NO PLACE LIKE HOME

3 MARCH, WEDNESDAY, DINNER

We got home just in time for dinner, and as our car turned up the driveway, I noticed the ground had thawed to a chocolate mush of organic muddy goodness with a splash of new grass here and there. Like real grass, not the emerald carpets that donned Henry's lawn.

Spring was coming... Although our home was now quite different, and our driveway and garage positions had been altered, it still felt just like the Alpha House of old when I looked at the grass and pavement out front.

It wasn't anything like the tulips and fountain in Henry's lawn, but there's no place like home and I was glad to be back.

When Harvey knocked and let me in, I was promptly handed over to Ki and the smells of something amazing wafting out from the kitchen. Oh! Life was good!

Whatever business Bell and Ki had at the Black Packlands was apparently short and sweet, okay, probably not sweet, but they had arrived back home with enough time for Ki to drop Bell at the Lorents and come home to prepare dinner.

I wandered into the house to give my two betas room to exchange notes. Both of them seemed to feel they had important news to bring to the other.

"Sam!" Mum came done the stairs with a smile, "How was school today?"

"Okay." I said, mostly out of habit.

"Oh?" Mum raised a brow, "I would think it was more than okay."

Sabre popped out behind Mum, "Sam! How was school?"

Wait, wth? I looked at Sabre, all dressed up, long dress and a plastic pearl necklace- were those plastic heels? Was Sabre dressing up to be Mum? Hahahaha. So cute!

"School was great!" I grinned at my little mum, "I starred in a play, ate pizza for lunch, played games with my friends, and then learned to sing."

I was trying to impress her, maybe make her a little bit jealous, but I forgot Sabre was in kindergarten. My little mum only shrugged, "Me too. But today we had spaghetti."

Oh.

Who knew? My best day in school at Winderhill was equivalent to a typical day at kindergarten.

"Seeing is believing!" Savy chose to burst out of her room and down the stairs at this point to join us, "Do you have video proof?"

Our front door chimed and we could hear Ki and Harvey greet, "Welcome home, Alpha Kingsley."

For a moment, I thought my whole family had come just for me! But then I heard Ki promise, "Dinner will be ready in five minutes, Alpha."

"Good." Dad said as he walked over to the stairs, but only to reach out for Mum and kiss her.

"So?" Savy popped up next to me and I found myself being swept along with everyone else to the dining room, "Did you get any good videos or photos? Mum said you played quite a scandalous role."

Mum said what? Not that she was wrong, but WHAT?

"Why did you tell her that?" I turned to my parents who were walking arms around each other behind us. I huffed impatiently at their lovey-dovey display, "Bulliet was not scandalous. She was just desperate and misunderstood."

At the name Bulliet, Savy burst out into full fledge cackling. We stepped into the dining room just as Harvey, who was pouring out the water looked up, properly stunned.

Hahahahaha... Yes, my good beta, meet the wicked witch of the west! Although tbh, the only thing they had in common was that wild cackle.

Savy slapped her hand over her mouth. But she needn't worry. Harvey wasn't like the guys in our gang, he was too mature to tease pretty girls.

"As a matter of fact, I do have the recording of the play today." Ki smiled as Harvey tactfully continued pouring the water as if nothing had happened.

"I also have a video clip of the goddess rehearsing with her band today." Ki continued.

Hey, hey, hey... Even if Ki was trying to gloss over Sabre's cackling, he didn't have to go that far!

"Wait, Sam joined a band?" Savy could hardly believe it, "Like OUR Sam? Like in a MUSIC band?"

Ahem, Savy. Harvey was still here... Didn't she usually stay quiet in front of the cool school president beta from Morning Light?

"What other kinds of bands are there?" I plopped myself in the seat Harvey had pulled out for me.

"Who knows?" Savy shrugged. I guess she got over the news, and she forgot Harvey was still here, "Knowing you, it could just as well be a band of merry men."

A what now?

"Robin Hood reference, never mind Sam." Savy brushed off my ignorance like she usually did - that was, like she usually did when we were alone or only with family. She seemed to be forgetting Harvey's presence here.

Her reference wasn't lost on Harvey though, judging from my beta's wry smile. Or anyone else either from their amused expressions.

"Ah, Robin Hood and his Merry Men!" Dad nodded his approval, "One of the more interesting stories from human literature."

But don't rush out to buy the book, my Dad also counted the likes of Ben-Hur and King Arthur as favorite literary heroes.

"Please, Savy. Don't give your sister any unnecessary ideas." Mum said, "A MUSIC band is very nice."

Dad seemed to be in agreement, "Night Leaf and Morning Light wolves are very musically talented. I always enjoy the performances at our gatherings."

I perked up at the mention of our pack monthly gatherings, "It's Spring, Dad! When are we gonna have pack picnics again?"

"When the weather's warmer, Sam." Dad chuckled, "I'll remind Beta Lucas to organize something soon."

Our pack had Spring picnics every month throughout Spring, and then BBQs throughout Summer, and then Potlucks in Autumn till it got too cold. Oh, the long dreary winters when we couldn't gather to eat and sing and dance! Everyone would come together at the open space around the Packhouse, and we'd have loads of food and there'll be a stage and anyone who wanted to perform could just go up and jam. It was a little like what happened at the end of the dungeon party. It was always loads of fun hanging out with my gang. I CAN'T WAIT!

"Don't change the subject, Sam!" Savy scolded, "You joined a band."

"Uh huh." I said.

"You said Alphas didn't sing." Savy accused.

Oh. Did I? Wait a minute, "How did you know I'm singing?"

Savy blinked, "You don't play any instruments."

I played the tambourine!

But no, I knew better than to say that out loud.

Ki had served the soup for starters. It was wild mushroom tonight with a dash of truffle oil and black pepper. Ki liked to make soup from scratch with a blender - don't ask. It's too complicated. All I needed was a can opener and a can of soup, but tonight's mushroom was hand-picked by Barry during his patrol... just like the crayfish the other night.

Naturally, my family had to stop to marvel at Barry's obvious talent at foraging. I took note to be on his team should we have to trek in the woods. No harm finding yummy morsels along the way.

Ki had a similar idea, he would be going out tomorrow morning with Barry to hunt for truffles. It should be in season.

"I want to go too!" I raised my hand.

"You have school, Sam!" Mum said firmly.

Poo... school was getting in the way of learning the important things in life.

"Do you like truffles, goddess?" Ki inquired.

I shook my head, and then quickly amended, "I don't mind a little of it, I like your soup! But I heard they were stinky and looked like poop."

Ki smiled indulgently, "What you heard is indeed true, goddess."

I just thought it would be fun to dig around in the woods. I mean, some of the most fun I had as a puppy involved digging around in the woods.

"Can we watch Sam's band video after dinner?" Savy asked. Wow, she wasn't going to let this go, was she?

"Not her theater performance?" Mum asked.

Savy nodded, "Yes, that too."

And then Savy asked, "If you were Bulliet, who was Romeo?"

"Henry. He was Horneo." I grinned. Savy put her hands over her mouth to keep from cackling, "But we think his name should have been Porneo."

Savy made a sound that was almost a cackle, but she was in the safe, Harvey was too busy choking on his water. Ki patted his back as he coughed it out.

"Excuse me." Harvey managed. His face was red behind his napkin. Hahaha. I guess Ki didn't mention these details in his beta reports.

"It does sound really scandalous." Savy admitted.

"It's just a school play." I said.

"I'm very curious to see it now." Savy grinned.

"Me too!" Sabre decided.

But Mum decided that Sabre was too young to watch my play. It was negotiated between Mum and the preschooler that Sabre may watch my band rehearsal clip, at which Mum glanced quickly at Ki to confirm it was age appropriate. Ki nodded with his usual Killion dollar smile.

Wait, what kind of song did Mum think my band was performing? Sigh... Bulliet was marring my squeaky clean image!

The rest of dinner was pork chops, fried in "tempura batter". Ki called it Tonkatsu. If truffles were Tonkatsu, I'd quit school to forage full-time. Sweet potato fries and some rocket leaf salad - which sounded cool but was very bitter. Desert was yuzu gelato, which Ki said was a seasonal thing. It was a pale yellow confection that tasted like lemonade ice cream. Overall, I was in a very good mood after dinner.

I was in such a good mood, I actually quite happily plopped myself in the center of the couch with my family to watch my videos.

"We were really bad, okay?" I warned my family before Ki pressed play. I had to adjust their expectations so they won't expect anything too much.

Watching the video again, I couldn't help spot more mistakes in my breathing. Or how I looked a little petrified just standing there stiffly behind the mic stand.

When the video ended, my family clapped like Mozart reincarnated and performed for them.

"That was amazing!" Mum said and then she laughed, "I mean, Florence always said you could sing, but...wow, Sam. You were amazing."

"Thanks Mum, for your completely unbiased compliment." I laughed it off.

"I can't believe you sang." Savy said.

"Why can't I sing?" I shot back.

"Well, its not that you can't." Savy said, "More like you said Alphas didn't sing."

I did? I didn't remember that.

Mum laughed. She remembered, "That's right! You decided one day that Alphas didn't sing. You nearly didn't perform in the children's choir that year. I didn't dare to sign you up again after that."

Funny, I didn't remember that either. But I still kinda think that. I couldn't picture singing as an Alpha thing. I've never seen my Dad sing or act in plays. Dad was more of a speech-giving person, or the guy you shook hands and received awards from.

Maybe like the theater production, the Last Hurrah was going to be a one-time thing. Just part and parcel of the broad-based curriculum that Winderhill provided its students.

I was the alpha. I had more important things to focus on.

Wow. Was it just me, or was I starting to sound like Henry's Dad?