The Truth

Chapter Nine

Warm breath on the back of my neck, an arm around my waist, one leg thrown over mine. Can I slip out? I doubt it. What time is it? I glance at the clock on the table. It reads past 10. I sit upright, his arm tightens around my waist trying to pull me back down.

"I'm late for work, let me go."

He groans, "You quit this morning. Forgot to tell you."

It takes me a minute to register what he's said.

"I didn't quit."

I'm shaking my head, how could I have quit and didn't even know?

"Yes, you did. I called Tim this morning, you’re going to work at the shop from now on. It's not safe for you to be alone at The Wash for 10 hours a day. Come back to bed."

Some other wolf has taken my spot. Did he know how to run it? I had created a file with as much information about ‘The Wash’ as I could, just in case I had needed a day off. It contained important information such as:

How to run the wash

Who's allowed to go through and who isn't.

What trucks to look out for.

Was it going to be enough? Did this new wolf know what chemicals to order?

His arm tightened around my waist pulling me back into bed. Now that I'm awake, it's hard to go back to sleep. I try to get comfortable, how does anyone sleep like this? I feel trapped. I move around, still trying to get comfortable.

"Stop that." His voice came flat, but sleepy.

I let out a sigh and stop for a moment, but it’s not too long before I'm moving again. Why's he got to hold onto my waist like this?

"I said stop." His voice isn't as sleepy now.

I try to wiggle into a more comfortable position, but something hard is against my back.

"s**t" this was more heartfelt. He lets my waist go and hops out of bed. "You did that on purpose!" He takes off to the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.

Guess it's time for breakfast?

I'm dressed and in the kitchen before he comes down. I pretend not to have heard what had gone on upstairs, after I had left the floor. I did, of course, hear everything but I figure this is the best way to go about things. Just pretend to have normal hearing.

There's a knock on the door; the first of many. Some random pack member asking for help doing something. This person needs help doing this, this person needs money. Notes are stacked everywhere, and I can't make any sense of it.

"I need a ride please." I'm polite about it, asking for something after everyone has been blowing up his phone or coming over.

"Where?"

This stops me, I've never had to explain what I want before.

"I need to go home I can't play my movie here. I'd like my VHS player."

He shakes his head, "Someone is bringing it over later. I’ve already arranged for two lower wolves to do it; for some spare cash they need."

Well that was simple, I guess. It made sense, they need work, I need my stuff. I shake it off.

"I need to go to an office supply store too."

He grins at this "An office supply store? What for?"

I just look at him. "If your going to have me working at your shop and this is how you keep notes, I'm going to need things to help me organize the place. I can't memorize where every scrap of paper is."

This stops him. "Alright, we can get some coffee on the way."

My ears perk up for this coffee..I do love coffee.

"This is work we can take the truck."

This was true. Everything would be considered a work expense. A tax write off when the time comes. He gets his keys while I go around and check every lock in the house. All the windows and the front door are locked. We lock the door behind us as we leave. It's as safe as it's going to get.

We pull into a gas station 20 minutes later. He fills the truck up and we get coffee. Another 20 minutes of quiet driving. No radio, no talking, it's like he doesn't like conversation or music. I stare out my window watching everything flying by. The office supply store is different. I've never actually been in one, but I knew, of course, what to expect. The filing system at ‘The Wash’ was there before I got the job. All I had to do was just figure it out. With the shop, I would be starting from scratch. Now, I just have to figure out where to start.

I went for the cabinets first. I'd picked out some nice powder blue ones until he gave me a look.

"You would be cleaning those more than filing. Grease will get all over them."

I nodded and went with some black ones, 5 drawers with a lock as well. He nodded his approval.

"I want two please."

He looked a bit startled. "Why two?"

I don't like having to explain myself, but I grit my teeth and say, "One for the office and one for home. Your paperwork skills suck, no offense."

He looks at me blankly but agrees, he goes off to find a worker and tells them what we need. We get file folders, for the cabinets, notebooks, a Rolodex, an electronic pencil sharpener, pencils, pens, and a desktop calendar for appointments. I grab a small day planner as well for pack business. The cabinets are on a rolling cart when we get to the front. He pays for one cabinet along with the day planner with the Pack bank card, the rest goes on his company credit card. Everything gets loaded into the truck. He doesn't say much just picks it up and puts it in.

We stop at a restaurant on the way back, it's owned by a pack member who quickly comes over and starts complaining about not having enough servers. I roll my eyes, this earns me a hard glare.

"Don't be so rude to them." His voice cuts in. "It's my job to see that the Pack all works tougher. He's supposed to let me know."

I sigh out "I know."

"Then what's your issue?"

Another eye roll, at this point I feel like my eyes are getting more exercise than the rest of me with all the rolling up they have been doing lately.

"You need to set boundaries. This is ridiculous. Your phone rings off the hook and people keep coming over- every morning. I bet there's a line of people waiting for you when you get back."

He grunted "What do you suggest?"

This stopped me. I thought about it as I ate my omelette.

"To start, no Pack business before noon, and none after 8, unless it's an emergency."

He gapes at me. "Anything else?"

I nod "Yes, requests should be given in writing. That way you don't get the he said she said drama. We can put it in the cabinet, keep it organized"

He laughs a little. "You seem to like being organized."

My turn to laugh "Better being organized and knowing what's going on than forget something."

The Pack member comes back to the table complaining again about not having enough servers.

"Submit your complaint and request in writing, drop it off at the house before 9 tonight, and I'll look into it."

Well it wasn't 8, but still, better than nothing. He stalks off. We finish our meal and get back in the truck and head for the shop.