I followed my Mum and Dad down the stairs.
The Lorent warriors stood at attention when we passed them, though sometimes their eyes would take a second look. When warriors stood at attention, their eyes should be looking straight ahead. I side eyed the warriors wondering what was wrong with them.
I heard a growl and turned around to see it coming from Dad. I guess he noticed their fleeting glances too. I mean, they were really being quite obvious.
But Dad didn't stop walking. He tugged my arm so that I would now be walking behind him with my Mum.
Seriously? How would that help?
Dad had never put me behind him before.
I saw Beta Lucas smirk at that, like he was amused.
Gamma Harry didn't seem to notice. He was rushing out front, shouting at the Lorent men to get moving.
All the men Gamma shouted at looked similarly offended, but when they saw the Alphas approach, they simply moved to their positions.
Alpha James and Luna Edith said their goodbyes to us again.
Luna Edith was teary but smiling. "I hope my son will come home soon," she said to me.
Alpha James shook my hand and then passed my hand to Luna Edith, who grasped it and shook it with both hands in parting.
Dad, Mum, Beta Lucas, Gamma Harry, and I watched as the Lorent warriors escorted their Alpha and Luna into the car, and then they were off—the train of white Mercedes-Benzes trailing down the road and out of sight.
Once they were gone, I pulled off my heels and groaned, "My feet are dying!"
The adults looked at me, and then it was Beta Lucas who spoke. "Sam—"
He was interrupted by a mindlink. Dad and Gamma Harry wore the same expression. Then Dad put an arm around Mum and leaned in for a quick kiss. "Rogues skirting our border. I won't be back for dinner."
And they were gone, leaving Mum and me on the porch. I took Mum's arm and we headed back. I could feel her distress and disappointment. Every time my dad had to leave to handle rogues, Mum would be like this. I just gave her space.
I walked silently with Mum, barefoot all the way home, and then went upstairs to change out of princess gear and into more practical clothes—more normal Sam gear. I had training tonight. I put on a pair of black yoga pants, a sports bra, and a loose gray T-shirt with highlighter-orange stripes.
I packed my school bag for tomorrow, remembering to put Krystal's black scrunchie into my bag to return, and went downstairs for dinner.
Mum made tuna sandwiches and canned mushroom soup. It was yummy. Sandwiches were my favorite food besides hamburgers—which arguably were just round sandwiches. So you get the idea.
I took out the sandwich I'd made at school to share too. Mum and Savy both sampled the cold sandwich and made encouraging remarks.
Savy informed us that she finished making the tiramisu, but we couldn't have it for dessert because it hadn't set yet. She hadn't factored in the chilling time when she decided to make it. Oh well. At least she had a tray of tiramisu in the fridge from her efforts this afternoon. My own efforts had been far less productive.
"Never leave to do tomorrow what you can do today—unless it's eating under-chilled tiramisu." I quipped for the entertainment of my dear mum and Savy.
But if I had to be honest, my stomach would say one under-chilled tiramisu in the hand today was better than two perfect tiramisus tomorrow. My stomach was always honest like that.
My brain argued that those who lived for the stomach were slaves to the stomach.
My Wolfie said, {Shut up.}
Wolfie was on alert (and frankly rather tense) since the rogue presence at our border was announced. My wolf was not in the mood for my internal prattle at all.
Usually, Wolfie hung out at the back of my consciousness, or completely out of it. But tonight, Wolfie was pretty active and at the forefront. This wasn't the first time there were rogues at our border, but it was the first time in a while that Dad had to miss dinner because of it.
There were two parts to being an Alpha. The everyday part, where you grind at your desk to make sure the bills get paid and everyone's daily life gets better, and the occasional part, where you pound out into battle and literally fight tooth and nail so your pack can sleep safely at night.
Maybe when I'd shifted, I could help Dad with the second part. Then he wouldn't have to miss dinner with Mum, and she wouldn't have to miss him or worry about him.
{Rogues on my land}
What? When did you have land, Wolfie?
{My land}
Stupid Wolfie, being Alpha-territorial again.
"What happened at school today?" Mum asked when the dinner got quiet.
I looked up from my reverie. "What made you think something happened?"
"I'm just guessing something must have happened for you to get home so late when you knew the meeting was today," Mum said.
"She came home in just her gym attire!" Savy chipped in.
"What did you do, Sam?" Mum gasped.
"Nothing," I answered. "Why does it have to be me who did something? Just out of curiosity, what do you think I did?"
Mum sighed and pressed her lips together to stop herself from answering. I felt my grin widen. Haha. My Mum had quite an imagination sometimes. I let her think her worst for a moment.
"I got caught in the rain on the way to school," I admitted at last. "And I stayed back for archery club selections."
"Oh!" Savy's eyes lit up. "Did you get in?"
"I don't know. But I got to shoot a bow and arrow."
"Did you like it?" Savy asked. "Next year, I want to join the archery club too."
"Really? Why?" And why was it that even my little sister had long known what she wanted to do when I hadn't the faintest clue?
"Well, it's cool. A lot of cool people use a bow and arrow," she said.
I nodded. I also fully understood that by "cool people," Savy was referring to fictional characters.
But it would be fun to have a hobby together.
Actually, it would be even more fun if we could run together too. Hint hint, Wolfie.
Oh, where or where has my little wolf gone? Oh, where, oh where can it be?
I thought Wolfie was ignoring me as usual, but then she spoke.
{Deltas approaching}
Eh, what?
I stood up from the table and headed toward the front door. Now that I thought about it, I didn't know how I knew to use the front door and not the back one, which was closer. I guess I was just reacting on instinct.
"What is it, Sam?" Mum asked. She had left the table too.
"Someone at the—" Ding dong. Our doorbell chimed.
"Who could it be?" Mum asked.
"My Deltas," I said. I'd responded to Mum by instinct too, and the words were out before I even knew it.
I frowned. Wolfie's Deltas? Since when did we have Deltas? I swung open the door for them.
"Sam, check the viewfinder first!" Mum gasped from behind me.
Savy popped out next to her to see who it was.
"Luna, good evening," Flynn said. He gave me a sharp look. "Sam, don't open the door without checking. It's dangerous."
"My wolf recognized you," I shrugged.
Hank shut the door and locked and bolted it.
Flynn turned to my Mum. "If you don't mind, Luna, we'll stay here until it's time for the training session. Alpha will be back before then."
So they were sent here under orders.
Mum nodded. "I'll make more dinner. Would you boys like some?"
Flynn and Hank nodded, but Flynn said, "We don't want to be trouble, Luna. One of us could drop by the pack kitchen to collect our meals."
Mum smiled. "It's fine. Just sit down and I'll get dinner started."
"Yeah, just stay," I told them. "My Mum offered, so just say yes."
I plopped down on the first sofa. I pointed Flynn and Hank to another, and they sat.
My Deltas? These two? Weren't they going to be Dad's Deltas? We had positions open; I knew that. At any rate, it was obvious that Flynn and Hank stood out from their peers.
My Deltas? I hardly thought they'd agree.
In fact, I felt quite sure that, given a choice, they'd choose to follow my dad. Heck, I would choose to follow my dad.
Savy had disappeared to go help Mum in the kitchen.
{Rogues are near}
I felt the hair on the back of my neck crawl. On second thought, maybe we shouldn't be hosting an impromptu dinner party.
"Mum!" I yelled. "Savy!"
Mum reentered the living room quickly. She looked from me to the two older male wolves, her eyes panicked, then confused.
The two men looked just as confused.
I paused. How near were the rogues? Did they have our home in sight?
How near, Wolfie?
I sighed. Of course Wolfie would choose not to reply. Stupid Wolfie.
(Yes, I know—Wolfie was also me. It's really stupid to call Wolfie stupid. I'm aware.)
"Turn off the lights and lock everything," I said.
"What?" Mum said.
"Go," I said. Flynn and Hank started moving.
I told Mum and Savy, "Let's pretend no one's home. Savy and I will take upstairs. Mum, finish up in the kitchen. Flynn and Hank will help secure the first floor."
So we did.
"Why are we doing this, Sam?" Flynn asked when we regrouped moments later in the living room.
Good question Flynn. Aside from the fact that you only thought to ask after the instructions were carried out.
Why did they listen to me?
Mum produced more tuna sandwiches. I thought about how the smell was going to mark us.
{Rogues are near}
You said that, Wolfie. Like just now.
"Have your wolves ever warned you like that—that rogues are near?" I asked Flynn and Hank.
Flynn stopped. Hank asked, "How near?"
"I can't tell," I admitted. "Do wolves answer in kilometers or miles?" I added in jest.
No one laughed.
I remembered Marlow's low growl: You're not funny, Princess. His was the voice others were too polite to say.
"Wolfie said 'near.' Twice now," I said.
"Ah. You need to feel your wolf's urgency and understanding of space and time," Flynn started.
"But she hasn't shifted yet," Hank reminded him.
"Running with your wolf a lot will help," Flynn advised regardless.
{Rogues are near}
How near, Wolfie? Near enough to smell our tuna?
{Rogues are near}
{Rogues are near}
"Rogues…" Flynn breathed out.
"Are near?" I offered helpfully. "Did your wolf sense them too?" (Mine sensed them first, though. I win.)
Mum looked alarmed. She had an arm around Savy and was reaching out for me.
We heard a truck—two trucks. By the way we all jumped at the same time, we'd all heard it together.
"Morning Light teens," Flynn growled.
Hank moved toward the door. Better to get them out of the open. "I'll send them to the training hall."
We could hide here and pretend we weren't home, or we could follow Hank to the training hall and take Mum with us.
The rogues were more likely to target a lit pack house than the unlit Alpha's house next door. But when I thought of the Morning Light future Beta and the older teen warriors in training—and remembered how disciplined they were—it felt safer to hole up with them.
"Let's all go over to the training hall," I decided.
Flynn nodded. He was mind-linking updates to whoever needed to know.
"Come on, Mum." I took Mum's arm. Savy came to my side. "Let's look casual."
"Why is it that Mum and I are both shifted, but I feel like you're the one protecting us, Sam?" Savy asked softly.
I leaned against her shoulder. "I'm strong. I'll protect you."
"Alpha said to take all of you to the pack house. He's on his way," Flynn told us finally.
Which was what we were about to do anyway. But it reassured me greatly. We were doing the right thing, and Dad was coming. Right now would be a really good time for Daddy King Kong to show up.
{Rogues are near}
Seriously? Seriously, Wolfie? How near or far was "near"? But Flynn looked calm enough to lead us out at a casual pace, and while he was obviously on alert, they couldn't be that near.
Wolfie, don't say they're near unless they're really near, I sulked.