I admitted. "She probably has a scab this morning, but that's all. I think she came out of it better than everyone else. How's Kim?"
"Sore and feeling her age," Ashley admitted. "So, tell Lane to bring you over, because the Sisterhood is meeting at my place today for lunch, wine, too much talking, and waiting for that bitch to leave."
My eyes jumped to the man in question. "I can probably talk him into that. Besides, I'm pretty sure he's not going to let me walk across the community on my own."
"Yeah, no," Lane agreed. "I'll drive, or I'll watch you drive. What about Gabby?"
But Ashley heard that. "Roman's not in trouble anymore. Personally, I think you should let the pups hang out together to celebrate that. The boy's hurting too bad to get himself in too much trouble."
"So, Ian's completely ok with Roman again?" My question was for both her and Lane.
He nodded at me. "He saved the alpha's mate. The only reason he's not being praised is because he was in so much trouble before. Want me to come back and keep an eye on them?"
"No," I decided. "They're old enough to make their own bad decisions, and I think they've proven that they deserve a little trust." But I lowered my voice. "I won't complain if you listen in for any problems though, like my house burning down."
"Promise," he said.
So I turned my focus back to the phone. "I need half an hour to finish this coffee, do something with my hair - and I mean a brush - and then I'll have Lane bring me over. Just means one of you will have to give me a ride back."
"Last day of babysitting!" Ashley proclaimed, sounding just a little too excited. "And do not get that man naked or you will never make it over for girl time! You hear me, Lane?"
"I hear you," he said, proving her voice was loud enough to come through the speakers. "Just wait, Ash. I'll get even for that."
"Love you," she teased. Then the next words were for me. "You have half an hour, and then I'll text you non-stop. Both Bridget and Kim were up and moving before you - and Kim was in a dog fight!"
"I'll be there," I said, then ended the call. "Sounds like Ashley's pretty excited about this."
Lane laughed once. "She always hated Karen. Loved Patrick, but she also remembers a time before he was Henry's beta. So he's not as much of a father to her as the rest of us. Now, drink the coffee, bunny. I think you've earned it."
Except I hadn't done a single thing, but I decided that this was my sign that today was going to be a very good day.
Ashley, Kim, Heather, Bridget, and I spent the day watching bad romance movies, eating junk food - Heather made cookies - and then we broke out the wine. When the first bottles were gone, we didn't stop. After the second round of bottles had been emptied, we were all laughing just a little too much, and the sun was slowly sinking in the sky.
That was when Ashley had the worst idea of all. "We should go make sure Karen's gone!" she announced.
"Yes!" Kim almost growled.
I just groaned. "That is such a bad idea."
"Oh, it's a great one," Bridget assured me. "Let that woman see that the pack chooses you over her. Make sure she knows that savaging a sixteen year old boy is nothing to be proud of." She looked at me. "I put more than thirty stitches in Kim's boy. Just imagine what she would've done to you."
Heather was nodding. "I'm down. Let's show her that the Alpha Female of Wolf's Run is in charge because we demand more than just someone to fight for us."
"And make sure she's gone, or we'll throw her out ourselves," Ashley declared.
I knew it was a bad idea. I really did, but at the same time, I also loved it. These women were my friends. They were my support in a way that I'd never had before. All of these women were willing to prove they had my back, and combined with the wine, it made me feel just strong enough and plenty powerful enough to enforce Ian's banishment.
We grabbed our shoes and coats but left our keys. No, not a single one of us was in any shape to drive, but that was ok. Karen only lived a few blocks away. It was just