Katlyn (M/F/M red-hot menage shifter romance) Standalone (Shadow Creek Shifters Book 1) by Madison Johns

or animal.”
    “I tried that,” Melody said. “But I always get stuck. My mama makes a potion that helps.”
    “Potion?”
    “Yes. It tastes just like chocolate milk, too.”
    Katlyn smiled, wondering if it was a potion at all or a cleaver way to trick the child into shifting back.
    “I wish I had some of that right now so you wouldn’t get into trouble,” Melody said.
    “I’m sure your mother will understand when you tell her what happened.”
    “Oh, I won’t get in trouble for trying to shift, just for attacking Robert. His mother is on the committee.”
    “Committee, eh? What kind of bird do you shift into?”
    “A disgusting chicken hawk,” Robert laughed.
    Melody pounded her fists on the table. “I swear, if you say another word, Robert, I’ll peck apart your face! I can shift into a red-tailed hawk. Nobody calls me a chicken hawk and gets away with it.”
    “No more growling, pecking or shifting,” Katlyn said. “It’s against school rules to shift or attack each other. You’re here to learn,” she reminded them. “How many of you can read?”
    Hands shot into the air and Katlyn smiled. This was much better than she had hoped. She passed out small, photocopied books to each child. “You’ll be expected to read aloud in class tomorrow. You’ll also be working on math, history, and science.”
    “History,” Robert said. “Whose? Yours or ours?”
    “American history.”
    “We told you what we are,” Robert said. “What kind of shifter are you?”
    All eyes were on Katlyn and she said, “I’m not a shifter at all. I’m human.”
    Ivan nodded. “I knew you were. Us werebears have a great sense of smell.”
    * * *
    Time rolled along fairly quickly and Katlyn smiled when she saw Nate come for his son, Maxwell. They lingered in the classroom after a miffed Annabelle strutted toward the door with a blabbing Robert, telling her all about how he was nearly ripped limb from limb by Melody. She didn’t respond but she certainly gave Katlyn the evil eye.
    A plain woman came for Melody and Katlyn apologized for Robert’s behavior.
    “Not to worry. That boy is always picking on my girl. I’m just happy that she stuck up for herself.”
    “Me, too, but next time I hope she lets me handle it. We’re here to learn, not fight.”
    Once everyone left, Katlyn was alone with Nate and Maxwell. “Perhaps you should go outside and wait for your father. I’d like to speak with him for a moment privately.”
    Maxwell limped to the door and closed it quietly behind him.
    “I’m so sorry. That Robert sure is mean to Maxwell. I wonder where on earth he learned that hostility?”
    “Well, you did meet Annabelle. Ever since Maxwell’s accident, most of the children tease him, but he’ll be an alpha one day.”
    “What kind of accident?”
    “He was winged by one of the ranchers. I don’t allow him to accompany the pack on hunts yet, and, well, boys will be boys.”
    “That’s awful,” Katlyn said. When she gazed over at the door, Brendan’s frame filled the doorway.
    “I should go now,” Nate said.
    Brendan brushed his shoulders against Nate’s as he passed through the doorway, both men staring the other down. Once he left, Brendan said, “What was that all about?”
    “Not sure what you mean by that . He’s just one of the parents. I guess I didn’t expect to deal with so much for half a day of school.”
    Brendan’s brow arched, “Oh, and what were you expecting?”
    “Well, I hadn’t expected for the children to partially shift, for one, or to speak so harshly to one another.”
    Brendan nodded. “It’s to be expected. It’s the first time they’ve been all together. When Chase and I decided to invite the other shifters’ children here for school, I knew it might be difficult in the beginning.”
    “I sure wish you had shared that information with me. Paige never even mentioned to me that I’d be teaching shifter children.”
    “She would have eventually.”
    Katlyn wanted