Considering the other alternative was the vet, he should be glad to see any Alpha that had shown up.
“I can’t believe you found the owner so quick.” Mandy was shaking her head as she finally made her way down the hallway. “That’s amazing.”
I shrugged, going back to the story I’d rehearsed on the way over. “After I left here, I remembered seeing a photo and went back to the business. It was just luck.”
She didn’t question the story as much as she should have, but she did lecture.
A lot.
Braun was patient as she lectured him about getting a chip for hisdogMaximus and about keeping him safe and anything else she could think of. The only thing that saved us from an even longer lecture was the time and that she’d have to do a lot more paperwork if she actually acknowledged they’d picked up a wolf.
Thankfully, she didn’t question the ownership becauseMaxwas having a grand time pretending to be a dog and looking happy to be back with his owner. I couldn’t decide if he found it funny or if anything was preferable to a vet visit, but either way, it was believable and we eventually made it out.
Thank goodness.
The pup we were still calling Max looked slightly odd in the new leash and collar Braun had to purchase to be able to take him home, but it was worth a bit of a dignity ding to get him out of the shelter. Mandy really should’ve asked more questions instead of just being satisfied with the story that he was a young mixed breed dog with very large ancestors, but there was no doubt Max was thrilled to go with Braun.
“What happens now?” I thought it was a reasonable question, but they both gave me another odd look.
They were going to have to stop doing that eventually.
“If you think I’m going to drive off and just let you leave here with a strange child who doesn’t belong to you, then you’ve got afew screws loose.” A whole tool chest full of them. “If you think I’m going to leave without getting questions answered, more screws are loose.”
I really needed to know what my students were at the very least.
I might’ve accidentally been rude and that could ruin their entire experience with math.
When they just continued to stare at me, I sighed. “I’m a teacher. I’m a mandatory reporter. I don’t know who to report this to, but that doesn’t absolve me of the responsibility. Before I leave, I need to have clear communication withMaximushere that he’s safe with you.”
Just because Braun was in charge and sexy as hell didn’t mean he was a good person…I’d run into that one before because of a penchant for bad boys and authority figures.
“Are you questioning my honor as an Alpha?”
No, just his common sense.
“I would never do that.” Out loud at least. “But please remember I’m human and can only take your word that you’re an Alpha.”
Besides being the title to say he was in charge, there seemed to be other implied aspects that I just didn’t understand.
So…questions.
Glancing down to the pup who was basically laughing, I shrugged. “He might just be very large and bossy, but he makes good decisions under pressure and didn’t assume I was insane. So he’s got several points going in his favor.”
Besides his looks.
Man, he was huge.
“He can’t change here.” Braun rolled his eyes, no longer giving me his angry pout. “We can go down the road a bit, I guess.”
“No.” Even I knew that was ridiculous. “He doesn’t have clothes.”
There was no way he was going to poof and end up with clothes on.
“He’s a werewolf.” Braun seemed to think that answered the issue.
It did not.
“He’s a teenager. We donotask teenagers to get naked around strangers. Absolutely not.” What part of that was difficult? “Your car is so clean I bet you don’t even have napkins, much less clothes or a blanket.”
