Fox Revenge (Madison Wolves #5) by Robin Roseau Read Free Book Online Page A

compound as well. They got there ahead of us, and most of them were back to human by the time we arrived.
    "We were much faster," Karen said.
    I shifted human and said, "Not exactly." I grabbed a blanket. "This is the fourth deer we found."
    "No way!" Karen said.
    Lara shifted and laughed. "The fox doesn't like it when we kill a mother with yearlings."
    Karen laughed. "Tie?"
    "Tie," I declared. "Who wants one more game?"
    Everyone wanted one more game.
    "This is a game of freeze tag coupled with catch the fox," I said. "All of you against me."
    Lara laughed. "This will be a short game."
    "Anyone I tag with paw, teeth or tongue is frozen in place for a slow count to sixty," I said. " I have to get at least five feet away from you for the freeze to stick, so I can't freeze you to prevent you catching me. I am allowed to use frozen people as obstacles. Any wolf who bumps someone frozen becomes frozen with them. Once you unfreeze, you must run up onto the porch before you may chase me again."
    Lara began laughing.
    "Anyone I tag a second time is frozen for two minutes. Third tag is three minutes, etc."
    "This sounds like a dangerous game," Lara said. "I'm not sure this is a good idea."
    "Game freezes if I start yipping," I said. "If I continue to yip or whine, everyone back off and I forfeit. But try not to hurt me. I might yip a couple of times if I get tripped, and there is a five second delay before I can tag anyone from my last yip."
    "All right," Lara said. "Everyone be careful."
    "I win if I can get you all frozen."
    Lara began laughing. "Is there a wager?"
    "I won't complain about my security detail for at least six months," I said.
    Everyone became quiet.
    "What do you want if you win?" Lara asked.
    "I really didn't like cleaning my kayak today," I said. "Are we agreed I have a distinct disadvantage? I want a year of no cleaning."
    "The pack will handle all your cleaning duties for a year if you win," Lara said. "But no intentional messes."
    "Last rule," I said. "I want five seconds to tag people at the beginning. I need a little advantage or this will be over immediately."
    Lara laughed. "Elisabeth and I are excluded from that tagging."
    "All right, but you two stay on the porch during that part," I said.
    "All right. Anyone who wants to play as a wolf, start shifting."
    About half of them started shifting. Lara and I sat down on the edge of the porch. She was chuckling.
    "You're going to lose," she said.
    "Maybe," I said. "Possibly almost immediately."
    "That will be disappointing, I think," Lara said. "Can you make it a good game?"
    "I have no idea, but I'm going to try. But you better play to win, Lara."
    "Elisabeth and I will hold back at the very beginning," she said. "If you get more than half of them frozen , we'll get serious. Otherwise we're just going to try to keep you corralled for the first minute or two. But if you come close to us, we will try to catch you. After that, we'll get serious."
    I leaned against her.
    The wolves finished their shifts.
    "All right, you guys," I said. "Spread out a little at the beginning. Give a fox a chance. Action starts when I shift to fur."
    "I'll count out your five seconds," Lara said. "Everyone should try to avoid getting tagged for that five seconds."
    My heart started pounding in anticipation. I whispered into Lara's ear, "If you win, I'll let you do anything you want to me later."
    She grinned. "And if you win, I'll do anything you ask me to do."
    I kissed her quickly, jumped from the porch, and immediately shifted to fox.
    "Five!" Lara said.
    I tagged Rory. The wolves all tried to get away from me. Rory froze in place. He should have chased after me, trying to stay close.
    "Four! Three!"
    I got three more of them before Lara yelled, "Zero! Get her!"
    The first thirty seconds were chaotic. Lara and Elisabeth stayed on the porch, Elisabeth in fur, Lara remaining human. She tried directing people, but they weren't listening to her.
    I managed to tag several more, and the