Effort didn’t always equal grades, but I was glad when the boy nodded excitedly. “Yeah, I’m in eleventh grade math already.”
Oh.
“That’s wonderful.” Trying to look casual, I focused on their food. “Are you one grade ahead or two?”
“Two.” Wiggling excitedly, he gave me a beaming smile. “I got a new online program this year and it’s not boring anymore.”
So some kind of homeschool program more than likely.
As we chattered, I could see Braun connecting some of the dots in his head and I knew it must be from the type of program the boy was using. I didn’t know what had caught his attention but I kept up the random conversation as I finished their sandwiches and brought them over to the table. “Well, math is clearly your favorite subject because it’s the best, but what’s your second favorite?”
Digging into his food, the boy barely chewed as he charged in on telling me about the best PE teacher ever as I got them both glasses of water. Evidently Mr. Ace was badass and could make a basket from the halfway point in the basketball court. “We only get to go once a week because of the way the co-op is set up but it’s the best.”
I knew that was some kind of reference to homeschooling cooperatives, and asked more questions as Braun ate his food. I’d made them both two and it seemed like I’d guessed right as they dug in. Braun was quiet but made encouraging sounds as the boy chattered until they were both finished.
“Okay.” Sitting down dramatically once everything had been put away, I sighed and did my best to look ridiculous. “I give up. What’s your name? I have to ask. It’s painful.”
Laughing, he collapsed back against the chair and I had to remind myself he wasn’t as young as he sometimes looked. “I’m Emeric.”
“It’s nice to meet you. You can call me Dorian since we’re not in class.” He found that funny too, but his relief at being safe seemed to make everything funnier than it probably would’ve been otherwise.
“Do your people come from Germany? Isn’t that where the names are from?” I’d traveled a bit when I was younger but I wasn’t sure if the names meant anything or not.
Nodding as he finished his last bite, Braun kept his neutral expression even though I was pretty sure the name meant something to him. “From that part of Europe, yes, but we were there long before it became Germany.”
I was going to have questions about that, but he kept going before I could organize my thoughts.
“We adapted to the culture that formed there, though, and kept a lot of it even when our ancestors came to America to settle.” Casually gesturing toward the window, he looked out at the woods for a moment. “It’s still very common to pass down German names, though.”
Focusing back on Emeric, he frowned. “Did you get a family name too? My grandfather was named Braun and his grandfather before him.”
As Emeric nodded, Braun sighed. “We had some really unfortunate names on the family tree, so I was incredibly glad not to have gotten stuck with something more…interesting.”
“I’m betting you shouldn’t tell your mother that.” She didn’t seem like the type to listen to him complain about names and stay quiet about it.
The way he flashed me a grin made Emeric laugh again. “I only made that mistake once as a kid.”
“You must’ve been a handful.” Shaking my head as he nodded, I couldn’t help teasing him. “Hopefully, I get a chance to meet your mother and hear some of those stories.”
Eventually they were going to have to stop finding everything I said funny.
“I think she’ll like that.” Looking pleased with himself over something, Braun gave Emeric a side-eye. “What do you think?”
The boy snickered. “If she’s anything like the women in my old pack…yeah…she’ll be excited to tell those stories.”
Ignoring whatever secret werewolf exchange the two troublemakers seemed to be having, I went over to the cabinet and grabbed a glass to get myself some water since Braun didn’t seem to have any other options in the fridge.
We were going to talk about his shopping habits or the habits of whoever was supposed to be doing it for him.
Wasn’t it always someone’s job to help the Alpha with managing day-to-day things like that?
I wasn’t a dick and didn’t assume it should be a woman, but Braun clearly had a lot going on and no one to take some of it off his plate.
Wait.
Old pack?
Did that mean he didn’t want to go back?
