Page 40 of Welcome Home: When Shifters Unite!
Robbie pours me an iced tea, which he knows I like when he makes it for me. “Here you are, and yes, they are in your office. Mavis is in there too.”
“Thank you, Robbie.” I lean in and kiss his cheek, which always has him pink a little on the top of his ears. Blue chuckles in the back of my mind and I walk to the office, iced tea in hand, thinking that having Robbie here was one of the best moves I ever made.
Stepping into the office, I quickly notice that Leo and Rom have brought a large table from somewhere and placed it along one wall. Walking over, I scan what they have on the table, and it’s a schedule of border patrols, plus one listing all warriors, another for trainee warriors and one for child minders.
“What is the one for child minders?” I ask.
Leo takes the lead by speaking. “If we have an attack of any kind and the alarm sounds. We have these she-wolves and human females who will ensure every child is in a safe place.They will remain with the children and protect them to the full extent of their abilities. We have placed an experienced she-wolf alongside a human, so they will have strength if needed. But, saying that, the human women are coming to training and learning all they can about defense.”
“That is a good idea. Did you have anyone that objected to the idea?” I sip my tea as I look over the list once more.
“Of course, Maisie had objections…” Rom begins, but I cut him off quickly.
“Maisie isn’t working at the café. She’s not on the list for child minding, and I don’t see her on any of your other lists. So…what exactly is she doing?” I look at Leo and wait for his explanation.
“Maisie is doing nothing. She’s running up a debt at the store, and I have to tell you Asher is not happy about it.” Leo looks very aggravated. “She’s living in her mother's house, and I know it’s in terrible shape. She is just idle, and I don’t think we’ll have any way to motivate her.”
Taking a seat behind my desk, I steeple my fingers while I think of a solution. “Bring Asher here for me to speak to him. Attend the store while he does Rom. Leo, I want him here and then find and watch Maisie until I tell you to bring her to me.”
They both look puzzled, but give me a nod, ‘Yes, Alpha’ and walk out to do my bidding.
Mavis, who has been busy at her desk, has not said a word since I came into the office. But now she’s giving me a questioning look. I give her a shrug of the shoulders and keep my thoughts to myself, for now at least.
Finishing my tea, I take my cup to the kitchen, rinse it and place it in the dishwasher. Looking out of the window, I softly smileas I watch Robbie tending the garden. He’s talking to the plants, and it makes him all the sweeter to me. He’s a great person, and I think he would have been a fantastic shifter of any species.
“You want me to do what?” Asher splutters, and I have to hold back the laughter that is at the back of my throat. “No, I don’t think this is a good idea.”
Now, I knew this was going to be shocking for him, but I’ve involved Dottie in the process, and she’s onboard. When I mind linked her, she was more than happy to do my bidding. Blue chuckles in the back of my mind, and I can tell she’s enjoying all this drama.
“Come on, Asher. You know, it’s the only way you will get any form of reimbursement. She will never be able to pay you what she owes. You should have come to me sooner, and not let her run up a debt as she has.” I give Asher a look that quiets him.
Asher retakes the seat in front of my desk. “Alpha Adira, you know what you are asking, don’t you? How can anyone work alongside Maisie without killing her?”
“I have every faith in you, Asher. You need to give her tough love. She needs to step up, or I’m going to make her step out.” Mavis shoots a look of disbelief at me, but I ignore it and watch for Asher’s reaction.
“Let me get it straight. You want me to give Maisie a job to repay her grocery debt, but she has to move into the house with DottieBlackshaw, who has the wolf pup, Elias, also?” Asher leans forward in his seat. “How do you think that’s going to go down?”
“Oh, I think you’ll whip her into shape working in the store. Showing her how great it is to feel accomplished in your work. Dottie is a stickler and has no fear of someone like Maisie. Dottie’s wolf, Caila, takes no prisoners. I can’t wait to see how you both shape her up, and if she doesn’t, I’m going to banish her from the pack. Now, you get back to the store, but let Dottie know it’s happening, please. It’s that time of the day she’ll be in the café.” I watch Asher leave, mumbling all the while under his breath.
Mavis is still staring at me as though I’ve lost my mind. “Come on, Mavis. It’s going to be fine. Maisie needs to grow up, stop expecting the pack to support her, and make her own way. She is sucking what she can out of the pack, and not giving back.”
Mind linking Thorn, I tell him to bring Maisie to the farmhouse to see the Alpha. Which lets him know this is official, and not something that can be lightly dismissed.
Thorn doesn't delay in bringing Maisie to me. Her appearance was disheveled and unkempt as she walked into the office. I gestured toward the chair in front of my desk, then raised a hand to silence her before she could speak.
“You have two options left to you, Maisie, if you want to remain in the pack. You have every right to be in the town, but the pack is a different matter. You owe Asher quite an amount for groceries you have been given on a note that you would find work and pay him back…”
“I never said I’d pay him back.”
Before she can say more I snarl, “So you think he should give you food for free. Because? Why? You think you are someone specialthat can go around getting everything free? Don’t make me laugh. You are a lazy, out of work she-wolf who will either pull her weight or be thrown out of the pack like the useless garbage she has become.”
Maisie’s face shows how shocked she is at my words, but I’m not giving her an opportunity to start any drama. Thorn is standing at the side of Maisie, hands behind his back, standing much like you’d see a guard on duty. He gives me a wink, and I blink because I was not expecting that. Mavis has a hand over her mouth, looking at paperwork on her desk, but anyone with eyes could see she’s doing her best not to laugh.
“You will leave here, with Thorn…” I give her a stern look before she can complain, “You will pack some essentials, and then you are moving into Dottie Blackshaw’s house. She will teach you how to look after yourself correctly. Oh, the house you are living in, it’s owned by the pack, not by your deceased mother. I will forgo any rent that the pack would have been due, because let’s be honest, you have nothing and no aspiration to make anything of yourself. The house will be reallocated when I see fit.”
“What? No!” Maisie jumps to her feet, but Thorn places a hand on her shoulder and pushes her back down. I can see he’s not hurting her, and if she tries to say he has, I’ll allow Blue to come forward.
“Yes. You have been freeloading far too long. You also will start working at the store tomorrow. You will work every day except on the weekends. Asher will report to me on your progress. You owe him this work time for the food you have placed in your stomach and the paper you have wiped your butt with.” Maisie has clamped her mouth, and I can see she would love to throw a tantrum, but she’s not stupid enough to follow through.
