The Protector (Complete)

Chapter 8

"I can't believe that we are here," Isabella said as the small group of four waited by the baggage claim in the very busy airport. "This is the most exciting thing to ever happen to me."

"Yeah," Patrick agreed sullenly, "I guess it's a little cool."

Greta hid a smile at Patrick's attitude. She would expect nothing less from the boy. All morning, from the moment they had reached the airport, Patrick had been trying to hide his excitement. She had caught moments of it when he hadn't been able to hide it, but she said nothing because she knew he was trying so hard to look nonchalant about the whole situation.

"Miss Klassen, where are we going to first?" Sofia asked quietly. Of all the students at Weston Prep, and even at the other schools Greta had taught at, Sofia was the quietest ever. Most often, Greta was sure she hadn't heard Sofia's actual question but read her lips instead.

"We'll head to the hotel. Then we'll have supper, and tomorrow we head to the Computer Olympics."

"I can hardly wait," Sofia whispered.

Greta smiled at the small sign of excitement from Sofia. She pointed to the bags that started coming on the baggage carousel. "There are our bags." Her dark purple luggage was easy to spot, and Greta soon had her three bags off the carousel and next to her.

"Miss Klassen," Isabella said in complete despair, "I can't find my other bag." She was the last one waiting for her bags. "Maybe it got lost."

"Don't worry, Isabella," Greta said. "We'll just wait a bit longer."

Five minutes passed and then ten. Finally the bag popped off the conveyor belt. Squealing with excitement, Isabella grabbed her second bag. "I'm ready. I have everything."

Greta nodded. Being the chaperone of the trip, Greta had all her senses on high alert to any danger that might be around. She had been given charge of the three students and had every intention of bringing them back safely.

Having traveled nearly her entire life, Greta had spent an abnormal amount of time in airports of every kind. She was used to seeing the different kinds of people at the airport. Some were excited for the upcoming trip. Others were more concerned about leaving or flying or some other weight on their mind. Shouts of joy weren't uncommon as someone was welcomed back home.

What was uncommon were the men that were intently watching her and her students. Although they had luggage, they were all small carry-ons. They talked with no one in the airport, didn't seem to be waiting for anyone, and were in the pick-up area and not the drop-off area. They didn't even talk with each other.

They were odd. Too odd for Greta's liking.

Patrick watched Greta for a second and followed where she was looking. "Oh, they were sent by my father. They are the guard from my father's..." Patrick realized he was about to say clan, giving too much information to a human. He quickly corrected his statement. "They are the guard from my father."

"And mine," Isabella said with a laugh as she waved at one of the set of men. "My father worries way too much. We are just going to the Computer Olympics. What can possibly go wrong?"

Greta turned to Sofia. "Did your father send a SWAT team as well?"

Sofia shook her head.

Patrick shared a look with Isabella. Both of them, being Lycans, knew that Sofia wasn't one and would therefore not have a father with a clan of Lycans able to be sent to protect her.

Greta spared one more look at the imposing men. She supposed, as she swung one bag on her shoulder and picked up the other two, that she was glad they were on her side. "We should get going, boys and girls. Our car should be outside. We have a big day tomorrow."

"I'm so excited I doubt I'll sleep," Sofia whispered as the four started walking through the airport.

Having traveled for so much of her young life, Greta knew very much the excitement Sofia was talking about. She also knew that Sofia, and the other two, would be asleep as soon as they had eaten. Travelling halfway around the world would mess with anyone's sleep schedule. The students thought that they were too excited to ever sleep, but Greta knew better.

After finding the driver holding the sign for Weston Prep, Greta ushered the three students into the wait town car. Waves of the Czech language floated around her, pulling her back to her first time she had arrived there when she had only been seven. The city had mesmerized her then, and she found that she was still pulled to the life that swarmed around her.

The ride to the hotel went quickly since their flight had arrived before rush hour. With their bags, the four entered the hotel. Greta scanned the area, looking for the shadows sent by Patrick's and Isabella's parents, but they were nowhere to be found.

The manager of the hotel spoke in flawless English as he handed over the room keys. "Here are the keys. You have a copy of each key..."

"There has been a mistake," Greta said, interrupting the stuffy man.

"No mistake, the rooms have been reserved..."

Greta held up a hand. "These rooms are not next to each other."

"They are on the same floor," the manager said.

Greta smiled, a sure sign to anyone who knew her that she was about to get nasty, a polite nasty, but still nasty. "Listen, Kelton, I do not care that the rooms are on the same floor. You will give me four rooms next to each other."

"Oh, Miss Klassen, this is highly irregular."

Greta sighed. "Perhaps you're right."

"Thank you for understanding." Kelton waved his hand to a bellboy and pointed to the baggage.

"Oh, no," Greta said to the man who came over. "We won't be staying. Come on, boys and girls. We'll go to a more accommodating hotel."

"But, Miss Klassen?" Kelton said in complete surprise. "Surely you do not intend..."

"If this hotel won't give me what I want, I am sure that there is one hotel that will do as I ask."

Kelton visibly paled at the thought that he was about to lose the hotel four very important guests. "I think I can work something out, Miss Klassen."

Not giving in an inch, Greta didn't even bother to drop her bags. She wouldn't be staying in a hotel when the rooms of the students she was in charge of where spread down a long hallway.

"I have two rooms..."

"Excellent," Greta said. She saw the smile of the man and then gladly crashed his hopes of them staying as she continued talking. "I'm sure two other people would love to have them. Students...."

"Oh, look," Kelton said quickly, "I have four rooms next to each other on the fourteenth floor."

Greta flashed a true smile. "Wonderful. Thank you for working things out." She accepted the keys and ushered the students to the waiting elevators.

"She's as bossy as Papa," Isabella whispered to Patrick.

Patrick scowled. "Why do we have to have to be right next to each other? I think I would be able to protect myself from anything this place has to offer."

"Shh," Isabella whispered as her eyes bulged out. "We can't be talking about...that."

"My father's not here to stop me," Patrick scoffed. "And don't be thinking about telling him."

"I won't."

Isabella and Patrick picked up the pace to catch up with Sofia and Greta. Greta unlocked the rooms and made sure her students were settled.

Greta wasn't only not happy about the room arrangements that had been made, but now she was also wary. It seemed odd for Weston Prep to have made room arrangements where she would be down the hall from the students. If she had been on a different floor, Greta wouldn't have waited for the hotel to fix the rooms, she would have left immediately to a different hotel. For now she would simply heighten her awareness.

She would also order supper in instead of taking the students out. They would be too exhausted to think it was odd that they were eating in. But for now, Greta would do that until tomorrow when they could get into a routine.