if you bully anyone else, I'll be taking you with me and you will face the consequences. Do you want that?"
"No, Gamma." They answered quickly like their lives were at stake.
"You may go home but you are all going to be grounded." I averted my steely gaze at their parents, who nodded timorously to confirm
that the discipline would be carried out.
Their parents apologized to me and they departed the school premises. The teacher, Ms. Olson, who had been watching from the
windows of the classroom, received a harsh lecture for failing to acknowledge and end the bullying that took place under her nose.
I strapped Zoe into the seatbelt on the back seat and drove towards home. Relief dappled me that her fears melted away after my short exhibition. I played the radio at a low volume and peered at her through the rearview mirror. She stopped crying and had a pleasant countenance. Looking from one window to the other, she was more curious about the buildings that we passed.
Her white sneakers were badly smeared from the dirt digging that she had done. It was Keisha who assisted with Zoe's clothes. There
was a grand shopping to be done for my two favorite ladies in the future because they lacked many things that I was eager to provide. Until then, I would have to bother Keisha to source as many clothes and accessories that Cleo and Zoe required until I could do the shopping with them.
"Are you going to be my daddy?" Zoe's question surprised me when she caught my eyes on her, and I brake at the traffic light.
"I'd like to, if you gave me the chance." I swiveled my head and gave her a soft pleading smile.
Pensively she stared out the window at the car that was next to us. Obviously, she had more questions to ask but resisted the urge to.
"Zoe, I'll always be there for you no matter what happens," I stated sincerely and redirected my eyes to the road and drove onwards. "Does that mean we'll do everything that fathers and daughters do?" At first her cute puppy eyes lowered, and when I did not immediately respond, she sought my reaction with festering tears on the brink of
rain.
"Definitely." My lighthearted gaze found hers in the rearview mirror and she beamed with an ear-to-ear grin, then shyly dropped her eyes to her hands. "Never be afraid to come to me for anything, and I expect you to remind me if I'm slacking off."
The nod she gave was a vehement one of gratification as her eyes
widened with joy, twinkling her delight.
Л-л
Cleo's scent filled the house. She was in the open kitchen cooking
dinner. I was happy that she felt better and successfully managed her
way around the apartment.
When I opened the entrance door, Zoe's presence was the sole one
Cleo acknowledged with tremendous excitement. She turned off the stove and dashed towards her daughter.
"Hello, sweetheart." Zoe ran into Cleo's welcoming arms. She lifted her and carried her into the living room, sitting her down on the couch. She smoothed down her hair and cupped her cheeks. "How
was your day?"
"It was okay, Mommy." Zoe's face lit up with a huge grin. "The kids were mean but Daddy took care of me today."
My wolf delightedly howled at the name, enjoying it for himself. When she said those words, my heart skipped a beat. My tiny child, who had declared me to be her father, was all I could think about. "Daddy?" Cleo reiterated in utmost perplexity and then shot me a pair of gunning sea-green eyes.