BREAKFAST WITH THE PACK

We finally made it to the dining hall. You'd think it wouldn't take long, since we lived in the same building, but it took you two chapters from the time I woke up to get here.

We're fashionably late and I'm happy to be home to the smell of Sunday's fresh baked bread and my boneless and shell-less pancakes with chocolate chips in them because I'm a pampered princess.

"Sam!" It was Shannon, and Tim, and Angela, Carlie, and Delilah... and I promptly forgot I was tired, or needed a coke.

"Yo." I walked over.

Savy followed my parents to our usual table where Lizzy was waiting for her. Ben had disappeared somewhere.

"Wooo Sam, I like your new look." Carlie said, "Very sexy."

I laughed at that, "Yeah, its very revealing. You can see like, both my ankles."

The other girls laughed too. I sat down next to Shannon. Enjoying his familiar presence. It's been a while.

"Where's your mum?" I asked him.

"Somewhere around." He shrugged, "But your new look suits you. Very kick-ass, but still cute."

"I'm not cute." I informed him.

"It's the bow on your halter." Shannon told me.

"Yeah, makes me wanna pull it." Tim winked at me.

"Try and die, Tim."

Tim laughed and raised his hands in mock surrender, "Just saying."

Angela hit him on the back of his head, "Sometimes you should just not say."

I laughed at that. Ben appeared with an unopened can of coke. He put it in front of me.

"If you're bringing a girl a drink, you should open it for her." Shannon told him.

Ben shrugged, "Yeah, okay."

But he didn't open the come, he only said, "Get food, Sam. You have a call appointment in forty minutes."

I cracked open the can and took a big gulp. Ben was particularly bossy this morning.

I stood up to face him. He cocked his head to a side. Grrr....

You'd think that was me growling, and you would be right. Although it wasn't my wolf, it was my stomach.

I stalked past Ben to the buffet line. He picked up my can of coke and followed me, handing me a plate when I got to the table.

Grrr... I didn't even know if that one was Wolfie or tummy.

I put two thick slices of bread, eggs, mini sausages, and bacon. Ben piled up on his plate too.

Stupid Ben. Stupid long day. Stupid Alpha schedule.

Then I stalked to the Alpha's table with Ben trailing behind me. He put the can of coke at my place and went to his seat. I ate my food. Chew chew chew... angry.

Dad lifted a brow to me, but I refused to meet his eyes. Chew chew chew. Dad looked at Ben, "Do you know why Sam is in a bad mood now?"

Ben stopped eating to look at me.

"I'm not in a bad mood." I said before Ben said something stupid.

Dad looked somewhat bemused at my hair standing on its ends.

"She's probably just grouchy from the lack of sleep." Mum said.

I was going to refute that, when I realized she was right. It's true what they say. Mums knew best. Annoying, but true.

"Geesh, I'm tuckered out too. If her hair still has all that energy, she's doing better than me" Beta Lucas decided.

"But you settled things with the Lorents. That's very good." Gamma Harry said.

And then I realized suddenly - the cause of Ben's bossy mood - he's tired!

I looked carefully at Dad and Beta Lucas, at first glance they were their usual selves, updating Gamma Harry and their mates about what transpired in the Lorent Pack and what Alpha James showed us last night. But Beta Lucas kept sighing loudly, and Dad was sullen looking whenever he thought no one was noticing.

Mrs Beta and Laura were very interested to see the painting.

"Sam took a photo." Dad said.

"Sam, can you share the photo with us?" Beta Lucas asked.

I took my phone out, unlocked it, and put it in front of Ben. Almost like how Killion passed me his phone to check his email yesterday, but ruder.

Ben looked up from eating, and picked up my phone. After a while, everyone was looking at their screen.

"Wow, it's a prophetic painting." Mrs Beta marveled.

There's more where that came from. But I was too tired to talk, so I just kept eating. Wow, I'm not functioning today. How did my Dad and Beta Lucas do it?

Ben put my phone back down once he was done and resumed eating.

I finished my breakfast and down the can of coke.

Ben finished his breakfast quickly. He downed two cups of coffee which Jonah had fetched for him.

Tired. So tired. Want to go back to bed.

"Ben, go back. I'm going to sleep."

"You have a call in fifteen minutes." Ben told me.

"It's fine. I know how to make a phone call. Go back to bed. You're so grouchy when you're tired." I told him.

"Takes one to know one." Savy told Lizzy.

Jonah chuckled too loudly.

"I'll walk you up." Ben said.

Grrr.... I got up and so did he. Fine. If Beta Bossy wants to suffer with me, then let him suffer.

If Killion wants to be a dog, he can be a dog as long as he wants.

If Ben wants to be a grouch, he can be a grouch as long as he wants.

If Harvey wants to... I wondered what the good beta is like when deprived of sleep.

"Hey, ever wonder what Harvey is like when he's too tired?" I said to Ben.

"He won't show it to you," Ben answered, "but he gets moody. Ki shoots his mouth off. I run out of patience. You become a brat."

What! I'm not a brat. Which part of my was even a little bit bratty?

"I didn't ask about me." I said, "I think I get angrier. You might be dealing with a ticking time bomb."

Ben cracked a smile for the first time this morning, "Sam, in brat mode, you can't even focus long enough explode."

"Yes I can... oh look, the lift is here."

Ben held the door open for me, then he pressed the 'A' button and tapped his key card.

"Wait, why do you have that?" I asked.

"I'm your Beta." He answered. "And you probably left yours at home."

He was right. I did. Grrrr...

"Go home and sleep." I said.

He laughed and shook his head, "Right after I let you in, Alpha."

The lift door opened. Ben held it for me, Then he unlocked the main door to let me into the penthouse.

Inside, Killion had made progress in sorting out the new stuff. I could step into the living room without tripping or kicking over anything.

"Welcome back." Killion smiled.

"I'm going back to sleep." Ben said as he turned to go.

"You are welcome to use my bed, Beta." Killion offered.

"I don't sleep in a dog's bed." Ben answered without turning around.

"Who knows, you might enjoy it, Beta." Killion called after him.

I went into my room. There were new files on my dresser. I only noticed because one of them was very thick. Henry's info files all printed out. Our school project had also been printed for my review. I flipped through it.

Grrr.... I should have just ordered my betas do my homework.

My phone rang. It was Henry. Even though Ben had constantly reminded me about it in the past hour, I had completely forgotten. Why did I want to talk to Henry again?