In The Shadows - Fan Fiction Version by Katydids

Starting Over, Again

General POV

Nine sets of angry eyes stare at the... guest, who simply smiles. His blue eyes sparkling.

"Like hell," North growls.

The guys had all arrived just after the shifter did. Once they allowed him in, with Sang and Finn hidden upstairs, he explained who he was.

Of course they had already all immediately recognized their old instructor from the Academy.

Dr. Roberts takes a sip of the tea Mary has offered then sets his cup down. "I would have thought you'd be pleased with my offer."

"It very kind of you," June states, "But how did you know about Sang?"

He glances up the stairs where the subjects of discussion are tucked away, amused they thought they could hide them from him. "We already knew about your daughter from when Owen called to ask us to find her if she was taken. As you can imagine, we were immediately interested in meeting her. This is very exciting. A female shifter, and of the royal bloodline, after three hundred years."

He looks at Holly and his expression saddens. "My deepest condolences on your loss. Ethan was an outstanding shifter and instructor, one we remember with great respect."

Holly gives a small smile. "Thank you."

"Word of your son and what he can do has spread in our community. Most likely from the shifters that ran away that night. I concluded it would be best to come meet him myself and offer the same opportunity, seeing how he's Ethan's son. The same son that was terminally ill and without the shifter gene... "

He lets that hang in the air.

"They're not science experiments." Owen's voice cuts through the silence.

Dr. Roberts is completely offended. "Of course not. What the hell, Owen?"

Sean chuckles at his old mentor. "You can understand our concern."

He shakes his head. "Would you really think that of me? We would want to study them, absolutely, but with a pen and paper. We'd ask questions and observe, nothing more. If anything, they'll be treated as royalty."

"And make every student there hate them," Victor mutters.

"It doesn't have to be that way then, we'd give them the normal shifter treatment," Dr. Roberts says, nodding.

June and Holly share a look. "It's so far away," June says. And humans aren't allowed to visit.

"We'd make an exception," he assures. "We'd even allow Owen and his pack to visit for extended periods as well. They'd have to find a place to stay off campus of course as they're an established pack."

"I don't like it," Owen tells June and Holly. "Who would look after them? Make sure they're safe."

"Why, I would," Dr. Roberts says. "They have nothing to fear anyway. We're a civilized school."

"Yeah," Luke snorts, "with a bunch of horny shifters."

Dr. Roberts gives him a withering look, "Who all control themselves and are monitored closely." He raises a sandy brow. "You should remember. If I recall, I kept you in line on occasion."

Luke decides to keep quiet.

"However," Dr. Roberts looks around the room, "I may have a solution as to their... protection."

They all perk up, "What is it?" Nathan asks.

"Him."

They follow the direction he's looking and, flabbergasted, stare at Cole leaning against the wall. He looks equally surprised but quickly masks it.