Nyuto Onsen, Akita, Japan
Scott's POV
"How did this come about: a kitsune mentoring a werewolf and you two becoming so comfortable with one another that you even share an onsen side by side?" Alpha Ito-san voiced her question.
Noshiko-sensei and I looked at how close we were and then exchanged a look. We were pretty close, like really close, to each other, even though the hot spring was large enough to accommodate a full classroom and still leave some room.
"Are you jealous, old friend?" Noshiko-sensei asked teasingly, giving me a side hug and leaning onto my shoulder.
"I am curious," Alpha Ito-san replied, probably thinking that there was something going on between us.
"I've seen too many kingdoms fall apart and go to war because of men who were controlled by their libido," Noshiko-sensei explained, righting herself. "So I have been conditioning my student to ensure that he's not going to be one of them."
And she enjoyed every single moment of my discomfort and embarrassment in the process, until Kincaid made me realize that my Alpha status didn't just attract potential Betas, it also enhanced my attractive qualities and acted like a passive magnetic pull on women, but most of all, he made me realize that anything and everything could be used to gain an advantage, including attraction and sex, and the attention I received due to my Latin American characteristics which made me standout in Japan.
It was only after that, that I truly understood what Noshiko-sensei was trying to do, because if I could use attraction and sex to gain an advantage, someone else could use them against me. It turned out someone already had, and that someone was none other than her daughter Kira-chan. Oh, she was devious.
Too bad she had to go on and fall in love with me. That taught me a very important lesson which was to be careful not to become emotionally entangled when mixing business with pleasure. I was glad she wasn't careful, though, her carelessness gained me my first and only love and girlfriend, after all, even though our relationship was our little secret.
"As for how he became my student," Noshiko-sensei continued, and I bit my tongue to prevent myself from stopping her, Alpha Ito-san already knew too... "You already know too much about his journey. You shaped most of it and there's a chance that he'll accept your offer, but as his sensei, I think it's time you stop micromanaging his life."
I was grateful to Noshiko-sensei for a lot of things, and this was one of them because she said exactly what I wanted to say, and I was glad that I trusted that she knew me well enough to respond how I would have.
"I agree," Alpha Ito-san concurred.
It took a moment for her response to sink in, and when it did...
"You do?" I asked, surprised at the ease with which she agreed, and so was Noshiko-sensei because we asked in unison.
"I wouldn't be retiring if I wasn't ready to let go of Gokudō Bīkon and everything and everyone associated with it," Alpha Ito-san explained. "I've played my part, and now that you are ready, Scott, it is time that I focus on my pack. I was too busy trying to fill in the power vacuum the absence of the Hale Pack left to look into the fire and bring the perpetrators to justice, but I am sure that the New Guard will bring them to justice and keep protecting Beacon Hills."
"The New Guard?" I inquired, glad that she explained why she didn't avenge my pack but not liking the idea of someone else doing so now that I was returning to the States.
"Beacon County, but especially Beacon Hills, always has a group of protectors, Talia and I were a part of it, and so was Corinne until she retired," Alpha Ito-san replied a little nostalgically.
