Alpha Micah Black: Homecoming

Chapter13

Chapter 13

10:38 AM, March 3rd, Edward Vanguard Elementary School, Administrator’s Office

“Nice shiner. I hope the other guy looks worse,” I observed, smirking.

I’m torn between being proud and angry. Well, there goes hoping for getting through one whole week without any snafus.

My daughter, sitting across from the principal, smiled from ear to ear. Her auburn hair stuck out from the pitiful ponytail I made this morning. Yes, she is my daughter, according to the paternity test. Yay, me. The small goose egg bump bruise graced her left eye, causing her to squint. Despite her bottom lip having a cut and being slightly swollen, she smiled.

While Jewel was happy with her actions, the school’s principal, however, was not.

“Have a seat, please, Sergeant Black,” Mr. Felix Heirdaz instructed gruffly. “Thank you for getting here so quickly. However, this school discourages this type of behavior from its students. Please, don’t contradict our school’s policy with your words.”

Reluctantly, I took the seat beside Jewel. And I thought sitting in Chief Edwards’ office was bad.

“So, what exactly happened?” I inquired, folding my arms in front of me. Jewel mimicked my moves.

“Your daughter, Jewel Thorne, was found in the boys' restroom inflicting blows to one of her classmates,” Mr. Hardass explained. Yeah, I went there. “Young Elliott Vanguard was taken to the hospital in an ambulance shortly before you arrived, Sergeant Black.”

“A Vanguard? The first kid you get into a fight with just happens to be a Vanguard,” I directed my inquiry to mini-me.

Shrugging her shoulders, she replied, “What’s so special about a Vanguard, anyway? What was I supposed to do, let him continue to kick the crap out of a second grader?”

“Vanguard is the name of one of the town’s founders,” I quickly explained to Jewel, then added—

“A second grader?” I challenged Mr. Heirdaz, raising one eyebrow.

“Yes, well… the young lad is in trouble too,” the principal stammered nervously.

“For what reason?” I balked at him.

“Need I remind you, Sergeant Black? Your jurisdiction is outside the school’s campus, mine is inside. I will dole out whatever reprimand is deemed necessary according to the school’s policies,” Mr. Hardass dared to lecture.

“Fine… What correction will Jewel be receiving this time?”

“The Vanguards are pushing for complete expulsion—”

“Not gonna happen!” I yelled, interrupting his rant. “Try again. Just because the Vanguards own Jabberwocky’s ass and clearly yours, shouldn’t mean they get to dictate policy.” A low growl rumbled in my chest, causing Mr. Heirdaz to sweat. That damn alpha gene struck again.

Loosening his tie, he sputtered out a pitiful excuse, “Y-you se-ee, Sergeant… y-you see…”

“Let’s backtrack. If Jewel got into a fight with another classmate who was not a Vanguard, what disciplinary action would she be receiving?” I went into detective mode.

“Well… She would receive the standard three-day suspension,” he confessed.

“Then she’ll be back in three days. How long will it take for her teachers to gather her assignments for those days?” I pressed.

“Maybe fifteen minutes,” he suggested.

“Best get on it then,” I instructed. “I would like to have Jewel get checked out by a doctor for the injuries she’s sustained.”

Mr. Heirdaz’s fingers trembled as he punched the numerical pad on his desk phone. He quietly spoke a few words into the receiver and then hung up. Within the fifteen-minute time frame, Mrs. Sanchez delivered Jewel’s homework to her.

“Sergeant Black, may I have a word with you? In private, please,” Jewel’s teacher requested. I nodded and followed her out into the receptionist area.

“What seems to be the problem?”

“Hmm, how can I put it?” she stalled. “Jewel needs help to keep up with her classmates. I’m afraid she’s falling behind already.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Sanchez. I’ll work with her while she’s on her suspension.”

3: 58 PM, 1313 Scrimmage Drive, The Broken Badger Bar and Grille

So, getting Jewel an appointment with a pediatrician was tougher than I thought it would be. I went with Plan B instead and had one of our forensic pathologists look her over. As expected, her wounds were healing on their own. She would be a “Were” like me.

Entering the Badger, the new “honor wall” for fallen Wolfdale City PD officers greeted us. I find the faces of Avery Reynolds, Rhonda Addams, and the one that hit the hardest–Roger Oren–our former resident pain in the ass. I felt a tear threatening to fall. Why couldn’t I remember?

“Sergeant, are you okay? Who are these people?” Jewel asked innocently, holding tight to my hand. Yeah, she calls me Sergeant. Dad is weird for both of us.

“They were fellow police officers who lost their lives while trying to help protect people,” I explained.

“Oh—”

“C’mon, let’s find a table and get something to eat,” I stated, leading her to a booth.

I sat facing the door and Jewel sat across from me. The “pretty lady” as Jewel likes to call her came toward our booth. But only after she wiped her mouth after coming out of the ladies' restroom, and used hand sanitizer from near the bar. Her delicious scent of orange blossom, soft musk, ginger…and an unfamiliar scent I couldn’t make out agitated my wolf. Not in a bad way, mind you, but in a good way. It was weird. She wore the same black slacks, a white button-up shirt, and her light brown curly hair pulled into a ponytail from when Cass and I visited here last year.

“Are you ready to order?” my boss’s daughter inquired, ready with her pen and pad.

“Two Cokes and two orders of the cheeseburger special with all the fixings,” I replied. Jewel nodded her head in approval. Her eyes widened with excitement. The pretty lady jotted down our order and left to place it. She was quick to bring our drinks.

“I like this drink,” Jewel said, giggling. “The bubbles tickle my mouth.”

“You’ve never had a Coke before?” I asked her.

“Uh-uh,” she answered, shaking her head no. “The first time I had it was when the pretty lady brought me the meal…the day I met you.”

“Oh—” I paused. “While we’re waiting on the food, how about you tell me your side of the story? What happened today at school?”

“Do I have to?” she grumbled, trying to get out of my inquiry.

“It would be helpful,” I explained.

“Ugh, do you ever shut off?” she huffed, rolling her eyes. “You’re like ‘Detective Dad’. It’s exhausting—” She laughed, but her eyes didn’t sparkle.

“Haha. C’mon…out with it. Tell me what happened,” I insisted.

“Fiiiine,” she whined. “I heard loud noises coming from the boys' restroom. The older kid, who’s a big jerk, was yelling at the second grader and hitting him. I heard the smacks. He kept calling the second grader, “a stupid sauce that no one likes. You’re Worcestershire sauce!”

“Was the second grader’s name Rochester Peterson?”

“Uh-ha,” Jewel nodded.

“He goes by Rocky,” I grumbled under my breath.

“He’s a wolf, ya know,” she casually added.

I choked on the sip of Coke I took. Having wolf hearing or not, I was not expecting that tidbit.

“Re-really,” I choked out. “What makes you think that?”

“The kid smelled like a wolf,” Jewel nonchalantly stated.

“We’ll finish this conversation at home,” I told her, giving her the Dad look.

She whispered, “Okay.”

Some minutes later, I noticed Fred, the same one the Badger’s owner kicked out one day, and his wife entered the Bar and grille. His wife wore a similar attire to our server. She found Tiffeny quickly and had a short discussion. My boss’s daughter looked like she was gonna hurl. That sucks. After their private discussion, Tiffeny left the Broken Badger.

Mrs. Fred grabbed our meals from the serving window and brought them to Jewel and me.

“Okay…here are two cheeseburger specials,” Mrs. Fred said, placing the hot plates in front of us. “Be careful, love. The plates are hot,” she warned.

“Where did the pretty lady go?” Jewel asked Mrs. Fred, giving her the sad puppy dog eyes.

“Oh, sweetheart,” she began to explain. “She had to go home. She hasn’t been feeling well lately.”

“Oh… I hope she feels better,” Jewel rattled off.

Oddly, a small prick, like a thorn, pained my neck. You know, that spot that Chief Edwards pointed out to me the other day. I absentmindedly rubbed my sore neck.

“Are you okay, Sergeant?” my mini-me daughter asked me with a devilish grin.