Wolf Ways (The Madison Wolves Book 9) (7 page)

“No!” I said.

“Oh Zoe,” she said.

“Elisabeth,” I whimpered.

She stilled entirely, and suddenly I was afraid of what she might do. “You’ve been very good, so I’ll give you a choice.” Her mouth was still at my ear. “Firm spanking, harder than the last one, or permission to do what I wanted to do. You may answer.”

“Permission.”

“Good.” It was a purr. She flexed her fingers just once, causing me to gasp. “Michaela struggled with this; Lara was not direct and forced her to figure this out on her own with only hints. I am far more direct than my sister.” She paused. “Dominant wolves are exhibitionists. It is important to us that the other wolves realize how virile we are. You may speak openly until the next time I move my hand. Do you know how I intend to prove my virility?”

“You want me to scream loudly enough for everyone else to hear.”

“Yes,” she said. “Now, there are always people in and about Lara’s home, so everyone hears Michaela. We are more isolated, so perhaps no one will hear. But I expect you to try.”

“Oh god,” I said.

And then her fingers moved, and I remembered her rule. I clamped my lips shut.

She chuckled. “You’re good at my games, Zoe. Now, I will continue to do what I am doing. You will continue to say your three words, but you will grow louder and louder, or I stop.”

“Elisabeth,” I whispered.

Her fingers moved, and I gasped, but I said the words, and when she prompted me to be louder, I was louder. And louder. And louder.

“Convince me you enjoy this,” she whispered. “Convince me you want more.”

And I couldn’t help but obey. As I grew closer and closer to the cusp, I squirmed and panted, but I also said the words, “Elisabeth! Yes. Yours!” And then, as the orgasm arrived, and I shuddered around her fingers, my body clutching at her, I screamed the words, over and over.

* * * *

We lay still together. I was on my side, curled into her with my head on her shoulder. I was sweaty and filled with a deep glow. She had long ended the game, and we’d been murmuring quietly at each other.

I was insanely happy, and I told her that.

She didn’t answer with words, but her enveloping arms tightened for a moment.

But then I said, “I can’t imagine I’m your dream girl.”

She’d been stroking my shoulder slowly. Her hand stilled. “Why do you say that?”

“If you wanted a human, you would have been dating them.”

“I haven’t done much dating.”

“Are you intending to avoid my question?”

“You didn’t ask a question. You made an observation.” But she paused. “I would not have considered a human,” she admitted. “I wouldn’t have gone to a human bar and looked for a woman to pick up.”

“You’d be very popular at all the lesbian bars.”

She chuckled. “Are there any lesbian bars in Madison?”

“You know what I mean.”

“Yeah.” She leaned up and kissed my forehead. “I don’t see it as being with a human. I see it as being with you.”

I thought that was nice, but I wasn’t ready to let it go.

“Leaving me out of it, what is your dream woman?”

“I-” she paused. I could tell she didn’t want to answer.

“I’ll answer any of your questions if you’ll honestly answer this one, Elisabeth.”

“I don’t have a dream type, not like that,” she said. “There are people who I find attractive. But there is no such thing as perfect, because people are people.”

“You’re dodging it, Elisabeth.”

“How about this? I’ll tell you the things I like about you and the one or two I wish were a little different.”

“All right.”

“I like your intelligence and passion. You have fire, and I couldn’t be with someone who didn’t.”

That felt really good, and I snuggled closer.

“I like your size.”

“That surprises me. Shouldn’t you be biologically attracted to werewolves, all of whom are much bigger than I am?”

“I like your femininity,” she said.

“You’re very feminine,” I countered. “Your curves are perfect.”

“I look ridiculous in a dress. Scarlett can pull off skirts and dresses, and a few other wolves can, but you won’t find them very often. Maybe I’m a victim of modern advertising, but I’m drawn to a feminine woman.”

“So you liked me better at dinner than when we went running.”

“Well, when we went running, you dressed appropriately for what we were doing.” She paused. “I think it’s a response to myself looking terrible in clothes like that. You’ll find, if you let me, I’ll want to dress you.”

“Like a doll?”

“Yes. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” I said. I thought about it. “I’d let you.”

She hugged me tightly.

“I like how strong you make me feel,” she said. “I like when you’re submissive.”

“You do, hmm?”

“Uh huh. It’s… relaxing. I don’t have to compete with you.”

“I’m not competition.”

“You are intellectually. We’re smart in different fields. We’ll never compete that way. We can each have our space.”

“That makes sense,” I said.

“It would be hard for me to be with a wolf as submissive as you,” she said. “In my mind, wolves aren’t submissive. So I would have a hard time respecting her. But you’re a delicate human, and so I can respect you for what you are and not get hung up on what a wolf is supposed to be like. So that is another way it’s better you are human than wolf.”

I thought perhaps I understood that. I hadn’t ever thought of myself as submissive, but I realized around the wolves, I had been, and it was growing more pronounced.

She paused, and I thought she wasn’t going to continue, so I prompted her. “How do I fall short?”

“Are you going to be hurt?”

“Probably,” I said. I looked up and kissed the side of your jaw. “But if you don’t tell me I’m going to go ask someone to call me a cab.”

“No, you are not,” she said. “If you ever decide to leave, I will arrange a ride.”

“Yes, Elisabeth,” I said meekly.

“You have self-confidence issues. They aren’t extreme. It’s fixable.”

“Will you help me?”

She was quiet, then she said, almost too quiet to here, “Yes.”

So I caressed her face. “What else?”

“I worry that money will get in the way,” she said. “I am going to be sorely tempted to buy you things you cannot afford to buy yourself, and I think you’ll get mad if I do. This is a problem that will require a solution if we continue to see each other.”

I thought about it. “What else?”

“I wish we could run together,” she said. “I had a great deal of fun tonight. But I wish we could just run together. That’s not something we can fix.”

“I suppose I don’t get to ride you like a pony.”

She barked a short laugh. “No.”

“There might be a compromise. I used to bike, before I got the Prius. My bicycle was stolen. I know it’s not the same, and maybe you don’t want to run along a road or the sort of trail I can bike. And you couldn’t tackle me or roughhouse.”

She thought about it. “You’re right. It wouldn’t be the same. But it might be fun. Let’s see how we feel about it in a few weeks.” She paused. “If we decide to do it, I will buy the bike. You’ll have to leave it here, anyway.”

I nodded. I was going to try very hard not to let money interfere with this.

I enjoyed her company far too much to let something like money destroy a burgeoning relationship.

“I think I understand what you mean when you talk about being dominant. Or I’m learning. But I don’t know what you want from me. Do you want me to fight? Or do you want me meek?”

“I want you to be you,” she replied. “As long as you’re okay that I win.”

I chuckled. “I don’t know. I feel like so far, I won.” I began to stroke her, my fingers finding one of her nipples, but she captured my hand and brought it to her lips for a kiss, then held it.

I didn’t think I understood what she wanted, but perhaps I would learn.

After a while, we slept.

We made love again in the morning, this time a little more mutually. We were basking afterwards when her phone buzzed. She rolled out from underneath me and checked it, then sighed.

“I’m sorry. I have to go. Duty calls.”

“How do I get home?”

“I thought you were staying.”

“No. I stayed the night. You have to work, and I don’t want to sit around here all day.”

“So you’ll sit alone at home for a few hours, then come back?”

“Elisabeth, I have to stop by the printers and pick up a few prints to mail, then I have to get them on their way. I also have to fill Michaela’s orders plus one or two others that arrived this week.” I paused. “And I bet you don’t have a single thing in this house I can eat. Next time, I’ll drive my own car.”

“No, I’m sorry,” she said. “You can use my Prius. It’s in the garage. I’ll leave the key for you. I’m sorry, I don’t have time to be gallant. I have to hop in the shower. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine,” I said to her retreating back.

While she was showering, I dressed. She was quick and she caught me as I was pulling on my shoes.

“You could have relaxed,” she said.

“Lots to do.”

Wearing nothing but a towel, she crossed the room to me, and I let her pull me into her arms. I lifted my head and got a kiss for my efforts.

“I’ll see you this afternoon.”

“I’m not staying over tonight. If I bring your car back, how will I get home?”

“I’ll drive you,” she said. “But I think you should bring an overnight bag anyway. In case I manage to change your mind. Give me a minute and I’ll see you out.”

She headed to her closest and threw some clothes on, taking only a couple of minutes. When she reappeared, she took my hand and led me downstairs.

“That’s for you,” she said, pointing to a zippered blue pouch sitting on the kitchen counter. “It’s your materials for class. You’ll need to bring it tonight. If you get a chance, you might want to start reading it. I suspect the other students have a jump on you.”

I nodded. “Am I the only human?”

“Yes, but don’t worry about that.”

I nodded. “All right.”

She kept her car key on a hook near the back door leading into her garage. She handed it to me then pulled me into another kiss. We hugged afterwards, and she whispered to me, “I had a very nice time, Zoe.”

“I did, too.”

* * * *

I drove home, lost in thought. Really, I was on cloud nine. I had more than a nice time.

Elisabeth was amazing.

I was terribly afraid I wouldn’t measure up, but she knew what I was, and she still seemed to want me around. I decided to believe her when she said she had fun last night. I surprised myself: I had, too.

But I didn’t want a de facto relationship. I didn’t want to go from refusing to see her to, in effect, moving in. I worried that if I spent more than one night in a row at her place, that’s what we would have.

I wanted to make her work for it. I wondered if she would. It was convenient to ask me out last night, and it was convenient to ask me to stay again tonight. But if I were out of sight, would I be out of mind? I didn’t know.

At home, I had breakfast then showered, got dressed for the day, and then checked my email. The printer I used for my prints was local, but I placed my orders via the Internet. I checked all my orders, entering them into my system, then ordered the appropriate prints. They would be available on Tuesday. I then drove to the printer and picked up the ones they had waiting for me.

I do my own matting and framing except for the most expensive pieces. I could do it myself and save a lot of money, which left room for better prices while also making a little more money for the extra effort. But I wasn’t good enough for the fancy frames; Michaela’s order would be framed by a framing shop. I didn’t have to worry about that today, as I didn’t have her prints yet.

So I took everything back home and began the process of matting and framing the pieces. Then I had another trip to send them out. FedEx was my friend.

Business was definitely up since joining the pack, and my personal finances were just beginning to look a little less tattered. I didn’t know if I could count on that trend continuing, but I wasn’t going to complain about it.

Over lunch, I opened the packet. I found a note from Karen.

Zoe, I’m so glad you’re joining us this weekend. You’re the only human amongst a small class of five, but don’t worry about that. You’ll be fine. If you can, please read the first three chapters of the book. If you have time, read more. Friday, you only need to bring this packet. There’s even a pen in here. But the rest of the weekend, you’ll also need to bring your gear, as we’ll spend time in the pool.

See you Friday.

Karen.

PS. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you, but it’s best I say something anyway. Letters that include the phrase “The Only Human” should be properly stored or destroyed.

I laughed at the last part. I was a little intimidated by being the only human. But they knew I was human when they invited me. Heck, they knew I was human when they invited me into the pack. I was going to do the best I could to avoid letting that bother me. Even though I was worried I could even lift the gear. It had all looked very heavy.

I cracked open the book and began reading.

* * * *

I arrived back at the compound right at 3:30, but I wasn’t actually sure where I was supposed to go. Michaela had only said, “Be here.”

I had Elisabeth’s car, so I drove to her house, put her car in the garage, and then poked my nose into her house to see if she was home. She wasn’t, so I headed for the alphas’ home.

The walk from Elisabeth’s to Lara and Michaela’s home went between the barracks and the field we used during picnics. As I walked past, there was a group of teenage wolves playing some sort of game, but I didn’t immediately recognize the rules. I recognized the wolves as some of Michaela’s students, so I presumed school was out. I watched the game for just a minute or so before continuing on.

I arrived at the front door of Lara and Michaela’s house not encountering anyone else. I had been hoping an enforcer would be hanging out, someone who could tell me where I was supposed to go. I stared at the door for a minute. Every time I had come here, I had either been with someone else, or it had been so busy that people were going in and out of the house, so it hadn’t seemed so odd to do so myself.

It felt weird, but after staring at the door for a while, willing someone to spontaneously notice me and step outside, I took the last two steps, opened the door, and said, “Hello. It’s Zoe.”

“Come in Zoe,” Michaela said. “Don’t wait on ceremony.”

I stepped in and closed the door before looking around. Michaela was sitting on the sofa with both girls, one on either side. Serena and Portia were hanging around, looking casual, but I’m sure they weren’t all that casual at all. I didn’t see anyone else.

“I was wondering how long you were going to stand there,” Michaela said.

“You knew I was there?”

“Uh huh,” she replied. “I was letting you work it out, although if you had waited too long, I would have sent these two around the outside to tackle you.”

“You wouldn’t!”

She smiled. “You never know. The protocol in this house is to enter and say your name. You don’t have to wait.”

I nodded. She was confirming what I’d been told.

“I wasn’t sure where I was supposed to go. You said ‘here’. I wasn’t sure if that meant here-here, or the compound-here.”

Michaela chuckled. “I meant here-here. Class is in the school, and Karen will pop in to collect you.” She looked over her shoulder. “Could one of you let Karen know that Zoe is here?”

“Yes, Alpha,” Portia replied. She pulled out her phone.

“I was just catching up with the girls,” Michaela said. “We’re going to let them watch a few minutes of television, and when Mommy Wolf gets home, we’re going for a run.”

“Yes, Mommy Fox,” the girls said in unison.

Michaela flowed to her feet and crossed the room to me, pulling me into a hug. Then she took my hand and led me towards the kitchen. Portia, still on the phone, tried to precede us, but Michaela said, “Stay with the children. I’m safe with Zoe.”

“Alpha…” Serena said. “I would rather you all stayed in one room.”

Michaela eyed her, then snorted, just like Elisabeth did when she wanted to say ‘no’. “Fine. We’ll sit here.” She gestured to the table, leading me to a seat. She took one kitty corner. “Tell me about your
date
.”

I colored immediately, and Michaela grinned.

“Not that part,” she added. “I didn’t get a chance to grill Elisabeth today. You two played. I need to know how that went.”

I knew I was still blushing, but I smiled. “That was really fun. Did she tell you anything?”

“We barely exchanged ‘hello’ this morning, but Lara actually had to text her to ask, ‘Where are you’ this morning, so I am thinking you spent the night.”

I nodded.

“I’m not going to tease you about that, Zoe. The wolves might, but I remember how hard it was for me at first. But I do need to know what you played.”

“As alpha?” I asked.

“Yes.”

I looked down. “Or as matchmaker?”

She laughed. “That, too. Tell me everything.”

“I let her hunt me.”

Michaela grinned. “Lara and I play that game a lot.”

“I imagine you’re a whole lot harder to find than I am. She gave me a five-minute head start, and every time she found me within a minute, two at the most.”

“Did you have fun?”

“A blast. I made her, um… catch me.”

“She was in fur?” I nodded. “Were you scared?”

“No. Um. I sort of teased her a little. I told her I’d think of her as a big guard dog. That helped a lot, and she didn’t seem to mind the comparison.”

“It’s a good comparison,” Michaela replied.

We talked for several minutes, Michaela asking a variety of questions. In the end, I thanked her for talking to me yesterday. She smiled at that. “I’m glad you had a nice time.”

“I don’t know if this is going to be a long term relationship,” I admitted, “and I’m watching my heart. But I like her, and I like being with her.”

“Give it a chance,” Michaela said. Then she grinned. “Are you spending the night?”

“No. I’m being careful about dangerous precedents and lesbian clichés.”

“Ah, I understand,” she said. “I had one of those, about two years after I arrived in Bayfield. I met a woman. She came back to my house on our second date and didn’t leave for weeks.”

“That’s a long sex fest,” I said.

“Oh, you did not just go there,” she said. “You did not start teasing me about sex when I told you I wouldn’t tease you.”

I lowered my eyes. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to tease you. It just sort of popped out.”

“I’ll forgive you. This time.” When I looked up, she was smiling.

From behind me, I heard the front door open, and someone said, “Karen.” I glanced over, and the enforcer was just entering the door.

My heart began pounding.

“Easy, Zoe,” Michaela said. “Karen, wait there for a minute.” Then she spoke quietly to me, her hand on my arm. “You’re safe. No one is going to hurt you.”

I glanced nervously over my shoulder then turned back to Michaela. I took several deep breaths, trying to calm down before I needed a shower.

“You can do this,” Michaela said. “Once Lara claimed you for the pack, you became a sort of mascot. All the enforcers feel deeply protective of you now, not just Elisabeth. It’s their way.”

I took several more breaths then smiled weakly. “I’m fine. Do I smell?”

She sniffed. “Not that I can tell.” Then she gestured, and Serena moved closer, leaning over Michaela’s shoulder. “Zoe had a little moment of panic. Does she need to clean up?”

“She’s fine,” Serena said. “A minute or two outside wouldn’t hurt, but as long as there isn’t any additional panic, she’s fine.”

“Please, Serena. I don’t want to smell like fear all night.”

“You won’t,” she replied. “What set it off?”

“Karen,” Michaela said.

“Why?” Serena sounded perplexed.

“Bank trip,” I said. “Flashbacks.”

“Oh.” She paused. “Karen wouldn’t hurt you.”

I took a couple of deep breaths then nodded. “Were we done, Alpha?”

“We were done. I’ll see you in the morning. If you arrive early, you can come here, otherwise go straight to the school.”

I clasped hands with her then stood up. She and Serena stayed where they were. I turned to Karen. She was leaning against the wall near the door. I walked slowly to her. She watched me the entire time.

“Hello, Karen,” I said.

“Good afternoon, Zoe.”

I walked straight up to her. My heart wasn’t entirely settled down, but I was doing okay. She pushed away from the wall as I drew closer, but she had a relaxed appearance. I stopped a couple of feet in front of her, looking up at her. I took a few more deep breaths.