Page 55 of Fighting Furry

“I'm Betsy,” said a woman with curly red hair. “That's Millie and Clara. Lucinda invited us over so you could teach us how to fight.”

I studied the women. They were all lean and fit, probably because they could shift into wolves and run for miles and miles through the woods.

“I'd love to train you,” I said. “I'd like to offer training to everyone in town. Maybe you all could help me decide how much to charge.”

“Charge?” Lucinda asked. “You can't charge pack members for services.”

“I paid for my meal at the diner today,” I said. “Why can't I charge for training?”

“The diner charges you for the cost of the food, that's it.”

“How does anyone make money in this town?” I asked.

“We don't,” Betsy said. “That's the problem.”

Lucinda glared at Betty like she could melt her with her eyes. “We all have a role in the pack and jobs to help sustain the pack. We sell goods and services to outsiders, and the money we make is shared.”

Okay, I could see that. Maybe I could make training videos for YouTube and make some money that way. “What do you do for money?”

Lucinda crinkled her nose and pursed her lips. “I blog and write dark erotic romance.”

Huh, Lucinda was just chock-full of surprises. “Wow. I'd love to read your stuff.”

“Not today,” she said. “Today, you'll train us.”

It's not like I had anything better to do. “Sure,” I said. “Would one of you mind filming the training session?”

“I'll do it,” Millie said. She was tall and had smooth brown skin, big brown eyes, and thick brown hair. She was so pretty I'd probably assume she was a model or an actress if we were in LA. “I film the yoga videos.”

“Yoga videos?”

She nodded. “Zane is our local yogi. He sells yoga videos.”

“Cool. So, you know how to film with a phone?”

She shrugged. “I could, but I've got a better camera at home. Want me to grab it?”

“That would be awesome.”

She hurried out of the house and was back just as we were getting started in Lucinda's back yard. “That was fast,” I said.

“I live next door.”

I trained each of the women in turn, just getting them started on basics and taking them through some good body weight exercises for almost two hours. Afterward, they all headed out, Millie promising to edit the video and get it to me in a couple days. I felt good. I had a purpose and I'd soon have an income, hopefully, and I wouldn't need to rely on Axel. I wouldn't be another burden on him and I'd know I'd have a way out if things ever got bad between us.

I was considering heading over to his place and bringing him lunch, but Lucinda had other ideas.

“You should shower,” she said. I had my head in the refrigerator, looking for something to eat. She'd said I couldn't eat her food, but considering I'd just trained all her friends, it seemed fair.

I stood and turned. I was getting used to Lucinda's bluntness. “I will. I just need something to eat first.”

“You shower, I'll make lunch,” she said. “We've got a meeting with the Aspens Whiten wolves in two hours.”

I take it back, there was no getting used to Lucinda. “A meeting? I thought you didn't know anyone there.”

“I asked around. Turns out one of my exes is still with the pack. He's a big fan of yours, so I set up a double date for us with him and Alpha.”

“Alpha? Are you shitting me?”

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