Fox Revenge (Madison Wolves #5) (13 page)

"Michaela," Elisabeth said very quietly I was probably the only one who could hear her. "This is the first time they've offered the funds. We need those enforcers. Trust me."

I glanced at her, filling my expression with as much pain as I could. She studied my face for a moment then looked pointedly at Vivian.

"I move we end discussion and call the vote," Vivian said immediately.

"No," I said.

"Second," said Christopher with a smile. Now he was just being an asshole.

"We have a motion and second," Lara said. "The motion is to end discussion and call the vote. All for the motion?" Everyone said "aye" except me.

Lara read the resolution then stated, "An aye vote will be interpreted as discussed. We will use pack funds to
hire or train more enforcers, and a portion of those enforcers will be used to protect Michaela. All in favor?"

Everyone said "aye" except me.

"Opposed?"

"Nay," I said.

"Motion carried."

"Isn't this like the Secret S
ervice?" I asked. "Someone can decline Secret Service protection."

"True," Lara said. "
Someone can decline Secret Service protection, except the president. And no, it's not like that. What is next?"

I shut my mouth after that. I fielded the occasional question, answering in only the tersest of words.

Conversation continued well into the afternoon. When three PM arrived, I asked for a five-minute recess. Lara asked if there was any objection then granted it.

I immediately climbed from my seat and pulled Lara and Elisabeth to a distant corner of the room. "Are you ordering me to stop flying lessons?" I asked Lara.

"Why would I do that?"

I offered a droll look.

"Reasonable concessions," Elisabeth said. "Guess who decides what that means?"

"You?"

"The three of us," she said. "Collectively, with the input from your security chief."

"We will refine this," Lara said. "For now, that means you accept your security detail wherever you go. You allow them to do their jobs. And if they ask you not to do something, you don't do it w
ithout talking to Elisabeth or me first. If you can't convince us, you don't get to do it."

"And when we're running?"

"We will find a loose definition of what it means for you to be escorted. That will tighten during high risk times."

I looked between the two of them. "This sounds like a refinement to what I already agreed."

"That is my interpretation," Elisabeth said. "But I was just handed the money to do it properly." She grinned. "I told you to trust me."

"I want to interview anyone new you are assigning to me," I said. "And I get veto power."

"Anything else?" Lara asked.

"How many are you assigning to me?" I asked Elisabeth.

"Six total," she said. "Which allows for some to be off duty."

"Do you expect them to be in the bathroom with me?"

"If you agree to not fight this, no. If you ever ditch your guards that way, I'll never give you another second alone."

I sighed. "They better know how to kayak."

Elisabeth laughed. "Or drive the chase boat."

"I don't want my kayaking ruined by a motorboat circling me like a hungry shark."

"Will you cooperate, Michaela?" Elisabeth asked.

"For now. And I will give you ample warning if I decide to change my mind," I told her.

"Thank you. Lara, we need to end this meeting. We've discussed everything important. Nerves are frayed. And Christopher West is lucky he is still alive."

"Damned right he is," Lara said. "Were you really going to kill him?" Lara asked me.

"If he took a swing at me, he would have been dead," I said. "If he had kept his tone, I would have intentionally pushed his buttons until I had the excuse."

"Shit," Elisabeth said. "He really pissed you off. I wasn't sure if it was an act."

"That's a dangerous game," Lara said. "Please play it carefully."

I was surprised. "You didn't yell at me."

"No. You were right. He was being an ass. And it was far better he backed down from you than if I'd had to deal with it."

"I'll try to be a good scout about the security detail."

"Thank you," she said. "Let's get this meeting back in session so we can wrap it up."

"Elisabeth, do I need to wait to go to the airport afterwards?"

"No. I'll have your detail ready for you. I am your security chief for now, but that is temporary."

I nodded. "All right."

"Alpha," she said, addressing Lara. "Do you have further direction on the makeup of her team?"

"You are
the head enforcer, Elisabeth," Lara replied. "But I agree Michaela should have input. Veto power is a little strong, but if it becomes a problem, the three of us will discuss it sensibly."

She looked at me pointedly when she said it. "All right," I said. "I would prefer women who won't patronize me."

"I'll do my best, but for now we have limited resources," Elisabeth said. "You're going to get whoever I have until I can build a team."

"All right," I said. "We have no enforcers I can't work with. Except Reggie."

That was a name I hadn't mentioned in nearly two years, since he had backed David for his play.

"Absolutely
no on Reggie," Lara said. "Enough, everyone is waiting for us."

We returned to her seats and Lara got us going. She pointed out it had been a long day and asked if there was anything else pressing.

"Yes," Vivian said. "I would like to know if the fox is going to accept our resolution from earlier."

"She is," I said. "I reserve the right to change my mind if anyone starts turning the compound into a cage."

"Fair enough," said Vivian. "Thank you, Michaela."

No one else had any further issues, and we adjourned. I kissed Lara goodbye and asked my security chief to escort me home so I could change clothes and attend my flying lesson.

* * * *

Angel completed her flight training in the nick of time, earning her private pilot's license the day before classes began. She gave everyone rides, starting with Scarlett, then her mother and sister, then Lara and me. When Lara climbed into the back seat, Angel looked deeply proud.

"I can ride back there, Lara," I said.

"No, no," she said. "I dislike riding in front if I'm not the pilot. I keep second guessing. Angel is the pilot now."

Angel wiped a tear from her eye then gave us a nice ride. Later, I caught her hugging Lara tightly, Lara returning the gesture with warmth. I couldn't hear what they said to each other, but they both looked happy.

Scarlett suspended her lessons once classes started, although she and Angel went flying once a week or so to keep Angel's skills sharp and to help
them both relax.

I continued with my lessons and expected to finish sometime in October. I was enjoying my lessons immensely and already thinking about additional training once I had my license.

Elisabeth started a search for more enforcers, hoping to train a few from within the pack while perhaps acquiring a few from outside. She admitted to Lara and me that she'd not been involved in hiring new enforcers in the past, and she was concerned with the ability to find any she could trust.

"Maybe Brooke has ideas," I suggested. "Or Greg."

Elisabeth called both of them, but I don't know what she learned. For now, we had no new faces around the compound.

* * * *

I froze. "Lara stop," I said. Lara was in the middle of doing something I didn't really care to have interrupted.

"Oh I don't think so," she said.

"Lara! Company."

"Shit," she said. She rolled off of me. "Are you sure?"

There was a knock on the door. "Yes," I said.

"Alpha?" It was Elisabeth. "I'm really sorry."

"Just a minute," Lara called.

We both sprang from the bed. Lara dashed to the closet, pulled on a robe, and wrapped herself in it. I straightened the bed then caught the robe she flung at me. I barely had it pulled on when she unlocked our door, admitting Elisabeth and Karen.

"We're sorry," Elisabeth said.

"What is it?" Lara asked.

"It's the hotline," she said. "It appears we have a defector from the Iowa pack asking for political asylum."

Iowa is immediately southwest of Wisconsin. The two states share a partial border of about a hundred miles, the southernmost hundred miles of our western border abuts the northernmost hundred miles of the Iowa eastern border. I didn't know anything about the pack there but presumed they were congregated in Des Moines.

"Is she on the phone right now?"

"No," Karen said. "I took the call. She said she had to keep moving. She is in Wisconsin and wouldn't say where. She sounded scared but was very cool and calm at the same time."

"What else?" Lara asked.

"It's Kimberlee Mortens. Her older brother is the alpha," Karen said.

"Fuck!" Lara said.

"We have to take her," Elisabeth said. "He's trying to basically sell her to his head enforcer."

Lara looked away. "Johnny something-or-other?" Lara said.

"Johnny Mack" Elisabeth said.

"I don't blame her for running," Lara said. "What kind of brother would give his own sister to that sadist?"

"A desperate alpha hanging onto his position by the skin of his teeth," Elisabeth said.

"I need to sit," Lara said. She was coming up on eight months pregnant, and
it showed. She waddled to the sofa and sat slowly.

"She's due to call back soon," Karen said. "If we won't give her asylum, she is asking safe passage
to Canada."

"There's a lake in the way," I pointed out.

"I believe she is hoping we will provide a boat ride," Karen added.

"Why here?" Lara asked. "She would be safer if she went further."

"Female alpha," I said. "She is hoping you will be softly inclined to help her."

"Is anyone else in our territory?" Lara asked.

"Not that we know," Elisabeth said.

"All right," Lara said. "Tell her tentatively yes. We won't send her back, but we might send her on. If she isn't lying to us."

"I don't believe she is," Karen said.

"Gia is doing some digging," Elisabeth said. "We should have more soon."

"Send someone for her. Send June in an airplane if you want," Lara told Elisabeth. "Invite her here. Let me know the minute you have secured her safety. I will need to call her brother."

"Yes, Alpha," Elisabeth said. She smiled. "Thank you."

Lara nodded. "We didn't need this," she said. "Not now."

"We can't send her back," I said. "We can't."

"No," Lara said. "We can't. Handle it, Elisabeth. I want to meet her. Ramp up security. We're going to need it. Get this handled and if you aren't satisfied, call Greg."

"We're on it," Elisabeth said. She pulled Karen from our room, then stopped. "Unless it's drastic, we won't bother you until morning. Try to sleep. I think it's going to be a rough few days."

Lara nodded. "Let me know when she's safe. Wake us."

Elisabeth nodded, then the door closed behind them, and I heard Elisabeth giving Karen her instructions.

"How bad is this?" I asked Lara.

"Bad," she said. "He won't sit still for this."

"I'm on lockdown, aren't I?"

"I'm sorry."

I leaned into her. "I'll do whatever Elisabeth says until this is resolved."

"Thank you. Help me up, please."

I tugged her to her feet and helped her to bed, then cuddled against her. "Do you want help sleeping?" I asked her.

"No, but will you rub my back?"

"Yes, honey. Always."

* * * *

It was some time later when Elisabeth crept into the room. Lara continued to snore lightly, but I was immediately awake. "Report, enforcer," I told her quietly.

"June and Karen have reported in. They picked up
Kimberlee Mortens and are safely in the air."

"Any other intrusion?"

"No. A phone call."

"Dear old brother?"

"Yes. He respectfully asks we return his wayward sister to him."

"He knew she was here."

"Yes."

Lara mumbled, then rolled into me, waking up. "What's happening?" she asked.

Elisabeth repeated everything. "I told him I would relay his request to my alpha and requested his patience. I told him if we did indeed have his sister, a fact we had not yet verified, we would take exceedingly good care of her. He requested you call him by nine."

"All right," Lara said. "Anything else?"

"No. We could send her to Boulder."

"As I recall, there is bad blood between Brooke and
Kimberlee, isn't there?"

"Is she trouble?" I asked.

"Not particularly," Lara said. "At least not as far as I know. Some dispute, I don't have the details. Good night, Elisabeth. Get some sleep."

"I'll be downstairs," she said. "I'm sorry for waking you both."

"Doing your job, Elisabeth. Thank you."

Lara kissed me. "I'm going to need your help."

"You'll have it. You know that."

"I need the cool, coldly calculating fox."

"You'll have her."

"Keep your emotions out of this," she said. "It may be hard."

"I will."

"Thank you. Let me hold you now."

I rolled over and let her pull me to her, and we slept, fitfully, until morning.

* * * *

They let us sleep, but I woke at my usual time. I had class to teach. I climbed from bed and took my shower. When I returned, Lara was awake. She accepted a quick hug before disappearing into the bathroom. I dressed then laid out clothes for her. When she waddled back out, she looked uncomfortable.

"Six more weeks," I told her. "The doctor says everything is fine."

She nodded, and I helped her dress. Then we descended the stairs together. We got half way before I stopped her, my knives immediately in my hands, and I stepped in front of my mate.

"There is a stranger here."

"Probably Kimberlee," Lara said.

"In this house? Wait here." I descended the stairs slowly. Elisabeth and Karen were talking quietly to a wolf I didn't recognize, seated on the sofa with her back to me. Elisabeth saw me but let me make my own decision. I put the knives away after scanning the room again, then held
out my hand for Lara. She climbed down the stairs to me, and we entered the living room.

Elisabeth jumped to her feet, Karen and the stranger following her lead.

"Alphas," Elisabeth said in a firm voice. "May I present Kimberlee Mortens, formerly of the Iowa pack. Kimberlee, my sister and Alpha, Lara Burns, and her mate, also Alpha, Michaela Burns."

The woman turned around to look at us. Lara and I crossed the room, but I kept myself interposed between the stranger and Lara, ready to deal with any threat. Lara chuckled. She was still becoming accustomed to my protective nature since she had become pregnant. Lara reached past me to shake hands with the woman, then I shook with her.

"The fox," she said. "You have become famous. Thank you for accepting me into your home."

"Lara must eat," I said. "We typically eat breakfast informally. You may join us." I turned Lara to the kitchen, guiding her and brooking no argument. La
ra chuckled but let me lead her to the kitchen and settle her in at the table. Everyone else followed, Serena and Rory assuming their positions as my protective detail. They didn't normally follow me around the house, but I appreciated them. I leaned towards Serena. "Protect Lara."

"Yes," she said.

Michele Lassiter was in the kitchen. She didn't normally cook for us, but she was putting the finishing touches on a full breakfast. I didn't question it.

I got Lara settled, then interposed myself between her and
Kimberlee. Serena and Rory both hovered protectively, and I was happy to have them. Elisabeth and Kimberlee took seats, and Karen took another position of security, slightly behind Kimberlee.

"I know I represent a significant difficulty,"
Kimberlee said. "And I wish I had not brought my troubles to you. But I myself am not trouble." She glanced at all the enforcers.

"Two of them are mine," I said. "And I have a hard time chasing them out of the bathroom when I need to use it. Karen, however, is yours, and if you make a false move for my mate, you will be lucky if she gets to you before I do."

The woman held up her hands in surrender. "I mean no ill will," she promised. "I had heard you were small and assumed you were crafty, but I did not know you would be so fierce."

"Stand down," Lara said quietly to me alone. "Let Elisabeth manage security."

I glanced over at her but I didn't relax.

"Tell us your story," I demanded.

She repeated things pretty much as we already knew, offering a few new details. As we suspected, she was being offered as a bribe to prevent a challenge to the alpha. "My brother would sacrifice me for his position. He never should have challenged the old alpha. It was a mistake he now regrets, but he doesn't know how to resign gracefully. I will not be a pawn to his aspirations, especially not to that man."

"How much of this can we verify?" Lara asked Elisabeth.

"As best we can tell," Elisabeth said, "Everything she has told us is true. We have photos of Kimberlee Mortens, and if this isn't her, she is a darned good body double. Her brother-"

"Brody,"
Kimberlee interjected.

"Does not appear to have the strength or cunning to hold his position. He is hanging on only because the head enforcer is exceedingly scary."

"Johnny knows he'd be a bad alpha and doesn't want the position," Kimberlee said. "But he expects his loyalty to be bought or he'll challenge my brother, probably kill him, then place an alpha in place who will give him what he wants."

"Which is?"

"A significant expense account and the opportunity to practice his sadism unchecked." Kimberlee looked around between us. "My brother is not a bad man. He isn't even necessarily a particularly bad alpha. However, he has spent so much effort staving off challenges that he has not been able to focus on running the pack properly."

"That just leads to more challenges," Elisabeth said.

"Yes."

"He should resign," I said. "Rather than offer his sister as sacrificial lamb."

"And go where?" she asked.

"Anywhere." I turned to Lara.

"No," she said.

"Why not?"

"Because a wolf who would challenge a sitting alpha once might do it again," Kimberlee said.

"So he's fighting for his life," I summarized.

"Yes," Kimberlee said. "My defection will seal his fate, unless he can buy Johnny Mack off in some other fashion. I feel badly for that, but he did not consult me before challenging the old alpha. I would have advised against it. I did not make this problem, and I should not be the one to pay for it."

"You are being very reasonable," I told her.

"I feel, at least temporarily, safe," she said. "For the first time since Brody made his fatefully stupid mistake. Thank you."

"Lara has that effect," I said. I clasped her hand.

Kimberlee smiled. "You perhaps understand my position." I did.

"Your brother may not be a bad man," I said. "But if Lara had been in the same position, she would sacrifice herself before asking others to pay for her mistake. So would everyone else in this room."

"He has grown desperate and short-sighted. Perhaps he will come to this conclusion as well."

We ate while continuing to discuss the situation. Finally I said, "I need to go. I have class to teach."

"Francesca is teaching your classes today," Elisabeth said.

"I need you here," Lara added.
"You may go consult with her, then please return."

"Yes, Alpha," I told her. I kissed her quickly and turned to Elisabeth. "I want a full
security detail on Lara until this is resolved."

"I don't have the forces," she said. "Not to protect the three of you. And frankly, if he wants her back badly enough to cause trouble, taking you would be a better choice than attacking Lara."

"I can defend myself better than she can right now."

Lara began to growl, but I turned to her. "It's true! You have to protect our babies. That is your only job!"

"Yes, Michaela, but you will have four enforcers full time."

"Emanuel and Eric are on their way," Serena said.

"Get Gia here," I said.

"Gia is busy," Elisabeth said. "Trust me to run security, Alpha."

"Elisabeth," I said, ready to plead with her.

"I will not allow anything to happen to your mate, Michaela," she said firmly. "Trust me to do my job."

I studied her. It was hard. Lara chuckled. "Michaela," she said gently. "What you are feeling right now is how I feel about you all the time. All the time, Love."