"Thank you very much for letting us join," Milo told Alpha Kiel gratefully.

"I'm just hoping that your friends keep their promise and don't tell anyone about this event or our pack."

"They will. I saved Roxie's life twice, and Frank never breaks a promise. Both of them had a family member go feral, so they know how important this is."

Alpha Kiel turned his attention to us, and I wagged my tail and rolled onto my back in the grass, wriggling around while subtly increasing my calming aura.

He finally cracked a smile. "You are lucky that you are so cute and have so many protectors."

I wolf-grinned at him and admitted, "I have a feeling I toed past the line of what is permissible."

"You did, and I'm sure I have a few more grey hairs now. Your saving grace is how many of your friends went with you and their backup plans. Although, in the future, I do request that you pass all such plans by the Beta or myself since any ferals are almost certainly going to want to join a pack with a Comforter, and only one other pack in this area has a Comforter."

"Yeah. Sorry about that."

He leaned down and picked me up, cradling me in his arms. "I know you just want to help, but let's minimize new additions to the pack for a month or so. As much as I'm delighted that the pack is growing, people are still settling in and adjusting."

"I understand, and I still thank you for being so open about accepting my original group."

"You're welcome." Humor grew in his mind, even though his smile didn't change. "But, I think you have to work for your keep now."

I knew the beginning signs of mischief when I saw it. "How so?"

"Nora was complaining earlier that Beta Dawson forgot his house slippers by the fireplace again, and she's trying to clean."

"Really... I believe I will have to check and see if this rumor is true."

With a chuckle, he put me down on the grass. I promptly began trotting towards the packhouse behind us.

"Hey! Where are you going with my slippers?"

"You were supposed to be outside!" With his slipper clamped between my jaws, I scrambled under the couch for cover.

The big brute picked up one end of the couch and stood it on its end like it was a paperweight. I scampered past him while he was lifting it and raced down the hallway, occasionally slipping on the freshly polished floor.

I tripped and tumbled through the open front door onto the porch, interrupting a discussion between half a dozen people. One happened to be Vera, and I quickly clambered back up on my feet and ran behind her ankles just as Beta Dawson came through the doorway.

He slid to a stop with a grimace. We stared at each other for several long seconds before he sighed and shook his head, giving up.

Josh impishly inquired, "Well, aren't you going to get your slipper?"

Beta Dawson snorted. "Are you crazy? The thing she is hiding behind is not a wolf, it's a tornado in disguise."

"But she's not in wolf form," Josh said, trying to keep a straight face. "Surely a Beta isn't scared of such a slender woman."

"Uh huh. I prefer my fur intact, thank you very much. Let's see you get that slipper back unscathed."

"I'll pass. I still have a few tender spots on my arms from our sparring match earlier this afternoon."

The two men exchanged a look and seemed to silently agree that trying to get past Vera wasn't worth the effort. Vera simply grinned and crossed her arms as if waiting for someone to try to come after me.

The only sound was of my tail swishing across the weathered wood as I grinned past my guardian's ankles.

A hand grasped the scruff of my neck, and I was lifted off the floor to stare into Vera's face.

"That is my scarf. Not yours."

"Are you sure I can't borrow it? It feels kind of drafty in here."

"No, because when you 'borrow' it, it never returns. And, it usually involves me having to fetch it from some bizarre spot you shouldn't be able to reach."

"Would you believe me if I said it was really drafty and the wind blew it away?"

"No, because there isn't a breeze strong enough in this house to tie my scarf into a bow."

"Huh. That's a good point. What can I say so you'll let me have your scarf?"

"I'm going to tie you up in my scarf at this rate." Her face suddenly turned thoughtful. "You said it was drafty inside?"

"Maybe?" I cautiously replied, not quite trusting the shrewdness suddenly appearing in her mind or her former comment.

The smile that crossed her face made me regret not paying closer attention or checking to see if Vera was looking for me after I snuck out of the garden.

When we finally entered the garden again, Jenna paused in peeling an apple. "Why do you have Julie wrapped up in your scarf?"

"It's a long story."

Without batting an eye, Vera replied, "She said she was cold, so I wrapped her up. It'll keep her warm until we finish slicing these apples for the apple pies and go back inside."

Jenna wisely didn't question Vera's explanation. Vera sat down and put me a bit behind her in a sunny spot on the grass.

As the two kept peeling and slicing the apples, I tentatively wriggled around in the scarf to find a loose spot. She may have swaddled me up like a puppy burrito, but this was still just a scarf wrapped around me without any knots.

After a few minutes, I began to wonder how many times Vera had tied up her own children like this. She clearly had practice.

Finally, the wraps loosened slightly, and I managed to get my shoulders out of the opening. With one eye on the two women, I picked up the scarf in my mouth and quietly began to sneak away.

Vera suddenly leaned back and twisted to the side, resting her weight on her elbow as she blocked my path. "And where do you think you're going?"

"Do you have eyes on the back of your head or something?"

"No, but I know that silence means you were up to something. That, and you stopped rustling around in the silk."

"Drat. I didn't realize I was so noisy. I think I'll go inside and leave you two with some peace and quiet."

"Not with my scarf, you aren't."

"Can I eat some apple peels then?"

"Sure. I'll help you find some nice crisp ones without any bruises."

She sat up and I trotted forward, eager for a fruit snack. She was clearly a master at distraction.