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She ignored me and clicked to the next slide.

A map of Europe appeared, with France highlighted in pink.

“We begin with history,” she said. “Modern wolf-shifter communities trace most of their organized legal structure to several old packs in France.”

I raised a hand.

“You don’t have to raise your hand.”

“I’m respecting the classroom environment.”

“Fine. What’s your question?”

“Are wolf shifters French?” I asked.

“No. That would be ridiculous.”

“You just pointed to France.”

“The legal culture is French in origin. The species is much older and spread across multiple regions. Packs existed throughout Europe, Asia, North Africa, and eventually the Americas. The French groups were simply obsessive enough to write things down.”

“That tracks.”

“It does.”

The next slide was an illustration of several old documents, a quill, and a wolf wearing a powdered wig.

Patty tapped the screen with the spoon. “Centuries ago, secrecy enforcement varied wildly. Some packs hid. Some ruled isolated areas openly. Some convinced local humans they were blessed warriors, cursed nobles, forest guardians, or very committed dog breeders.”

“Were they?”

“Were they what?”

“Very committed dog breeders.”

“Probably. Wolves like dogs. Side note: dogs have mixed feelings about wolves.”

She advanced the slide.

“The French councils created one of the first formal codes requiring hidden existence, regional self-governance, and intervention when an individual shifter threatened collective safety. That basic framework eventually spread through alliances and migration.”

“What happens if a wolf reveals themselves to humans?” I asked.

“I’m so glad you asked. Depends on what happened and why.”

She clicked to the next slide.

EXPOSURE: ACCIDENT, STUPIDITY, OR MALICE?

Three cartoon wolves appeared beneath the categories. The first looked embarrassed. The second wore sunglasses beside a fire. The third had a tiny villain mustache.

Patty pointed to the embarrassed one. “Accidental exposure gets contained. Witnesses are redirected. Digital evidence is challenged or buried. The shifter receives support and usually some mandatory education.”

I thought back to the frantic group chat about the teenager who’d accidentally shifted at a school dance. “Like Eli?”

“Exactly. First shifts are unpredictable. Nobody punishes children for their biology.”

She pointed to the wolf with the sunglasses. “Stupidity involves someone who knows better but does something reckless. Shifting near a road. Posting transformation videos to social media. Running through a campground because they lost a bet.”