Her Beautiful Strength

The Bank

"I'm sure these scrubs just make me look ravenous."

"And I'm sure I smell like daisies."

We both laugh before walking into the house. Kennedy sat on the couch and without thinking passed a file to Maddi who took it as we walked back to the kitchen. Maddi sat at the table while I got us both a bottle of water.

"What is it?"

Maddi let's out an exasperated sigh, "Bills."

"How far behind are we still?"

"Very, and I only have two more weeks to prove to the pack I can do this."

My hand rests on hers, "You can do this."

"How was work?"

"Sick kids, sick adults, a fourteen years old girl hit on me," I told her and she laughs.

"You are very handsome."

"Her mom was mortified."

"You didn't flirt back did you?" she opens her mouth, faking offense.

"Yeah, fourteen is just my age range."

"Ten years younger then you, a sound plan for when you're forty."

I stand and kiss her forehead, "I'm going over to the garden."

"I'll be over later!"

I go upstairs and change into some outdoor work clothes. The garden wasn't too far from the house and was adjacent to where the school will be built. This way the kids and teens can help. Julia has brought some new trees to plant around the area.

"Alpha Andrew," she smiles at me. "I got an apple and a magnolia. I was thinking we can plant the magnolia closet to the school and the apples on the east side."

"Sounds good, how have the kids been?"

"Ally is excited to shift at the next Wolf's Moon. Marcus is ready for sixth grade."

"You're working on a science degree right?"

"And teaching. I want to work at the new school once it's built."

"That's awesome, so you plan on staying after this month is over?"

"I was raised in Killer Wolf, so was Jason. We met and fell in love here. It was never great, it was hardly good, but Alpha Maddison is making it better."

"How does Jason feel about a female Alpha?"

"The Drakes were raised in isolation from the pack. We never knew Alpha when she was being raised. Jason and I agree that she is doing her best. It's hard for us still, but he has a job and I'm working part-time, so we believe it will get better."

"Maddi is working hard to make it better."

"I know, Alpha Andrew."

&[]

"Hello?"

"Hello is this Maddison Drake?"

"Yes," I answer.

"You called about the loan under your father Lawrence Drake."

"I did, thank you for getting back to me."

"Yes, unfortunately I have bad news. I see you have been paying off the debt slowly in the past few weeks, but due to the extensive time and about of interest, the bank associates are asking for the loan in full by the end of the month, all three of them."

"I- what?"

"I'm sorry Miss Drake."

"There's no way."

"Unfortunately there is no exception. The collateral will be collected at the end of the month if the loans are not paid. Have a good day, Miss Drake."

"Yeah, you too, I guess." The phone clicks and I stare at the door.

I'm going to loose the pack...

I rub my hands over my face; trying to think of any possible solution. Not even with the payments, all of it from Fifth Night, it won't be enough. Almost all of Andrew's pay check has been going to the debt and it's not enough.

"Fuck!" I scream, slamming my hand on the desk. "Fuck!"

Jack runs into my office. "What's wrong?"

My fingers dig into my scalp and pull. "The bank wants all of the money by the end of the month."

"All of it?"

"All of it, all three loans in two weeks."

"Even though we've been paying on it."

"They just want the money or the collateral."

"The pack lands."

"We are going to loose the pack."

"No.. no we can't."

I sit there in shock. "I need to start calling Alphas to get my wolves a new home."

"Maddi..."

"Leave," I order him. "I have things to do."

&[]

"Maddi?" Andrew enters the office. He walks around to me and kneels in front of my chair. "Kennedy was crying down stairs, what's happening?"

"We are losing the pack."

"What do you mean?"

"The bank wants the whole loan at the end of the month," he brings me to a stand and hugs me.

"We aren't giving up, I'll call Lyon and--"

"No."

"I'm sure he can help us--"

"No Andrew! No one can help us! Killer Wolf is going down and I have to make sure that my wolves have a life after."

"Maddi we can get through this. We can't loose Killer Wolf."

"But we are," I look up at him. "We are going to loose everything."

"No we aren't," he held me close, breathing heavily. "You have me. You'll always have me."

A few tears finally spill down my cheek. I grab his shirt and cry into his shoulder. I don't want to loose this, I don't want father to take one more thing from me.

This book is part of a series. There is a book before it called "Blonde Wolf of the Brown Haired Beauty" and one after called "Black Wolf Beauty."