Maddison was floored. She never once suspected this. She was almost more surprised by this than Kalie turning out to be a werewolf. From behind her she heard Reece grunt in surprise.

  "What's wrong with that?" asked Chase angrily. "I have a friend like that, and no one cares. Its not the dark ages."

  O'Shea shook his head sadly. "It matters to werewolves. Theirs is a complex and old race that dose not weather change well. Same sex relationships, inequality between sexes, a bad habit of fighting out what normally would be a police matter..."

  "We aren't all that bad..." mumbled Reece.

  "Well, I don't care." Maddison declared, as if that settled matters. The sweet look that came over Kalie's face almost seemed to confirm that. "And if anyone has a problem with that, then they can take it up with me." She glared at Reece in particular.

  "No problem here." He assured her with raised hands and a look of amusement.

  "Well, most werewolves do have a problem." Kalie said. "I guess pure blooded werewolves believe that their kind can't be born gay... anyway, I try to hide it. I get boyfriends, whatever it takes. Still, they always find out and then kick me out of the pack. Had it of been even thirty years ago they would have killed me rather then banished me."

  Maddison's eyes filled with tears. They had been friends for so many years, yet she was clueless to all the pain Kalie was experiencing that whole time. What kind of friend did that make her?

  "Well, you are part of my pack" she said. "Always."

  "Don't say that Maddie." Kalie whined painfully. "You don't want to be pack-less. And if you stick with me that's what you'll be."

  "No, because we will have each other. A pack of two." She laughed through her own tears.

  There was a few minutes spent reasureing Kalie that she would always have a place with the Nixon family. Poor Kalie must have shed more tears in the last hour than Maddison had seen her cry since they had been friends. Which was a testament to her character given the bad-hand she had been delt in life.

  "I'm sorry miss Grace, but I must ask you a few more questions before I leave you to be discharged." Said Captain O'Shea as delicately as he could.

  "You mean I'm not being sent to jail?" asked a bemused Kalie.

  "Jail? No way!" Maddison exclaimed giving O'Shea a dirty look. "I'm not going to press charges, and I'm the one she attacked. So I see no reason for jail time!"

  "Well, actually miss Nixon, she did attack Detective Masters as well as several of his pack mates." The captain began to explain.

  "Well I'm sure Reece and his pack have a more backbone than to send a victim to prison for something she couldn't help! They are all big doggies I'm sure!" Maddison huffed with her hands on her generous hips as she narrowed her eyes at Reece, daring him to claim he and his pack were too weak to take on one little wolf without police interference.

  Reece looked backed into a corner. His emerald eyes wide and his back ram-rod straight. A new instinct within told Maddison that she had both insulted his, and his pack's, pride. She found that, for Kalie's sake, she didn't care. Let them come. We will tear through them all!

  O'Shea, on the other hand, was roaring with laughter. Maddison could see his vampire fangs glint in the hospital's florescent lights. She heard both Greg and Chase suck in a surprised breath.

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  "Ah God what I wouldn't give to see your brother's face if he had heard that!" he managed to chuckle out, wiping a single tear from his eye. "A tiny little she-wolf challenging an Alpha's dangly bits! Ryan would be fuming to put her in her place for that."

  "Humph!" Maddison decided not to comment on that at all. She had made her point.

  "Not to worry miss Nixon. We won't be hauling miss Grace in. If Ryan even tried to press charges now, after that speech, he would just come off as a whiner. No way an Alpha risks that. Damnable werewolf politics.

  "Well, if we are all done insulting my brother can we get along with the questions?" Reece grumbled. Maddison felt a twinge of guilt. She hadn't wanted to hurt Reece in any way. She hoped he wasn't too upset with her. He caught her staring with a frown on her face and she was immensely pleased when he gave her a small, reassuring, smile.

  "Very well." Said O'Shea, still wearing a large grin. "Miss Grace, who exactly attacked you? You mentioned getting thrown out of your pack, but could you elaborate on that at all."

  "Yes sir." Kalie said somberly "Wayne is the Alpha. There are twelve wolves in total within the pack. Wayne got mad because I wanted to spend more time with Maddie then I did him or the pack. I don't know how he found out for sure what I was, but at our picnic he flipped. He dragged me back to where the pack likes to hang out, and he and the pack-" it was there she choked up. Maddison grabbed her hand and Greg put a hand on her shoulder. Chase sat quietly with a pale face.

  "Its alright miss Grace, you needn't go into detail. What happened next?"

  "U-um. It gets pretty foggy after that. I remember being in David's truck. David is one of the pack. Short with black hair, blue eyes, and four moles on his neck." O'Shea wrote all the information down in a note book. "And I remember being dumped on a strange door step... I don't remember attacking anyone though."

  "So your pack tortured you, left you in a strange and populated area unattended, an lured someone down to be intentionally attacked? You say this Wayne person is the Alpha of the pack?"

  "Yes sir."

  "Well, in accordance with pack law, and the OW courts, he has much to answer for. Chances are high that he will get jail time for what he did to you miss Grace. The rest of the pack might get off with warnings or fines, however. It's considered an alpha's job to control their pack. As for the attack on miss Nixon, this Wayne will definitely be held responsible. The changing, or attacking, of humans is strictly prohibited and carries the strictest of punishments."

  "And what does that mean?" asked Greg.

  "It means that this alpha is looking at serious jail time at the very least. Though he may even be put to death if the the judge thinks there is a high possibility of him doing this again. Most likely his pack will have to disband, as a pack that size most likely has no one able to claim the alpha spot once Wayne is gone."

  "So, does that mean there will be a bunch of angry werewolves wondering around town with a vendetta against Kalie?" Greg asked with irritation.

  "No, not likely." It was Reece who spoke this time. "Not having a pack or an alpha to protect you is physically painful for werewolves. Once word spreads to the other packs about these wolves being involved in turning a human, no one will have them. They will all have to leave to find a pack that will take them in. Kalie will likely never see any of them again."

  "Good." Said Maddison. "I'd skin them if they got within four miles of her."

  "Dude... who are you, and what have you done with my sister?" Chase laughed. "I mean, I always knew you could be savage, but you are usually way better at hiding it."

  "She did beat up Bobby Deveaux for you when we were in ninth grade." Said Kalie with a small laugh.

  "Really?" asked an amused looking Reece. "Why would you do a thing like that?"

  "He was pushing my brother around while he was in a cast. Who picks on a kid with crutches?" Maddison explained.

  "I broke my leg tripping over your gymnastics stuff. I could have handled Bobby myself." pouted Chase, still embarrassed hat having his older sister take on a bully for him.

  Maddison only rolled her eyes. Little brothers could be so ungrateful sometimes. He was right though. As kind as Maddison thought herself to be, she was never one to suffer bullies. She was also known for holding a grudge, and getting spectacular revenge. She once superglued Patricia Wagen to her desk when she spread rumors that Kalie was a homeless bum.

  "Anyhow, I'm done here, so ill let you lot get back to your lives. I'll be in touch when we get ahold of this Wayne fella and let you know what happens next." Said O'Shea, heading for the door. "I'll see you at work on Wednesday Masters. I'll leave miss Nixon under you and miss Grace's care. Get her up to speed on all things werewolf and such. I assume she would be more comfortable with you two than under the supervision of a random OWPD guide."

  "Yes sir." Said Reece.