Big Bad Wolfie novel Chapter 54

Maria's POV

A deep set frown fell on Wolfie's face, and for a second, I wanted to take what I said back, but only because I didn't need my image of myself rubbing off on him.

He already thinks of me lowly enough, I don't need his respect for me going down even more.

"Welp, all fixed up. Time for me to go," I stated curtly and practically ran away.

I got back to the group and everyone was talking in a circle.

Happy turned to look at me. "How is he?"

I kept my face blank but nodded. "Fine. What are we talking about?" I changed the subject quickly.

"We think we should retreat," Stephan started.

I immediately felt my eyebrows furrow together.

That sounds like a terrible idea. And I was about to tell him so, but he spoke first after seeing my reaction.

"Not all the way," he reassured, "Just to somewhere safe — or at least safer — that way we can take time to heal. Y'know, re-charge."

Rose jumped in, "Yeah, no ones injuries are going to get any better if we're on them 24/7. And good sleep and meals will help them heal faster."

I nodded, "Yeah, sounds like a good idea. I think we underestimated how long and strenuous this trip was going to be anyway."

Stephan nodded as well, "Exactly. Now we just need to call our territories to explain to them they need to be prepared for us to be out longer."

Everyone agreed, then we just stood staring at each other for a few seconds.

"Ready, break," Brandon clapped loudly and it managed to bring a smile to our faces and get us moving.

Happy had been on the phone for a while and seemed to have finished all his wolf business or whatever, and now I'm bombarding him with questions while Rose and Brandon bicker about I don't even know what a few feet away.

If they weren't so occupied, I'm sure they'd be participating too.

"How did the second scavenging go?"

A few new blood sources had come to the human town over so the House convinced Happy and Wolfie to let them go on another scavenge because of how low they still were.

While I was kept in the dark about all of it and only found out through listening to one of Happy's conversations.

"Do they have enough to eat?"

"He says he doesn't know, Maria," Happy responded to me, covering part of the phone so whoever on the other side couldn't hear.

"Doesn't know?! What do you mean he doesn't know?"

"He doesn't know," Happy deadpanned.

"Well find somebody who does know!!"

"Are they still all cooped up in the jails?"

"Have they added any? Let any out?"

"I need to know!"

"He doesn't —"

"Find somebody who does!!" I yelled at him before he could finish.

He shoved the phone into my chest, "You tell him who to look for then."

I smiled, well that worked out well.

I put the phone to my ear. "Hi, can I have Harper, Doc, Trainer Marco, the Captain, and Destiny on the phone?"

"I don't know who any of those people are and —"

"Ask around," I interrupted. "My house will know who I'm talking about and point you in the right direction," I smiled, even though he can't see me.

"Listen, I don't —"

"ASK AROUND!" I shouted at him.

"Okay, okay. Jeez," I heard him mumble.

After a few minutes of hearing muffled voices from the other end, Harper came on the phone.2

"Maria?!" She questioned eagerly.

"Yes, Harper? Are you okay?" I asked first.

"Yeah, I'm fine now that they let a few of us out 'FoR gOoD bEhaViOr'" she mocked and I chuckled.

Then lowered my voice, "Is there anyone around to hear?"

I looked around my own surroundings and found I was in the clear.

"No, you're good," she whispered back.

"Good. . . so Trainer Marco and Doc passed along my message?" I questioned.

"Yeah we didn't get many details though."

"Good, it's best that way. Some of the people there can't keep a secret," I mumbled.

"Not me though, right?"

"Yeah. . . Totally."

The fist time I'd called, I'd told Marco and Doc to deliver a message to Captain @ss Hat to tell the other prisoners to play nice so they could be let out, but I also told them to keep the fact it was for my plan to get our house back between them and the Captain.

Now, the Captain may be an arrogant jerk that doesn't respect me, but he knows how to appreciate a good plan and follow it.

"Shut up and say why you asked for me." Harper's voice came from the other end and I could imagine her eyes rolling.

I smirked, she does that enough for them to fall right out of her head.

"Okay, here's what I wanted to talk to you about, I'm assuming Doc and Trainer Marco picked you to help with the blood scavenging."

"Yeah," she responded.

"Well, how'd it go?"

She paused, "You asked for me specifically to ask me that?" She probably deadpanned.

"Well, that, and I figured if your sassy @ss managed to be let out of the jails, most others could do it to," I grinned.

She scoffed.

"So, how'd it go?" I ignored her.

She huffed but answered, "They went fine. . . Well, they went pretty good actually. Our supply is nearly back up to where it used to be at the beginning of the year."

"That's great," my eyebrows raised. "That can make up for the lack of hunting we had because of Jason's house arrest bull crap."

She chuckled. "Yeah, I think he's done with that, I've seen a lot more people out and about."

Heck yeah.

"And the blood portion sizes can go nearly back to normal and there would be enough for everyone," she continued.