Page 16 of Bad Wolf's Nanny
Still, they were kind. Warm, even.
Poppy complimented her skirt. Sophie asked about the library. Marsha offered her a cinnamon twist, her catlike eyes narrowed in appraisal. But whatever she saw, she seemed to beokay with it, as she settled back and gestured to an open seat next to her.
Lola smiled gratefully and sank slowly into a squashy armchair near the fire, cupping a mug of tea in both hands like it might anchor her.
Daisy was on her other side, balancing her son on one knee while expertly juggling a sippy cup and a napkin. “So,” she said with a conspiratorial grin, “how are you settling in? Ethel working you to death already?”
“She’s very…thorough,” Lola replied, which made Cassie snort.
“That’s one word for it.”
“I don’t mind,” Lola added quickly, “I like it, actually. The library is wonderful. So much history, so many records. I keep finding references I’ve never seen before. Some of the texts date back over two centuries. It’s like a treasure trove.”
“Ethel said you’re studying shifter history, right?” Bree asked, leaning forward.
“Yes, specifically the evolution of pack structures over time. I’m trying to trace how early leadership models influenced modern-day dynamics. A lot of the older oral histories have been lost, but the Iron Walkers have fantastic records and…well…can definitely be considered one of the most successful modern-day packs.”
The women hummed in approval at her praise, and she heaved an internal sigh of relief. It was only too easy to bruise a shifter’s ego, especially when it came to the pack. Luckily for her, she didn’t even have to lie. Everyone knew about the Iron Walkers. They were the most powerful pack in Northern America.
Daisy smiled warmly. “See, didn’t I tell you guys her research was fascinating?”
“I want to hear more about the records,” Cassie added. “Have you managed to dig up any secrets while you’re at it?”
“Cassie,” Marsha scolded lightly, “she wouldn’t be allowed near pack secrets. You know that.”
Lola swallowed a sudden lump of nervousness, trying to play it off as a chuckle as she tucked her hair behind her ear. “Well…obviously. There’s a whole area that I’m not allowed into yet. But I have found some old schematics! Maps from the Civil War era.”
“Ooh,” Cassie leaned in. “That sounds fun, what sort of maps?”
“Just the old tunnels, escape routes, things like that.” At the blank expressions facing her, Lola grimaced. “You…you do know about the tunnels, right?”
“No,” said Marsha, her voice prim, “evidently not.”
Lola cringed. “Ah, well, I mean…most packs from pre-World War One have them. Escape routes, contingencies in case of invasion. They became popular amongst Southern packs during the Civil War when Jefferson Davis made that stupid declaration about abolishing pack structures. According to the records I found, the Iron Walkers have tunnels leading all over town. Several from this club, actually.”
“Where do they lead?” Cassie asked, her eyes bright.
“One goes due North, another to your ceremonial site, and a few others that have likely been lost to time. If they haven’t been maintained, I doubt they’d be in a safe condition.”
“We should try to find them!” Cassie said. “You said that some lead from the club? I bet the entrance is down in the cellars, if we go look—”
“No,” said Marsha and Daisy together, their voices surprisingly harsh. At Cassie’s shock, Daisy exhaled. “We’re not allowed down in the cellars, you know that. There’s too much…history down there.”
“History?” Lola asked before she could stop herself, leaning forward.
Daisy grimaced. “Bad history. Not the sort we should be discussing.”
Lola exchanged a look with Cassie, who shrugged as if to say, “Must be a wolf thing.”
But Lola was a wolf. And a very curious one at that. She filed away the information, deciding to look more into the history Daisy had talked about. Clearly, her direct questioning wasn’t welcome.
“Anyway,” said Daisy with a breezy smile, “tell us more about these pack dynamics!”
And so, cheeks burning from the attention on her, Lola stumbled her way through an explanation of her research, managing to answer questions with as much tact as possible, wary that even the slightest slip of the tongue could end up insulting everyone.
Perhaps she should have more faith that these women were nice and wouldn’t fault her for the odd conversational blunder. But she couldn’t get the mental image of her accidentally calling the Iron Walkers uncivilized right to the alpha’s face out of her head.
Thankfully, the conversation eventually turned to winter plans, and Lola sat back in relief and soaked in the conversation around her. She was just about to ask more about the traditional solstice celebrations when a loud bark of laughter echoed from outside the window, followed by the distant slam of a door.
