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I yelled “Maddox! Come on, Buddy Roe! I’m going to be late.. I still have to drop you at school.” He hollered down to me he was coming. True to his word, he landed his little ten year old self in front of me from the staircase landing.

He grabbed his backpack and I shoved my phone in my back pocket. I asked “Jeep or bike? It’s still warm enough for the bike.” He grinned and grabbed his helmet. Reckon that’s my answer, then!

I climbed on my Harley Softtail Deluxe and backed it out of the garage. Maddox got on behind me, and we took off for the school. I was hugging the curves and flying low. Maddox loves speed.

Parked out in front of Pine Grove Elementary, I asked “You have everything, right? Homework? Lunch card? Inhaler? Maxi pads?” He grinned and said “You’re such a dork.” Then he walked off, dramatically sighing “Ohhh nooo! I forgot my maxi pads.. AGAIN!”

I started the bike.. laughing at his antics, and made my way to the diner. I walked into a pretty big breakfast crowd, for a Thursday. I smiled and told Ashley good morning.. before checking on my line cook and chef.

She smiled and said “I’m leaving at noon.. but I have Tammy coming in to cover you. The doctor wants to run some labs.. he’s worried about congenital diabetes with this baby. Seems he’s bigger than he should be.”

I asked “Even for a wolf? Does your doctor know you got knocked up by a wolf?” She shushed me and said “No one knows, Delaney! I only told you because you would have smelled it anyway.”

I made a face “Eww. When you say it like that, it sounds creepy.” She giggled “Dude! It IS creepy!” I laughed at her and my wolf, Iris huffed at her.

I set about rolling silverware for lunch and dinner.. and Ashley asks “Hey! Did you hear about the motorcycle club moving to town?” I shook my head and she continued “They bought that five hundred acres with those old campgrounds. Wolf warriors or something.”

I perked up “Wolf warriors? Do you think? Could it be Warrior Wolves? That club that has mostly rejected wolves as their members? If so.. this town just got a whole lot safer. They’re feral rogue hunters.”

She shrugs and tells me “Well. I’m sure I don’t know. There was just a biker in this morning.. at the asscrack of dawn. Before I even got coffee started.. saying his club was moving to town and he was just hanging out.. waiting on Mr. Donaldson over at the bank.”

Again, I nodded. Not that I don’t care.. because I do. A bike club would bring in a lot of business.. and that can only help me out! I smiled at Ashley and said “Hey! Fresh meat! For all you know, your future ex-husband is a member.. a Biker AND a Wolf? Mega jackpot, right there!”

She cracked up and responded “You just can’t help it, can you? Do you make a conscious effort every morning to be a bitch, when you crawl out of bed?” I laughed and said “Hell no! That shit just comes naturally!” Making her laugh, again.

I asked “Did you remind Tammy she’s on her own from three to six? It’s Thursday.. and Maddox has training.” She said “Shit! No! I will text her right now.” She looked around for her phone.. then said “Give me your phone.”

I laughed “Lost it again, did ya?” and handed her my phone. She muttered shut up and texted Tammy. She handed my phone back and said “You have a message from Maddox’s teacher.. something about maxi pads.”

I choked on my own spit. That boy! I texted her back.. explaining it was just a joke between Maddox and myself, and I would take care of it.

I went to the kitchen to see if Chef needed my help prepping for dinner.. but he said no. I have line cooks for the standard daily fare. But Chef works Thursday through Saturday evenings.. for a more substantial, upscale cuisine. It works well for the people in town.

We got through lunch, and Ashley took off for the doctor. Congenital diabetes, my left tit! That baby is half wolf.. he’s going to be bigger! I left at 2:45 to grab Maddox from school.. and hurried home.

We changed into our black combat clothes.. and I threw the duffle bag in the back of the Jeep. I drove out to the old abandoned farm we had found our first weekend here.

I had set up a training ground for Maddox to hone his weapons skills. I don’t know if Marcus is coming for us.. but my little brother will not end up like my mother!

Getting out of the Jeep, I asked “What do you want to work on first?” He shrugged and told me “Archery.. I’m better at that, than knives. And katana is always saved for last! It’s my favorite!” I grinned and said “Mine, too!”

We ran our routines.. and I am so impressed with his accuracy and agility. His speed is increasing, too. His instincts are good and he never freezes. I grinned and said “Next week, we will start on moving targets. You have gotten good enough, we need to step it up!”

He laughed “Yeah. I still don’t want to run the course blindfolded.. like you do. I don’t have that extra boost to my senses, that’s all you!” I told him “You have extra something, Buddy Roe! You’re accurate, as hell.. and fast. Your instincts are on par with a wolf’s.”

I took him home to have dinner and do his homework. Mrs. Sutton from across the street came to babysit, until I closed the diner.

Back at work, I was restocking the cooler and Tammy said “About time you made it back! I had a rush at four. Was in the weeds for an hour!” I straightened up and looked her over “You realize I am the person who signs your paycheck, right?”

She nodded and I snarled “Then what gives you the right to use that tone with me? I won’t tolerate disrespect Tammy! From anyone!”

She sneered “You know what?! I don’t give a fuck! I quit! That new M.C. is taking applications for club girls. Free room and board. A clothing allotment and two hundred cash a week!”

I laughed and asked “You’d rather be a club whore than work in my diner? I wish you luck, young one! I hear initiation is a bitch!”

She scoffed “Not a whore, you idiot. A club girl.” I busted out laughing..” Never been around a bike club, have you? Well! I wish you luck. Now, get your shit and clock out. I will have your final check cut in ten minutes.”

I texted Ashley that we have to run an ad.. I need a new server