I Became a Kindergarten Teacher for Monster Babies!

"Lina!" Aunt Lyla's cheerful tone rang through the speaker.

"Aunt Lyla! How are you?" Alina said, her lips breaking into a wide smile. Just hearing her voice made the quiet room feel less lonely.

"Everything is alright," Lyla replied, though there was something in her voice—too thin, too forced that made Alina pause.

Alina frowned, shifting on the bed. "Aunt… really? Everything is alright?" she asked gently.

A small sigh came through the line, one she knew too well. "Everything is fine, Lina. Just tired, that's all. These days the hospital is so busy, it feels like I don't even have time to sit down. And you know… I'm taking care of Amelia too."

Alina's chest tightened. "I'm so sorry, Aunt. I wish I was there… then you wouldn't have to do everything alone. You've always worked so hard already."

"It's alright, Lina." Lyla's voice softened, but it carried that weight of exhaustion. "Amelia is my sister. Taking care of her is my duty, and… well, she still needs me. Don't worry about it."

Alina swallowed the lump in her throat. She stared at her reflection in the darkened phone screen, her mask glowing faintly, and for a second she felt useless—far away, living in almost another world while her aunt was carrying so much.

Trying to change the subject, Lyla asked suddenly, "Lina, by the way… which kindergarten are you working at now? I want to know." Her tone was light, but something about the curiosity in her voice sounded strange, as though she was fishing for something.

Alina froze. Her eyes widened, her throat tightening. How could she even begin to explain? That the kindergarten wasn't in the human sense of the word—that her students were children of supernatural beings, monsters to some? That her boss had horns and crimson eyes?

Her pulse raced. She bit her lips, searching for an excuse, anything.

"I work at…" she hesitated, words tumbling on her tongue. "Ah—Aunt, I'll call you later, okay? I think I left the gas on!" she blurted and hung up quickly, her heart pounding.

She stared at the dark phone screen, guilt creeping into her chest. "Sorry, Aunt…" she whispered softly to the quiet room.

****

The Moonfang pack house was quiet after dinner.

Queen Serafina was folding a silk shawl over her lap when her daughter suddenly came padding over on her tiny feet, her hair tied in two uneven braids. Luna's eyes sparkled with mischief as she hid something behind her back.

"Luna," Serafina sighed with a helpless smile, already suspicious of that twinkle. "What are you hiding now? And what do you want to show us?"

Alpha Ryker, leaning lazily in his chair, let out a low chuckle, his deep voice rumbling through the room. "Yeah, little pup? What are you up to this time?" His broad arms were crossed, but there was no mistaking the fondness in his gaze as he looked down at his daughter.

Luna puffed her chest, her tiny nose wrinkling proudly. "Okay! Luna is going to show you magic!!! But not just any magic—teacher called it… science!" She said the last word slowly, like it was something grand and important.

"Oh?" Serafina's brows lifted as she leaned closer, curiosity gleaming in her silver eyes. She watched as her daughter hurriedly sat down cross-legged on the mat, placing a little cup of water carefully in front of her like it was a sacred treasure.

From her other hand she pulled out a tiny bowl, only half full, but she held it high like she was presenting jewels to a royal court. "This is sugar!!" she declared, her tail flicking behind her. "And watch carefully!"

Both exchanged amused glances but played along, leaning forward as though their daughter were about to unveil something extraordinary.

With exaggerated seriousness, Luna pinched the sugar between her little fingers and dropped it into the water. She stirred it quickly with a spoon, her eyes darting up every second to make sure her mother and father were watching. "Look, look! The sugar—it disappears!"

Ryker's lips twitched as he fought back a grin. "Wow," he said in mock amazement, widening his eyes dramatically. "Where did it go?!"

Serafina pressed her hand against her lips, hiding her smile, and asked with feigned shock, "Where is the sugar, baby? It's gone!"

Luna's face lit up, her little fangs peeking as she grinned proudly. "Mom, it's science magic! It disappears in the water!" She leaned forward on her knees, her braids flopping, explaining with all the seriousness of a teacher herself.

Then she fished around in her tiny pouch and pulled out a small packet of food coloring. "And you can also add colour to make it more pretty!!" she announced. She carefully added a drop, and the water swirled into a bright shade, sparkling under the light.

Her parents both gasped dramatically, eyes widening. Serafina leaned closer, her silky gray hair spilling forward, while Ryker even tilted his head as if he couldn't believe it.

"And sugar is still inside the water!" Luna said firmly, wagging her little finger. "It only looks invisible!!"

Seeing her parents' shocked faces, she looked so proud she could burst.

Ryker finally reached out, scooping her into his arms with a laugh, nuzzling her hair. "Our little pup is a magician now, huh? Soon you'll be smarter than your daddy."

Serafina smoothed a hand over Luna's head, her smile tender. "Yes, my love. You've taught us something new today."

And Luna was so happy she couldn't sit still a moment longer. With a little yip, her small form shimmered and shifted, turning into a fluffy gray wolf pup. She wagged her tiny tail so fast it was almost a blur, then leapt down from her father's lap and went racing in circles across the floor. Her paws skidded as she bounced off the rug, darting from one end of the hall to the other, her golden-brown eyes glowing with pure delight.

Serafina pressed her fingers against her lips, laughter spilling through her soft chuckle as she watched her daughter practically fly around like a streak of silver. "Oh, look at her…" she murmured, eyes shining with affection.

Alpha Ryker, leaning back comfortably, followed his pup's wild zigzags with his sharp gaze. His lips curled into a rare, gentle smile before he bent closer to Serafina, his deep voice dropping to a low whisper against her ear. "She's having zoomies," he murmured, the corners of his mouth twitching with amusement.