Fox Run (20 page)

"Doesn't that mean you have to follow my orders?"

Her face scrunched up. I loved the wolves that way. Everything they were thinking was written all over their faces. But then her expression cleared. "No. And Aunt Elisabeth warned me you might try to talk me into being naughty. I am to watch you."

"And scream."

"If you go near the door."

"You are an effective jailor, Angel," I said. From her expression, I know I had confused her. "There are people in the kitchen. If you walked into the hallway and called down to them, could you get one of them to come up without making enough noise to hurt my head?"

"I am supposed to watch you."

"I will sit right here. You can see me from the doorway. If I do so much as stand up, you have my permission to scream."

I watched her think about it. She nodded and rose to her feet, watching me warily. "You promise you'll sit right there?"

"Cross my heart."

We watched each other as she backed slowly to the door. Once she was standing in the hallway, she turned away and called downstairs. "She's awake. Can someone come upstairs?"

Then she realized she wasn't watching me, and her head jerked back towards me. I hadn't moved, and she looked relieved. Her aunt must have put the fear of, well, the alpha into her.

From the kitchen, I heard movement. Angel listened as well, then returned to the bedroom, closing the door behind her. "Someone is coming upstairs."

"Thank you, Angel," I said.

"You are welcome, Miss Michaela."

Well, she was a polite jailor.

I heard light footsteps on the stairs, and then the door opened and a female wolf stepped into the room. It was difficult for me to judge the ages of wolves; weres age differently than humans do, and I hadn't spent much time around weres of any sort since I was fourteen. She was older than either Lara or Elisabeth, but I couldn't have said by how much.

"This is my mother," Angel said.

"Did she give you any trouble?" the woman asked her daughter.

"No, Mother."

"Your daughter has been a polite if effective jailor, aunt of the alpha," I said.

"Francesca, Ms. Redfur."

"Michaela." I told her. "Now that you are here, has your daughter's order to scream if I try to leave been rescinded?"

The woman smiled. "Yes. Angel, wait downstairs."

"Yes, Mother."

"Thank you for watching over me, Angel. I appreciate it."

"You're welcome," she said, picking up her book and fleeing. I waited until she had slipped past her mother before I said anything further.

"What are your orders, Francesca?"

She looked pained.

"I am going downstairs and to the kitchen. Are you going to stop me?"

She stood up straight. "If you can stand up and walk all the way to me without any wobbles, I will allow you to descend to the kitchen."

"Any wobbles would be due to inactivity," I said. "A problem I wish to remedy."

"If I ask a question, will you answer honestly?"

I almost laughed at the absurdity of the question. "I do not promise to answer, but if I answer, I will do so honestly."

"Are you really in any condition to safely walk all the way to the kitchen then all the way back up here without assistance?"

"Actually? No. I was hoping you would offer to help."

Her mouth quirked upwards.

"You thought I would lie."

"Yes."

"If I promise to behave until dinner, will you help me to the kitchen, and then maybe allow me to sit down there for a while before helping me back upstairs?"

She didn't want to do it. I sighed.

"Let me rephrase this. I am going downstairs. I will crawl if I have to. That would not be terribly dignified and would not be my first choice. You will have to physically restrain me to stop me. I do not believe that would be your first choice. I believe we would both be happy if we can achieve a level of agreeable cooperation."

"This is against my better judgment," she said. "I can have someone bring you food. Angel can sit with you. She has homework to do, anyway."

"What are you afraid of, Francesca? What do you think is the worst that could happen?"

"The worst? The alpha will arrive home before I can get you back upstairs. She will take one look at you and know you don't belong out of bed. I am not even sure sitting in that sofa would be acceptable, but we could argue it was a compromise."

"Call her."

"What?"

"Call Lara."

"I can't do that."

"Then provide me with a phone and I will call her myself."

"If I allow you to the kitchen, will you agree to cooperate when I decide you must return upstairs?"

I studied her. "All right."

"If I must, I will carry you. You will not fuss."

"You will allow me at least an opportunity to return in a dignified fashion."

"All right. I will take your arm on the stairs. If you can't get to the stairs without help or clutching at the walls, you are staying here."

I stood, slowly. I wobbled slightly, but I walked straight to her. She nodded and backed out of the doorway.

God, wolves were a pain in the ass.

I made it to the top of the stairs without help. Francesca kept an arm around my waist as I descended the stairs, somewhat unsteadily.

We successfully arrived in the kitchen, Francesca had to offer more support than I had thought would be necessary. She got me seated in a chair, and I said, "Francesca, you were right."

"Should I carry you back upstairs?"

"I'm here. Can I get something to eat?"

She nodded.

I looked around the kitchen. "Someone else was here with you."

"Gia, my eldest daughter. You will meet her later, I am sure." I was slipping. I hadn't heard her leave.

Francesca busied herself in the kitchen. She tried to offer me a wolf-sized meal, but I talked her down to something small. Her definition of small and mine needed a modicum of negotiation as well.

"The lemonade I had earlier. It didn't taste like it was from a mix."

"Fresh squeezed," she said.

"Is it plentiful?"

"We will make as much as you like, Michaela."

I felt marginally better after eating. Francesca puttered around the kitchen, clearly uncomfortable.

"Where is Elisabeth?" I asked.

"Resting. I can send Angel for her if you need her."

"Let her rest. I will behave at least for another few hours."

Francesca's lips quivered at that, but she was able to suppress an outright smile.

"Can you tell me anything more than what Elisabeth did earlier?"

"No."

"Is that because you won't tell me, or you haven't heard anything new."

"Both."

"Is the alpha all right?"

"Yes, the last I heard."

I sat there thinking about everything. "Francesca, where are you in the pack hierarchy?"

"That isn't as simple a question as you may think," she said. "In many ways, I am outside it. In my own house, I am dominant, and no one would question how I run my house, not even the alpha."

"And in pack politics?"

"I answer to the alpha, of course. And to Elisabeth."

"To David?"

"If David gave me an order, it would only be as a relay from the alpha. He wouldn't attempt to command me on his own authority. But at the same time, I command only my own children and my students."

"You're a teacher?"

She nodded.

"I am also outside the pack hierarchy. I do not answer to the alpha."

"That is between you and the alpha," she said diplomatically.

"Earlier, you said the worst case scenario was the alpha might see me out of bed. So you are worried about the alpha's reactions, but not worried about my health."

She looked me straight on. "No. I knew you could argue if I were making my decisions based on your health. You can not argue with my relationship with the alpha."

I almost laughed, but it hurt. "You are more fox than I would have expected."

"I will endeavor to consider that a compliment."

We sat in amiable silence for a while. When I was sure I was done eating, Francesca cleaned up then offered to help me back to bed.

"Francesca," I said. "I would like to apply a very small amount of stress to the boundaries we have agreed."

She narrowed her eyes at me.

"I would like five minutes outside."

"Absolutely not."

"Francesca, the entire house smells like wolf. I am a tiny fox, and wolf is not a scent that normally fills me with a sense of safety. I would simply like to clear my lungs. That is all. Please."

I hated having to ask. But perhaps if they got used to my asking politely, when I didn't ask, they wouldn't expect it.

"One minute standing on the front steps with my arm around you."

"Thank you," I replied. I climbed slowly to my feet and headed for the front door. Immediately she was next to me, but she moved smoothly and didn't startle me. We made it to the front door and out onto the front step.

No one was about. I thought about sitting down on the steps so she could walk further away from me, but I didn't like the thought of standing back up. So I let her support me, and I leaned against her, breathing deeply the fresh September air.

She didn't rush me, and I got my five minutes.

"Thank you," I said finally. "You have been very kind."

She didn't say anything but simply helped me back upstairs and to bed. "Angel will be watching. She will be in a great deal of trouble if she relaxes her diligence and you were to depart without her giving warning."

"You don't play fair, Francesca," I told her.

"I am simply stating fact."

"She does not deserve to be put between the affairs of adults."

"She is old enough to watch you."

"And I am fox enough to confuse her, but I won't. At least not until dinner time."

"I will send my older daughter up before then," Francesca said with a smile. "She perhaps will not be swayed by your artful ways."

"It's not today or tonight you need to worry, Francesca. Tomorrow I go home."

"That is between you and the alpha."

After that, I slept.

* * * *

The other daughter was with me when I woke next. "This really is tiring," I said. "I should not be treated like an errant child who needs a keeper."

"That is between-"

"Yes, I know. Me and the alpha."

"Exactly."

"What are your orders?"

"I am not authorized to allow you to leave this room."

"And you would scream, like your sister?"

She smiled. "No. I would stop you, then call for assistance in a firm voice."

I sat up to a moment of dizziness, but it was the dizziness of too much sleep, not a concussion. I slipped to the side of the bed, and Gia was immediately on her feet and standing in front of the door.

"You take your duties very seriously," I told her. "I will be using the bathroom. I intend a shower, and then I will descend for a small bite to eat. Call whomever you must."

"You will not be leaving this room, Ms. Redfur."

"Call whomever you must. I will be going downstairs."

"Ms. Redfur, if I were to offer you clothes that fit, would you be more agreeable?"

"I would very much appreciate clothes that fit," I replied. "But if I have to do it wrapped in a sheet, I am going downstairs to eat."

She sighed and pointed to a shopping bag next to Lara's dresser. "Two pair of jeans, several changes of undies. Sports bras and blouses."

"Sports bras?"

"Easy to fit without a fitting."

"Will you tell me whoever went shopping so I may offer thanks?"

"That would be me this afternoon."

I smiled. "Thank you, Gia. If I find myself required to use my foxy ways, I will endeavor to avoid doing so during your shift as jailor."

"Mother warned me you would use that word," Gia said. "It is not accurate, and I will not be swayed by it. The alpha told us to keep you safe. We will keep you safe."

"And any other course of action-"

"Is between you and the alpha."

"I will remain reasonably compliant this evening. I will descend for dinner, and I will take a short walk outside."

"Not on my shift."

"Call someone then. That is what will happen." I walked calmly to the shopping bag and brought it into the bathroom with me.

The shower felt good, and Gia had done a good job finding my sizes. There was even a pair of sandals. They would not do for running, but I could walk comfortably in them. I brushed my hair thoroughly and felt reasonably put together by the time I exited the bathroom.

Elisabeth was waiting for me, and there was no sign of Gia.

"Ah, I was hoping you would arrive. Come, you can update me over a bite."

"Is that all you do is eat and sleep?"

"And argue. Don't forget the arguing."

She smiled. "One could never forget the arguing, little fox." I crossed the room and stood in front of her, and she stepped aside from the door. I descended the stairs without assistance and made it smoothly to the kitchen. Francesca and Gia were there, and the informal kitchen table was set for four.

"Good evening," I said by way of entrance. "Do I have an assigned seat?"

"Wherever you like," Francesca said. I took the nearest seat. Francesca set down a glass of lemonade and the three wolves sat down to join me.

We served ourselves and I asked Elisabeth if she had a status update for me.

"No change. They are still looking, expanding their search."

"Other than the three youths, everyone is unhurt?"

"Yes."

"I would prefer to speak with the alpha this evening, if she should become available."

"She told us we could call any time this evening."

"Do you have authority to show me where they have searched?"

"Yes. Later."

"All right. We can do that while talking to Lara."

"Is that before or after you lose your argument about a walk outside?" Elisabeth asked me.

I smiled. "Elisabeth, we both know you would be much happier if I remain reasonably compliant. We also know I am going to get my walk. Do we need to argue about it?"