Fox Dish (Madison Wolves #6) (29 page)

"Will you tell me first?"

"No."

"Is Lara going to be angry?"

"No. I don't think so. Maybe. I don't know. I'm doing it anyway."

She sighed. "Is there going to be another hearing?"

"No."

At ten minutes to three I told her, "I am going to the meeting with whatever detail is assembled. You'll have a little time to collect the rest, but probably not much." I headed for the door without waiting for her, but she caught up to me and preceded me out the door. Emanuel and Rory were waiting. "I'll collect Angel-"

"No. She isn't experienced enough for this. Is Eric available?"

She nodded. "I'll get him while you're in the meeting."

We headed for the barracks via the school. From my office I collected a manila folder. Arriving at the barracks we found Gia and Karen guarding the door to the council chamber. The doors were open, allowing entrance. My security detail peeled off at the doorway. I turned to them. "I do not expect this meeting to last long unless someone else brings something up.

"Yes, Alpha," Serena said immediately.

I caressed her check and accepted touches from all the wolves there before I brushed past them and into the council chambers.

About half the council had already arrived. Lara and Elisabeth were quietly talking to a few council members. Elis
abeth immediately detached herself and drew me to one side. "What's going on?"

"You'll see. Is
there wagering?"

She laughed. "No. Should I be worried?"

"I may be doing something very foolish, but I think it's the right thing to do."

"Is Lara going to be angry?"

"Serena asked the same question. She's going to be surprised. She may object. If so, she'll convince everyone else to her side instead of mine, and that's fine. I expect you to vote with her when it gets to a vote, but if you agree with me, I hope you will argue for me."

"Michaela, I always vote my conscience, regardless of Lara's opinion."

"And yet, I have never seen you vote in council contrary to Lara's wishes."

"That's because she's always right."

I laughed. "I might be wrong this time, but even if I am, I will make a statement."

"Are you about to challenge Christopher West?"

"Why, Elisabeth, I am Omega. I am not allowed to challenge anyone."

"Except, apparently, members of other packs."

"Well, I'm not their Omega." I licked my lips. "Head enforcer, I will require fifteen seconds of your time with the alpha immediately after the meeting, and I mean immediately, prior to any of the council members leaving the building."

"Yes, Alpha," she said immediately.

At three, Lara called the meeting to order. We had a quorum, barely, and Mr. West was in attendance.

"Michaela asked for this meeting," Lara said. "She promised to be brief."

I stood up, opened the manila folder, and slid a single sheet of paper to Lara. She read it and said, "No!" in a firm voice.

"Yes," I said. "I insist."

"No," Lara said again.

"Read it. Open it for discussion. I will accept the council's decision."

Lara looked at the paper and began reading. "As Michaela Burns, Omega Fox and Madison Alpha, has demonstrated her competence in single combat, her status as Omega is rescinded."

"I'm sorry if that's phrased poorly," I said. "If there is better phrasing, I am happy with that."

"This is foolish," Lara said immediately. "For all the reasons we offered you Omega two years ago."

"No one in the pack is going to mess with me," I said. "I play for keeps, so petty games aren't going to happen or someone will find silver between his ribs."

"You could be challenged when you don't have your knives."

"Frankly, Lara, no one would dare. They would have to kill me, because they would know the instant I got my hands on my knives, I'd turn around and kill them. And if they kill me, you'll kill them. Or Elisabeth will. I can handle anything else."

"This is foolish," Lara said again.

"Maybe," I said. "But I believe it is wrong for me to hide behind the shield of Omega when I am clearly capable of defending myself against virtually all challengers. Even you."

She sighed. "Discussion?"

"I think it's a great idea," Christopher said immediately.
God, what an idiot.

"That's an argument
for Lara's position," Vivien said too quietly for anyone but me to hear.

Discussion lasted about ten minutes, and Lara didn't raise any further objections. I leaned over to her and said, "If you ask, I'll withdraw my motion."

"I don't like it," she said. "But you're probably right. We'll let it go to a vote, if this is what you really want."

"It is," I said.

She reached down and clasped my hand.

In the end, Lara abstained. The motion passed unanimously.

"Is there other business?" Lara asked. There wasn't. "We are adjourned," she said.

"Alpha, head enforcer, I require a brief conference immediately. And I mean immediately."

I didn't wait. I grabbed Lara's hand and began pulling her towards the door, making sure we got there before anyone else did, Elisabeth on our heels. I led them out the chambers and down the stairs. "Serena, give us privacy," I said on my way past.

As soon as we had some distance, I said, "Head enforcer, unless Lara overrides me, I want you to take all steps to ensure Christopher West stays for the picnic. If he attempts to leave, you will delay him while sending someone to retrieve me."

"Damn it," Lara said.

"Are you overriding me?" I asked her.

"No. Is that what this was about?"

"Yes. Are you going to ask me to stand down?"

"No."

I smiled. "Thank you. Let's start the party early."

* * * *

It was a nice party. It was mid-April and a beautiful, if crisp day. Perfect wolf weather and not bad for one small fox, either.

I consumed no alcohol and ate carefully. Nearly everyone from the council remained for the picnic, and when I wandered past Elisabeth, she assured me Mr. West had made no indication he would be leaving early.

"He's been eyeing you. I think he's planning trouble."

"Good. Maybe he'll make this especially easy. You will let me handle this."

"Yes, Alpha."

I found Lara and told her the same thing. "Yes, Alpha," she said.

Then I pulled Serena to the side. "You should know. It will be announced shortly. I have renounced my status of Omega. If he doesn't beat me to it, I will be challenging Christo
pher West immediately after dinner. He will either voluntarily resign from the council or I am going to kill him."

Serena's eyes widened, but she didn't reprimand me. "Yes, A
lpha," she said after a moment.

"You may tell Emanuel, no one else."

"If he challenges you," she asked, "are we to stop him?"

"You will stop anyone who attempts to jump me without warning or when I am unarmed or injured. Otherwise I will fight my own battles." I paused. "Would that be in keeping with expectations if I were a wolf?"

"No one challenges the alpha's mate unless he is willing to also challenge the alpha. And there is no way your security detail will let anyone jump you."

"Thank you." I hugged her briefly.

Once the meal was over, I leaned to Lara. "Announce my new status."

She sighed but stood up and collected everyone's attention. "Thank you for coming. We'll have a nice run shortly. Little Fox, do you have a game planned tonight?"

"No, but hopefully we'll play something I can enjoy."

"I'm sure someone will recommend something," Lara said. She paused and began pacing.

"Just do it, Lara," I said quietly.

She glared at me
then addressed the wolves. "I have one short announcement. As Michaela has demonstrated such extreme competence in dealing with challenges, she has asked her status of Omega be withdrawn. The council has agreed. Michaela Burns, Alpha Fox of the Madison Weres, is no longer Omega status. She may now both accept and offer challenge." Lara paused. "She still has a security detail, and she is my mate. And she plays for keeps. Only a fool would challenge her."

"Does that mean we can take her throat on a run?" Rory asked. I wondered if Elisabeth had primed him with that question.

"You may try," Lara said. "You may want to think about what she'll do in return when she has her knives back."

"I wouldn't kill you, Rory," I said. "I'm sure a little silver poisoning won't be too unpleasant."

There were a few chuckles. Rory grinned at me.

I stood up. "To be clear, I do not expect to be sucked into petty dominance games. I play to win. If you decide to play rough with me, expect me to play rough back." And I let my knives show.

"All right," Lara said. "We'll mingle for another twenty minutes or so, and I'm sure someone will provide some entertainment for us by then."

I was immediately surrounded by curious wolves, some of them my students
. I basically said, "We'll figure it out as we go." I answered a few more questions then said, "Let's talk later. I have something I need to do." I stepped through them then turned to Serena. "Showtime. I want a huge audience. If necessary, help me gather one."

I crossed thirty yards of field, drawing closer to where Christopher stood, talking to a few people. "Christopher West!" I said in a voice designed to project. "You are an idiot!"

The wolves closest to me moved away, and all the wolves began forming a circle.

Christopher turned to me, surprise evident on his face. "How dare you address me in this fashion?"

"Oh, I definitely dare," I said. "Your inept machinations resulted in a great deal of unnecessary heartache for much of the pack. You took great glee in seeing me tried for capital crimes, and you did so for the simple reason that I embarrassed you during a council meeting last autumn. Due to your extreme stupidity, you have lost what little confidence you had with your alphas, the enforcers in the pack, and a significant number, perhaps all, of your fellow council members. You are incompetent and too stupid to know it."

"How dare you?" He thundered, advancing on me.

"We've been through that," I told him.

By now, every wolf in attendance was silent, watching the scene unfold.

"If you can get half the council members here to tell me I am wrong," I said, "I will offer you my heartfelt and deeply embarrassed apology."

He drew closer, stopping five feet in front of me. I crossed my arms, but my hands were on my knives. I didn't think he would recognize my posture, but every enforcer in the pack did. My security detail stepped away from me, leaving me to handle it. Lara stood nearby, also watching, but not saying a word.

"Alpha!" West said. "Control your mate!"

I knew he was addressing Lara, but I turned the tables. "I wouldn't dream of controlling my mate," I replied. "It's much better when we are strong for each other."

He sputtered at me.

"You declared war on me when you took great glee in seeing me tried for capital crimes," I said. "As I said, you have lost any confidence we have had in you, and you are unfit to remain on the council. You will resign or face challenge!"

"You can't order me to resign," he said. "And who would dare challenge me?"

"You asked me that once before," I said. "The answer hasn't changed. I will challenge you."

"You can't challenge me!" he yelled.

"You really weren't listening," I said. "I am no longer Omega. I certainly can challenge you."

"Actually," Ron Berg said. "I'm not sure you can. You are already on the council, and you can't hold two seats. At the very least, it would require a vote of the council, the entire council."

"I see," I said. "So, Mr. West, are you so afraid of me, you will hide behind a technicality like that?"

"You can't challenge me," he said. "And I'm not resigning."

Behind me, I heard Serena and Emanuel talking quietly. "You or me?" Emanuel asked.

"You hate politics," Serena said.

"So do you," Emanuel said.

"But I'm better at it than you are," she replied.

He sighed. "Make me proud."

Serena stepped up to my side.

"No," I said quietly. "This is my fight. I'll goad him until he loses control."

"This is better."

"I can beat him."

"I know you can."

"Name me your champion. That's an order."

"I'm sorry, but it's not a legal order, or I would. I'd rather you killed him, but either way, everything you said is correct."

"So," West said. "Is your pet enforcer talking sense into you?"