Midfield Academy: Book 3

Chapter 12: The Smart One (5 years 4 months)

Darius flopped down on a stack of furs and stretched out. The hunt had taken way longer than necessary. He groaned as his joints popped and cracked. This better not be old aged. He glanced around. It was too quiet.

"Storm?"

Raven peeked out of his room. "Mommy left with Daven and Jagger." The human boy with an assortment of clips in his shoulder length hair ran over to his father and hopped into the werewolf's lap. "Mommy told me to wait here for you. Where did they go?"

Darius's mouth felt dry as he brushed his child hair behind his ear. He had forgotten the boys had been taken to meet their kindergarten teacher.

His son waited patiently for a reply.

"Raven." He let out a deep breath. How did he put it so the sub wouldn't be hurt? "Raven, Daven and Jagger will be starting school."

"School?" He smiled and leaped up. Dashing into his room, he returned with one of his picture books. "Like this? Like these kids?"

The red werewolf nodded.

"I want to go!"

Darius rested his head back and rubbed his temple. "You can't, Raven."

"Why?" He frowned. "I want to. I want to learn to read. And count!" He threw his hands in the air. "I can count to ten. Mommy taught me."

"You will. Mommy is going to homeschool you. You'll get to learn everything Daven and Jagger do, just at home."

"But I want to go to school. I want to go to real one. I want to go with the other kids like in the book. I don't want to stay at home." Covering his face, the boy started to cry.

"Oh, Raven." Darius hugged him. "School is not a place for werewolves like you. There are too many things that can go wrong. You have to stay here."

"No! I want to go to school."

"Raven, I'm sorry but you can't. I won't allow it."

"I hate you." He shoved his father back and ran to his room.

Darius sat frozen. What just happened? Never had his son ever said that to him. To Daven, Raven said it nearly every day, but never to him.

***

Daven and Jagger were buzzing with excitement over dinner. Tomorrow they would start school. Raven wasn't eating. Darius wasn't too hungry himself. That was something he had never experienced, but hearing his Raven, his sweet little boy that was going to stay with him forever, hated him, pissed him off.

Titus nudged his brother. "What's wrong?"

Darius shook his head. "Family issues."

He turned back to Aden who was cutting up pieces of meat for Saigon. They'd never have to deal with this, having to tell their child no they can't go to school because subs were just walking targets. Darius glared at the table. He started to tap his finger. It got faster and faster as his annoyance grew. Storm finally put her hand over his.

The next alpha cleared his throat and stood. He would not break. Raven would be homeschool. He'd stay in Northern Ridge where he was safe and that was that. He marched from the eating chamber and went back to his cave. Sitting down in the living room, he folded his arms and started tapping his finger again. Raven was having a tantrum. Soon he'd forget about school and everything would go back to normal.

***

Darius waved at the boys as they left with Storm. "Have fun and mind the teacher."

Daven nodded with a big grin.