Sitting cross-legged on the floor in the middle of his living room, Indrik stared down at his lap and the sleeping cub he’d recently rescued from its human captor. Smiling at the peaceful expression on his face, he ran his fingers through the cub’s soft fur—now snow white after his bath—and thought about the future awaiting the polar bear cub at the Blackwood Pack. He was still unsure about the reception the bear cub would receive in a wolf pack, but he had no choice now and hoped the Alpha would allow it—at least until he could find a new home for him.
Walking into the room, Owen sat down opposite his friend, gazing at the clean cub for a moment before saying, “He’s gorgeous…did you pick out a name for him yet?”
“No…I want to wait until he feels secure enough to be himself. Right now, he’s still cautious and suspicious of me.”
“He seems to get along with the rest of the kids.”
“They aren’t a threat to him…but you and me…that’s a different matter. He’s still afraid of us since the only adults he had contact with mistreated him badly.”
“How long do you think it’ll take?”
Shrugging, Indrik said, “I don’t know, but we can’t leave here until that happens. I need him to shift into his human form, orI’d have to put him in a cage for the trip, and I can’t do that to him since it would be way too traumatic. Better to wait until he trusts us.”
Raising an eyebrow, Owen asked, “Us? You mean you and your menagerie, right?”
Glancing up at his friend, Indrik said, “I was hoping you’d come along…to help with the kids. Besides, it’s a long trip by car, and we can take turns driving while the other keeps them occupied.”
“Are you gonna drive straight through?”
“No way,” Indrik chuckled softly. “Trust me, it’s better if we stop every night and check into a motel. That way we can change and feed them before they have an hour of wild time to burn off all their pent-up energy from sitting in the car all day.”
“How long do you think it’ll take?”
“Three, maybe four days,” Indrik replied, looking down at the sleeping cub. “It all depends on how well the kids take to riding in the car. Eight hours is a long time for them to be in a car seat.”
“We could stop at some rest stops…let them run around a bit.”
Glancing quickly at his friend, Indrik grinned. “Does that mean you accepted my invitation to join me on this adventure?”
Shrugging, Owen said, “Why not? I have a vested interest in your kids since I helped rescue them. Besides, I’m curious about your new home…do you think the Alpha would mind if I stayed a few days before heading back?”
“I haven’t asked, but I’m sure it won’t be a problem.”
“How do you know if you haven’t asked?”
“Because I’m hiring you as my nanny,” Indrik said, smirking.
Owen’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. “A nanny? Are you fucking kidding me? I don’t know diddly squat about being a nanny.”
“Bullshit, you don’t,” Indrik replied. “Whether or not you realize it, you’ve been a regular Mary Poppins to these kids.You’ve already earned your nanny degree and, I’d say, with honors.”
“But…but…”
“But nothing,” Indrik said. “Look, you know you aren’t happy working for your uncle…”
“But a nanny?”
“Why not? You’re a natural with the kids. And I could certainly use your help since my days will be busy getting everything set up for the school. It’ll give you some breathing time to figure out what you really want to do in life.”
“I don’t know…to be totally responsible for the kids while you’re teaching…what if I do something that causes them to go back into their animal forms?”
“First, you won’t be alone because I’ll be there with you. Second, trust me…there’s nothing you can do that would be worse than what they’ve already experienced. And third, being in another pack will broaden your horizons…help you decide what you really want in life, and fourth, you’ll be able to keep the money you earn since your uncle won’t know I’m paying you.”
“You are?” asked Owen, surprised.
Frowning, Indrik replied, “Of course…I’m not like that greedy asshole.”
“He paid me!” Owen protested.