Page 27 of Fight
"Yeah, I like it.I'll talk to him, if you think it would help."
"No.This is something I need to do.I can't chance it being seen as you speaking for me, even if we both know I'll qualify on my own."
"Okay, I guess I can understand that.It's a pack dominance thing, I get it.If I speak for you, it's the same as saying that I outrank you, and that you acknowledge that."
"Exactly.You said you told Bill about our being potential mates, right?"
"Yeah, the day he brought up my going out of town."
"I may need to use that, if you don't mind."
"Go ahead.If you need to use it to keep us both from suffering during a separation, I have no problem with it."
"Thanks, I'll call him in the morning."He kissed the top of my head, before dropping his lips to the side of my neck, nuzzling and nipping at my skin."Going out of town together might be fun."
"Even with pack business to deal with, I think we'll have plenty of time to enjoy ourselves."I agreed, tipping my head to expose more of my neck.
I stopped by the clinic Friday morning, hoping Alexis wouldn't be busy.I wanted to talk to her about Bill's plans to send me out of town, and Devon's wanting to go with me.Alexis had quickly become one of my best friends, and I valued her opinion and experience.
I parked in the rear lot, went through the back gate, and headed for the converted guest house that served as the pack's clinic.I hadn't even made it halfway down the path, when a man stepped out of the shadows, and approached me.
He wasn't a big man, but there was something menacing about him.He looked nice enough, wearing a clean pair of jeans and his pressed button down shirt, maybe it was the look in his eye, or the way he walked, like a predator stalking prey.I felt the wave of power emanating from him that told me he was Kitsune, but that wasn't all of it.I watched him warily as he got closer, sure he was up to something, but not sure what.
"My, my, what do we have here?"He leered.
I didn't have a response, so I ignored him and continued for the door.
"Don't ignore me!"He snarled."In case you haven't learned yet, newbie, unless you best me, or I submit to you, I out-rank you."He sneered as he continued."That means you do what I say.If I say jump, you ask how high."
Not really wanting trouble, I tried to talk him out of it."But if I do what you say, isn't that basically admitting that you're dominant to me?"
He stopped for a moment, thinking."Well, yeah.That's the point."
"Well then, we may have a problem."
"What problem?"He seemed confused."I say jump, you do it."
"You see, that's the problem."
"What problem?"He repeated.
I braced myself, preparing for the fight I knew was coming."I don't take orders, and I don't submit."
"Then I guess I'll just have to make you."He snarled, reaching for my arm, but I side stepped, and used one leg to sweep his foot out from under him.Landing on his ass only seemed to make him madder.He immediately stood up, this time determined to put me in my place.The problem with that was, that I didn't see my place as submissive to him, or pretty much anyone else.
Sure, I'd do what Bill said, but that wasn't out of fear or even because he out ranked me.I'd do it because I respected him, as an elder and a friend.While Hank and Alexis might out rank me, they didn't issue orders.They would advise me, or ask me to do something, but it generally made sense, and I respected them for that.Issuing orders simple because you could, is something bullies do, and this guy certainly seemed to qualify.
As he made it to his feet he snarled again."You're gonna pay for that."
I didn't bother replying, I simply stepped closer and slammed the front edge of my folded elbow into his nose.I heard the crunch as it broke, and the momentum of the blow knocked him off his feet again.I quickly stepped back, out of his reach.
"You broke my nose!"He screamed, enraged.
"Keep trying to get up and force me to do anything, and that's not all I'll break."
He floundered on the ground a moment.He tried to reach me, to grab my leg or kick me and knock me to the ground beside him.
"You little bitch!"
