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out the helicopter window. I looked around once more, flipped a few switches, then hit the starter switch. Two minutes later, I lifted the aircraft into the air. "Wolf Run area traffic," I said over the common frequency used at our private airport, "Robinson five-five-nine fox-wolf is skids up at the heliport, north departure." The call out wasn't necessary, as there wasn't any traffic, but it was a good habit to apprise any other aircraft using our little airport.
    I actually departed first to the south, using the road leading into the compound as a mini runway for the helicopter. While the aircraft could take off and land vertically, it wasn't entirely safe. If something happened to the engine, forward momentum could be used to ensure a safe landing in a maneuver referred to as an auto-rotation. In other words, it was safest to remain near the ground until we had more airspeed. The road was private, and Lara had cleared trees away from it, making it safer to use this way. But soon I pulled back on the collective, and the helicopter climbed into the sky.
    Serena and Portia were both quiet. I glanced back at Portia in the back seat. "Do you wish you were at the controls?" I asked her. She earned her pilot's license at the same time I earned my helicopter license, but she didn't have a lot of time, and she hadn't begun flying the helicopter yet. She smiled but didn't answer.
    Serena and I spent the flight talking about class. We were taking all our classes together, which had actually been a lot of fun. We even studied together. It had worked well. A half-hour after lifting off from home, we approached Griffon. I circled the school once to get a good look at the landing site, but it was free of obstruction. I called in, anyway, then set up my approach. A minute later, we were skids down, and I began the shut down procedures. Once the helicopter drew quiet, I turned to Serena. We grinned at each other.
    "I am so spoiled," I announced.
    "I know," she replied. "We were going to talk to you about that."
    I laughed, and we headed to class, Portia following along.
    All was right with the world.
     

Phone Calls
    "Lara, I have a little work at the office," I said.
    "Take an escort."
    "It's twenty steps."
    She turned to me and stared me down.
    "Yes, Alpha," I said meekly. I pulled out my phone and hit the speed dial. "Elisabeth, I need an escort."
    "Why aren't you calling your head of security?"
    "Because my head of security has a date with her husband," I replied. "And I am not going to bother her because I need to spend a half hour in my office."
    "I'll send someone over. Stay where you are until someone arrives."
    I sighed. Ten minutes later, Elisabeth stepped into the house, announcing herself.
    "Auntie Lisbeth!" said Rebecca from her place on the floor. She and Celeste were coloring. She held up the picture. "Look what I painted!"
    "Very pretty, Rebecca," Elisabeth replied, moving closer. She gave each girl a quick kiss on the forehead, but they were both engrossed in their coloring and returned their focus to the critical task. Elisabeth turned to me. "Ready?
    "I didn't mean you," I told her.
    "I was free," she replied.
    "Thank you," I replied, heading for the door. I waited for her to step out in front of me, but then we walked side-by-side to the school. We made our way to my office. She checked briefly to ensure it was empty, then held the door for me. But I stopped in the doorway, facing my sister-in-law.
    "Elisabeth?"
    "Michaela?"
    "Have you ever met any other werefoxes?"
    "No, Michaela," she said. "Just you."
    "Have you met other weres, other than wolves?"
    "Of course. I've talked to the other weres living in Wisconsin," she said. Other than the wolves, there weren't many weres. There was a family of were beavers an hour from the compound, and there was a werecat pair living in Door County, although that was technically out of Lara's territory. I'd never met the werecats, but I'd once introduced myself to the beavers. "I