Wolf Women (The Madison Wolves Book 10) (2 page)

Then she held up her hand, and the wolves began to still, some continuing to howl a little longer than others. She cocked her head one direction, then the other, then smiled. "That's better." She looked over her shoulder. "If there is to be more of that today, you will take it outside. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Alpha," they said together.

She hugged me again and again said, "Congratulations. Are you as stunned as you look?"

"They can smell we had sex?"

"Oh no, we all heard you had sex. They can smell you are mated. You can see their joy."

She hugged Portia again, whispering to her for a minute, then she stepped away, pulling on our hands to draw us further into the room. Here and there, a wolf reached out a hand and touched us.

Then Lara stepped forward. "Congratulations," she said, beaming at us.

"Alpha," Portia said formally, "I wish to present my mate, Zoe Young, and formally request permission for her to join me in my home on the compound."

"Portia Fleming," Lara said, "I am most pleased to greet your mate. And where else would she live? I was wondering when I would get that apartment back."

There was laughter.

"I signed a lease," I said.

There was more laughter.

"Serena," Michaela called out. "I will require a security detail in about an hour. We have a move to see to."

"Already handled, Alpha," Serena said from somewhere.

"Karen," Lara called out.

"Already handled, Alpha," Karen said.

"Francesca," Michaela called out. "Where is Francesca?"

"Here, Alpha," Francesca said. We all turned to her as she worked her way through the crowd. "Now that they have arrived, breakfast will be available shortly. I was not prepared for these numbers, so we may need to eat in shifts."

"You waited for us?" I asked.

"Of course we did," Michaela said. "Francesca, we require a celebratory picnic this evening. Is there time to arrange it? Recruit whom you need to help."

"Yes, there is time," she said. She looked at me. "You will make your edamame, but I will have your supplies and one or two assistants for you. Do you mind making it in your kitchen? This one will be busy."

"No, I don't mind," I said. "Everyone liked the aloo gobi I made. Would you like me to make that, too?"

Michaela looked pointedly at Francesca and nodded, but it was Francesca who said, "Yes. What is in it?"

I relayed the ingredients. "We can play with the recipe though."

"I will have your supplies. Make it the way you like," she said, "and then you and I will experiment in the weeks and months ahead. And if there are other dishes you make that we like, we will experiment with those as well."

"Yes, Francesca."

"Good." She squeezed my hands. "Congratulations, Portia. Congratulations, Zoe."

"Thank you," Portia said.

After that, Michaela pulled me in one direction and Lara pulled Portia in another. We moved around the room, and I received congratulations here and there. I received a great many hugs.

I didn't realize it until it was obvious, but Michaela orchestrated everything very carefully, and it was after I had greeted nearly everyone that I suddenly found myself facing Elisabeth.

And Michaela deserted me there.

"Congratulations, Zoe," Elisabeth said.

I was ready to flee, but she captured my hands and pulled me into a hug. "No," she whispered. "This is good. I am a little jealous, but only a little. Portia will be very good to you, and you will be good for her."

Then she partially released me, but she kept my hands captured, lest I flee. "I want us to be friends. Good friends. Can we do that?"

I nodded.

"It would kill me if you avoid me," she added.

"I won't, Elisabeth." I paused. "You treated me very well. Portia said we are both yours in part, and Lara's and Michaela's as well."

"How do you feel about that?" she asked.

I thought about it and I answered by hugging her again. She tightened her arms around me. "Will this make Portia jealous?"

"No," she said. "Wolves don't cheat. It wouldn't even occur to her she should worry. And we're very open with touches and hugs. It is part of being pack."

"I like it," I said. "I was never a toucher, but I like it."

"Good." We stepped apart, and she smiled. "It is a little difficult. I am not jealous in the way you worry, but I am jealous of your happiness. I am not sure similar happiness waits for me."

"I'm sorry, Elisabeth."

"You gave your entire self, and it is my own fault."

"I am sorry anyway," I said. "Will this hurt?"

"No. As Portia said, she is mine, and as you are her mate, you are also mine. But I believe Michaela's claim on you is even stronger. You have made her very happy."

I smiled up at her.

"Now, your mate waits for you, and Francesca is waiting to announce breakfast." She turned me around. Portia was standing with Lara and Michaela, pretending not to be watching me. Elisabeth leaned down to speak into my ear. "Go to her and use your body to ask for a kiss."

I began walking, and somehow, the pathway between us cleared. She waited until I was half way before she watched me openly. And so I walked straight into her arms, closed my eyes, and lifted my chin.

She enveloped me in her arms and tipped me back further before her lips descended.

It was a long, thorough, amazing kiss, and I clutched at her. I forgot where we were. I forgot everyone was watching. I accepted her kiss and her passion, and I reflected it as much as I was able.

And I know I moaned.

The kiss ended, and she pulled me tightly against her. I laid my head against her shoulder and wrapped my arms around her.

And then the assembled wolves applauded.

When that died down, Francesca's voice rang out. "Breakfast is ready."

Michaela and Lara pulled Portia and me to the table. I found myself between Portia to my left and Michaela on my right. The other adult wolves took places, although there wasn't room for everyone. Then a bunch of the students brought platters of food into the room and set them onto the table.

"We have more in the kitchen, so you may eat in shifts or find a place to sit," Francesca said. "Zoe, everything is vegan unless it is clearly not vegan."

"Really?" I asked. "Pancake mix has milk it in."

"I did not make these pancakes from a mix. Everything is from scratch. You may safely eat."

I actually teared up a little at that. She had gone through a great deal of work to do that. Under the table, Michaela clasped my hand and whispered into my ear, "Pack."

"Wolves," said Francesca, "I will want to know what you think of the various dishes. Zoe is pack. She is part of us now. And pack shares. You all know what this means."

"They're going to eat vegan food?"

"It's pancakes," Portia said. "Everyone loves pancakes."

Of course, the entire meal wasn't vegan. They were carnivores, after all. There was bacon, eggs, and breakfast sausages, and around me, the wolves dug in. But they ate the pancakes and banana bread, although the bowl of fruit made its way between Michaela and me and stayed there.

"Scarlett's parents aren't here?"

"They have a quaint tradition," Michaela said. "They attend church."

I laughed. "That is hardly quaint."

"It is for wolves. We can be very spiritual, but religion is unusual. I don't think Tara believes, but Nick does, and she goes with him. They are mated, after all, and it makes him happy, so of course she goes."

It was a lovely meal. I ate more than I wanted, in part because Francesca had gone to so much work for me. I was deeply touched, and when she finally sat down, I told her that.

She cocked her head. "Zoe, you are pack. I adjusted a few recipes. I was going to cook anyway, and I had a great deal of help. But now I wish to know, wolves. What did you think?" She lifted her voice. "All the wolves. I want to know what you think of the food."

Several of the teenagers got up from their seats on the floor, and the adults let them speak up first.

"I liked the pancakes," Conner said. "And this bread." But then he looked uncomfortable. "But I put butter on it."

"Conner," I said, "For you, there is nothing wrong with that."

"I buttered mine, too," said Kimber. "And I haven't had... What is this? This mush?"

"Oatmeal," Francesca said.

"There was oatmeal?" I asked. "I missed it, but now I'm full."

"I haven't had oatmeal before," Kimber said. "None of us had. So we each tried things. I didn't like it plain, but I put brown sugar on mine. That was good."

"I do that, too, sometimes."

"I used honey," Lindsey said. "Is honey vegan?"

"No, but don't worry about it," I said. "I like to put fruit in mine, but based on the location of this bowl of fruit between Michaela and me, I doubt that would help any of you."

"All right," said Francesca. "Did you like the pancakes because you poured so much syrup over them you couldn't taste them?"

The kids didn't answer that. That was fine, too.

"I liked them," Karen said. "But... they were a little nutty?"

"Did you like that?" Francesca asked.

"I did," she said. "I'd eat them again."

Francesca took more opinions, then nodded. "We will try a few other things over the coming weeks. That's all I had."

Everyone went back to her conversation, but I leaned to Michaela. "They don't eat fruit, but they eat banana bread and drink lemonade and apple cider? I don't get it."

"Neither do I," she said. "Orange juice isn't popular. It's too sweet. I only drink it when I really need the energy."

Shortly after that, the kids handled the cleanup. I tried to help, but I was forcibly pushed back into my seat by at least two pair of teenage hands. They laughed as they walked away, carrying my things, and I heard one of them say, "Humans are fun."

Another said, "I wonder if I can get one. Do they make good pets?"

That generated more laughter as they walked into the kitchen.

Portia smirked at me then leaned over and asked, "Maybe I should fit you with a collar and leash." On my right, Michaela snorted a laugh.

"You think that's funny?" I asked.

"I certainly do. Let me show you the pictures of me dressed like a yappy dog sometime."

"You don't look at all like a dog!"

From around me, several wolves said, "People see what they expect to see."

"To be clear," I said into Portia's ear, "There will be no collars and no leashes."

"We'll see," she said. She grinned at me, but I couldn't tell if she was teasing.

"I think I'm going to get you a water bowl."

Michaela snorted again.

"Sorry," she said. "Ignore me. Another story."

Breakfast wrapped up, and Michaela took possession of me. Then she pulled me to the side. "There's someone else you need to talk to." She turned me, and I saw Monique standing in the corner of the room. She looked miserable.

I turned to Michaela. "Oh, no. Michaela..."

"It will be okay. Treat her like an adult. She knows she's being silly. But she thinks no one will ever love her. She thinks she's ugly and stupid. She is neither of those things."

"She's stunning. You're all stunning. But she's fifteen."

"Fifteen is a hard age for wolves just like it is for humans, and until three years ago, she attended a human school. To human kids, she is big and ugly, and she had to intentionally hide her athletic abilities besides. The kids weren't kind. And she was kind of gangly besides."

"She's not gangly now. She's beautiful, Michaela."

"She doesn't think so. And she's so self-conscious around my science program kids. She'd have dates if she wanted them, but she's an enforcer, and no one is willing to ask her. She has to ask, but she assumes the worst."

"Are you sure about all that?"

"Yes."

"And I may tell her all this?"

"Yes. I have, but she needs to hear it again."

I nodded. "We'll be gone for a while."

"Thank you."

When I looked back, Monique was still watching me, looking at me with such longing, my heart burst. My god, I was older than her parents! I crossed the room towards her, but as soon as she realized it, she turned away, and then she began walking towards the door, but I cut her off.

"Monique."

"I have to go, Zoe. I have homework."

"Well, you weren't heading for homework. You were trying to run from me. You're one of my dearest friends here. I thought maybe we could go for a walk."

She'd been looking anywhere but at me, but she turned to face me. "I am?"

"Come on," I said. "Can we run if it's just you pulling me?"