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Chapter 348: Selfish pup
Chapter 348: Selfish pup
Lara went to the kindergarten in a great mood. She had solved a couple of easy issues in the morning, and she felt as if she had worked hard. It was no big deal, and she knew the future would be more challenging. Yet, for that day, she was proud of her work.
She walked into the room where the pups stayed and almost didn't notice the countless pairs of eyes on her. She was growing used to it. And it wasn't something only pups would do. Adult wolves were no different.
At first, she had thought they were curious, but it wasn't that simple. They knew her already, and they didn't seem to expect anything particular from her appearance. Staring at her seemed like a natural reflex. Nothing more and nothing less.
«Hello!» she said, and her son ran to her with a sheet of paper.
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«Hello, mommy! This is for you! Today, we made drawings for our mommies. The teacher said it's mother's day.»
«Mother's day?» Lara chuckled. Oh, whatever. The most important part was that her cubs had fun.
«Yes, mommy. Look at this!»
«Oh, mommy's boy is so smart. You even wrote a message for me!» She read the words and chuckled. «I love you, mommy. And Nate.»
But... Why were the last few words so small? She had to squint her eyes to read them.
«And where is Scarlet?»
«She's in the corner.»
«Corner?»
«Yes. She was a little angry today, but it's her fault for being indecisive. I chose the right pink on the first try, see?»
«Good job,» she said, patting his head.
At that show, the other pups seemed to have an idea.
They returned to their drawings, each taking a new piece of paper and drawing like crazy. In a few minutes, there already was a line in front of Lara.
«Hello,» the girl in the front said. «I made this for you.»
«For me?» Lara said, incredulous.
Those kids went out of their way for a... stranger? Oh, but shouldn't she have gotten used to it? Wolves weren't like humans.
«Thank you! It's beautiful,» she said.
She patted the girl's head and saw the bright smile and the hope in the eyes of the pups in line. They were looking for attention, and she would have given them some. It wasn't a big deal, after all, especially in exchange for all those artworks.
«Mooommy,» Jaden complained, sulking next to her. He hugged her thigh and glared at the kids, but he didn't stop any from approaching his mommy.
He was a good boy, after all. His mommy would have been happy if he avoided getting in the way. But he would have told Nate about it! He should know that his wife was playing with other pups... Just in case.
Scarlet, on the other hand, couldn't think so much ahead. She threw herself on the girl first in line, and she bared her fangs again.
Lara widened her eyes in surprise and grabbed her by instinct. She knew very well how to deal with a raging pup, of course. She had done it so often. She caught Scarlet's arm and kept her far from the other girl.
«Scarlet!» she scolded her. «What are you doing?»
«It's her fault, mommy; she took my pink and is now here with you...»
«It doesn't mean you can attack people like this! What are you, a beast?»
«But mommy...»
«No buts! You're a big girl now, aren't you? Hasn't Nate taught you how to control your temper?»
«It's not my fault,» she repeated, pursing her lips. She looked up at her mommy, and then down at the floor where a drawing had fallen... She hadn't finished hers because she was too angry, so she didn't have any to give her mommy.
That realisation made her sob.
«There's no point in crying now,» Lara said. «Apologise to your friend. Now.»
«I don't want to.»
Lara crouched down and looked Scarlet in the eye.
«Listen, the other kids can't use their claws to fight back while you can. Hurting them like this is unfair, and you wouldn't be a good person if you did.»
«Am I a bad person, then?»
«Not yet, Scarlet.»
«But mommy...»
«It's not easy, I know it. It's not easy to be good, and it doesn't have to be easy. It's more difficult than being evil... That's so affordable. But to be a good person, you need to work hard, every day and especially when you don't feel like it.»
«I don't want to be bad,» she whined. «I just wanted to draw my mommy the best. But I couldn't find the right pink.»
«So, what did you do?»
«I collected all the pink pencils to decide later.»
«Other kids also need the pencils, Scarlet.»
«But I wanted the best one!»
«Oh, you... It's not like you had to take them all, right? Also, they want to draw their mommy in the best way just like you do.»
«Yes?»
«Yes! You're not the only one in the school, Scarlet.»
«But I couldn't,» she sobbed.
«Oh, Scarlet... Let's go home.»
She turned to the caretaker and apologised for the turmoil. She also checked twice that the other girl was just a little shocked but not hurt. And content to have Lara's attention for a long minute.
Then, she took her cubs and left.
Scarlet was a little selfish, and she couldn't understand how to share with other kids... Maybe with Jaden only, but they were twins. They were used to be two.
With other pups, the situation was different. Moreover, the Alpha magic that worked every time Lara went to the kindergarten made her worry about the future. She had to teach her kids not to be so territorial, or their lives wouldn't be easy. Theirs, and the other kids'.
«Don't tell Nate, mommy,» Scarlet added after a few minutes in silence. «Okay?»
«What?»
Where did that come from? Was Scarlet worried about what Nate would do? He had scolded her only once after the twins had done a very extreme prank. But after that, he had been a loving father.
Moreover, Lara was sure that Nate would be able to communicate with Scarlet better.
«He's your father. I have no intention of hiding anything from him.»