Little Wolf

Ch 49 Anna

"I also know the people who respect me, honor me, and call me friend and mean it. From those people it's genuine, based on who I am, not whatever Grandfather said. I'm good, Anna."

"I told people too!"

She couldn't stop her tears. I didn't know what to say.

"Even though you knew it was a lie?"

She was miserable as she tried to explain.

"I was young. That night your parents came home late... You were sleeping. I had dozed off and woke suddenly to see a wolf in the living room in front of me. The wolf became your mother. Your father was draping a blanket over her before she was even totally upright. She was concerned because I had a scratch on my hand. Grandfather had always warned me not to give in to you playing around pretending you were a wolf. He said he didn't want you embarrassing the family by biting someone."

"The night I dropped that glass?"

Anna nodded. "Your father moved in close, smelling me. It was scary to be honest. Your mom came back dressed. Grandfather convinced me I'd had a vision, and that your mom was infected by your dad's madness. He told me anything she said was the result of her love for your dad, supporting his delusions."

"She was beautiful Little Wolf. I'm sorry I didn't believe her then. I was so tired and wasn't sure I had really seen what I saw or just dreamed it. I just played along. I didn't really believe until..."

"Until you put your fist in your mouth when you saw me change?"

She slapped my arm and chuckled through her tears.

"I forgive you, dear cousin," I told her. I wasn't sure if I really did, but like she said, she had been young back then. The one thing I was sure about Anna is she would never hurt me on purpose.

"You don't even know what I did yet!"

As if spreading Grandfather's lies about me wasn't enough, I thought. But I kept my mouth shut and waited for her to go on.

"Ok, so I got to thinking. First, I had to straighten things out with Grandfather. If you have a kid, people would think the same thing about him or her, unless that lie got debunked. So I debunked it. Second, We're going to tell people what you are."

"Anna..."

"No, I know what I'm talking about. Think about it! Those wolves out there, some of them might try to kill you. They won't dare if they know how many people, well, people and wolves, support you and back your stance on how to run their packs. So we tell them."

I could only look at her, wondering if she was the one with a mental condition.

"Your mom already laid the groundwork with the stories she wrote. We'll do more," she continued intently. "We'll tell people in a way real people won't actually believe, but the wolves will know is real. We're going to publish Sister's stories about you and your pack. With our following and hers, plus the publicity for the books, you are going to be famous. At least, famous enough no one will mess with you."

She paused. Apparently this crazy idea she had concocted with Sister's influence wasn't all of it. She took a deep breath, looking at me as if begging me to agree with what she was suggesting.

"You need to quit Yellowstone." She hurried on before I could barely protest.

"Anna!"

"I've already signed us up for Comic-con and Dragon-con. We're also scheduled for events across the country. The council has already made you our spokesperson. Officially you'll be meeting our people who live elsewhere and want to learn more about their heritage. It'll help the people of tribe who are out there feel connected with the rest of us instead of feeling like they don't belong. We've been discussing it for a long time."

"Anna, stop! I..."

"The council believes that's what you came to talk about, and that grandfather disapproved because he didn't want people to know about the lie he told. I made Grandfather retract his..."

"Anna! How can you think..."

"... statements about you publicly, before the council and everyone else. They know he lied because he didn't like your father."

"Anna, why would you..."

"Because you need to be out there helping those wolves! You can't do that and still hold your job at Yellowstone. Right now your job there is on hold. You're on leave. Mac helped me work it out. You've got two years before you have to decide what to do at Yellowstone."

I didn't know what to say. It seemed everyone was plotting behind my back while I slept. Anna gave me a second to think about what she had said, but cut me off when I opened my mouth to speak.

"I'm not blind Little Wolf! You said it yourself, the abuse has to stop! You have to help those wolves! This way you can do everything you need to do, with your honor, and a good future for any children you have. The people won't know what you are, except the council, and that will be done tonight, if you stick to the game plan."

She stopped finally. I looked at my normally level-headed, organizing, and overly responsible cousin like I didn't know her. In a way this whole thing smacked of Sister, and yet Anna was right. I needed a way to move about the country, wherever wolves were. I needed more time to deal with them than just my days off. Trust Anna to find a way to organize everything to fit my needs in just a few days.

However...

"Tell me about this game plan you've concocted without me!"