She laughed, clearly possessing no intention to do so.
My eyes fell on the briefcase. It looked full to bursting with coins. If what she said was true, there were enough funds in there to last Florian years—possibly longer, if Headmaster had been irresponsible with the money last time.
I glanced over my shoulder. Florian met my gaze and nodded. There was a silent understanding between us—he trusted that whatever I did in this moment was the right thing to do. He left the choice to me.
As his alpha, I would do whatever was in my omega's best interest. That was not hurting Headmaster. It was making sure Florian was safe and had a bright future—exactly what he had wished for on the night we first met.
I knew what I had to do.
I raised my stone talons. Headmaster paled and shrieked, expecting me to strike her.
With one fast swing, I slashed my talons across the leather briefcase. It exploded. Coins flew everywhere, pouring over the stairs like a jingling golden stream.
"No!" Headmaster screamed. "My money!"
She fell over herself trying to collect as much of it as she could in her arms, but my patience was already thin. I picked her up disdainfully.
"Release what you are holding," I ordered. "All of those coins rightfully belong to Pascal."
"Yeah... Yeah, that's right!" Pascal cried. "It's money you got for sellingme, so it should be mine!"
Headmaster looked crazed. She swiped at me, accomplishing nothing except hurting her own frail human hand. I almost felt sorry for her but her unacceptable behavior towards Florian destroyed my sympathy.
"I am going to deposit you outside," I told Headmaster. "Do not return. I will be here, watching over this place."
"Wait," Florian called. "Where are the children?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Headmaster snapped.
I bared my fangs and hissed at her. She flinched away.
"Basement," she grumbled in reply.
Florian gasped. He and Pascal hurried to the basement while I flew outside and put Headmaster not-too-gracefully on the ground outside the rickety gate. She had a few coins clutched desperately in her fists, like they were the only things grounding her. I did not think it was worth the effort to pry the coins from her. She looked pitiful enough.
Headmaster reached weakly for the orphanage, her old domain. The place where she ruled with an iron fist, crushing the already vulnerable people she was supposed to protect. My alpha instincts flared up like a wildfire. How dare she treat omegas and children that way? They depended on her.
"Do not let me see you here again," I growled in a low voice.
As my monstrous shadow fell over Headmaster, she balked. Even she was human. Even she was afraid of my terrifying, grotesque appearance.
But I had realized something. As long as I had Florian's love and acceptance, it did not matter what any other humans thought of me. In fact, my identity as a monster had proven useful in protecting those who were precious to me.
So I would embrace it. I would be the monster humans expected me to be.
Headmaster moaned. "My money..."
I flared my wings, stomped my stone claws into the ground and let out a bloodcurdling hiss. "Begone!"
Headmaster stumbled to her feet, terror flashing in her eyes. Her fear of me outweighed her greedy desire. She fled and did not look back.
When she was good and gone, I returned to the orphanage. The front hall was flooded with children, all crying and clinging to the omegas. I hesitated by the door, wondering if I should wait until later to reveal myself. If the children were already upset, would my presence make it worse?
"Oh, Devereaux," Florian said. There was a child plastered against him. "Come here."
"But I..."
He smiled. "Don't worry about it. Kids are more accepting than most adults."
