It's late. I almost expected the next whistle to be for dismissal, but Hank sent us out for our run.
"Alright! Guys stay, ladies first! From the side porch, get shifted, girls. The guys will be up in ten." Hank barked out at us.
I left with the girls.
Savy automatically slipped next to me. It was somewhat comforting to have her near again.
"So... what did I miss?" I asked with my usual grin.
"The hotness of the guys pretty much correlated to their ranking." Savy informed me.
"Then I'm the hottest guy!" I boasted. Hahaha.
"You're not counted." Savy told me.
I heard Lola's musical laughter.
"What did the guys say?" Jessica asked.
"Nothing." I complained. "I was bored to death."
"Should've stayed with us, huh?" Marissa joked.
"Yeah, but I wouldn't get to go all out when we fight." I answered honestly.
"Yeah, what was that anyway?" Marissa asked. "Man, you were scary."
"Thank you." I grinned.
Lola laughed again before saying more seriously, "But that was a merging technique, right? I've never seen anyone use it so fast before. Not even my Uncle Endo."
I shrugged. "I just wanted to try it."
"Next time, try going for his pants." Marissa advised.
"Mari! No! Don't corrupt Sam like that." Lola scolded.
Marissa laughed. "Come on. It's the innocent-looking ones who are the most perverted."
We all looked at Savy.
She smiled angelically at us but said nothing.
I shook my head. No way!
But I'd never talked with Marissa like this before. Hahaha. She was really cool, and her jokes were different from the ones girls usually told.
Maybe because she seemed close to Lola, that's why she opened up more tonight. Just like how Savy and I were always louder together.
We split up to undress and shift.
I was pretty fast... and was first out into the clearing.
My dark wolf lurked by the porch.
I had meant to pounce on Hank and scare him, but some of the guys started coming out first. Their eyes darted around.
"Where are the girls?"
Grrr...
They jumped.
Hahaha.
"Alpha!"
By which they meant Dad.
Hahahaha. My wolf was so big, they thought I was my Dad!
Nope, guess again.
I stepped up onto the porch.
By now, Mate and the Betas and Hank had stepped forward.
Mate touched the fur on my head.
{Mate mate mate! I love Mate!}
How embarrassing.
Wolfie was in a good mood.
It was time to run.
{So fun!}
"Looks like the girls are all out." Ki said from Mate's side.
"It's late. I need a quick run. Get shifted and keep your mind link open. Listen out for your Beta's commands. Stay in formation." Mate started bossing everyone around out of nowhere.
"You heard your Luna, move!" Hank yelled.
To Rebel, he said, "I'll wait here. Harvey knows the route. I'll leave the run to you, Luna."
Wait... what?
Rebel nodded curtly.
They left the porch to shift.
I left the porch too.
The girls were there.
I relayed the message through the mind link.
{Luna is leading the run?} Jessica asked.
I shrugged it off.
The guys came out.
Mate, followed by Harvey and Killion, were quite a sight in the light of the full moon.
Two large white wolves and a red.
Mate stopped in front of me before continuing up to the front of the run.
So he wanted me to follow?
Fine.
I followed, my black wolf holding herself regally as she stopped when he did.
Then he started running.
Wolfie opened the mind links at the last minute.
Woosh.
Suddenly I could hear it.
The lifeline of the pack.
I ran alongside Mate, the rush of the wind and the sounds of many wolves.
Run, run, run...
I could, if I wanted, also hear any of their private links during this time. But I didn't pry. I didn't need to hear anyone linking home that he was going to be late tonight.
It was late. Nearly eleven.
But oh...
The minds of the pack rushed through me, and my wolf shivered in pleasure.
This freedom and connection to my pack!
I loved it.
Why had I avoided it all this while?
Because there were vampires.
And because just as I could read their links, they could read mine when it was left open like that.
They should know better than to pry, but… I'd always kept a tight lid on my emotions from the rest of the pack. Just in case. You know, it's not like the entire pack needed to know when I was stressed or upset or frustrated or anything like that. There was no need to worry anyone unnecessarily.
I was the Alpha.I would protect my pack's happiness. All they ever needed to feel from my link was my strength and protection.
I was the Alpha!
Two wolves were louder than the hum of the others.
{Keep up!}
{Stay tight!}
{Follow the Luna!}
{Let's go!}
I realized they were running from behind the pack and making their way up front.
My two Betas. Harvey and Kiillion.
Last to start running, but they caught up, of course, flanking the pack from both sides, checking that everything was just as it should be as they passed. And giving hell to any wolf who dared run out of formation.
Now I realized I actually had more than one channel open. I had the trainee wolves from my pack channel open, as well as my links to my Betas. I'm supposing Harvey was linked to the Morning Light goons, while Killion was linked to the Night Leaf wolves, as I was.
Mate was unlinked then?
Except I could hear the Betas on the Beta channel as if they were talking to someone.
{The run goes through the woods there. You should be able to pick up our markings. It makes quite a sharp turn at the bend and then returns us to the packhouse side porch, usually within thirty minutes, Luna." Harvey sent.
{You guys can link Bell?} I asked. {How?}
{Understood, Luna.} Harvey answered.
Eh?
I glanced quickly at Mate, who was running just half a pace ahead of me.
He was leading well, sure-footed and decisive.
{Time-wise, we're doing well, Luna.} Harvey said over the mind link.
Okay, that's it.
{Harvey, how are you linked to Bell?} I asked again.
{I think through my link with you, Princess. My wolf accepted him as your Luna. It was only this morning that I discovered it.} Harvey answered.
{Ki... are you linked to Bell too? Or are you still linked to the Lorent Pack?}
{I severed my link to the Lorent Pack when I was sold off to the fight cages, Goddess,} Killion informed me. {I believe a link was formed at your betrothal, and your mating bond with Luna allowed us to link to him since then.}
Wait...
But if my Betas could mind link Bell...
Why couldn't I?
I tried tentatively.
{Bell?}
There was no answer.
I didn't want to be too loud. Who knew who was listening in? I had too many links open to be sure nothing slipped out.
That's fine. I am the Alpha. {Keep running! Let's go!} I howled into the link.
{Sam!}
It was Dean, whose mind link called out to me.
{Sam, slow down. Please... I can't keep up.}
I looked at Rebel, who was still in the lead, and the two Betas just half a pace behind us.
It probably wouldn't hurt if I dropped back to check on Dean.
{Mate says stay.}
Wait... what?
Even Wolfie was connected?
{I'm on it.} Ki answered.
He sounded like he was almost sighing.
His wolf wasn't pleased at the extra backtracking.
Backtracking in a running pack was hard work.
First you had to drop out and slow your pace while the rest of the pack overtook you.
Then once you reached the end, you had to keep pace from the back, settle whatever it was, and then accelerate until you overtook all the other wolves back to the front again.
You also had to watch your footing because you were overtaking along the sides, where the tree roots, low-hanging branches, shrubs, and rocks were.
Not nearly as fun as running with the pack.
The way it was nice and smooth for me.
I remembered Titanium scolding us during Friday's run for making a Beta run to the back.
Tiring a Beta—a key wolf for the pack's defense and attack—was just dumb.
Oops.
Dean was probably in trouble again.
Of course I listened in.
{Hello, ladies.} Ki was flirting?
Marissa's wolf growled appreciatively at him, but in general the girls seemed quite happy to see Ki.
Particularly Savy. {Hi, Ki!}
Ki sounded happy to see them too. {Why don't you ladies run ahead? I'll take care of this guy.}
{Okay.} Savy sounded pretty relieved.
The other girls left too.
Lola and Jessica seemed slightly concerned but also relieved.
{Alright, the ladies are coming through!} Ki announced. {Gentlemen, make way and drop back a bit. Don't leave their backs exposed.}
{Yes, Beta!} The guys willingly did as Ki commanded. They had such a good attitude towards Ki. Ki was to the guys at Night Leaf and Morning Light what Liam was to my class at Winderhill: Mr. Popularity.
{And you, Omega, run! We aren't slowing down.} Mr. Popularity informed Dean.
{But I can't run anymore.} Dean pleaded.
Ki's wolf snarled.I could hear it from up front. It was ferocious.
Then he darted behind Dean and snapped at Dean's heels.
Dean's wolf yelped and scurried forward just in the nick of time.
{Keep going. If you fall back and make me backtrack again, there will be blood.} Then Ki started returning up front. {Keep up. Keep the formation tight. F*** you. Tighter.}
Ki's wolf was in control now.
Ki's wolf was a slave driver.
Ki returned to the front a moment later.
Mr. Popularity was all sunshine and roses again. {All taken care of.}
{We're reaching the turn, Luna. Should we slow down?} Harvey cautioned.
{No time.}
{Mate! Mate! I hear Mate!}
My Betas were undoubtedly amused.
Oops. I forgot. They could hear the link. I hoped no one else did.
Then Mate spoke through the mind link. {We're going to make a left turn. Betas to assist. Baby, stay by my side.}
Who are you calling baby?
And how come I can suddenly hear you?
You were blocking me on purpose earlier, weren't you?
Oh Goddess, I'm going to kill you.
{Mate! Mate! Run with Mate! Okay!}
Most of the time—and this wasn't one of those times—Wolfie and I were merged to the point where the wolf and human sides of me blurred together.
Mate seemed amused by that. {So cute.}
Eh? That wasn't my Wolfie.
Who?
But whoever it was cut the link quickly. Mate?
My Wolfie kept running, tail wagging. {Fun!}
Behind me the Betas had fallen back, but only halfway.
We were turning the pack sharply around the bend without reducing speed.
Mate was going to crash us—or at least some of us—into the large rock marking the turn. I was sure of it.
But he didn't.
Of course he wouldn't.
Harvey and Killion had positioned the running wolves to take the turn safely while maintaining our formation.
We swerved like a blur around the bend and straightened out smoothly.
Ki and Harvey returned to the front.
{Nicely done.} Bell mind linked.
{Thanks, Luna.} Harvey replied.
Killion's wolf was happy. So was Harvey's.They'd just accomplished something difficult, and the effect had been so cool. They were thrilled.
Mate sped up. {Tell everyone good work and speed up. We're going home.}
Speed up?
Mate was a slave driver too, I guess.
My Wolfie bounded along, enjoying the ride and the euphoria flowing through the pack. The increase in speed was nothing for my Alpha wolf. Apparently it was doable for the trainee wolves following us too.
Even Dean.
We soon stopped in the middle of the packhouse clearing, wolves panting great white clouds into the cold winter night.
Hank waved and yelled from the porch. "Welcome back! Record time!"
Mate shifted back right there.
Naked.
I averted my gaze.
"Good run, everyone."
He left to get his clothes.
To my horror, Ki followed suit, shifting before the tree line.
Thank Goddess Harvey's wolf was blocking my line of vision… And Harvey had the decency to remain a wolf until he got behind the trees, or I wouldn't have had anywhere else to look.
{Thank Goddess!} Marissa exclaimed over the mind link—for quite a different reason.
There was laughter.
Even over the mind link, it was a happy sound.
Hank shook his head, suppressing a smile.
"Guys, shift and get down to the hall. Girls, please join us when you're ready."
{Don't shift in front of us and ruin our good impression of what the male body looks like.} Marissa added over the mind link. Marissa was pretty bold tonight.
{What makes you think we'd ruin it?} one of the guys challenged.
{Please, no! Keith, I don't want to see anymore!} Lola begged, laughing.
{I probably shouldn't tell Dad.} Savy decided aloud. To all the world, an innocent, angelic Alpha's daughter just thinking aloud.
Not just Marissa. Perhaps it was the run, and our wolves in control, even Savy was in an audacious mood.
The guys quickly slunk behind the trees, but the mood remained light.
We watched them enter the packhouse. Hank counted them as they passed him on the porch.
My wolf ears caught their conversation.
"I can't believe we did that."
"I was like, whoa."
"I was sure we were going to slam into that rock!"
"Nah, Harv was there. He was s*** stressed though."
"Man, our Luna's crazy."
One of the Morning Light goons hit Dean from behind.
"Even the Omega did it."
His goon friend laughed.
"Ki really f***ed you. Poor Omega."
The guys laughed.
"No s***, I thought you were gonna be roadkill."
"I thought we were all gonna be roadkill." A third one joined in laughing.
"Just you, idiot." The first goon said. "You were worse than the Omega! You kept falling out."
I didn't hear the rest.
They'd gone into the packhouse together.
Hank looked up and counted the female wolves waiting in the clearing. Satisfied we were all accounted for, he nodded and went inside to give us the privacy to shift back.
Our wolves headed toward the trees.
I followed my lucky sense of direction. I found a jacket that wasn't mine. Then I found my clothes.
I shifted and changed.
"Do you know whose jacket this is?" I asked the girls later.
Jessica recognized it. "It's Jack's."
I handed it to her.
Back in the hall, I could now confirm it. The guys now idol-worshipped their new Luna. I shall dub it the Luna Bell Cult.
"That was an excellent run, Luna." Hank praised during the debrief. "You led well."
Instead of saying it was thanks to everyone's hard work or cooperation, Mate simply nodded curtly.
"Thanks."
"Did you lead runs like this at the Lorent Pack?" someone else asked.
Mate nodded again and shrugged. He didn't even smile. And the colder he was, the more the guys warmed to him.
Rebel led differently from me. He didn't slow down for the pack. He didn't drop back for the Omega. He drove them just a little farther and a little faster than they'd gone before. He didn't even share the credit with them. And they loved and respected him for it.
"Will you lead us on another run again, Luna?" someone asked.
Rebel shrugged. "You'll have to run faster next time."
Instead of groaning and complaining like they usually did, the stupid guys started boasting that it was no problem and they were usually faster than this anyway.
Yeah right.
Didn't Hank say tonight was a record time?
Rebel smirked at the fools who had fallen for their Luna's style of tough love. "We'll see."
Then he came over to me. "I need to wake up for my match."
He picked up a lock of my hair, the way he always did, and touched it briefly to his lips.
Then he was gone.
Just like that.
Who was the fool who had fallen?