My mate!

~ 7

I don't know if it's a curse or a gift but I'm awake every morning at six. Ever since I take care of Brianna, I wake up around that time. Though, this time, I'd say it's a gift. I'm awake before Astra is and I can look at him. I could wake him up. Yet I can hear soft footsteps going down. Nope, not happening. Not when Brianna is awake. Usually, if she's the first, she can watch tv. I give Astra a kiss on his forehead, and then to get out of bed. With a clean boxers and sweatpants on, I grab a loose tank top. To head downstairs to the living room first.

'Good morning, Brianna.' I give her a kiss on her forehead. Which always makes her giggle.

'Good morning, daddy.' She giggles. On tv, she went to the Disney channel. Like always. It's her favorite.

I smile at it. 'Breakfast is ready in ten minutes.'

Brianna just nods and I head to the kitchen. Still, not for long and she comes too. 'Daddy?'

I give her her breakfast. 'What is it?'

'You smell funny.'

Right. 'I can smell you too. Breakfast and then to get dressed upstairs.'

'Why didn't you just wake me up? We can have breakfast together.' Astra shows up and in his sweatpants but no shirt. Which is hanging behind him apparently and he pulls his jersey on fast. 'Sorry, sweety.' He gives Brianna a kiss. 'Good morning.'

'Good morning.' She looks from me to him. 'You smell funny too.'

Making Astra look at me, and I show four fingers carefully. 'You have to wait for four years before you even get an explanation.' With a cup of coffee, he joins us for breakfast. 'I guess you have to go to school and you have work to do.'

'Yep.' Oh, that's right. We should talk about the work anyway. Having my mate means that we need to do it together. Technically, he will be the luna. That should be fun. I smile a bit. 'But usually, I walk her to school first and when I'm back, I start with my work.' I sip my coffee. 'Why don't we talk after she's in school?'

Astra nods. 'Yeah, good idea.'

~•~

Okay, Brianna is in school. Now for the talk to spread the work under Astra and me. How are we gonna do that? I can hear that he's in the kitchen making coffee for the both of us.

'Is there even something to do for me?' Astra asks while coming in with two cups of coffee.

I nod when I get a cup. 'There is, actually. I'm not only the real principal from the academy but I have pack stuff also. Why don't you help me out and take over for the academy?' I never would never admit it to anyone but it's a lot of work.

'You mean that you keep the work for the pack, since your the alpha of course, and that I can have something to say over the academy?' He seems surprised and yet happy. It's like he already likes the idea.

'Ehm, Astra, that means administration work, arrange meetings with the teachers, keep the contact with the students, talk with the student counselor. Put up schedules for anyone. Juggling with the courses to make a semester schedule. Making sure that every student follows them. Keep an eye out for security. There's a no bullying policy.' I sum up. 'But there is a training course, they all need to be able to defend themselves. Organize parent-teacher evenings, information folders, an open day for new students, staff meetings. Maintain contact with other packs because these days, children from all over America are coming here.'

Astra sighs. 'If you can do it, then so can I.' He says confidently. 'Just help me out the first few weeks and after that, I can do it myself.'

I can only smile. I don't doubt him in that way. He just needs to learn first. 'You can help me a few times but check out the academy yourself first. That way, you get the picture how things work. Nissa will be your assistant at the academy, so give the small things to her and keep the bigger work to yourself.' I look around. With a bit of adjustment, he can have a desk and a computer as well. Otherwise, I hardly see him on a day. 'Would you want an office at the academy or here with me?'

'If possible, here with you.' He looks around him. 'Otherwise, I don't get to see you on a day. And working from here means we can have lunch together.'

Oh, totally agree on that one. 'So, it's a deal. The pack work for me and you take on the academy...'

The door opens. 'Austin.' Nissa pants a bit. 'It's Brad and Craig, their fighting again.'

'Let's go.' I sign for Astra to come along too. 'Nissa, you know Astra. He'll be taking over as the new principal for the academy.'

Nissa nods. 'Any idea when?'

'Possible within a month.' I answer and we walk to the academy. This way Astra will know what we do with rebels like Brad and Craig. 'This is the fourth time that those two fight. I've warned them three times. If there would be a fourth time, they'll be looking at deferment for two weeks and you notify their parents. That's the one thing that still works.'

'So how many times do you warn them?' Astra smiles to Nissa.

'Three times. With the fourth time, means deferment. Always punishment but if it happens to many times, then deferment.' We get to the academy and Nissa leads us straight for the canteen.

As soon as we reach the canteen, I can hear other students saying things like oh-oh, they're in trouble and even that those two deserve to be punished. 'Brad. Craig.' I'm this close to use my alpha voice on them. Still that my voice is deeper.

Both boys stop their fighting and pointing to another.

'He started it.' Craig reacts fast.

'I don't care who started it. I just saw you both fighting and this is the fourth time. Do you know what that means?'

At the same time, they bow their head.

'It means that you're facing deferment. Two weeks, and I will notify your parents.' Almost immediately I can see their heads come up.

'Please, no, not my parents.' Brad eyes turn sad and still a bit angry when he looks at Craig.

'Eyes to me, Brad.' Or down. But I don't speak out all my thoughts. I can see that he flinches. No wonder, since I use my alpha voice on those two. 'You two, with me. The rest of you, back to class.'

Back in my office, I let those two clean the kitchen. With Nissa supervising them that they actually work. To call both their parents. Yet I have Astra close and it looks like he will be capable of taking over. 'Alright, I'll keep you up to date, sir.' I can hang up. 'Can you believe that those boys are actually seventeen. I'm just three years older than them.'

'Some are actually responsible for their actions than others. I don't think that that has anything to do with age. Just a matter of behavior.' Astra nods with a bit of a smile. 'But damn, every time you show your dominant side, I would love to take you somewhere where we can be alone.'

I chuckle. 'That, Astra, is not possible. You have to wait for the night so that Brianna is asleep too.' To hear him growl softly. 'You know what she said this morning. You smell funny.'

'Yeah, it's a good thing that she can't tell what that scent means. Otherwise, she would ask all kinds of questions.' He starts to laugh.

I know. 'She still has to wait four years. And we'll let Nissa explain or something. She doesn't want to hear that from us.' I get up to go to the kitchen. To stay in the door opening. 'Why don't we start in the next week. Get to know the academy and where everything is.'

Astra nods while turning on the computer. 'Sure, but not today.'

~•~ 

This is it, folks! The next chapter is the epilogue and that is the last of this story. I hope you enjoyed reading, as much as I enjoyed writing it. 

Yet, there's more to come. This story is over but the next story is just around the corner.