Wolf Ways (The Madison Wolves Book 9) (15 page)

I turned back to Elisabeth. “Well?”

“Um. I. Um.”

“Yes?” I asked.

“I’m sorry. I should have talked to you.”

“Is this a case where you thought it was easier to ask forgiveness than permission?”

“Um.”

“I’ll consider that another way to say ‘yes’.”

“Um.”

I turned back to Michaela. “Seriously? She has a Harvard education, and that’s the best she can do? She’s a werewolf, for crying out loud, and she’s afraid of me?”

“She knows she screwed up,” Michaela said. “Furthermore, she knows she’s going to do it again. And the only example she has of a Burns sister screwing up like this is her own sister with me, and she knows how I respond when it happens.”

“How is that?”

“Badly. There is usually cayenne pepper involved.”

“Excuse me?” I asked.

“On my back trail to handle any enforcers who won’t listen when I say I want a walk alone.”

“Oh. So she’s not afraid of me, she’s afraid of pepper.”

“Yes, exactly,” Michaela said with a smirk.

“Well,” I said, “I am not planning any pepper. But I would like to know why she didn’t just talk to me. It would be her responsibility, right? Is there some reason she left it to Karen?”

“It is my opinion,” said Michaela, “that it would indeed normally have been her responsibility. And I find it unlikely she delegated her responsibilities to Karen. I believe she abdicated them. It is quite unlike my sister-in-law to abdicate any responsibilities at all, but it is quite like a Burns sister to fail to tell her mate something important.”

“I’m not her mate.”

“Semantics,” Michaela said. “Zoe you can press her for an answer, but I bet she lies to you if you do.”

“What?” I screeched. I looked at Elisabeth, “She better not get in the habit of lying to me or this relationship is
over
!” I fumed for about a second and a half, glaring at Elisabeth, then turned back to Michaela. “I am looking forward to the trip, but I believe I need a room alone.”

Michaela frowned. “Do you think you could hold your temper for an explanation?”

“I don’t know. My temper is suddenly awfully short.”

“Zoe…” said Elisabeth.

I turned back to her. I couldn’t thrust my hip out any further without it turning comical, and an arched eyebrow wasn’t enough escalation, and so I was left frustrated with no obvious way to express my emotions. “What?” I said curtly.

Elisabeth spent several seconds imitating a fish, no sounds coming out as she opened and closed her mouth.

Michaela put her hand on my arm. “Zoe, the reason she doesn’t want to tell you is because she’s afraid she’ll make you feel bad. And that’s also why she didn’t talk to you in the first place. And the thing is, she’s probably right. You shouldn’t feel bad, but you probably will.” She paused. “She was trying to protect you by not talking to you about it. Of course, she failed, but it was an attempt.”

“Protect me from what?”

“If she talked to you about it, she would have had to remind you that you are a human, which you would hear as quote only a human,” Michaela explained. “You are already over-compensating and feeling self-conscious about it, which while understandable, is entirely unnecessary. She didn’t want to add to it, so she did what the Burns sisters are famous for: she avoided dealing with it. And you could try to make her promise not to do it in the future, but I can pretty much promise you, she will.”

“Well-” I looked at Michaela then turned to Elisabeth. “That’s just
stupid
.” I wanted to punch her in the arm to punctuate my statement, but I remembered what she had said about using my words. So I stuck my tongue out.

Okay, it didn’t have the, well, punch my fist would have, but it made a statement nevertheless.

“True,” agreed Michaela. “But Zoe, being self-conscious about your species is stupid, too. We wouldn’t invite you if it were a problem.”

“I keep telling myself that,” I said. “So far, it hasn’t sunk in.” I stuck my tongue out at Elisabeth once more, then turned and hooked arms with Michaela. “Shall we go inside?” I asked sweetly.

“I need to know the rooming arrangements,” Michaela said.

“Do you think I’ll get a really good apology sometime before the evening is over?”

“I don’t know. It depends upon whether you let her take you to bed,” Michaela replied with a snicker. “If so, then yes, I imagine you will.”

“Then if I’m invited, I’ll share Elisabeth’s bed in Key West,” I said. “If it’s a really, really good apology.”

Ah, I do love a good euphemism.

* * * *

Dinner was lovely. I intentionally sat between Monique and Nora instead of next to Elisabeth, and then I ignored her besides. Monique seemed pleased to talk to me.

I had already decided I really liked her, and I imagined she would be an excellent enforcer. And her excitement was tangible. I remembered what Angel had said about being treated like an adult. I couldn’t quite judge Monique’s age, but I wasn’t sure she was old enough to drive. But she still towered over me, and she’d proven herself to be very strong. I imagined she was capable besides.

We didn’t talk about the trip until dessert. I helped to clear the table and bring treats out from the kitchen, and when I had a chance, I whispered to Elisabeth, “Will you hold my hand later?”

She looked over at me and nodded.

A few minutes later, with everyone having finished her dessert, Lara stood up. “Well, we have a great deal to discuss.” She looked at Elisabeth. “My sister has an announcement.”

All the eyes turned to Elisabeth, then a few glanced at me. Elisabeth ignored them, but she stood and began talking.

“My mother was a great deal older than her sister,” Elisabeth said. “And she had children when she was young, besides. Francesca, on the other hand, had her daughters when she was older. The end result of all this leaves more than a twenty year age difference between me and my youngest cousin, Angel.”

Angel smiled up at her.

“For Angel, that has meant she’s answered to both Lara and me since long before either of us held real authority in the pack. But it also means she’s had Lara and me watching over her. And Lara and I have been old enough to find our cousin absolutely magnificent.”

Angel beamed at that, and there were sounds of agreement around the table.

“Several years ago, Angel began dating Scarlett, and as you all know, they are now married. When they first started dating, I didn’t know Scarlett well. Michaela wasn’t teaching yet and hadn’t even moved to the compound but instead was living in Bayfield with my cousin as her work assistant, living with her half time. I didn’t know what to make of the situation. I had high hopes for my cousin, and I didn’t know if Scarlett would be a good influence or not.”

You could have heard a pin drop.

“As it turns out,” Elisabeth went on, “Scarlett has been more than a good influence. She was exactly what Angel needed, and I think perhaps Angel was what Scarlett needed, too. But while this is sounding like a speech I should have given at their wedding, instead, I really am going somewhere.”

There were chuckles at that.

“When Angel told me she wanted to become an enforcer, I couldn’t have been more pleased. I knew she would make an amazing enforcer, and everything that has happened since then has only confirmed what I already knew.”

“Hear, hear!” said Rory, echoed by a few others.

“Being mated to an enforcer can be difficult. Scarlett not only has taken it all in stride, she has stepped up to the plate herself. Informally, she has helped when we have needed her in more ways than I can count. She has a good head on her shoulders, and time and time again she has demonstrated maturity and judgment well beyond her years. For almost as long as Angel has been serving as an enforcer, I have felt free to, informally, call on Scarlett when needed. But Scarlett’s main passion is architecture, and we all know that’s exactly what she should be doing.”

The room was again quiet. I wondered what was up. But Angel was beaming broadly, and Scarlett was smiling as well, so I knew nothing bad was happening.

“Everything has been informal, but as of this minute, that is changing,” Elisabeth said. “With the Alpha’s blessing, I have invited Scarlett to be a permanent, although very part-time enforcer. She, with her mate’s blessing, has accepted. Scarlett’s main duties will remain architectural, but when we need her, she will serve the pack in this way. And so, from this moment forth, Scarlett carries the title, along with all the rights, responsibilities, and authority, of an enforcer of the Madison weres. I personally could not be more pleased, and I am so proud of both of you.”

And then, all the other wolves in the room lifted their noses to the ceiling and began to howl.

It was beautiful, if loud.

I looked over, and Michaela was leaning against Lara, and Lara had her arms wrapped around her mate’s head. I thought that was odd.

But then I cocked my head. Natural wolves have a sense of smell that is far, far better than a human’s. I wondered if werewolf smell was equally as powerful.

Foxes, on the other hand, have intense hearing.

I decided I had just learned something. I wondered if it was a secret. I decided to treat it like one.

After all, if they could trust me not to tell the world they were werewolves, they could trust me not to tell everyone Michaela’s hearing was hypersensitive.

Elisabeth didn’t howl. Instead, she moved to the other side of the table and pulled Scarlett into a deep hug. Then she added Angel to the mix.

Lara unwrapped one arm from Michaela and held a hand up. Slowly, the wolves stilled. Then she released her mate, and the two of them took their turns hugging Scarlett and Angel.

“I will echo Elisabeth’s words. I am so proud of you, Scarlett. I have been for a very long time.”

Finally, everyone except Elisabeth sat back down. We all turned to look at her.

“Scarlett, Angel, before we make assignments for our upcoming trip, I need to ask. If the two of you are on the same detail, can I count on you to pay attention to your jobs and not each other?”

“Of course, Head Enforcer,” Angel said. “Just like we already do.” She sounded a little hurt.

“I know you do, Angel,” Elisabeth said. “I was making a point. That is all.” She paused. “This announcement wasn’t a complete surprise to everyone in the room. As the head of the three main security teams, Serena, Karen and Emanuel have been consulted. We are going on this trip enforcer rich. We will have the entire alpha family, after all, and so we are descending on Key West in force. We could consider a smaller force, but the two youngest on the trip are not yet scuba divers, and so our attention will be divided on what is already a complicated trip.”

She paused. “Eric, you are remaining here. You will be in charge of the compound while we’re gone. You may use the members of the enforcer program for assistance.”

“Ah, the power,” he said, rubbing his hands together.

“Gia will also be here, so make sure you coordinate with her,” Elisabeth added. “But use the kids for patrols and let her work her electronic magic.” Eric nodded. “You know what you’re doing. I’ll shut up.”

And that caused some laughter.

“Next. We have a human along. Portia, you will be Zoe’s head of security for this trip. You will have Monique to help.”

Portia nodded. I thought it likely she already knew her assignment.

I was deeply grateful. I liked Portia. I liked her a great deal. Without her involvement, I may not have survived my introduction to the pack, and I would be eternally grateful for that. But she had also offered true friendship, and done so in a very meaningful way, and I would be pleased to have her company.

I caught Elisabeth’s eye, nodded, then mouthed the word, “forgiven”. She returned the smile and nodded as well.

“Angel and Scarlett, you’re on the fox, although Emanuel may borrow you for the pups part of the time.”

They both nodded.

“Enforcers, we’ll discuss details privately. Unless there are questions, that’s all I have.”

I had questions, but I would ask them privately myself. Mostly I was just curious.

She sat down. Then Michaela stood up. “As usual, I am running the important portions of this trip.” There were snickers. I wasn’t quite sure why. “We need to discuss the diving so we can make arrangements. Karen, Lara and I, along with the head enforcer and the heads of the security details, have talked about the diving. We have agreed that, with as many enforcers we have, while diving, we have the luxury of allowing the enforcers to enjoy the dives, assuming the kids are guarded properly and we have two active enforcers on the boat.”

She looked around. “We don’t have a schedule. But what we have is a lot of opportunity to pursue specialties. In a way, we have two groups: the advanced divers, and our two new beginners.” She looked at me. “I presume you and Monique will work on your Advanced Open Water the first few days. I would like to know what specialties you would like after that.”

I paused, then I looked at Portia and Monique. “May I ask a question?”