Wolf Women (The Madison Wolves Book 10) (15 page)

"When?" I asked.

"I want our wedding night to be the first night in our new home," she said. "Do you mind waiting that long?"

"No."

* * * *

I did, indeed, get drafted to teach impromptu photography classes. All the kids wanted to know how to use their new cameras, and a number of parents were also interested. Michaela had her own equipment and she knew perfectly well how to use it, but she and Lara attended the classes with us.

"Zoe," Michaela said near the end of the first class. "I believe perhaps we should discuss evening adult classes."

I laughed. "Do you think I could get through the first term with the kids before we expand the program that hasn't even started yet."

"It looks to me like it has started out just fine," she countered. "Wednesday nights work for me."

I laughed. "And do I get paid?"

"Of course."

"When do I start?"

"I believe we can give you a short time to get used to it. So rather than the first Tuesday in January, perhaps the second one is a good start."

I sighed. "Yes, Alpha." But secretly, I was pleased, and I think she knew it.

* * * *

"Mom?"

I tingled. Every time, I tingled.

I turned to the office doorway. Ember was standing there.

"I was wondering if there was a time we could go over the pictures I took?" She was holding her camera's SD card.

"Of course, honey. Come on in."

She stepped into the room and looked around. "When I asked Michaela if I could live with you, I didn't think about where you would work."

"Portia Mom made a good space for me."

She had, too. It was roomy, and while it was a dark basement, there was a full eight feet to the suspended ceiling over my head. We both had desks, and there was a table set up for framing. There was even a sofa.

Once Portia had made the space, I had done my part.  A foot from the ceiling, I had mounted a wooden, well, not quite a frame. It was like a T sitting on its side, the base of the T mounted securely to the wall and the top of the T pointed into the room. Inside the T, out of sight behind the arms, were LED rope lights. I could light the lights in different configurations to control the brightness of the room. The result was indirect lighting that bounced off the ceiling, giving the entire room a warm glow. It wasn't daylight, but it was inviting and lovely.

And around all the walls hung my photos printed on large, life-size canvas. I had Portia in fur on one and Ember on another. The alphas and their pups took up one wall. And I had a nature triptych on another.

The end result pleased me to no end, and I'd never had so much space. I loved it. Portia didn't use a home office the way I did, but from time to time, we shared the room. And if I was working when Ember needed to study, she tended to study at Portia's desk.

I loved the quiet company.

Ember and I moved to Portia's computer. I let Ember drive. She loaded the pictures from the SD card, and after a few minutes, we were going through them together.

"You have a good eye," I told her.

"What do you think of this one?" she asked. It was Portia and I standing together outside. She was wearing her new coat and had just kissed me. My hand was on her cheek, my new ring obvious. Our love was just as obvious as we gazed at each other.

I hadn't known she had taken it. Those were usually the best.

"This is good, honey," I said.

"Good enough to print?"

"Definitely."

"Would you, you know, fix it for me first?"

"Fix it."

"Photoshop it."

"Ah. There isn't much to do."

I brought it into Photoshop then looked at it. She had framed it well, but I recropped it just slightly. I played with the color balance just a little and then -- vainly -- fixed a few blemishes in my skin.

"I wish you wouldn't," Ember said quietly.

"It looks better this way."

"It looks like you the other way. You're beautiful, Mom. Please don't make it artificial."

So I undid that change.

"Thank you."

I did make a few more tweaks, which she allowed.

"Now what?" she asked when I was done.

"Now we ship it to the printer, and we pick it up on Friday."

She laid her head on my shoulder. "I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, Ember."

Shortly after returning from Bayfield, Michaela stopped by the house, her security detail remaining outside. I found it amusing that her security detail was half filled by my mate and the owner of the house.

I offered Michaela tea, which she declined, and she said, "I'm just here for a few minutes. I want you to come to lunch with me on Sunday."

"All right. That sounds like fun. Who else is coming?"

"Michele and Hadley," she replied. "No spouses."

"Well, except mine will be on security."

She smiled. "Then she's an enforcer, not your mate."

We met Michele and Hadley at The Green Room. We had a lovely meal. There didn't appear to be any sort of agenda. We did the things friends do when they get together. We had lunch, we drank a modest amount of alcohol, and we talked about our weeks. Michele asked me how it was being a mom, and I talked about it for the next ten minutes while they all smiled at me.

"I'm sorry," I said eventually. "Um."

"So it's going well," Hadley said. "Good. Michaela became an instant mother in a fashion not all that different from how you did. She made several phone calls to me the first day, half in a panic with questions." She smiled at Michaela.

"Really?"

"Yes. It was cute. I had been incredibly rude to her just a few days previously, and I was quite unsure about trusting my daughter to her. My concerns proved to be unfounded, and my daughter had the best experience I could possibly have given to her."

"I wish I could take them all in," Michaela said. "But Zoe and Portia are a far better fit for Ember, and beginning next year, I hope they take in one or two more of our new students."

"But no pressure?"

"Of course not," Michaela said. "Would I pressure you?"

"Yes," all three of us replied.

Michaela hung her head. "I'm shocked you would say such a thing."

"You prefer we lie to you, Alpha?" Hadley asked. "That would make such a poor policy, don't you think?"

"Speaking of your daughter," Michaela asked. "How is Ava?"

"She met a boy, she tells me."

"In Boston?" Hadley nodded. Michaela sighed. "And here I hoped she would return to us."

"Have no fears," Hadley said. "You must know that Ava is the dominant one in that relationship. She assures me they'll be moving here, if he has permission to join our pack."

"Well, that's all right then," Michaela replied.

"So," said Hadley. "I heard you received a lovely proposal."

"I did," I said, grinning. I flashed my ring, receiving proper oohs and ahs.

"Rings aren't a wolf custom," Hadley said. "She did this in deference to your race."

"I-" I paused. "I didn't know that. She didn't have to do that."

"She wanted to," Michaela explained. "She thought perhaps the symbol would be important to you."

"What is the wolf custom?"

"Marriage and a ceremony, but there is no exchange of this nature," Hadley explained. "But then, mated wolves share a scent, and I suppose in a way, that is a more enduring mark than jewelry."

"Can you tell I am mated from my scent?"

She nodded. "For you, it would wear off, but she refreshes the scent. You really carry her mated scent, and technically, anyone she handled as closely as she handles you would carry the same scent. But of course, she doesn't treat anyone else so intimately."

"What about Ember? They hug, and I've seen Ember intentionally rubbing against each of us."

"Ah. That is the child I smell," Hadley said. "Do I need to be less delicate in exactly what she is doing to refresh her scent on you, Zoe?"

I immediately began to blush, causing the three of them to laugh.

"I think she figured it out," Michaela said.

"There is a possessive nature in what your foster child does," Hadley said. "But of course, it is a different nature of possession. I can also smell Michaela upon you, although that was when we hugged upon our greeting. Sitting here, I can not make out her scent on you over her scent directly from her."

I shook my head. "So much you can learn?"

She nodded.

"Don't try to play poker with them," Michaela said.

"They can tell what I have by my scent?"

"It becomes a tell like any other tell," Michaela replied. "Even I have one I haven't been able to get rid of, but I have tricks to lie with it." She sighed. "No one will play poker with me."

"She wins," Michele said. "On the other hand, I would happily engage in other types of card games, one in which no money exchanged hands."

"I could find room in my schedule a few times a month," Hadley said. "For cards or perhaps movie night."

All three of them looked pointedly at me.

"You want to come to my movie nights?" I said.

"I've been hinting for months," Michaela said. I hadn't noticed. "Was I too subtle?"

"Months? Yes, you were too subtle."

She sighed. "So you didn't notice when I asked what movies you were seeing last Friday?"

"I thought that was idle curiosity. I'm sorry. You really want to come?"

"Of course I do," she said with a grin. "Everyone wants to come."

"Well, I knew the kids were vying for invitations," I replied.

"And where is my invitation?" Michele asked.

"And mine," Hadley added.

I looked between them and sighed. "You know, I came up with the idea on the spur of the moment for Monique. She needed a little help understanding how dating works." I told the story, omitting the more personal parts.

"But we're getting cozy on room," I complained.

Michaela laughed. "Zoe, have you noticed how comfortable we are with each other? Even I am comfortable in a crowded pile. Touch is comfort."

"You guys really want to come to movie night?"

"Well, actually," said Hadley, "what we want is a friendship with you. And friends invite each other to their events."

"Hadley, you weren't supposed to be so blunt," Michaela complained.

"Oh please," the woman replied. "You're the one for subtle, such as pushing your mate into a frozen lake. I am far more direct."

"She pushed Lara into a frozen lake, and you say you're more direct than that?" I asked.

"Perhaps I was making a point," Hadley replied with a smile.

"Well," I said, "You're all welcome to come. It's every Friday unless there is a conflict. We have dinner and pick movies from Netflix."

"More of your tofu?" Hadley asked.

I smiled. "They seem to like my cheese bread. No one has asked how it is I'm able to eat cheese."

Michele laughed.

"Portia and Ember dress up whatever I make so it is more palatable for wolves, or sometimes we order pizza."

"Now, about cards," Hadley said. "I believe I would like to host a little gathering once a month, the same night as these card games to which I, too, am never invited. We can start our own club."

"Ooh," said Michaela, rubbing her hands. "Elisabeth is going to hate that. Excellent!"

"Why will Elisabeth care?"

"Because she hates letting me go into town without a proper guard, and she has a hard time believing a proper guard excludes her. And, of course, that night is one of her night's off each month."

"She's not here today."

"Serena, Portia, Eric, and Rory." Michaela pointed towards the enforcers, hovering around in the shadows, so to speak. "It's really quite excessive. What do you suppose the chances are she'll let me free with fewer than that?"

"Zero," Michele said. "You know what a subversive Hadley is."

"Not to mention me," I added.

"We can pick a different night," Hadley said.

"Oh no," Michaela said. "Poker night is the perfect night."

"Should we keep it intimate with just the four of us, or should we broaden the invitation?"

"There are a lot of good games for four," Michaela said. "But perhaps two tables of four wouldn't strain your house."

"Well then, if you bring your spouses, and I acquire a date or a friend, then we have eight," Hadley declared.

"Donald won't be comfortable," Michele said. "But he'll love movie night," she added.

"Well then, Alpha, if you bring Lara, and Zoe brings Portia, and we invite the lovely Angel and Scarlett, we have four enforcers whose company we enjoy," Hadley said. "Although perhaps you wished to make your sister-in-law more uncomfortable." She grinned at Michaela.

We discussed details, and soon we had a plan.

"As long as we're filling our social calendars," Michele said, "in the past, Donald and I have declined, but Michaela, if we are invited for future paintball games, we would love to come."

"You're always welcome, Michele. Why the change of heart?"

"Because now I won't be the only human."

"Is that what has kept you away?"

Michele nodded. "Maybe it was silly, but if Zoe can play, then perhaps I am able, as well."

"How about you, Hadley?"

"No, thank you," Hadley said. "I do not wish anyone to get used to the idea of shooting lawyers."

We laughed, although in time, Hadley would also begin attending paintball events.

Conversation flowed around the table some more. I waited for a lull then said, "There's something I'd like to talk about. This might not be the right group, but I thought I could start here. I'd love to hear what you think."

"Go ahead, Zoe," Michaela said.

I explained about the idea Elisabeth had for a renewable energy power company. The three of them conferred for a moment, then Hadley asked, "Michaela, what is the expected ROI for your tower in Bayfield?"

"We think it will take fifteen years to pay for itself," Michaela answered.

"That seems faster than the industry average."

"We don't have to pay for the land, and we're not financing the funding."

They talked back and forth about the money for a while, leaving me behind in the conversation. Finally Hadley turned to me. "Do you understand?"

"You lost me," I admitted.

"This would not be a good investment. There are better ways to make money."

"No, there are faster ways to make money. I would question whether helping to save the world from catastrophic climate change can be beaten by any other activity any of us can do."

They stilled, then Michele said, "Spoken like a true activist, and I, for one, would not care to argue against her position."

"No one should invest because they want a profit," I said. "They should invest to help reduce their carbon footprint, and because if all of us do our part, we don't have to wait for government to solve this. Further, if we start now, we can begin generating electricity now. I have little faith there will continue to be drops in wind turbine prices, but solar panels will continue to become less expensive."

"And we will have bought too early."

"I disagree. We'll know more about what we're doing, and we'll have experience before everyone and his brother jumps on the bandwagon. And humanity should have gotten serious about this problem back in 1970."

Hadley cocked her head. "Elisabeth's original idea was for you to spend less time on GreEN and take the bulls by the horn, so to speak. Find work that pays better and use the money to create this company."

"Yes."

"And from that, the idea quickly expands to a discussion of investors."

"It doesn't have to," I said. "But there's too much I don't know."

"Like what?"

"Where to put them," I said. "I don't own any land, and land is expensive."

Michaela smiled. "That problem is easily solved. What else?"

"I need expertise. But we have ways we can cut corners. We can build our own panels from solar cells. It is labor intensive, but if I learned how, I could do it. I can find the time."

"And you need to sell this electricity somehow," Hadley pointed out. "Michaela has experience with that."

"Lara set that up," Michaela said.

"Actually, Lara's attorney set that up," Hadley said. "Zoe, I will do all your legal work, excepting litigation, for a five percent equity position in your new company. I would expect to serve on your board of directors."

"I don't have a clue what that means."

"Then you require an education," she said. She spent several minutes explaining what she had meant. I thought I understood when she was done, but I wasn't sure if five percent was fair.

"The pack will provide a location to place your solar cells," Michaela said, "for a ten percent equity position. I will invest modestly to help finance a trial run. And I want a position on the board."

"Well, I don't have time to serve on the board, but I would invest, modestly," Michele said.

"Where are you going to place her panels, Alpha?" Hadley asked.