Darel convinced me to attend the new staff mixer because Max was busy with initiation. The second we walked in, there was too much to notice, to take in. The bar was full of school staff and their significant others.

"no one told me how bad this town was divided," I mumbled to Darel. You could put a fence down the middle of the room, supernaturals on one side, humans on the other. Inside the supernaturals were small groups, but they mixed more freely than the humans did with us.

"yes, well, that has to do with the Baxters family business and their hiring practices," he explained.

"let me guess, only supernaturals are allowed." It is usual for wolves to only associate with themselves.

"that is true, but it is also because they use their abilities at work and won't risk exposure. The Nymphs and wolves work together at the factory, live in the woods, and hide their secrets. Humans know something is happening but don't know what it is."

"so your town built the Berlin wall along the border to the woods?" I noticed the witches did move more freely. They mixed with both groups, "and witches go where they want."

"witches are human and supernatural. They live on the fence." Darel and I were on the supernatural side of the bar but just by an inch, so I was caught off guard when a human started towards us

"oh no, Hannah is very invested in the supernatural vs human fight. She tries to get all the new teachers to stay away from what she calls the woods people," Darel mumbled as she got closer.

"want to play a fun game?" I asked he raised his eyebrow and nodded. I used my mind and felt for his energy, then created a bridge between our two minds. 'Hello Darel'

'How are you doing this? Mind links are a wolf gift.'

'I can create mind links and read minds; there are some other things too, but I can't share all the Silverstone secrets.'

"Hello, My name is Hannah. You must be a new teacher, and Darel is keeping you all to himself," she said, glaring at Darel.

'I can smell alcohol on her breath.' Darel turned his nose up at the smell.

"My name is Monroe, but you can call me Roe." Her mind was at ease with the alcohol in her system, easy to enter.

'her mind is dark, and she hates woods people, as she calls them, even the kids in the school, but she tries to hide that part. This is deep-seated from her grandfather, who lost his job and couldn't find one anywhere. He was trying to care for an aunt she had never met who was sick, and his last hope was Franklin Avery, but he didn't even get an interview. Franklin said that he simply wasn't made of the right stuff. As a result, her aunt died, and her family has hated the Avery family and all the woods people since.'

"you are adorable; I must introduce you to the girls." She dragged me to the human side of the bar, but no one batted an eye since I was a witch.

'I didn't know any of that.'

'she hates you but has a bit of respect for how good of a job you do at keeping the peace if that makes you feel any better.'

'it does'

"OK, this is Monroe; she is a new English teacher." Hannah introduced me to a group of three other women, all human. However, one put up some resistance as I entered her mind. "Monroe, this is Esme, Sally, and Kara. Esme Sally and Kara are guidance counselors."

"It is nice to meet you all," I responded automatically as I focused on my task. "you can call me Roe."

'Kara is mostly thinking about her diet she started. She only eats after school at four and is starving herself the rest of the day. She wants to drop some pounds before her sister's wedding.'

"I see you have met Principal Darel," Esme said. She was putting up a fight. Still, it was an unconscious wall, which is weird because it is primarily supernatural creatures that have protection.

'I am not the only one who didn't want to come; this girl Esme only came because she didn't want to be the weird girl who stayed home. She also knows about Hannah's problem with the supernatural people and is mentally rolling her eyes.

"Yes, he hired me, and we are mutual friends." I moved on to Sally. No resistance there. She also has had something to drink.

"Oh, I thought you just moved to Town." Hannah was not making a well-conceded effort to get the other girls in line to sway me to her side. If she only knew.

"I did, but about a week later, I met Baxter Avery, Ethan Green, and Max McGuffin, Darel's husband."

'Sally knew Baxter in school and had the biggest crush on him and Max. She has a taste for the supernatural and thinks the whole divide is stupid. She also thinks the rivalry kept her from being able to score that hot piece of ass while she still could because now she is married, and while she loves her husband and kid, she doesn't take rejection well, and Baxter rejected her.'

"you met Baxter Avery, I hear he is the most handsome man in town." Sally, being tipsy, didn't hide her admiration.

"I guess you could say that, but he isn't my type. Honestly, we are like different species, practically cats and wolves." Darel was using his wolf hearing and spit up his drink at that.

'You must save me from this before I get bored and try another Silverstone gift on these ladies.'

'Like what?'

'I can put ideas, images, and thoughts in people's heads. It is like a suggestion that feels coming from them.'

"well, if you wanted to meet someone, I could introduce you to some good boys." Hannah was already imagining me as a woodswoman and wanted to keep me tied to a town boy to keep me away

'well, based on how annoyed I'm getting with Hannah, I could suggest she leave.'

'I'm coming just hold on'

'not fast enough'

"I am not looking for that right now. I just graduated and want to get my feet under my new responsibilities before I look for a grown man to babysit." I smiled as Darel arrived, taking me away from my new friends.