A/N A big complaint I've seen mentioned on fan discussion boards is how a main character can take secrecy to extremes. On the Grimm TV show the main character, Nick, kept his secret as a Grimm from his girlfriend, even when doing so was destroying his relationship with her, from his partner even after his partner witnessed things that had him question the world around him and from a uniformed officer that helped them on the cases even after the officer thought he was going insane.

Giles and Buffy's insistence on secrecy endangered her mother, repeatedly. Although, it wasn't really Buffy's insistence, it was Giles' and Joyce was right to resent the secrecy and its effect on the relationship she and Buffy had. I'm bringing this up because secrecy is going to cause a few issues with Willow and Oz. They'd been together for a couple of months in the show when Oz accidentally found out about the supernatural and six months in this story.

And yes, the Wolfbloods have secrets but their secrets haven't put anyone in danger, on the show Buffy did put her own mother in danger and still kept those secrets. We don't even learn that Buffy might have a fear of telling her mother until the Normal Again episode, after her mother has died.

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"Alex, could I speak to you for a moment?" Joyce Summers asked the young man.

"Mrs. S? Are you looking for Buffy?" Alex asked, wondering what else would bring her to the High School the Monday after they'd learned Oz was a werewolf who'd recently been bit by his toddler cousin, who turned out to be part of the family of werewolves the Wolfbloods knew lived in Oxnard, his Aunt, Uncle and cousin, which had necessitated a conversation with his own parents, who hadn't known Oz's father's brother had married a werewolf.

"I'm concerned about you, until the meeting the other day, I didn't know about your family situation and I can't help wondering where you're living and how you're surviving and why your mother didn't help you with your father's rejection."

"Let's go outside and we can talk." Alex suggested. Joyce nodded and the two were soon sitting on a bench in the courtyard.

"Let's start with I appreciate your concern, but I am fine. As for my story, let's start with when I was born, my father didn't want to be a father and he didn't want to leave the Forest to live in town. Doing so meant getting a house and a job in order to take care of me. At least my mother felt it did, though why she insisted on it I'm not sure. It's perfectly possible to live in the Forest even as a human and survive, I did say I spent a large part my childhood there, all the kids in the wild pack do. It's not a bad place to live and it's much safer than Sunnydale.

"But my father didn't want to leave and he was very unhappy over it, he didn't cope well. He never copes well with disappointment, I mean he challenged for the Prime Alpha position of the wild pack and lost and that made him bitter. So, him never wanting to live in town anyway, makes it understandable why my uncle doesn't approve of him using my choice to join the tame pack as an excuse to just go back full time. It's what he wanted to do anyway."

"But they abandoned you, human law -."

"It's something Wolfbloods, especially wild ones, don't want anything to do with and animals can abandon their young too, it's not just a human thing. Uncle Rory supported me while I made the transition into the tame pack. Then I moved back into the house my parents own here in town."

"But why not move in with someone else in the pack? Why wouldn't they take you in?"

"You're thinking in human terms and in terms of your own culture, Mrs. S. There are differences in our culture which, as Giles put it, draws on both human and wolf norms. I was the bottom of the pack and I had to prove myself to the pack and work to make myself part of it. They didn't hurt me and they didn't reject me, as Tony Harris did, they gave me the chance to prove myself. By the time I did, I was working for Mr. Chase and dating Cordelia and together we'd formed our own sub pack, which further established me within the extended pack."

"Why wouldn't Mr. Chase just take you in? He's the head of your pack."

"It would damage Cordelia's reputation if her boyfriend lived in the same house she does, Mrs. S. But as it is, I mostly just sleep at my place. I eat meals with the Chase's and in the summer work for Mr. Chase and he's training me. He expects me to take the Prime Alpha spot when he steps down."

"So you're an emancipated minor as far as humans are concerned? With Charles Chase and your Uncle providing some adult guidance, mentoring and care?"

"Pretty much, yes."

"And your mother? Why didn't she fight your father's choice?"

"She's not you, Mrs. S. While she didn't think an abortion was necessary, she wasn't a very hands on mother either. She made sure I had a roof over my head, a place to sleep, food to eat and sent me to school. She provided me with what she thought was necessary. Love and affection weren't included in what she thought was necessary. And as long as the basic needs were met, no one else, human or Wolfblood, would interfere. I really am fine, Mrs. S. I have far more now, then I did then and I thank you for your concern. I hope Buffy and Dawn appreciate you."