Wolf Ways (The Madison Wolves Book 9)

by Robin Roseau

  “Fine,” I said tightly. “Whatever. She jumped in front of my car, but if I’m the one to get punished for it, what else should I expect?”

  Michaela reared back and studied me.

  “What is that supposed to mean?”

  I stared at her before lowering my eyes. “Nothing.”

  “Oh no,” she said. “Answer my question.”

  “I don’t believe I am able to do so without additional charges of insubordination. I withdraw the statement.”

  Michaela turned to Lara.

  “Ms. Young,” Lara said. “Do you fear the additional charges due to the content of what you would say or the tone?”

  “Quite likely both.”

  “If you can avoid extreme vitriol and strive for some level of respect,” she said, “we will offer temporary amnesty. We require you to answer Michaela’s questions.”

  Michaela turned back to me and raised an eyebrow.

  “Fine,” I said. “My experience with the pack has not been all roses. You were ready to murder me for accidentally catching your head enforcer on a video. It was her mistake, not mine, but I was the one who was going to pay. I did pay with a week of terrifying incarceration and an even more terrifying trip to the bank. Tell me: did Elisabeth pay for her mistake in being caught on video?”

  “That’s none of your concern,” Lara said sternly.

  “Fine. I’ll take that as a ‘no’. So again, those in a position of power break the rules, and those without any pay the price. So I paid for her mistake, and I nearly paid with my life. Since then I have tried very hard to fit in, but I failed to do so. This was made apparent the last time I was here when I engaged in the same banter everyone else does, but I got slapped down for it.”

  Michaela sighed. “I was protecting you.”

  “Everyone else banters with the alpha, but I make one flip remark and am sentenced to 11 days of labor for it. Why would I need protection when no one else does? I presume it’s either because I’m human or because my status in the pack is just as honorary as I assumed when you forced me to join.”

  “Forced?” Lara echoed. “You asked for membership.”

  “That was before a week of terror. Maybe you’re the big, strong, dominant wolf who never fears anything, but I’m not. And that brings us to today. In attempts to avoid my former lover, I chose to avoid social settings where she was certain to be. And for that crime, you sent four enforcers without warning to my home to bring me here against my will. I was pulled from my car, thrown into another car, subdued, and then carried to this meeting, literally kicking and screaming. Elisabeth threatened to beat me for the crime of being afraid. I haven’t received that beating, but I now am facing multiple charges with unknown punishment — all for the human reaction of being afraid after you send a squad of werewolves to my front door. But that’s not enough. You also want to charge me for things I didn’t do, which is how this entire relationship began. You were going to murder me for Elisabeth’s mistake, you’ve threatened today to murder me, and now you’re going to craft more charges for Monique’s actions. I think you’re looking for an excuse to kill me, and suggesting I tried to hurt Monique sounds like a pretty good one.”

  I glared at them. “But I’m only human. I shouldn’t expect to be treated fairly.” I shook my head. “But no, I have no cause to be afraid. None at all. Right. I’ve been treated fairly since the beginning.”

  Michaela turned to Lara. “It’s hard to believe this is the same person who was carried in here forty minutes ago.”

  “Maybe you shouldn’t have calmed her down,” Lara said. I didn’t think it was funny. I didn’t care for the levity at all, actually. I looked away. Nothing I said was going to improve the situation.

  Instead, I said, “I believe I have explained my comment.” I stared at the wall.

  “So you’re mad about the wager?” Michaela asked.

  “It wasn’t a wager, it was punishment,” I said. “It’s a lie to call it anything else. You were slapping me down.”

  “I-” she paused.

  And so I interrupted. “You told me to try to fit in, so I’ve been trying. Karen said I tried too hard. But what have you done? You went out of your way to highlight just how much I don’t belong. You also made sure during the fledgling part of the relationship that I would see just how much Elisabeth would neglect me. Why did you play matchmaker if you were then going to drive us apart again? You should have just left it alone. I don’t belong here, and everyone in the pack knows it!”

  “Zoe,” Michaela said. It was her turn to whine, or almost whine, anyway. “You’re wrong about all of that.”

  I turned to face her again. “Oh?”

  “I wanted a friend.”

  “The entire pack loves you,” I said. “You have dozens of friends.”

  “I have dozens of students and former students, all half my age. I have their parents, who see me as Alpha and as their children’s science teacher. I have a small number of enforcers I call friends, but if we go anywhere, they’re all on duty. You saw what that’s like. We have so much in common. And I knew Elisabeth liked you. So…” She paused. “I didn’t think you would mind a few days doing Elisabeth’s bidding. I’m pretty sure she would have made it fun. And I need your help with some of the field trips. I didn’t think you would mind that, either.”

  “You could have just asked. Instead, you finished convincing me I don’t belong here. And even if that weren’t true, how do you expect me to enjoy helping you when it’s punishment for treating you like the friends you insist you are?” I shook my head. “Whatever,” I added.

  Michaela went back to pacing, and I sat in the chair, staring at the wall. Finally she came to a stop. “I can’t let you go unpunished for running Monique over.”

  “I didn’t run her over. And it was her fault. Punish her if someone has to be punished.” I looked up at her. “You can call it insubordination for trying to drive away, but I will not admit to risking someone’s life.”

  “Michaela,” Lara said, “She has a point. But so do you. Perhaps you are pursing the wrong charge.”

  “I don’t know what other charge to apply.”

  From somewhere behind me, Portia said, “Reckless driving.”

  Michaela immediately began to smile. “Perfect. I will agree to withdraw the original charge if you’ll plead guilty to reckless driving.”

  “I wasn’t driving recklessly!”

  “Oh, I think you were.”

  “Were you there?” I asked. “Did you see it? Is there video we can watch? If not, where is my accuser?”

  “Portia was there,” Michaela replied.

  “My car was at a stop before Monique even called Portia to tell her where I was. It was at the second stop before she excited the building. I believe I was already yelling out my window at Monique for being crazy by the time the other enforcers arrived. She never saw my car moving.”

  “Monique was draped across the hood of your car, Zoe,” Portia said. “That’s at least reckless driving.”

  I turned to face her. “She was draped across the hood of my car because she jumped there while I was in reverse! That’s why I stopped the second time, to avoid hurting her if she fell.”

  You could have heard a pin drop, and then Lara said, “I believe you need to explain everything from the moment you got into your car until the moment Portia pulled you out of it.”

  I stared at her. “Self-incrimination?” I asked.

  “Or we can bring Monique back,” Lara said. “Whose version would you rather I hear?”

  I sighed and told her what had happened, more or less. I didn’t mention I intended to exit the parking lot by driving across her grass. She didn’t ask, but I presumed she figured that out.

  “Michaela, do you care to bring Monique back for her version?” Lara asked.

  “No. Zoe’s version fits everything else we’ve heard and explains her adamant refusal to accept responsibility.”

  “Do either o
f you have more to say on this matter?”

  “No,” we both agreed.

  “Very well. Ms. Young, you have pled guilty to the charges of insubordination, and we will address those shortly. You have pled not guilty to any charges related to your handling of the automobile. The prosecution has withdrawn the charge of endangerment but has not withdrawn the charge of reckless driving. I believe it was your intention to flee the scene by any route necessary, and as Monique had closed off the most obvious route, you were about to make a new one. Do you wish to argue with me?”

  “No, Alpha,” I said in a small voice.

  “Well then, I believe it is safe to say your intention to drive across my grass, across a sidewalk, over a curb, and to then enter traffic, all presumably in reverse, qualifies as reckless driving. The fact that Monique stopped you from doing so does not absolve you. She may have saved your life or at least a far greater charge than anything presented here today. Guilty of reckless driving.”

  I didn’t look up. I hadn’t thought about that last part, and it was probably fair, although the situation itself was not.

  “Do either of you have anything to say before we discuss sentencing?”

  “No, Alpha,” I said. I knew nothing I had to say was going to matter.

  “I do,” said Michaela. “I still require this pack member to integrate with the pack, and I request any punishment be consistent with that overall goal. Furthermore, she has suffered enough fear and a certain amount of humiliation, and I would prefer we not add to it.” But she moved to stand behind Lara and whispered into her ear.

  “Of course,” said Lara with a smile. “Zoe Young, please rise for sentencing.”

  I climbed to my feet.

  “Four counts of insubordination. Twenty-five hours of pack service each. As some of your insubordination offenses were to the enforcers, fifty of those hours are to be served in any fashion decreed by the enforcers. The other half are as decreed by either alpha.” She paused. “For the charge of reckless driving, your driving privileges are suspended until your sentence has been completed. You will remain in enforcer custody during that time.”

  I stared at the floor. “You’re throwing me back in that cell for intending to run over your grass?”

  “No, actually,” she said.

  “Serena,” said Michaela. “I wish you to release Portia from my security detail for a few weeks. She is needed elsewhere. I promise I’ll behave, but if we need her from time to time, she’ll be available.”

  “Of course, Alpha,” Serena said.

  “Very good,” said Michaela. “Portia, we remand Zoe Young into your custody. I hope you don’t mind.”

  “Of course not, Alpha,” Portia said.

  “Excellent,” said Michaela. “You will need to monitor her service hours, and you may utilize other enforcers to keep an eye on her if necessary.”

  “Yes, Alpha.”

  “She owes Elisabeth a day of service,” Michaela said. “As that agreement was made while they were dating, but there is tension between the two of them, I am transferring that day of service to you.”

  I wasn’t looking at Portia, so I don’t know if she nodded.

  “She owes five days to me and five to Lara,” Michaela went on, “on top of the service hours just assigned. She will spend her five days helping me with classes.”

  “I have not decided how she will spend her time for me,” Lara continued. “I will let you both know.”

  “Yes, Alpha,” Portia said.

  “Then I believe this hearing is over. You are both dismissed.”

  “Excuse me,” I said, “but you are both forgetting something.”

  They both raised an eyebrow — opposite eyebrows, no less.

  “I don’t belong here!”

  Michaela smiled. “I think you’re wrong. And now I have several weeks to prove it.”

  I stared at her. Then her smile turned somewhat predatory, and she moved closer. “Now, I am going to give you a choice. You will agree to completely obey Portia. You will agree to give her no trouble. You will agree to make no attempt to leave the compound without her express permission, and probably her company. And you will agree to spend your time here in as pleasant a fashion as you can muster.”

  “Or?” I asked. I knew there was an or.

  “Or you can wear a tracking bracelet, and any time Portia is unable to directly supervise you, you will spend in the cell.”

  “But you’re going to send me to the cell anyway!”

  “Actually,” said Portia. “She’s not. You’re coming home with me.”

  I turned to her, confused.

  “Zoe,” Michaela said. “If there’s anyone on the compound you consider a friend, I thought Portia was at the top of the list.”

  I turned back to her, even more confused.

  “I can’t let you get away with your behavior today. You’re going to work your ass off as penitence. But that doesn’t mean we’re not friends, Zoe.” She smiled again. “So, agreeable, well-behaved, and pleasant? Or the tracking collar, et cetera, et cetera?”

  “I-” I looked away. I was still terribly upset, and I wasn’t sure how aggrieved I felt. “I’ll behave,” I said. “I’ll try to be pleasant. But I’m human. I’m still upset.” That was putting it mildly.

  “Of course,” she said. “Dinner is an hour. That should be sufficient time to calm down and clean up. I expect you there. With a smile.”

  “Yes, Alpha,” I said. I didn’t think the smile was likely.

  Service

  Portia led me home. It was a smaller house past Elisabeth’s, but it was cute and cozy. During the walk, she kept her hand on my back. I asked her about it.

  “Does it bother you?”

  “No.” I looked over at her. “I’m sorry.”

  “For what?”

  “You got saddled with me.”

  “Oh. I’m not.”

  “You’re not?”

  “No.” She paused. “Let’s talk about it in a minute. We’re almost there.”

  We walked quietly for another minute, passing another house before she said, “This one’s mine.”

  “It’s cute,” I said.

  “Thanks, but I don’t take credit. I’ve only had it for a couple of months. I haven’t had a chance to do a thing with it.”

  She led the way to the front door. It wasn’t locked. “All of you were paranoid about my security, but yours is unlocked?”

  “Who would dare?” she asked. “If anyone were here, I could smell who it was.”

  “Really? They couldn’t disguise it? They could use Angel’s shampoo or something.”

  “Yeah, well, and I have surveillance cameras.”

  I laughed.

  She showed me the house. It was a two-bedroom rambler, making it about the same size as my apartment, although she had a basement she used for storage. “This is your room,” Portia said. “I’ve seen your place. You’re not a pig. But as you can see, I keep everything tidy.”

  “I understand. You’ll hardly know I’m here.”

  “Come sit,” she said, leading the way back to the living room.

  “I need a shower.”

  “You have time, and I’ll loan you a shirt. It’ll be too big, but no one is going to care.” She gestured to a place on the sofa then took the other end. We turned to each other. “You asked why I don’t mind. Several reasons. First, you’re not going to be any trouble at all, are you?”

  I looked down at my hands. “No.”

  “Good.” She paused. “I’m looking forward to getting to know you better, Zoe.”

  “I’m disrupting your life.”

  “That’s not how I see it. I see it as having a roommate for a week or two. We’ll make it an extended slumber party.”

  I looked up.

  “It’s only a hundred hours. You could do that in a week if you really wanted to, but you would be pretty fried.”

  “A hundred hours plus eleven days. Do they really mean for you to f
ollow me around while I do whatever chores I’m assigned.”

  “Probably, but I have another idea.”

  “Oh?”

  “Yeah.” She began to grin. “Do you know how to use a hammer?”

  “You hit the screw with the big heavy end.”

  “Please tell me that was a joke.”

  “I can nail a sign to a tree.”

  “Do you know how to paint the sign before you nail it up?”

  “I’ve painted a time or two.”

  “I like painting,” she said.

  “It’s therapeutic,” I added.

  “Perfect,” Portia said with another smile. “Any questions?”

  “I need my things. I don’t have any GreEN events for a few weeks, but I have to mail out photographs as orders arrive. And I bet there’s nothing in your kitchen I can eat.” I paused. “Please don’t make me cook for you, Portia. Please.”

  “Of course not,” she said. “We’ll hit your apartment after dinner and the grocery store on the way back. Anything else?”

  I shook my head.

  “Go hit the shower then,” she said. “There’s soap and shampoo. I’ll find a shirt for you and leave it on your bed.”

  * * * *

  At dinner, I was embarrassed. I felt like a criminal, and I didn’t know how I was supposed to behave. That latter part wasn’t new though; I never knew how to behave around the wolves. It didn’t help that Elisabeth was there, and it was clear neither of us was comfortable around the other. And, of course, I was still sullen and upset from everything else. I hadn’t deserved any of it.

  I didn’t say a word to anyone, didn’t smile, and ignored most of the conversation.

  But then, about ten minutes into the meal, Portia said, “Alpha?”

  Both Lara and Michaela turned to her. “Which one?” Michaela asked with a laugh.

  “I’m not sure.” She looked around. “Your walls could use some fresh paint.”

  Both Lara and Michaela looked. “I hadn’t noticed,” Lara said.

  “She’s right,” Francesca said. “And the outside is due as well.”

  “Am I right in believing you intend for your convict to paint this house?” Lara asked.