Rogue Wolf

Ch 56 the girl

"Scout, you're already up?" my Max asked, almost passing where I was crouched on a bower wall.

I quickly shifted to full human to answer him. "Yeah, I had trouble sleeping, went out to run the town."

"And here I was looking forward to sliding into bed with you for a bit this morning."

I smiled at him, jumping down with a flip to reach for his hand. I had been debating whether or not to tell him about the ready-made pack waiting behind the remaining barred door. I had finally decided not to. I was not going to expose those people to Alpha. I had not scented anything fresh from our previous leader down that hall. I had a feeling he didn't dare leave our true Alpha alone.

The hall outside Missus G's... my, apartment, had led to a staircase. I had not seen any elevators. The stairs came out just inside the parking garage, through a steel door marked "Employees Only" on the outside. The door pushed open from the inside. There was no knob on the outside. I had run my hand over the flat surface where a doorknob would normally be. There was a peephole, which meant during the day someone had to stand a sentry post to let people in. It also meant there was a curfew or schedule for people coming in. I had scented many people who had gone in and out of that door.

I had also caught whiffs of wolf by some of the apartment doors, very faint, but none in the hall. If there were werewolves in that area, and I was pretty sure there were, they were staying hidden. I had at first wondered if there was some sort of leader for them, but if they were staying in their own apartments, they might not even know about each other. I was betting Steven knew and was helping them stay hidden.

My poor Max, so eager to rebuild his pack, so blind to everything around him... or was he? He had only just shown me the hidden pathway to spy on his pack. What else was there I was clueless about?

We made it to my, our, bedroom. Michael was cocooned on the bed as usual; Lone Wolf was spread out on the other side of the bed. I grinned at Max, motioning toward the bathroom. He looked at me quizzically, but followed me. A moment later we were tiptoeing out of the bathroom to either side of the bed. I grinned over at Max in anticipation.

"Aaghhhhh," Lone Wolf yelled as I splashed the water from the small paper cup I held into his face. I was glad I stood back to throw it; the dude had quick reflexes! As Michael woke up, Max threw his small cup of water at him. Michael ended up falling off the bed.

"And that's how you prank someone," I chuckled with satisfaction, enjoying this moment. I had never pranked anyone before. Lone Wolf wasn't willing to let it go though, grabbing me, throwing me down on the bed and tickling me mericilessly. I squirmed under him, laughing my ass off.

Michael only waited a moment. "You got him?" he asked.

Lone Wolf must have nodded because suddenly Michael had fingers digging into my sides. I gasped out, managing to point a finger at my Max. Lone Wolf took the hint, grabbing Max and throwing him down on the bed next to me. I noticed that Lone Wolf kept his bulk between Michael and Max just in case. It had to be the best tickle-fest ever, something else I had never participated in before. By the time Michael withdrew, I was laughing so hard I had tears running down my face. I curled into my Max, smiling at him with a real smile. Max seemed to be debating just how he was supposed to react to this assault on his dignity, especially with my guard arriving in my doorway.

"Good, you're here," I said, leaning up on an elbow as I caught my breath. "After breakfast I want you to escort Michael up to the roof. I'll join you guys up there later. I think I'm going to take a nap after breakfast."

"Have you forgotten your female so soon, my Beta?"

With so much on my mind, I had, but wasn't going to admit it. "I had hoped we could take care of that while breakfast is getting ready."

Max gave me another one of those looks, like he didn't know what to make of me, but nodded. I gave Max's hand a tug, leading him toward the door.

"Oh, Michael," I called out as I stepped over the prone guard, "remember Max said we should pick one of the teen omegas to be assigned to us? Choose one of them, will you?"

Michael was looking at me with almost horror on his face. I couldn't help grinning at him. "And don't forget you can command our guard too, within reason. Make sure he stays dressed and no lower than knees," I growled slightly as I bumped the guard with my foot. "See you at breakfast." I waved at Michael, taking in the befuddled look on Lone Wolf's face as Max and I walked out.

This morning would have been different without the letter I had sealed in a bag and buried in the garden. I breathed deep, as if I could still smell the old flowery perfume. I marveled at how her simple declaration of love for me had unwound all the tension that had been in me; that, and knowing why I had buried those memories. Veiled death threats by the unknown man from my childhood meant nothing to me now, knowing all I did. The old fears spawned that night had faded to nothing. It meant I could face that part of my past. The guilt I had felt over her death, as if I had somehow caused it just by befriending her family, was gone. I understood now why I had distanced myself from Mister G.

I was still smiling as Max unlocked the apartment before Alpha's. I was confused for a moment.

"I made sure the girls had their own space, away from Alpha and the guards," Max told me proudly.

I buried my automatic reaction, which was that he was an idiot for not bringing them into our territory. The first thing I noticed going in behind Max was the smell of Alpha's piss all around the doorway. It was almost enough to make me gag. I had gotten used to our fresh air and clean environment.

There was one girl I could see. She scampered off, being quick to return with two other girls behind her. All three of them went to their knees before Max. He walked among them, stroking them gently.

The youngest looked to be about sixteen or seventeen, the oldest around twenty, though it was hard to be sure. They were all wearing that simple shift of a dress I had glimpsed once before. I was glad they were at least dressed!

"She's, uh, pregnant," I said, pointing out the obvious baby bump on the eldest. My comment hit a nerve with my Max. He stiffened up but didn't turn toward me.

"Alpha has chosen her," he said. He gave his attention to one of the others then. Too much attention!

"Dude, get a room," I cried out, turning away.

Max's hand was on my shoulder. He gently turned me around, looking intently at my face. I don't know what he thought he'd find. I lowered my eyes to hide my embarrassment. Apparently satisfied, he trailed his hand down my arm until he was holding my hand. He guided me over to the third one, putting my hand on her head.

"This one will be yours," he declared.

While I had no idea what to do next, I was damn sure about what I wouldn't be doing! A thought occurred to me suddenly. A wicked grin at the thought of the guards' probable reaction to my wild idea crossed my face. I tried to suppress it so I wouldn't frighten the girl under my hand. I moved the girl's chin up so I could really look at her. She wouldn't meet my eyes.

"Hey," I said softly. When she kept her eyes down and didn't answer I knew I had my work cut out for me. "Gather up anything that's yours, we'll get you set up with the scouts."

"Beta, the women..."

"My lord," I started, interrupting him. Turning to him I realized my disrespectful interruption had royally ticked my royal alpha off. I don't think I'd ever seen him so mad at me. His sudden anger reminded me of my own. I realized I wasn't the only one dealing with my past. It made me wonder what all had happened with the guards.

"My lord," I repeated deliberately, "You said she would be mine. I need her more as a scout than I need her for anything else. Besides, I'm guessing she's underage. Nobody should be doing anything with her, not for another year or two at least. I obey my Alpha's command to stop the abuse. I obey my Alpha, I protect our pack."

I went to my knees then, not as I had lately, full of my love for him, but as I did that time in the motel laundry room. I acknowledged him as my Alpha who had the right to command me. Even as I prepared myself to obey him, I also knew there were some things he could command of me that I would have to refuse. I could only hope that he trusted me to know what I was doing, no matter how often I inadvertently offended him.