Page 61 of Bear With Me

“Probably for the best to not give them too long to build up a head of steam,” Dennis agreed with the alpha. He made a thinking face. “Any chance we could go along with them? I kinda want to see this.”

Escalus grinned. “Way ahead of you. I already got clearance from Ted to send you as one-time helpers. You’ll have to sign a few forms when you get there, but other than that you’re good to go.”

Bjorn wasn’t all that sure he wanted to see the ugliness his parents would probably direct at people at the center, but on the other hand, someone was going to have to keep them under control and it might as well be him and his mate. “Thank you, Alpha,” he said politely.

Escalus gave him a nod and tapped the bottoms of his papers on the desk to straighten them. “Well, no time like the present. Let’s go give them an unpleasant surprise.” And with that, he stood and strode across the room, motioning for them to follow him as he went.

***

"Alpha!" Rowena exclaimed as she opened her front door. "To what do we owe this pleasure? Oh. Hello, Bjorn." She stopped there, studiously ignoring the presence of Dennis.

Escalus gave her a tight smile and nod. "Got some business for you and your mate. Call him, please."

Rowena blinked, looking a little stunned by the cold manner, but obediently called over her shoulder, "Ronald! Alpha needs to speak with us about business!"

That wasn't quite what Escalus had said, but Bjorn wasn't going to disabuse her of the notion that he wanted to discuss business rather than them being the business. He and Dennis followed silently as Rowena led them deeper into the house toward their formal parlor. And "formal parlor" was what it was, his mother had drummed into him over the years; "living room" was so plebeian, and "sitting room" was too foreign-sounding.

They found his father already sitting in the parlor, poking at his phone. He looked up when they entered. "Hello, Alpha. Son." Again, no greeting for Dennis, Bjorn noted.

"Hi, Papa," he said, pulling Dennis down to sit beside him on the loveseat. "How are you?" he asked politely, needing to fill some of the silence.

Ronald glanced at Escalus, then back at Bjorn. "Oh, very well, very well," he said dismissively, then turned back to the alpha. "To what do we owe this pleasure, Alpha?"

"I've got a…job for you," Escalus said gravely, pausing only slightly on job, probably against the temptation of saying forced assignment instead. His tone was far more formal than Bjorn was used to hearing from his usually foul-mouthed alpha. "For you and Rowena both, actually."

His mother fluttered a little in her seat beside her husband. "Oh! Me as well? What could I possibly do?"

Bjorn thought he detected just a hint of a smirk on Escalus's face as the man said, "We're going to put your mothering skills to work, Rowena. And Ronald's diplomacy skills."

Those were two skills his parents most certainly did not possess in any large amount, and Bjorn tried not to snicker as his parents exchanged a confused look. "Oh?" his father said weakly, raising his eyebrows at the alpha’s expression, which was frankly a bit gleeful.

Escalus nodded firmly. "Warming Hearts, the local community center, needs volunteers. I've decided to assign you two to them for the foreseeable future."

Rowena blinked, looking like she had no idea what to make of this pronouncement. "A community…center?" she repeated faintly.

"What's that?" Ronald asked more bluntly.

Escalus gave them a thin-lipped smile. "I'm glad you asked. The community center hosts activities for local teenagers and young adults, aiming to give them mentorship and somewhere positive to go during their spare time. Their clientele is entirely human," he added, eyes sharpening.

Rowena blanched. "Oh, we couldn't possibly -"

"You'll love it," Bjorn couldn't help throwing in, and if he was taunting them just a little, who could blame him? "Kids everywhere, and you guys are so experienced in leading community and den life," he choked a little on the words, "that we thought you'd be just perfect for this."

Ronald, catching on that something was odd here, narrowed his gaze on his son. "What have you done now?" he hissed, then looked at Escalus. "I'm not sure what my son has told you, but Rowena and I are very busy and we couldn't possibly…with humans…" He shook his head. "It's not appropriate."

"Appropriate or not, it's also not optional," Escalus broke in sternly. "You will do this, both of you."

"But why?" whined Rowena.

Escalus looked down his nose at her and shook his head. "Because you and your mate need an education in real life and in how to treat people."

Rowena gasped, her hand flying to her chest. "We -"

"I am aware," Escalus went on, ignoring her protest, "of how you've been treating your son and, most particularly, his mate." He shook his head. "You should be overjoyed that your child has found his mate. Instead, you've been trying to force them apart. And then I hear that you've been filling people's heads with anti-human sentiment for months, at least?" His next words came out on a low growl: "I don't think so."

"But, Alpha," Ronald began, "we're not prejudiced; it's just that -"

Dennis, who had been sitting quietly up until this point, emitted an indelicate snort. "Yes, you fucking are," he informed Ronald shortly.