Chapter 170: Grace
“Arlo,” I sighed, mustering up the politest voice I could, but even I could hear the tightness in my voice.
Heather gave me a curious look. Even in her exhaustion, she could see right through me... Future me had to do better at that.
“Hi Arlo, what brings you here?” Heather asked trying to ease the tension.
“I was invited to help discuss some mythology with an older class today. I wasn’t aware that you Beta Heather or Luna Grace would be here.”
“It’s Luna Queen Grace,” Heather responded sharply, immediately defending me.
“Yes, yes,” Arlo waved her off with a smile. “Of course, I meant no disrespect.”
It took all I had not to just roll my eyes. He did mean disrespect. It was clear he was still mad from the last time we had spoken. But I wasn’t trying to burn bridges.
“What class are you teaching?” I asked.
“The sophomores and seniors.” He answered, his eyes narrowing a bit in response.
“Mind if I sit in?” I asked trying to keep my voice as innocently as I could. I didn’t know if he knew that there were kids from Red Blood pack here or not, but I was not going to let them face him alone.
“No problem at all, Luna Queen Grace,” Arlo answered through gritted teeth.
I gave him a tight smile, but my heart was pounding. What would happen when he saw the kids in the class? Would he even realize? I wished that I could mindlink with Rhys the way the others could... I needed him to know that we were potentially in trouble.
“Aunt Grace!” Sammy ran up on us and wrapped her little arms around my waist. “Are you coming?!”
“Go on without me,” I told her gently. “I’ll be in in a little bit. I’m going to go to another class for a little bit.”
Sammy looked up at me with her big dark eyes. She really did look so much like Caleb, it kind of hurt my heart a little.
“You will come back this time, won’t you?”
“Yes,” I promised. “I’ll be in a bit.”
Arlo stared at the little girl, but she only had eyes for me. She gave me another squeeze and took off toward her classroom. His face paled as he stared after her.
“Who was that?” He asked, his voice shaking a bit.
It wasn’t a question I wanted to answer. I couldn’t. How could I tell him that she was the Alpha Prince’s daughter, and he was unbanished and missing? No... I couldn’t. What if he took it out on her like he wanted to on Maizie?
“What’s the topic that you're teaching again?” Heather asked, sensing that I didn’t want to talk about Sammy and changing the topic.
“It’s a mythology lesson,” Arlo responded, still staring in the direction that Sammy had disappeared to.
“I think I’ll join too. I love mythology.” Heather said with a small smile.
Arlo gave us both a curious look, but Heather just smiled sweetly at him, and I tried to do the same. I didn’t feel as convincing as Heather seemed to be, but I needed to be. The kid’s safety was at risk, and I was not willing to risk them.
We walked down the long hallway to where the older kids' classrooms were. I spent much less time in these classes, but I still had learned most of the kid’s names and I knew all of the teachers.
“Arlo!” Michael’s teacher, Tate cried out happily. “Luna Queen Grace, Beta Heather, what brings you two to my classroom today?”
“We just thought we would sit in on Arlo’s lesson,” Heather smiled with a fake happiness I tried to mirror. “I hope that won’t be a problem?”
“Of course not,” Tate smiled uncertainly, looking back and forth between the three of us, trying to get a read on the situation. “Come on in.”
I held my head high as I walked into the classroom uncertainly. Every kid turned to look at us. They knew I had been volunteering in the school, and after yesterday’s outburst when I busted in here looking for Michael, I didn’t want to make it worse for him by acknowledging him. I was just here as a level of protection that shouldn’t have been needed.
“Class, we have a couple of visitors today. Please be on our best behavior for Luna Queen Grace and Beta Heather they will be sitting in on our lesson today which will be led by Mr. Arlo Sinclair.”
Whispers filled the class, and my stomach tightened as Arlo approached the front of the room. I couldn’t get a read on if the kids liked him or not, and maybe that’s because the kids didn’t know whether to like him or not either.
“You okay?” Heather whispered from the seat next to me that she had claimed.
I nodded, but my eyes didn’t leave Arlo.
“I notice that there are some new faces since the last time I came in for a lesson. It is very exciting to know that the Royal pack is growing so much in such a short time. An older man like me, well, I don’t get out of my house very much.”
I frowned at his statement. He wasn’t an old man by any stretch. He was middle-aged, sure. But old and not leaving the house seemed to be a bit of a stretch. He had fought battles with Rhys. He was just mad at Rhys and I and using it as an excuse to be an unproductive member of the pack. I just wasn’t sure if he knew that these were the kids who had attacked our pack or if he actually thought we had an influx of pack members.
I was completely lost in thought as he started his lesson. I normally paid attention to the lessons when I could. I liked learning and being in the school gave me the natural chance to do it, but my mind was too wired.
“Lycans were thought to be mythological until very recently. They are aggressive creatures who from what we’ve seen have no morals, at least not in the same way Werewolves do.”
Michael’s hand slammed into the table angrily, and Arlo gave a small smirk. “Is there a problem, son?” Arlo asked.
But instead of answering, Michael just stood up and for a split second I thought he was going to fight Arlo, but instead, he just turned around and bolted.
My heart was pounding as I stood up to follow.
“Do you want me to come too?” Heather asked with worry in her voice.
“No. Stay here and end this lesson.” I told her, and I took off in the direction I had seen him leave, just hoping when I came back, there would be no more damage done...