Fox Dish (Madison Wolves #6) (25 page)

"Lara?" I asked.

"You contest my punishment?" Daniel asked sternly.

"I have a duty that requires me to briefly shift back and forth to fox."

"How briefly?"

"Less than a minute as fox."

"I will allow you to perform this duty," he said, "subject to approval by your alpha."

"Thank you, Alpha."

Daniel looked at Lara. Lara was frowning and looked upset, but I didn't understand why. Daniel turned to me.

"Furthermore, your rights as alpha are suspended until you have fulfilled your sentencing." He paused. "Your alpha may choose to override this portion of your sentence if required in the conduct of pack business."

"Yes, Alpha," I said.

"Last, until you have completed your sentence, you will offer your throat to the enforcers of your pack, and you will submit to their authority."

I looked down. "Yes, Alpha."

Daniel looked around the room. "Unless I have missed something, I believe these proceedings are complete."

"I concur, Alpha," Lara said. "Thank you so much for your assistance."

"Thank you, Alpha," I told him.

And then, I only had eyes for Lara, and she turned to me.

Daniel smiled at both of us.
"Sentencing to commence upon arrival in Madison. Go on, you two. Get out of here."

Lara and I ran around the table, meeting each other in the middle behind
Serena. She pulled me into a crushing hug, which I returned. But then I held my hand out, searching for whoever was beside me. I found Serena's hand and pulled her into the hug. And then Elisabeth was there, and Angel and Scarlett, and they all hugged me.

Everything was all right again.

* * * *

We left the next morning, traveling by small convoy to the airport. I was not involved in any of the details or discussions of how we would travel but simply went where I was told.

Our SUV pulled up in front of a small jet at the airport. Elisabeth and Angel searched the plane while Lara, Serena, Scarlett and I waited in the car. By the time they were done, the rest of the convoy had had disgorged its occupants, and I saw Greg, Wendy, Cameron, and several other of Greg's enforcers. Daniel and Brooke arrived with their own contingent of enforcers to see us off. Councilmen West and Stein were not in sight.

I looked out the window and turned to my head of security. "Serena, I will be traveling straight from the car to the aircraft."

She faced me and raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?" she said. "You will do what you are told."

I stared into her eyes for a minute; she stared back without speaking.

"Right," I said. "Of course." For the next two months, I was not the alpha and would answer to her. And even to Angel, I presumed. "Serena, I would prefer to travel straight from the car to the aircraft without engaging in discussions with anyone along the way."

Lara pursed her lips but didn't say anything.

Angel and Elisabeth reappeared a few seconds later. With Angel flanking her, Elisabeth stopped by to talk briefly with Daniel and Brooke and then with Greg and Wendy. I could have listened in to the conversations if I focused on doing so, but I ignored them. When Elisabeth turned towards our SUV, Serena told me, "Wait in the car." She and Lara stepped out and closed the door. Lara headed for Daniel, grabbing Angel on the way. Serena and Elisabeth stood immediately outside the car where I waited with Scarlett.

"I had to remind her," Serena said.

"How did she take it?" Elisabeth asked.

They had to know I could hear every word, and it wasn't any effort to do so.

"Fine," Serena said. "She'll accept you and me. I don't know about the other enforcers."

"She'll be fine," Elisabeth said. "She knows she got off lightly. She'll make a game of it." Elisabeth turned and faced directly into the car where I was sitting. I wasn't sure she could see me through the tinted windows, but she knew where I was. "Won't she?" Elisabeth asked.

I thought for just a moment then nodded. Elisabeth seemed satisfied.

"Why is she still in the car?" Elisabeth asked.

"She requested permission to travel straight to the aircraft," Serena explained.

"Ah." Elisabeth watched Lara talking to Daniel. I glanced in that direction and saw that Greg and Wendy had been invited to the conversation. Angel flanked Lara, and I smiled, watching her settle into her role as enforcer. "Is she angry with us?"

"Not at me," Serena said. "But I haven't given her reason to be."

"Even I can hear them," Scarlett said quietly into my ear.

"I know," I told her. "This conversation is for me."

"Michaela," Scarlett started to say, "Angel-"

"Hush," I said immediately. "There is more going on, honey. It's politics. Keep your mouth shut. I haven't figured it all out, but I will."

I turned to face her. She looked hurt.

"Honey," I said. "I didn't get it until you showed me your tattoo. And Angel wore a skirt! Where did she get a skirt?"

"It's one of mine," Scarlett replied.

"What did it take to get her into it?"

"It was her idea," Scarlett said.

"All right," I said. "No more. Do you understand why?"

"No."

I smiled. "Neither do I." But I caressed her cheek. She clasped my hand but didn't say anything else.

I wondered whether Scarlett had been left in the car with me for a reason. Perhaps she had, but I wasn't going to let her get into trouble. I was done letting Lara use my friends to deliver messages she should deliver herself.

We sat quietly for another minute before Serena opened the car door. "Scarlett," Serena said. "Stay with Elisabeth. Michaela, come with me."

I climbed out first. Serena took my arm in a firm grip, and together we walked directly to the aircraft stairs. I glanced down at her grip; it was completely unnecessary.

"Seriously?"

"Get used to it," Serena replied.

"Serena, I have had enough of being kept in the dark. You don't think I'm going to run away, so this is something else."

"Right now," she said in a very quiet voice. "It is diplomacy."

She was treating me like a prisoner, offering an excuse for my snubbing Daniel and Greg.

"All right," I said. "And when we get home."

"Then it is diplomacy of a different nature," she said.

"And if I want a more detailed explanation?"

"That is a conversation for the alpha or the head enforcer," Serena replied.

"Thank you for explaining what you could," I replied.

We arrived at the steps into the aircraft. Serena gently pushed me ahead of her, a hand on my shoulder as we climbed the short stairs together.  Serena's tread changed as she ducked to avoid the ceiling. I stood up as straight as I could, a subtle expression of humor. We turned to the right, and Serena pointed to the first seat on my left, pushing me into the seat. "Buckle in," she ordered.

Once I complied, she sat down on the seat across the aisle from me, sitting at an angle so she was facing me. I was fairly sure that would be Lara's seat.

"Thank you," I told her.

She nodded.

We watched each other. Her heart rate was slightly elevated, and I couldn't tell why. I cocked my head, listening to her.

"What's wrong, Serena?"

"Nothing is wrong," she replied.

"You can tell me it's none of my business," I told her. I cocked my head the other way and asked in a small voice, "Do you hate me?"

"What?" she said. "No, of course not."

"Are you angry with me?"

"No." She narrowed her eyes. "Are you contemplating giving me reason to?"

"Your heart rate is elevated," I said. "Are we still friends?"

She smiled, but it was hesitant. She nodded. "Always."

I returned the smile. "Please tell me what is wrong, Serena."

She looked away, but I leaned forward and grabbed her hand. I knew that would make her uncomfortable, so I only squeezed it for a moment before releasing it.

"I fully intend to be a model prisoner, Serena," I assured her.

"I know," she said quietly. "Have you ever gone two months without shifting?"

"Serena," I said. "Please listen very carefully. I didn't appreciate the way some of this was handled. I trust Lara had very good reasons for it, and I'm sure you realize she and I will be discussing those reasons. But I know who the real enemy is. And you know how stubborn I am. Do you think I am going to let the enemy win?"

She turned back to face me, not answering.

"Christopher West wanted me disgraced and probably executed. There are other members of the council who, at the very least, wanted me put in my place. I knew when I started this Lara would be forced to punish me somehow. The punishment Daniel handed down is about what I expected. I don't promise I won't turn moody. I don't promise I will respond well if the enforcers push me too far. But the worst you are going to get from me is a smart mouth."

"And if I get a smart mouth from you, I am obligated to deal with it," she said. "Or worse, let Gia do it. How are you going to respond if she disciplines you?"

"Good question," I said. "I don't know.
Probably poorly." I looked out the window for a while. "Serena, do you think Daniel is punishing you along with me?"

"Yes," she said. "I had the clues to know you weren't done with this."

"I'm sorry," I told her.

"I'm not."

My head snapped back to stare at her.

"Don't you dare repeat this," she said. "I am so proud of you, Michaela."

I couldn't help but smile at her praise.

"May I see the tattoo?" I asked her.

She immediately lifted her leg and set her foot across my knee. I pushed up the hem of her jeans and admired the tattoo, brushing my fingers across it.

"Scarlett did it for me," Serena said. "The second night you were gone."

"The night I thought I was banished?"

"Yes."

I leaned over and kissed her ankle. I didn't have any other words. She let me caress the tattoo once more before pulling her leg back.

"You are going to need to look contrite," Serena said.

I considered what she said. "I am sorry I couldn't find a way to do my duty without violating the alpha's orders."

After that, we sat quietly. Once there was a commotion at the doorway, Serena rose from her seat and moved into the aisle, ducking from the low ceiling. She stood behind me, a firm hand on my shoulder.

I looked up at her.

"Get used to it?"

She nodded.

It felt nice.

* * * *

I waited until we were in the air before I turned to Lara. "Why the duplicity?" I asked her. "Why couldn't you be up front with me?"

Lara frowned before unbuckling her belt and standing up. She turned backwards to address Elisabeth, Serena, Angel and Scarlett. "I am giving all of you a direct order," she said in her best Alpha voice. "None of you are to talk to Michaela about any of this. Not a peep. Not a hint. Nothing. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Alpha," they all said immediately.

"Furthermore, if she asks you any questions about any of the last two months, you will report the conversation to me immediately. If she hints about it, you will report it to me. If you think she is thinking about asking you about it, you will report it to me. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Alpha."

"Alpha," I said immediately. "Does that mean I am not to inquire how their classes are going, or who is going out with whom, or how the babies have been?"

She turned to me and frowned
. "I don't know how to possibly give an order you won't wriggle around."

I unbuckled my own belt and turned around in my seat, looking over the back of it. "Does anyone here have any trouble distinguishing between the things Lara wouldn't mind us talking about and the things she would?"

Everyone immediately turned to look at Angel and Scarlett.

"We're not stupid," Scarlett said immediately. "Basically, if it has to do with Michaela being gone, it's off limits."

"You will error on the side of caution," Elisabeth said immediately.

Everyone turned to Lara and she nodded. "As Scarlett said, no one here is stupid. Am I clear?"

"Yes, Alpha," Scarlett and Angel said immediately.

Lara turned to me. "As for you. You will not talk about any of this to anyone except me. This is a direct order from your alpha. If you talk to them about it, it is an automatic charge of aggravated insubordination. The first offense will be an additional
one month on your existing sentence. A second offense is another two months. A third offense is an additional four months and a beating. Do I make myself clear?"