Chapter 10 – The Wrap Party

Mike sat behind the desk in his office, feet up on the surface listening to Becky as she was relating to Mike how things had gone for her in the last couple of months since the Festival.

"And I tell you that is exactly what Jenna Elfman told me!"

I laughed, snorting a bit of the pop I had been drinking.

"And I just can't believe how crazy my life has been since the Oscars! Scripts are pouring in; My price has gone up; My agent wants to actually renegotiate HIS contract! I actually spent $200 on a pair of shoes! Can you believe it!"

"$200, Becky dearest, 200 bucks! Just as long as you don't turn into an Imelda Marcos," I said, snickering, "I'm glad you're having fun and it's nice to know my favorite actress is finally making her way in the ocean of Hollywood."

"Oh I am! Just last week Disney offered me the chance to do a voice role! And next week I am gonna do a scene on CSI: Miami." Becky was just positively ecstatic at the turn around her acting career had taken since the movie won the Oscar for Best Movie and she for Best Supporting Actress.

"Awesome. Hope the voice work is in a good original move, rather than a sequel. Oh and I heard from JT a week ago."

"Really? How is my favorite little director?"

"He's doing great. Adam has been recovering well and they've been talking about a kids film. He's made some clout amongst the Hollywood brass himself. I'm so happy for him."

Her grin was wide on her face. Truly some things were going right for a change.

"I should also let you know that Tobey has been doing okay. We've been talking a lot lately. He also has been teaching more at Timberwolf. It's helped a lot."

Becky was saddened just a little. Her mood momentarily dark. Tobey had been a wreck for a week after the festival. He didn't leave his rooms that he had shared with Zack. His friends had sat with him, listening when he spoke, and comforting when he needed. And a breath mint every so often. Brushing teeth had been a low priority. Then one morning, Darren had woke up to find him gone.

No note but the following day, Tobey appeared in the dining room for breakfast, a smile on his face. He packed up everything that day and moved into the Residential Director's apartments over at the Timberwolf complex and was working tirelessly with the kids there.

There was hardly any indication about his life of the last year and he never mentioned Zack to her, but he seemed more than functional again.

"Has Darren gotten together yet with your girl, Kami?"

"They certainly have eyes for each other. No doubt about that," I replied, with a smile.

Becky had seen them holding hands between watching over Tobey.

"I've also seen Ty hanging out with Calley a bit more, so there might be something there, but Ty's slow to romance, if there's something there, it'll take a while.

"Speaking of something more here, I appreciate you finally taking me into your confidence." She said needling him.

"I knew that eventually you'd find out, it was just a matter of time. And if you need us, you know where to find us."

"Hey Mike, I have to go. My agent is here with Reese to discuss a new movie."

"All right, dearest. Keep in touch!"

"I will. Be on the look out for that package I'm sending. Bye bye, Wolf Boy."

"Later, darlin'." I hung up, smiling as the phone went down on the receiver.

It was refreshing to know that our friends had a lot of good coming their way after their ordeal. Even business at the Raid improved: more people coming to stay, some new funding and donations for Timberwolf, and planning underway for next year's Great Wolf Film Festival. I smiled thinking about it, then looked at the clock. Time for my lesson with Ty.

I headed off across the grounds toward the woods in back of Timberwolf's dorms. Ty preferred to make his home in the ways his ancestors had, and I wasn't about to argue with him. He'd pitched a tent in a small clearing, and built a traditional sweat lodge nearby. It was in there I knew that he practiced his shaman arts.

Ty sat outside, a collection of herbs in a skin before him; he didn't look up as I approached. Instead he said, in my mind, Good afternoon, Michael.

Good afternoon, I replied, What are you working on?

A medicine, I believe, a potent one, but also quite old. It is to be used for the Spirit Walk.

I've heard you mention it before. What does it entail?

You will know soon enough. Let us begin.

I sat and closed my eyes, clearing my mind. It was Ty's method to come up with a thought or create a vision in his mind. I was to find it, discover what it was, and draw it to the surface. Ty was a tricky customer, and some of the situations he created were a challenge, but eventually I got it. Ty also wanted to expand the range of my abilities, and would sometimes go deep into the woods and it was my task to find him with my mind.

Ty said, Tell me what you see.

A swirl of colors, shapes, and mists.

It always seemed to take a few moments for me to make a connection with him, and I had yet to understand why. With Fuzzy it was instant, but perhaps Ty was making it difficult, so that when I faced someone with the same ability, I would know what I was facing. There, I saw it clearly: places, people, things Ty had seen in the past. Many images running together, but wait, over there. I focused.

The day the Pack rescued me from the Fashionista's lair. He'd linked with Fuzzy to find me, but not just linking with him, had read him as well. Come on, tell me, show me what it was... What had Fuzzy sensed? No, it wasn't Fuzzy sensations... It was...

Ty broke the connection.

I felt flushed and a little hot under the collar, but the strain hadn't been as hard as before. I knew Ty blocked certain things he didn't want me to see, but this made me wonder.

He said, You've done quite well, pup. You were able to work though the barriers I put up around the memory, without damaging me.

Thanks. I've been leaving my mind open more, but there are times it just gets so noisy, I have to close it.

I know. Your abilities are growing, there's no question of that, but be careful how you use your abilities. There is still danger with using these abilities untrained.

I will.

We continued on until the sun was dipping below the horizon and night was descending. When we finished, I decided to catch dinner and maybe go for a walk after dark, perhaps even with Alicia. Yet, as I headed past Fang Hall, I noticed the light on in the window of the Residential Director's apartment. I decided to make a detour.

I looked up from my desk as I saw Michael enter my office and turned away from the monitor glowing on the desk.

"What up Mike?" Glancing at the clock, my brow furrowed a little. "Another session with Ty?"

"Yeah, you know what a stickler he can be for consistency and schedule."

"Yep, so what brings you by?"

"I saw the light on, thought I'd stop in. No real reason."

"Oh okay. I was just doing paperwork on the kids and getting the profiles on a couple from Dr. Alexander that look to be candidates to come in here during the summer. You wanna look them over?"

"Sure," I replied, "What can we expect?"

I handed him some folders from the desktop and he moved over to the couch. I popped a couple can of soda from the fridge beside the desk and sat down.

"It looks like we have an 11 year old with flight powers. Stable home but not a good neighborhood. We have a 16 year old female run away in Chicago with empathic skills. Seems to be getting into trouble shoplifting. There are also 2 sets of

twins being looked at. One identical brothers and one set of fraternal - brother and sister. The brothers - one has Strength and the other is a Technopath - age 14. The brother and sister combo - the brother has Invisibility and the Sister has Sonic Screaming - both 15. It is a single mother home and it is getting to be rough on the family financially and due to the kids’ powers. I think we can bring in two more, but what are your thoughts on these 6?" It felt good working. I don't have to think.

"It sounds like a challenge, which we like around here. Let the good doc know that we'll be happy to help, as always."

"I put the paperwork in first thing tomorrow. I will most likely pop up to Chicago to pick up Genevieve tomorrow as well. I am thinking Chicago style pizza here in the dorms for dinner if you and Alicia want to join us. It being Friday night, probably a good movie too." Yeah, people surrounding me, this would be a good idea.

"We'd love to. I've been putting things off lately between us, and I should make it up to her."

I'd been putting it off because something still haunted me about that last night of the Fest. It was the way she looked at me, in uniform. Something that said, she felt the same way about Sabrewolf as Mike Slagenweit. While it shouldn't bother me, it did, though it was something I was doing well to block in my mind.

"I know. Poor excuses, but..."

"Something on your mind, Mike" I noticed he was slightly off.

"Well, in a way, yeah. I think she has the same hots for Sabrewolf as for me. That's not a bad thing is it?

I chuckled a little bit.

"She's in love with you and a superhero. I don't think it is a bad think. How she finds out you are one and the same is another matter. But trust me, take it fro-” I broke off at what I was saying as Zack's face came full force to mind.

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat.

"Take it from someone who knows. If they love you for you then they will understand." Grabbing my soda I walked over to my desk and shuffled through some papers on my desk. My back was to him, but I heard Mike stand up. It reminded me to get the springs fixed on that old thing.

I placed my hand on his shoulder, and said, "Thanks." I hoped some understanding came through.

Not quite trusting my voice, I just bobbed my head a couple times and sniffed. Inhaling deeply and wiping my face with my hand, I started moving things around on my desk again.

"Keep me posted," I said, and headed for the door. Before going out I continued, "Please let me know if there's anything I can do to help."

"Well the 11 year old, Kevin, loves horses and might need a strong male presence every so often." I said over my shoulder. "Know anyone who might want to volunteer for the job?" I forced cheer into my voice.

"I've been thinking I should get more involved in teaching. Maybe I will."

Turning around with the Eyebrow of Doom as Mike called it, "Really? Any particular area?"

"Well, equestrian sciences are not my specialty, but I've been a fast study in the past, I could learn, but I was also thinking something in English or History."

I knew of Mike's in-depth studies in History. He would make a great addition. "You would be a hit Professor Slagenweit. Lord knows the ladies in Ember Hearth already swoon for you and your ponytail." I snickered.

I smiled and chuckled a bit, "I know."

"Maybe a course in history and literature, mix two disciplines."

"Sounds interesting," I was being intrigued by the idea. "How many hours you looking to take on?"

"Maybe one or two courses for the coming semester. I still have to manage the other parts of the Raid."

"How is Candace doing?" About a month after the festival, we had hired Candace Abughannam as the replacement Front Of House Manager."

"All right, definitely doesn't have the same drive Zack had, but a good knowledge of business management."

"She seems to be one of those people who is just here for the job and not to get to know the people."

"Oh a real stick in the mud huh?"

"A bit."

I had tried to stay out of that part of the business for the last couple months but as the Assistant Manager, I had to start getting back to work.

"So do I need to tread lightly around her or be my normal self?”

I laughed, "Whatever makes you happiest."

"Well, I will let her settle in and then I will pay her a visit on Monday. Introduce myself; let her get a feel for the other side of the management." Everyone knew I was the looser of the two Raid managers.

"Well, I still have a bunch of files to go through. Why don't you get out of here and go catch up with that lovely woman and make her fall even more head over heels for ya?"

"All right," I replied, still snickering, "See you in the morning." I walked outside into the night air, heading for the resort. Once there, I called Alicia and invited her down for dinner and a walk afterward. She quickly agreed.

Ten minutes later, she met me in the dining room, where a fine supper of Lasagna was waiting. After supper, we decided to go up to the Round Rock for a quick after dinner drink, and to check in on the reconstruction.

We walked along the path to the Round Rock arm in arm and my head on his shoulder. The night air was warm with a gentle breeze blowing through the pines. We came around the bend in the trail and walked into the spa and up the recently refurbished staircase to the bar and patio upstairs

The grill was a sight to behold after the accident and even more so now that the repairs had been completed and the wood and stonework surrounding the dance floor and tables had been redone

Alicia said, "It looks wonderful."

I replied, "The contractors did a great job. I'll have to give them a bonus for it."

"Thankfully the fire and shockwaves didn't do much damage to the spa itself, and didn't you tell me yesterday that Calley and Darren had spent days re-cultivating the gardens up on the roof?

"Exactly. Darren knows of a couple of sources that got us some really unique plants, quite rare, but also quite beautiful."

"I like the addition of the Lilac and Honeysuckle bushes in the north corners

"I'm partial to the greenery myself, but you're right, gives it that splash of needed color."

Lupe was playing softly in the corner across the dance floor as Alicia and Mike took a cafe style table next to the railing over looking the dance floor and a wonderful view of the mountains across the lake behind the Timberwolf.

"Enough talk about business, how have you been?"

Alicia laced her fingers together and planted her elbows on the table. “Well I am almost finished with my community service for my part in the Great Wolf Film Festival Caper as I hear it now being called. Mike I can't thank you enough for your intervention with the authorities. I know I should probably have gone to prison, but then I wouldn't have gotten to know how good a guy you really are."

"It was nothing. I know that you were forced to help Barnett. But in helping me and helping the Wolf Pack, I felt you earned a second chance. And I care about you. I didn't want you to go to prison for just telling them how to get in."

She looked away for a moment, but quickly shifted her gaze back to me, "Thank you for telling me that."

"You're welcome," I replied.

Taking her hand in his, she gazed into his eyes. "Mike, I don't know how to tell you this."

"I know," I replied.

"You know?!" Alicia asked confused. "But how? I haven't even gotten my train ticket yet."

"I had a feeling, call it a hunch, but I want to ask you something."

She looked at him askingly.

"I want you to stay. I'm asking if you would stay on and work for me. There's enough positions open and I know I can find something which you'd be good at," I tried to convey sincerity and not let my voice waver, "You know how I feel and I don't want to let what happened take that away from us. We share something special."

With a smirk she said, "Well I don't know...let me think about it." She bubbled with laughter at the horrified expression on Mike's face. "Yes of course. I have never been in a place so friendly and beautiful. But what will I do? Where will I stay? I mean I can't really afford a place on a waitress’s salary."

"Well, there's a nursing position over with Moonlight Hospice, that's available. As for salary, I think I can find a raise for you and an apartment here on the grounds?"

To avoid sweeping the china off the table that Darren had gotten from a source in Zhangdong Providence, Alicia stood and came around and hugged Michael planting a kiss on his lips.

A ripple of warmth spread through me, a surge of pure happiness. It felt that way every time, and it made me want to remain that way forever. We broke apart and I lead her outside and down the bank by the southern lagoon. Just the two of us, holding hands, watching the water bounce off the rocks below the waterfall or the stars shining in the night sky. It was perfect.

He watched the happy couple stroll by the water relieved that he had no weapons as then he would have to explain to the boss why there were two bodies at this point.

Alicia felt happy but more she felt whole being with the brown haired stud sitting beside her. Playfully, she took his ponytail down and started running her fingers through his hair.

I reached, pulled her close and kissed her. The first time I'd done so without prompting. The moment couldn't be any better and I said a quick prayer thanking my Lord for what he'd given me. Right now nothing was going to come between us, not even Sabrewolf.

"Michael, sitting here on the boat dock, I like you. I really do, but I don't want to take this too fast. I mean don't get me wrong that kiss was great. But my upbringing in the Methodist church where I grew up taught me to take it slow." She almost wanted to deck the man sitting beside her as he burst out laughing.

I rose then, pulling her along with me.

"Alicia, I just did the same thing, poured out my heart, without knowing if I was doing the right thing, moving too fast, you know... I didn't want you to think I was trying to take advantage of you... It's just..." I was tripping over my own words. God, I could recite Shakespeare with the flourish of any Elizabethan actor, but was stumbling around in the dark with my new girlfriend.

Her outrage turned to embarrassment to endearment as she realized he was thinking the exact same thing as her but not knowing how to put it to words. Rather that trip up on any more vocalizations, she wrapped her arms around him and pressing close, brushed her lips upon his and felt a rush of wind.

This would have been a good thing except for the fact that given their precariousness on the dock, Alicia's movement had thrown Mike off balance and the wind came from his foot missing the planking and them falling with a splash into the Southern Lagoon.

To Be Continued in Tales From The Wolf Pack Book #2