Violet remained standing but was looking at me pointedly. I wondered if I had something in my teeth.
"You met Violet earlier," Vivian told me. "This afternoon, I believe."
I stared at Vivian for a moment. Vivian dropped her eyes to my chair. If I'd met Violet this afternoon, that must be she was council. I stood up and said, "Of course. My apologies. Violet, would you care for a seat? I was done eating but would be happy to retrieve drinks if anyone would like anything?"
Violet took my seat and asked for a soft drink. "No caffeine," she said. I got a chorus of requests, but none from Sexton and Wanda, and ran off to fill the order. When I got back I passed out the drinks then sat in the grass next to Lara.
"You know, I wonder if I could talk the council members into wearing a little pin or something so I can recognize you. Or maybe a little bell on your ankles."
Violet frowned at the suggestion. She snapped her fingers at me and said, "Fox. I would like more venison."
"Yes, ma'am," I said. I gave Lara a look though. They were treating me like a servant. She shrugged, and I put up with it, putting on a sweet face.
Mr. Berg caught me at the serving table. "They will push you harder before they back off."
"And you?"
"I do not play petty games. If I order you about, it will be for something more important than a slice of venison."
"Will she be happy with one slice?"
"I'd make it three."
"Thank you."
I returned with the plate of venison for Violet. She took it haughtily, and I decided I didn't like her.
"Little fox," Lara said. "Sit here, please." She pointed to the space in front of her. So I sat on the ground at her feet, and she possessively put her hand on my shoulder. I glanced up at her and smiled, leaning against her legs.
I paid attention to the conversation around us. Eric came up and whispered in Elisabeth's ear. I listened in. "Fifty bucks?" He asked. Paper exchanged hands. "You're challenging Lara so she can move to Bayfield," was his prediction.
"All right," she said. "You're in. That's very specific. If anyone got it half right, you'll have to share a portion."
"You're not going to write it down?"
"I only need to remember the winners, Eric. If you're right, I'll remember."
Around me, I saw the wolves were starting to finish eating, at about the same rate the pile of food became depleted. Angel and Scarlett wandered around, collecting plates from everyone. Scarlett crouched down next to me and whispered in my ear, "Did you tell her?"
"I wouldn't do that," I told her quietly. "I can't tell you what she told me any more than I can tell her what you told me. You should ask her. Are you coming kayaking?"
She hugged me. "Yes. And thank you."
"Don't go overboard. Make sure you both know what you're doing before you lose your heart more than you have. And the alpha already knew, by the way."
"She sees everything."
A male, his face vaguely familiar from the council meeting, stopped by. He complained about his beer being empty while looking pointedly at me. I started to get up, but Lara clamped a hand on my shoulder and asked Scarlett to make sure everyone had the drinks they wanted.
The male looked annoyed then turned away. I looked over my shoulder at Lara, and she said quietly, "Mine."
I laid my head on her leg. "Yours."
She felt nice.
Dusk began to settle in. Lara caressed my head. "We seem to have some pack business to conduct. Little fox, as you have so forcefully declared yourself as not pack, perhaps you can wait in our bedroom."
"All right," I said. "How long should I remain there?"
"When it is proper for you to return, someone will retrieve you. No eavesdropping, Michaela."
I got up, using her leg as a lever, and she squeezed my hand. I walked behind her, brushing my fingers through her hair, and headed straight for the house.
Rory stopped me. "I know you know what's going on," he said. "Tell me and I'll share the pot with you."
"Sorry, Rory. I may know, I may not. But if I know and
"You met Violet earlier," Vivian told me. "This afternoon, I believe."
I stared at Vivian for a moment. Vivian dropped her eyes to my chair. If I'd met Violet this afternoon, that must be she was council. I stood up and said, "Of course. My apologies. Violet, would you care for a seat? I was done eating but would be happy to retrieve drinks if anyone would like anything?"
Violet took my seat and asked for a soft drink. "No caffeine," she said. I got a chorus of requests, but none from Sexton and Wanda, and ran off to fill the order. When I got back I passed out the drinks then sat in the grass next to Lara.
"You know, I wonder if I could talk the council members into wearing a little pin or something so I can recognize you. Or maybe a little bell on your ankles."
Violet frowned at the suggestion. She snapped her fingers at me and said, "Fox. I would like more venison."
"Yes, ma'am," I said. I gave Lara a look though. They were treating me like a servant. She shrugged, and I put up with it, putting on a sweet face.
Mr. Berg caught me at the serving table. "They will push you harder before they back off."
"And you?"
"I do not play petty games. If I order you about, it will be for something more important than a slice of venison."
"Will she be happy with one slice?"
"I'd make it three."
"Thank you."
I returned with the plate of venison for Violet. She took it haughtily, and I decided I didn't like her.
"Little fox," Lara said. "Sit here, please." She pointed to the space in front of her. So I sat on the ground at her feet, and she possessively put her hand on my shoulder. I glanced up at her and smiled, leaning against her legs.
I paid attention to the conversation around us. Eric came up and whispered in Elisabeth's ear. I listened in. "Fifty bucks?" He asked. Paper exchanged hands. "You're challenging Lara so she can move to Bayfield," was his prediction.
"All right," she said. "You're in. That's very specific. If anyone got it half right, you'll have to share a portion."
"You're not going to write it down?"
"I only need to remember the winners, Eric. If you're right, I'll remember."
Around me, I saw the wolves were starting to finish eating, at about the same rate the pile of food became depleted. Angel and Scarlett wandered around, collecting plates from everyone. Scarlett crouched down next to me and whispered in my ear, "Did you tell her?"
"I wouldn't do that," I told her quietly. "I can't tell you what she told me any more than I can tell her what you told me. You should ask her. Are you coming kayaking?"
She hugged me. "Yes. And thank you."
"Don't go overboard. Make sure you both know what you're doing before you lose your heart more than you have. And the alpha already knew, by the way."
"She sees everything."
A male, his face vaguely familiar from the council meeting, stopped by. He complained about his beer being empty while looking pointedly at me. I started to get up, but Lara clamped a hand on my shoulder and asked Scarlett to make sure everyone had the drinks they wanted.
The male looked annoyed then turned away. I looked over my shoulder at Lara, and she said quietly, "Mine."
I laid my head on her leg. "Yours."
She felt nice.
Dusk began to settle in. Lara caressed my head. "We seem to have some pack business to conduct. Little fox, as you have so forcefully declared yourself as not pack, perhaps you can wait in our bedroom."
"All right," I said. "How long should I remain there?"
"When it is proper for you to return, someone will retrieve you. No eavesdropping, Michaela."
I got up, using her leg as a lever, and she squeezed my hand. I walked behind her, brushing my fingers through her hair, and headed straight for the house.
Rory stopped me. "I know you know what's going on," he said. "Tell me and I'll share the pot with you."
"Sorry, Rory. I may know, I may not. But if I know and
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