Fox Revenge (Madison Wolves #5) (19 page)

"I bet she has a household budget and a personal budget."

"Yes, she does."

"I bet we have a household budget, but Francesca is still managing it."

"Ysabella's household budget includes anything she needs to spend as the alpha's wife," Lara said.

I thought about it.

"Honey," Lara said. "You talk about your money and my money. I see it as all our money. I see us as a married couple. Don't you?"

"I-" of course I thought of us as married. "You don't think I call you 'wife' in my head?"

"No, I think you do," she said. "But do you think of us as a couple? Do we share everything?"

I didn't have a response for that.

"Honey, you're still adjusting," Lara said. "I understand."

I sat there for a minute. Lara watched me, smiling lightly.

"I love you so much, Lara."

Her smiled broadened. "I love you, too."

"What would you do if you were me?"

"I would probably be even more upset about it than you are," she said. "But I will tell you what I want you to do."

"All right," I said. "We can start with that."

"I want you to start thinking of it as our money."

I caressed her cheek. "I don't know if I can."

"My second choice, one I think you might accept, is that you let me set you up with a budget."

"A household budget?"

"Yes, and a personal one."

"Would I take over from Francesca?"

"If you wanted to," Lara said. "But neither she nor I want you to."

I was suddenly offended. "You think I can't do it?"

"No, honey. Francesca enjoys managing the house, and I like having her around. If you shut her out, she won't feel like she is welcome here."

"She wouldn't feel that way."

"She would. If you want to manage the house, you may, but Ysabella doesn't. My mother didn't. I didn't. I know how much money Francesca spends each month, but I don't have a clue how she spends it, and frankly, I couldn't care less. The house is kept the way I like it. There is always food when I want it, the repairs happen when they should, and I always have hot water."

"All right," I said. "Would Francesca be offended if I asked her to show me the books each month?"

"No. She finally stopped offering to show them to me, but I think she was put off that I always turned her down."

"If I accepted these budgets, how big would they be?"

"I don't know," Lara said. "Maybe twenty a month? Would that be enough?"

I stared at her. "You really have no clue what anything costs."

"I have a very good idea what things cost," she said. "Why would you say that?"

"Lara, I can't throw a pizza party for twenty dollars a month." I started to pull away. Now she was mocking me.

She started laughing.

"Don't laugh at me!" I yelled.

"Oh honey," she said, still laughing. "I'm not laughing at you. I'm laughing at me."

"It doesn't feel like you're laughing at yourself," I said sullenly. "What am I supposed to spend twenty bucks a month on? I thought this was a serious conversation."

"Honey," she said. "Twenty thousand."

"Oh hell," I said after a moment. Then I started to laugh with her. "I'm an idiot."

"No, you're not. You just aren't used to numbers this big."
She pulled me down for a quick kiss and caressed my face. It felt nice.

"I'm going to be needy for a while," I told her quietly. "But you need me
, too."

"We can be needy together," she said. "And we have a lot of friends who
are going to be helping us. Privilege of the alpha pair."

"I need the touching."

"I know. Elisabeth told me what you said to her. I'm so happy."

"Why?"

"Because wolves touch. Everyone has been careful, because you used to shy away from it. Everyone wants to touch you, honey."

"It feels nice."

She smiled. "I know. I'm glad you do now, too. Honey, Alpha isn't just a title. When they tell us they love us, they mean it. Wolves need to feel connected to their alpha. They need to feel connected to both of us and our pups. It's built into who we are."

"I'll never enjoy the licks," I said.

She smiled. "I know. You think it mats down your hair."

"And makes me smell funny."

"It makes you smell like pack, honey. You smell like you, and like pack."

I took a breath. "You're recommending twenty between the two budgets, like, fifteen and five?"

"No, honey. I was recommending twenty each. If you wanted to buy something big, we'd talk about it together."

The numbers were inconceivable to me. I didn't even try to frame it in words I could understand.

"What expenses go in each?"

"Almost everything you currently spend would be household," she said. "You almost never buy any new clothing except for special events, and those are your duty as alpha. So that's an alpha expense. You pick up the check when you're out with people."

"Sometimes that's friends."

"Yes, but the only reason they expect you to pick it up is because of who you are. Otherwise it would get split."

"Angel and Scarlett-"

"I know. And if you think about it, the financial difference between you and them is similar to the difference between me and you."

She was helping me to understand. I nodded.

"Car?"

"Alpha."

"So what is personal?"

"Personal clothing. Meals alone. Presents for me and your closest friends, the presents you would buy even if you weren't alpha. Little things you buy for yourself."

"Flying?"

"Those expenses I am paying."

"I have to think about all of this," I told her.

"You should do it my way," she said.

"I don't know. The household and alpha budget is easier for me to accept than the personal one."

"Our money, honey," she said.

"If you give me all this money, why do I have a job?"

"Because you love teaching. I would be just as happy if you focused on being alpha and a mother, but I don't think you would be. If you weren't teaching, I'd be handing more alpha duties to you than I have, and I'd also ask you to help me in other ways."

"Do you mind that I am teaching instead?"

"No."

I smiled. "Good. Because Scarlett told me a few things, and those kids need me."

She smiled. "I know. But we can find another teacher if you decide you want to be a full time alpha, businesswoman, and mother. You could teach just the special classes, if you wanted."

"Do you need me to do that, Lara?"

"No. It's an option. We can discuss it now, next year, ten years from now, or never."

"Not now," I said. "May I talk to anyone else about all this?"

"Yes," she said. "Anyone you want. They're all going to be surprised though."

"Angel and Elisabeth know
about my finances. It came up when we negotiated my rematch. Maybe Scarlett too."

"And Francesca," Lara added.

"All right. I might talk to some of them. I'm going to accept the alpha budget."

"Good. It will make me feel better if you do."

I kissed her once more and got up. "You're going to sleep?"

"Yes."

"Need me to rub your back?"

She smiled. "No, but thank you. Go enjoy your workout."

* * * *

I collected my security detail downstairs. It was Serena and Karen. "Just two?"

"We moved some of the enforcers to patrol," Serena said. "Two for you in the compound. Four if you leave the compound."

"May I ask you two to help me get a good workout? Or is that intruding on your security duties?"

"In the compound, as long as we can always switch duties in an instant, and we're not on high alert, yes, we can do things like that or even engage in your games."

"How about on runs?"

"We need to work that out. No fox games for a few days. Maybe not until Lara is able to run again."

I thought about it then nodded. "But I may run?"

"Yes, with us."

"All right. I want the two of you to be brutal in the gym. We need food." Karen held up a small cooler. "Good. I want a hard workout, long past when I start complaining."

Karen smiled. "All right. We'll hold you to that."

"I'm still a fox," I pointed out. "And weak today."

"We'll remember," she said. "We know what you can do."

"I want my strength back."

"We get it," Karen said.

"I need to talk to Elisabeth at some point, and I'll want a run after I recover. Then we'll see. But let's check in at the school first. I should at least make an appearance."

They nodded, and we headed to the school.

Michele Lassiter was in my classroom. I stood at the door, looking in. She didn't notice right away, but some of the kids did, then they were all looking at me. Then Michele looked and waved me in, smiling.

I was barely inside the door before the kids swarmed me. I received a mass hug, even from the kids I didn't know well, and a flurry of, "They carried you in," and "We were so worried," and "We're glad you're back".

Then there was a commotion at the door, and Francesca was there with the other kids. Kaylee flew into the room and launched herself at me. Derek caught her before she could knock me over, telling her, "Careful!" and then he let her pull me into a hug. She was crying.

"I'm sorry I scared all of you," I said.

I accepted the attention for a few minutes, then I told them, "All right, we can't do this all day. As you can see, I'm fine. I just wanted to see all of you and talk to Ms. Lassiter for a minute."

"Lily, can you take over for a few minutes?" Michele asked her.

"Yes, Ms. Lassiter," she said.

Francesca herded her kids out of the room but reached out and touched me before leaving. "I need to talk to you later, Francesca," I said. "This afternoon or evening."

"We can talk while I'm making dinner," she said. "If that works. Otherwise after dinner."

"Thank you." And then she was gone with one more touch on my arm.

I pulled Michele into the hallway. "Have you been doing all the teaching?"

"We've been rotating. Francesca has it all organized. We've had to make up what to teach. You had class notes, but frankly, none of us could teach it. We've had to adjust. We've kept notes." She looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry, we didn't do a good job."

"No," I said. "I'll have to plan better. Emergencies are going to happen. Do you need anything from me today?"

"No," she said.

"I'll be back on Monday."

"I'll be here to help," she said. "In case you're not fully ready." She paused. "I don't think you've fully processed everything yet, have you?"

"No, probably not."

"I'll be here. If nothing else, maybe I can be one of your students. The material is fascinating."

"What about your job?"

"Did you know I work for one of Lara's businesses?" She grinned. "My boss was exceedingly understanding when I asked for a short leave to handle a family emergency."

I laughed. "No, I didn't know that."

"She just hired me a few months ago," Michele said.

"To help her manage her businesses?"

"Yes."

I hugged her. "Do you like it?"

"I love it."

"So if I need you to cover for me for a few weeks, you could?"

"After the babies arrive?"

"No," I said. "In a week or so. I have unfinished business in Iowa."

Serena hissed. "No, you do not. And that is not a discussion to have with civilians."

Michele looked between the two of us. "I didn't hear a thing, but if you need me to cover for you for any reason,
it's covered."

"Thanks, Michele." I clasped her hand then pulled away.

Once we were out of the school, I said, "I didn't think you were paying attention."

"You weren't being quiet," she said. "And you do not have unfinished business in Iowa. That business is finished."

I didn't say anything. We got halfway to the gym when Serena grabbed my arm. "Michaela, you made promises to me. I expect you to keep them. I will protect you if you cooperate, but if you do not cooperate, I will bundle you up and hand you back to your mate. And frankly, I don't think she should have to worry about you during her last month of pregnancy."

"What does 'bundle you up' mean, Serena?" I asked calmly.

"Exactly what you think it means. You made promises. Are you going to break them?"