Redeeming the Lost (A Comforter's Tale)

Chapter 28

"Faster, faster!" I told Anabel. "She's catching us!"

The forest around us streaked past as the swift gray wolf carried me by the scruff of my neck at her top speed.

"What did you expect? I'm fast, but this is Vera we're talking about."

"You're the one that agreed to the bet, not me."

Vera's merry voice entered our minds. "You might as well give up, or I shall claim your tail for a banner."

Anabel glanced back over her shoulder to see Vera practically on her heels.

She sighed. "Fine! Just don't bowl me over when I stop."

Vera came up beside her as they slowed to a walk. "You didn't make it to the creek, so, I hate to break it to you, but you're the one peeling potatoes tonight."

"That's a lot of potatoes," Anabel complained.

"I'd offer to help," I piped up, "but that would be an exercise in futility."

"With my luck, you'd steal the potatoes."

"Quite possibly, although the Omegas are observant enough to catch most of my attempts to unhelp them."

Anabel shrugged as much as she could in wolf form. "Either way, potatoes or no potatoes, I'm having more fun in this pack than I did as a rogue."

"I agree. We've only been here for two days, but I'm enjoying it so far. My old pack rarely let me go so far from the packhouse, although Alpha Kiel doesn't mind as long as someone is with me."

"Let's go back," Vera said. "I can help peel potatoes if Julie agrees to remain in the room without causing mischief."

"You're asking a difficult thing," I informed her.

"Consider it as an exercise in keeping the pack peace. The trainers need a break, or they may ban me from the training grounds."

"Why do I need to be in the kitchen?"

"Because it is very hard for me to let you out of my sight, and I'm still getting to know our new pack mates."

"So, in other words, you want me to help you interact with them. Got it!"

"That is not what I said. And, with the way you are grinning, I'd be scared to know what ideas are running through your head."

"That's okay, because I plan to keep them a surprise!"

"How is it that you manage to get into more mischief than all three of my pups did combined?"

The casual reference to her dead family without a sharp flare of pain showed just how far she had come.

I wolf-grinned at her. "It's a talent that I think only Comforters have."

"That is another reason why I want you to stay in the kitchen. You won't be able to cause mischief without me knowing about it."

"Hmmm... I guess I can stay in the kitchen."

I wondered if she knew just how much trouble a Comforter could get into in the kitchen.

 

~

 

       I stared at the racks of spare clothing and glanced over my shoulder to double check that I had closed the door behind me. I exhaled slowly and shifted into my human form. Despite how long I had been locked in my human form by the lawless rogues, it was just as hard as ever to remain on two legs.