Ch 38 Before the Council

Wednesday evening had me setting two cups down next to my phone. I had seen Mahina pull in and ordered hers. She gave me a look when I insisted she keep her chair pulled close to mine.

"I have a date with someone else," I told her, laughing at the look she gave me. My  phone beeped and I set it between us so Mahina could see who I was talking to.

"Brother? What am I looking at? Which way do you have your camera pointing? Did you read the stories I told you to read? Did you tell her yet? Mom, you said a half hour! We just started!"

"Little Sister are you yelling again?"

"No!" A pause. "Yes," she added sullenly. "Mom brought me in a snack. It's rude to talk and eat."

"If it makes you feel better Mahina and I are at the coffee shop while we talk."

"Oh are you having a caramel macchiato? Those are so good but Mom doesn't let me have too much coffee."

I laughed at the scrunched up face Tammy was making as I introduced her to Mahina. Tammy was fuming that I hadn't explained anything to Mahina yet. That took most of the half hour she was allotted.

We signed off with me agreeing to talk to her the next night, and probably every night. It was easy to see why her mother set limits for her.

"So she thinks you're a werewolf?"

"Worse. She thought I was her werewolf mate whose bite would heal her of her cancer." 

Mahina did a little silent ohhh so similar to Tammy's as I continued. "But we worked it out. She understands now that my bite won't heal her, and that she and I are definitely not mates! She has agreed to settle for being my sister, especially once she decided you're my Luna," I finished with a laugh.

"I'm still trying to understand exactly what a Luna is supposed to be. Can't you just convince her you aren't a werewolf? You'd think that would be easy to do."

"But I am a werewolf," I whispered with a grin.

Mahina just shook her head at me. "I'm beginning to understand why people got upset with you when you talked about storytime, even if it was magical."

I saw humor and love in the look she gave me, making me more determined than ever in my decision to go before the council.

Later that night I decided to pull one on Mac since I had time while waiting for Jacob to arrive. I was in a playful mood.

"Hey Mac," I hollered out. I caught Derricks eye and winked with a grin.

"What?" He came out of the kitchen

"My secret's out."

He gave me this look, worry lines furrowing his brow, absently setting the pan in his hand down on the kitchen table.

"Yep. Tammy knows I'm a werewolf!"

Mac's eyes got big, until Derrick snickered and broke out laughing.

I laughed as well, shaking my head.

"That's the make-a-wish recipient, right?" Derrick asked.

I nodded, while winking at Mac. Mac looked like he was about to blow a gasket!

"Yeah, when I showed up at her door and made like her stuffed wolf was howling, she decided I was the wolf that she saw the day of the race. You should have heard her squeal!  She decided on the spot I must be a werewolf!" I laughed some more, pointing a finger at Mac.

"The look on your face! Totally..."

Who knew someone that big could move that fast! He had me in a headlock I wasn't even trying to get out of because I was too busy laughing. He rubbed his knuckles on my head giving me a noogy before letting me go.

"You are one messed up little shit, you know that?"

"I do now! Give me your phone."

"Don't know why I should. After that stunt I should delete your number," Mac growled while handing me his phone.

I went to the website and handed it back to him to set up an account. He took his phone back while still glaring at me. He looked oddly thoughtful as he set up his account. I took his phone back, added her profile then sent her a message from Mac's account.

Little sister, this is the other human in my pack, and the man who helped arrange my flight to get your wolf back so quickly. Please keep in mind he's a busy man. Love Little Wolf

I showed it to Mac.

"The other? You really have lost your marbles."

I just chuckled and clapped him on the back. "Tammy wanted to thank you for helping with my transport there."

I was glad Jacob walked in right then, giving me a reason to avoid an irate Mac. I was curious to see how Jacob planned on teaching me.

Working with Jacob was like taking what I had learned from both my parents and adding science and math to it. He was surprised at my understanding of anatomy until I told him about my mom being a veterinarian. He used math to explain leverage. I used instinct. He explained about blows against internal organs and the ratio of a strike's power versus what the muscle can absorb. We worked on aim, making precise hits against specific organs. Even though it didn't seem like a difficult workout, I found myself satisfyingly wore out by the time he called it a night.

I could hear Mac in the basement as I made good my escape.

My boss, John, was still acting strangely at work. He kept sending me off to areas that really didn't need anything, or had me spending the day doing little busy work.

The weekend couldn't come fast enough!

This time it was Mahina and I on my bike, with her luggage in Derrick's car. I was used to traveling light, and her full suitcase for a weekend trip left me shaking my head.

Derrick patted my shoulder. "It's a woman thing," he said after I had swung it with a grunt into his trunk. "You should see what my mom ends up packing whenever we traveled. I swear she packs everything but the kitchen sink!"

Both Mahina and Derrick enjoyed the tour of the ice caves, especially since it was a private tour. Derrick was pressuring Chani to talk about whatever was between her and I. He was getting frustrated with her. I knew at some point we would all have to talk about it. For now I tried to ignore them as I enjoyed Mahina's company.

That evening I walked into the council meeting on my own. The few times I had been before the council, it had only been a few council members and I had been silent unless some asked me something directly. Usually it was if I gotten into trouble and the council wanted assurance that I would behave. Now for the first time I came on my own behalf.

Running Elk and I exchanged a look, him acknowledging my medicine bag, me showing him a claw while tilting my head slightly toward the elders. His eyes got wide for a second before he gave a slight nod.

"Little Wolf, what are you doing here?" asked one of the council members.

"I have a few things I wanted to make the council aware of."

"I can't think of any reason for you to be here. You haven't been chosen to intern with the council."

A few others murmured agreement. Before I could respond to what was clearly meant as an insult, Auntie came over and put her hand on the councilman's arm.

"Where is your father, Little Wolf?"

"At home. He isn't the one with news for the council."

"Wait in the back of the room, Little Wolf."

I gave her a slight nodding bow and headed back toward where Running Elk was standing.

"Cuz?"

I just shook my head, not willing to get him in trouble. I didn't understand the attitude I was getting. After awhile I caught his eye and looked down toward my side briefly. I looked back up when I saw him glancing over and used my thumb to double tap my ring finger. I refused to look back over at him. When I finally gave in and moved my eyes slightly he merely flared his nostrils at me to express his excitement, while trying not to grin.

During our silent conversation the council had finally finished gathering and Grandfather had started the pipe. Only those who were speaking had the pipe passed to them, and I wasn't invited forward.

I didn't come to observe or be ignored. I felt a growl work it's way up and I swallowed it down. Anna came in, whispered to Auntie, who sent her over to Grandfather. I could see the disconcerted looks from some of the other council members.

"Is there something we should be aware of?" asked the man from earlier.

Grandfather was in no hurry, holding out his hand for the pipe. He waited for the pipe to make its way back to him and took a puff before speaking.

"Little Wolf," he said as his eyes suddenly focused on me, "why don't you wait at my place and we will speak after the council meeting."

"I came to make a request or two of the council, and to update you with what has been happening with my pack."

"Pack," someone scoffed. "You take this wolf thing too far sometimes Little Wolf."

"This wolf thing?"

"We will speak later Little Wolf. You are dismissed," Grandfather said, as if I was a child.

"I came to..."

"You are dismissed, Little Wolf," Grandfather commanded, raising his voice slightly.

"Dismissed?" I growled. "Why? Because of this wolf thing?"