Hidden Fox

Nine

I ended up not seeing Everlee in Biology the next day. The seat besides me stayed empty the entire class period, and I had to endure the boring lecture all alone. Thankfully, it was my last class on Friday's, and I could head straight out of the Bioscience building to the Williams' car afterwards. I climbed in and immediately blasted the air conditioner. We were only halfway through September, but it was staying hot as balls out for as long as Virginia could hold onto summer.

When I was finally comfortable enough, I clicked on my seatbelt and pulled out of the parking lot, turning up the volume on the radio as I gained speed towards the highway. I had not a care in the world as I relaxed by screaming along to the lyrics, cruising down the street into the mountains. But that changed in a manner of minutes upon arriving at the Packhouse.

I headed through the garage door, down the hallway and straight to the kitchen, intending on grabbing a snack before I cracked open my homework for the night. Instead, I walked straight into a meeting I was not aware was happening that day.

And seated at the table were Everlee, Andrew, and two boys I didn't know. Across from them were River and Emerald.

I stood absolutely shock-still in the doorway as the door swung closed behind me. Emerald opened her mouth to greet me but Everlee beat her to it.

"April?" She looked so confused, and I couldn't blame her. Why would I, a human, be walking into a wolf-run house's kitchen as if I owned the place?

"Oh, hey Ev. I missed you in class today." The man next to her — not Andrew, the other side — sucked in a breath. I met his eyes for a moment and he seemed to freeze, but I blew past him, back past Everlee to meet Andrew's. He looked just as confused as Everlee.

"Hey April, glad you're home!"

Everlee whipped her head around to Emerald. "Home?"

"She meant here," I cut in, the lie slipping through my teeth with more ease than I was expecting, "I watch her kids most afternoons!" I looked at Emerald, pleading as subtly with my eyes as I could manage. "Where are they anyway? I figured they'd be in here eating a snack."

While she might not have understood why, Emerald played along. "Yes, sorry, we kicked them out to get ready for this meeting. You can find them outside in the back." I could tell she wasn't sure of the situation, both if her kids were even outside, and the fact she was lying to what appeared to be the alpha of another pack.

"Thanks. Sorry I intruded on your, uh, meeting." I waved a quick goodbye to Everlee and then darted out the door behind me, trying to ignore how confused everyone seemed in that room. The second I was gone, I leaned against the wall, breathing so heavily I was sure everyone in the house could hear me. I just hoped Emerald was smart enough to play along and come up with something to explain my presence, and why I was babysitting her kids when there were a house full of omegas on hand for every alpha family need.

Oh, that was so stupid of me! My chest rose and fell fast, my heart still pounding in my ears. They're never gonna buy that! Closing my eyes I leaned my head softly against the wall, knowing soon I was going to need to actually find the kids I'm supposedly "babysitting".

Then it hit me. My eyes flung open and I sucked in a long breath, pushing off the wall to run up the stairs. I was right! All along, I was right! Everlee was a wolf. That was what could explain her and Andrew's — her mate — presence here. Why else would they be having an important meeting with River and Emerald?

I supposed in their eyes, the same could be said of me. But still!

Oh my Goddess, does this mean Andrew and Everlee were the alphas of a nearby pack? We're the other men their Beta and Gamma? There was no way for me to be certain, but it made sense.