I was awoken by a scream. Mum's scream.
Internally, Wolfie's GPS chimed its usual cryptic, {Beta approaches}
Luckily the Luna's scream in my pack was heeded, and Mum's damsel in distress moment was followed by quick feet and the sound of a full-grown man barging in.
"She's gone!" Mum exclaimed.
"Who's gone?" I asked, sitting up. I rubbed my eyes but still felt bleary.
"Oh, Sam!" Mum rushed over and engulfed me in a bear hug.
Okay…wait. Mum screamed because she thought I was gone? Wth.
I mindlinked Dad, "Nothing happened. Don't freak out or break any windows."
Dad answered, "I know. Ki reported the false alarm."
Why that little snitch!
I glared at Ki, who was incidentally the full-grown man who rushed up at Mum's scream.
So while I was a little grateful there was someone who would rush to help Mum around the house, I was even more peeved that my betas were reporting to my dad.
Okay, technically he was still the alpha. And yes, it did help save a window or two from Dad going King Kong when Mum panicked.
"Mum, you need to chill," I told her.
Did she not realize her mating bond with Dad was going to cause the Alpha to go bananas every time she freaked out like that?
{Beta is near}
Still totally unhelpful, Wolfie.
"Sorry, I thought you snuck out." Mum sighed and soothed my hair back.
She looked to Killion, who was still at the door. "Sorry to have alarmed you, Ki."
"Don't worry about it, Luna," Killion smiled.
Lately, Mum had been a little more worried about me than usual.
Okay, make that a lot more worried.
She was still fussing over my hair.
"Oh yes, are you feeling better, dear? Your dad needs you at his office… it's Gamma Endo..." Mum growled ever so slightly. "If he causes any more trouble…"
"Harvey is nearby. Perhaps the princess can take her time to dress till then. Endo can wait," Killion suggested sweetly.
"Yes, exactly," Mum agreed. "Make him wait!"
Who knew my Mum, the gentle Luna, and Killion, the former fight dog, would get along so well?
I considered my options. "I'll take a shower first, then."
Killion excused himself quickly to check on the stew, and Mum decided to pick my outfit for me.
{Beta is near}
I know, Wolfie. You've said.
Actually, Killion said too, and Killion actually said a name. Would it kill you to use a name?
Wolfie got pretty huffy after that. Lol. I wondered if it was just a wolf thing not to use names, or perhaps Wolfie just didn't know the names?
Even pet dogs could recognize familiar human names!
Wolfie… maybe you're like me. Only good for fighting.
I went to the bathroom and shut the door. And now, left alone, I let myself wallow a bit in self-pity.
I've been trying.
Like I tried hard at everything, Lycan group study, training, and school. I always did my best.
But right now, my best didn't seem good enough.
All my life, I thought having the strongest wolf would make me Alpha, but that didn't seem quite enough.
The stronger my wolf became, and the further I merged with it, the more fragile my human body seemed.
I thought of my Dad's King Kong mode, and even Gamma Endo… big strong men who could take the strain. Unlike me.
I wasn't the strongest wolf.
I was obviously not the smartest wolf either.
I wasn't built for speed, so being the fastest was out.
Then what could I be?
Since I wasn't the strongest, or the smartest, or the fastest… then maybe I should be the wolf that tried the hardest.
I wasn't going to give up.
Goddess, watch me!
Watch me run! I'm going to be the wolf who runs the hardest!
{Betas approach}
I heard Harvey knock on my bedroom door and let himself in. "Luna, is everything all right?"
He wasn't alone, but I was in the bathroom so I could only guess that it was Killion who came in with him.
"Yes, I think so…" Mum didn't sound so sure.
I realized that I could hear them quite clearly from the bathroom. If I stood in this corner just inside the shower, their voices passed through the wall quite clearly.
"She's fuming in there," Killion observed aloud like an adult would remark about the weather.
"Yes…" Mum said. "She usually uses the shower whenever she's in a bad mood."
"Do you know what caused it, Luna?" Harvey asked.
Seriously? My betas reported to my dad and consulted my Mum behind my back? Was I a kid?
"Maybe it was because of the way I woke her up…" Mum wondered aloud. "To tell the truth, she has been in a very bad mood a lot lately."
Mum sighed. "She used to be such a happy and carefree child."
And then she asked my betas, "Do you know if it could be because of a boy?"
I seriously couldn't believe my Mum was thinking this… not to mention asking my betas about it.
I listened carefully to see what my two betas would say.
There was a pause. Were they seriously considering it?
I suddenly remembered River yelling over the phone to Killion not to bother his girlfriend…(Oh, no!)
"I highly doubt it," Killion told my Mum finally. (Oh whew.)
"I would say…" Harvey answered carefully, "It would be extremely unlikely."
(Good betas.)
"She'd sooner kill a guy than kiss him," Killion said with a chuckle. "Pop, that hurts, Harv!"
"Mind your words, Ki." But Harvey's admonition was laced with low growly laughter.
Mum was laughing too. "You are right. I worried for nothing. My Sam had always been slow when it comes to these things. Please take care of her."
"We understand," Killion assured her.
I could barely believe what I was hearing—what did she mean I was slow? And when did my Mum become BFF with my betas? Why, what, how… grrrr…
By the time I did get out of the shower, I was ready to kill someone.
How dare they!
I should kiss a guy and show them! Grrr…
I'm not slow! I've just got better things to do with my time, like deal with old stubborn gammas like Gamma Endo.
I heard Harvey and Killion excuse themselves to wait outside. They must have heard the shower turn off. I wrapped a towel around myself and tore open the bathroom door.
Mum jumped. "Oh, Sam. Your clothes are on the bed. Your dad said to hurry. I'll wait downstairs."
And she let herself out.
I sighed. I thought they wanted to make Gamma Endo wait? Whatever.
I changed into whatever was on the bed. It wasn't anything extraordinary—jeans and that grey long-sleeved t-shirt I've been wearing a lot. A pair of short white boots (were those new? Oh well, they were my size.) She also included a cute navy button-up knit vest with a hood. I think someone knitted it for me… It was warm, soft, and comfortable.
I plodded out of my room and down the stairs. Killion was helping Mum into her coat. Harvey was standing at the door, holding my white trench coat.
I wordlessly went to them and let Harvey put the coat on me.
See, I could be an adult too.
"Oh, good. The boots fit," Mum said. "I got them on sale, but they were too large for me."
I see… I nodded. I was going to be an adult about this.
Then I walked out the front door. Harvey followed silently.
Killion helped Mum out and locked up. So now Killion had the keys to the house too, huh?
I kept walking. Whatever. Right now, I needed to keep my head in the game and deal with Gamma Endo.