HE'S LOOKING FOR YOU

1 FEBRUARY, MONDAY, TRAINRIDE HOME

To my surprise, Jules, Matt, and Bra were waiting for me at the back gate. They were standing under the ledge of the side building.

"Hey Sam! Over here!" Jules waved from the opposite side of the crowd.

Seriously? They wanted me to cut through the stream of homebound students? But it did seem that the sight of those three guys hanging out caused the crowd to slow somewhat and I was able to wind across to their side.

"I thought we were meeting at the station." I said annoyed.

"Yeah, well, it would probably be safer to not talk about it on the train." Jules told me.

"Sounds serious." I said. I started walking towards the station.

Mum did say to go straight home today. Grandpa Alpha's memorial service would be held at New Leaf Academy today.

Jules caught up with me, "Let Matt go first."

I paused. Matt and Bra stepped forward. It was very momentary, almost like someone stopped to tie a shoelace, but the flow just stopped before the gate for us to pass through. I heard the sound of cameras.

I walked without looking back, but I did wonder what kind of magic was that. The power to stop the flow of students in the middle of the after school rush.

Jules put a hand on my backpack as we went down the stairs, the steered me forwards even though he didn't need to. Matt and Bra were leading the way. I realized the formation was familiar. I had been in this position before... When I walked with all three of my betas. They would also walk in this formation.

"So what's up?" I asked.

"Bra said something had happened in his pack recently." Jules said.

We crossed the road together. Matt and Bra going first. The road was deserted of cars as usual, but Bra had looked back, reaching his hand behind him as if to make sure we were within a safe distance.

It was very similar to what I've seen Flynn and some of the other warriors do. We ran across the road and into the usual shortcut. We were the first in and the place was completely quiet.

"Vampires." Bra said in a hushed tone, "Sam, did you know about someone attacking a fight dog transport recently? The vampire guards in the transport team were all killed. It seems it was another top dog being targeted by rogues."

"There have been vampires coming around looking for information about a young blue haired female wolf." Bra said.

"Wait, they think Sam killed a whole team of transport guards?" Matt asked.

Bell's master... He saw me. In the truck. Oh no.

We headed through some dodgey alleyways that I've never travelled.

"Did you tell them anything about me?" I asked.

"Of course not." Bra said, "I knew it couldn't have been you. But Jules just said to warn you. There aren't that many blue haired female wolves around."

"I think you should get your beta to drive you to and from school now." Jules said, "You might get implicated and I'm worried if you were caught alone."

"I mean, I can walk you sometimes... uh, I'm not trying to pick you up or anything! Priya would kill me." Bra looked hard pressed, "And I have warrior duties and school stuff so I can't always take the train home with you. But it's just kind of our pack problem right now, and I feel responsible about getting you caught up in it."

Out of the alleyways and back to the usual broken pavements, pass the shops. A short cut within a short cut! But I knew I'd never use it on my own.

"What has it got to do with your pack?" I asked.

"Well, the attack took place closest to our pack. Plus the vampire insisted the blue hair she-wolf was a pack wolf. Naturally, they suspect her to be someone in our pack." Bra said.

Oh oops.

"Are the vampires causing trouble for you?" I asked.

"Not anymore." Bra shrugged, "They have moved on to search the nearby packs too. But it's the Queen's birthday, so I think they would give it a rest for now."

"How serious?" Matt asked.

Bra growled, "How about serious enough for me to risk telling you guys? I overheard my Alpha and Beta saying that the Vampire Sire was an old and powerful one. He was very interested in the blue she-wolf... Ah, but this is all under the covers, so nobody squeal on me, ok?"

Jules frowned, "I don't think his interest is just in investigating the raid. It might be that any blue she-wolf would do."

The guys looked at me.

"Bra, you must avoid being questioned by the vampires." Jules told him, "If they read your mind and see Sam, the entire thing might spill over into the Green Packlands."

Bra gulped and joked weakly, "I'm just a weak wolf but I'll try my best."

I frowned, "Is it true that vampires are able to send image messages to each other?"

"Yeah, why?" Jules was thoughtful, "But if they can't find the blue wolf who attacked their transport guards, they might still settle for any blue wolf."

Oh no... I was seen by the old scary vampire master. He had passed my image to his cronies... I might have to exterminate an entire coven now just to cover my tracks.

Plus it sounds like it had caused a lot of trouble for Bra's pack.

"Which coven were the vamps from?" I asked.

"Ciara Coven" Bra answered. "It's usually a Gold Packland problem, not ours."

I was still frowning. What should I do?

"Don't worry, Sam." Jules said. "It's the Queen's birthday this week. We have till next week to come up with a plan."

I nodded. That wasn't it, I mean, yes they would find me in a matter of time. As far as I knew, I was the only blue wolf in existence.

"Sorry Bra. I mean, I feel bad for the trouble." I said.

"It's nothing to do with you." Bra said.

I wanted to tell him it was everything to do with me, but if Bra got questioned by a vampire, or had his mind read... At this point, it was better he didn't know anything.

"Well, just stay low for a while. Vampires usually give up after a few years...or decades" Jules told me.

I guess I could color my hair black, cut it short, and lie low for a few years. Or... I could just destroy the Ciara Coven.

I wonder if that was how the Black Forest Pack ended up exterminating three whole covens. Once seen as a threat, if I didn't kill them, they would kill me. Or worse capture me for some kind of sick entertainment. I didn't want to think about that.

My very public investiture is in two months too. There wouldn't be any lying low then.

I needed to tell Mum and Dad, and my Betas. Yeah, my Betas have proven themselves amazingly resourceful. Surely, with all of them, we could figure out a way to deal with this problem. I'm not running alone anymore.

We stepped into the train station in record time. Tapping my card, I stepped through the gate. The guys did the same. And then we took the tall escalators down to the platform.

"How are things with Pearl?" Jules asked.

I shrugged, "It hasn't been the same since this morning, but she smiling at me again. I think this morning hurt her feelings."

Matt turned around and gave me a wry smile, it was a very Liam action. Bra pretty much cussed, "Well, I'm pretty sure she was trying to hurt you."

"We don't really like her." Jules told me, "Sometimes we wait a train or two for you..."

"But when we see her, we hide or take the next train out." Bra cut in.

Our train had arrived. It was pretty empty. We stepped in and stood around one of the poles.

"But aren't you from the same pack?" I asked.

"Just because they are from the same pack, doesn't make them friends." Matt smirked at me.

"Yeah, look at Matt. He's the Beta for most of our school mates but he isn't everyone's friends." Jules explained.

"I don't know most of their names actually." Matt admitted, "They know me, but I don't always know them."

"I don't even go to the same school as the rest of my pack." Jules said, "So I only know those I work with."

"And the pretty girls." Bra said.

The guys laughed.

"Yeah, we know all the pretty girls' names." Matt boasted.

Were all Betas players? Or do they all pretend to be players?

I thought of my own Betas... Probably, yes. I mean with Ki and Ben it was obvious. I would have said Harvey was not except that I get the feeling Harvey was just more discrete.

Much more discrete.

I can't really explain it. Maybe it was the way he never seemed shocked by Ki and Ben. Maybe it was something Ki let slip about them heading out for drinks. Maybe it was because of the way he acted politely "disinterested" whenever a female tries to get his attention.

After the time spent with my betas, I begin to notice the little things. Like how Harvey was perfectly aware that a female was watching him walk, but continued as if he wasn't.

Or maybe they were all pretending to be playing. Why were betas so complicated?

But thinking of my own pack, I didn't know everyone's names either tbh. Especially the ones who I only see at Alpha breakfast once a year...But I knew them by sight, or by smell. I mean I knew the wolves who ran with me by heart and I would protect their happiness as much as I could.

"I don't think it's about knowing their names." I said. "Wolves don't need names."

The guys laughed.

"Yeah, we have smells." Bra suggested.

"Imagine we were named after our smells." Matt laughed and poked Bra, "Hey you, stinky socks!"

"Hey back, icky underwear!" Bra punched Matt lightly on the shoulder.

I sniffed a bit and shook my head, "Ocean, Pine, and Cola."

"What the hell is Ocean?" Bra asked.

"She smells your sweat." Jules teased.

"I sound like an air freshener." Matt complained.

"Jules smells like cola, it's true." Bra said sniffing at Jules.

Jules shoved him back, "Personal space, Bra."

Bra turned to me.

I glared him off, "Don't even breathe in my space."

The guys laughed.

And that was why my Wolfie didn't do names. It never had to. Wolfie didn't recognize people by their names. She recognized them by their smells, and their other things... Actually, I was just guessing. My Wolfie might not be doing names because she was just too dumb.

"My stop." Matt said.

We waved bye.

"Goodbye, Forest Pine! We will miss your freshness." Jules grinned with a wave.

Matt lifted his hand in parting and then flicked up a rude finger.

Jules and Bra laughed like it was the funniest thing.

"Hey Sam, how did you know our smells?" Bra asked, "Have you been sniffing us behind our backs?"

I shook my head, "I can smell you from here. Maybe Alpha sense?"

"Actually, I can smell you from here too." Jules informed Bra.

"Oh yeah?" Bra challenged, "Can you smell Sam from there?"

Jules laughed, "You can't trick me. I'm not telling you."

I laughed too.

"My stop!" Bra said, "Text me, Jules!"

Jules just laughed, "Go jump in a lake, Bra."

The train door closed.

"Man, Bra's going to be bugging me nonstop about your scent now." Jules complained.

"Just tell him then." I said, "It's no big deal."

Jules phone chimed. He checked in and laughed before showing it to me:

BRANDON: So what she smell like?

"I'm going to collect a few more and then use it to blackmail him." Jules showed off one of his rare devilish smiles, "Priya isn't going to be happy about her brother sniffing around you."

Jules phone vibrated, another text. He frowned at it.

"Is it Bra?" I asked.

Jules continued frowning at his phone.

"Jules?" I wondered if everything was alright.

Jules made a quick reply and pocketed his phone, "Nah, don't worry about it. Just some text from home."

I nodded, "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, like I said, don't worry." Jules said. He looked up, "It's your stop next."

"Okay. Thanks Jules." I said.

"Go straight home. Remember to ask your betas to drive you tomorrow onwards. Rouges are getting bolder too." Jules said. Was he referring to the recent kidnapping cases? Or something happening in his packland now?

"You stop worrying." I grinned. I waved bye as I got out of the train, then I watched Jules take out his phone and go back to beta default position. Let's call it the praying beta position, where they hold their phone, it's glowing screen like a prayer in two hands and go tap tappity tap tap.

Hahaha... I'm so funny. I walked down the platform to the escalator. I was early today so it wasn't as crowded yet. The station felt suddenly a little cold and eerie. I scanned for vampires, nothing.

What was I doing? I'm being silly. I was in Gate City. Vampires were killed on sight here. Plus it's the Queen's birthday. The nine days of the year where all vampire activity outside the coven shut down. Even the fight cages were closed! And whoever heard of a vampire on a train?

But still, I walked quickly to the bus line.

One of the shops on the way had new Valentine's Day gift items for sale. I saw gift bags and cards in the display window. They looked cute from far, this shop was usually priced affordably, and they were just the items I needed to complete my Vday plans, but I didn't stop to check it out.

I was spooked.