SWNOVELS Chapter 3 ~ False Bottom
When time came for Hunter to shift.. Steele made his wolf, Axel, submit to his Alpha.. Axel was a good sized wolf .. sable colored.. and playful. And Alpha Maddox had his first pack member.
The next seven weeks, the boys spent as much of their summer just being boys, as they could. Their departure date was scheduled for the day after Valerie’s shift.
Delilah tried to keep them all occupied because Valerie was sad.. and the boys were anxious. She planned fun picnics by the lake.. movie nights.. water balloon fights. Anything to keep them entertained. The problem was she was forced to bring Emily along.. and all she did was complain. It was too hot. There were too many bugs. The movies were stupid.. the snacks stale. A constant litany of how she could do it better.
The night of Valerie’s shift was a party.. Everyone was preparing to send Maddox and Hunter off to the Academy.. which was in Wyoming. The entire happiness of the evening was dampened with the anxiety of the boys leaving for two years.
Valerie was saddened but knew it was necessary for the safety of the pack.. and she was worried that when they returned, Hunter wouldn’t be her mate and she didn’t know if she could let him go.
When Valerie finally shifted.. she was a small reddish brown wolf named Amber.. built for speed and agility. Maddox submitted her within seconds and then she just wanted to run and play. She bounced off trees and over shrubs.. being chased by Axel and Steele.
Everyone stood in front of the pack house the next morning.. after all the goodbyes.. hugs and tears.. both Maddox and Hunter climbed on their bikes and took off for Wyoming and their next adventure.
Delaney looked at the three girls.. but spoke directly to Delilah and Valerie.. “Tomorrow, my lovely ladies.. we start your training! You game?” Delilah fist pumped the air and yelled “Hell yeah! I have only ever trained at the Y. I couldn’t afford anything else with paying all the bills at home.”
Delaney spun around on her “Explain. Now!” Delilah said “My stepmother and Emily don’t work.. at anything. They live off my father’s life insurance money. But.. according to Elizabeth.. that was to provide for Her.. and for her to provide for her daughter. In lieu of paying rent.. I am allowed to live in the old laundry room.. as long as I pay all the utilities.”
Delaney looked at Emily “And you’re okay with that? Taking advantage of your sister this way?” Emily sneered “Step! Sister. And why wouldn’t I be? Obviously, her dad cared more about my mom and me than her! Otherwise, he would have made her his beneficiary.”
Delaney slapped her.. “How dare you! You have some nerve! He couldn’t make his underaged daughter his beneficiary, you idiot! And he probably had no idea how much of a bitch your mother would be to His daughter! Delilah! No more! You do not pay bills of any kind for those two leeches!”
Delilah smiled “Queen.. I need a place to live.. it’s my only option.” Delaney said “Nope. It’s not. First thing Monday.. we petition the courts for guardianship.. it’s the same thing Elizabeth would have had to do to retain custody.”
Emily said “My mom didn’t have to do that! Nobody even asked.. I guess because my mom’s last name is Connors, too.” Delaney looked over at Delilah and grinned “Even better.. but now my curiosity is peaked.. Why? I can’t help but wonder why.. Delilah.. do you mind if I do a little background on your family?”
Delilah smiled “Nope. Why would I? Everything you’ve done for me.. has always been in my best interests.. want me to write down everything I remember about my parents?”
At Delaney’s nod.. she wrote down she was born in Louisiana in Pontchartrain Pack.. to the beta pair … Henri Connors and Calypso Dubois…the Dubois were an Alpha family out of Houme.. Black Water pack. She’s an only child.. and when the Louisiana packs disbanded.. everyone scattered to the winds. Joining other packs.. or becoming lone wolves.. like her parents. Her mother was killed by hunters.. outside a small town in Nevada.. claiming they thought she was a simple Timberwolf. Her father married Elizabeth in human courts.. telling his daughter that because she was widowed.. with a daughter the same age.. he could join her mother in peace.. knowing she had a guardian and a companion..a sister. Her father gave up and let his heart lead him home.. to his true mate.
Delaney read over it.. and asked how long after he married Elizabeth did he pass away? Delilah answered “About six months. That was almost three years ago. We have moved like eight times since then. Just packed up and took off.. three times we moved in the middle of the night. Always stopping in some little podunk town.. she enrolls us in school.. forces me to find work.. Actually, the diner is my first real job. I was too young before. So I babysat.. chopped firewood.. mowed lawns.. shoveled snow. Whatever I could get.”
Lexi growled loudly “Oh hell NO! This ends today!” When Lexi growled.. it brought Venom.. Snake, Axe, and Gizmo.. all running to her. She snarled “Baby.. we are taking custody of another teenager.” He grinned and said “Okie dokie.. As long as you aren’t injured or out here killing anyone.. I’m all good!”
She wrapped her arms around his waist.. tippy-toeing to kiss him asked “And if I’m killing somebody?” He laughed.. kissing her nose “Well.. I would have to drag him outside so he didn’t bleed all over the house.” Making her laugh with him.
Emily sneered “You people are disgusting. Every one of you should be put down!” Delilah laughs “You are really so stupid. Making ignorant statements like that.. in a clubhouse full of people who could snap your neck in a second. Idiot!”
Delaney handed the sheet of paper to Gizmo.. “I want you to run every bit of information you can find on these people. I have a feeling there is more to this than my new daughter knows.” She looked sharply at Emily.. “What’s your father’s name, girl?” She responded “Eric Garrison” making Delaney mind link Gizmo “Find him, too. I don’t believe he’s dead. That Elizabeth is running from something and I want to know what it is.”
She tells the girls “Hop in the Jeep, ladies. We are going to pack up Delilah’s things and get her set up in her own room here.” Emily snarled “My mom is going to be pissed. She won’t let you take her. She has a responsibility to us.” Delaney laughed “Scared you’ll have to be the one paying the bills now?”
She mind linked Venom.. letting him know she wanted him to follow her to Delilah’s house.. in case she needed a mega intimidation tactic. He chuckled and told her “Always using me for my muscle!” She busted out laughing “Well.. always wanting to use your muscle.. anyway!” He gasped and smacked her on the ass “Oh.. you are naughty. But.. I would love a demonstration of that use.. later..” wiggling his eyebrows at her.
They reached Elizabeth’s house and Delaney sent Delilah and Valerie to pack up her things.. Elizabeth demanded to know what was happening and Delaney told her.
She screamed “I am her legal guardian! You can’t take her. I will call the cops!” Venom smiled and said “Go right ahead.. they should be here by the time Delilah has finished packing. In the meantime, why don’t you get your legal documentation proving you are her court appointed guardian.”
Emily told her mother that we were investigating Delilah’s family history.. and want to take her away. Elizabeth lost her shit.. demanding they leave her house immediately or she would have them arrested for trespassing.. Making Delaney laugh again… “Did you not notice the name of the owners of this house when you signed the lease? In case you didn’t.. it was me.. My name.. so… I reckon that makes me your landlady.. Imagine that!”
Delilah and Valerie came in.. each with a garbage bag and a box. Venom asked “Which room, sweet girl? I will get the rest.” Valerie shook her head “That’s it, Venom. This is all she has. Delaney gasped and narrowed her eyes at Elizabeth..
Delilah asked “Where is my cherrywood treasure box, Elizabeth? It was under my bed this morning.. Now it isn’t. You were the only one home today. I want my box now! It’s all I have left of my family!”
Elizabeth tried denying any knowledge of the box and Delaney snarled “Woman! I will slap the shit out of you in a heartbeat! Tell this child wear her property is. I promise you.. I will tear this place apart until I locate it!”
Elizabeth sputtered “It isn’t hers. My late husband carved that box with his own hands.. legally.. everything that was his.. is mine.” Venom told her “I’m rapidly losing patience here.. get the Goddess damned box right the fuck now!”
She left.. returning shortly with a beautifully carved box about two by three feet.. it looked heavy.. slamming it down on the coffee table. The hinges had been beaten off with what was most likely a hammer.
Delilah gasped and her eyes filled with tears.. “It’s a puzzle box.. why would you try to destroy my only possession? What did I ever do to you?” Delaney smiled “That’s what I’d like to know, princess. We are going to get to the bottom of this.. I promise you! Now check if anything is missing.. before we leave. We don’t want there to be a reason to come back here.”
Delilah looked through the box.. “I want my cards. My birthday cards. I had all the ones my parents ever given me.. I want them back! My birth certificate.. my parents marriage license.. their death certificates. Why the fuck would you take those things!? What is wrong with you!? My mom’s rings.. and her locket! You are not only a miserable excuse for a person.. you’re a thief! Not above stealing from a kid!”
Delaney slammed her hands on the kitchen counter “You have exactly two minutes to return every single piece of paper.. card.. jewelry.. whatever the fuck you stole from OUR child! Or I am calling the cops.. filing a report.. then bringing you to our version of our own private hell..jail.. I meant Jail.”
Elizabeth ran to get the items she took.. Delilah checked it was all there.. and they loaded up to head home. Venom asked “Lilah… have you ever checked that box thoroughly? I think there is a false bottom.”