THE LANGSTON VER. 2.0.

20 FEBRUARY, SATURDAY, 2.15PM

Overall, I would say the Alpha Suite here, the staff, and especially the corridors looked exactly like The Langston back home. Even the toilet layout, towels, and toiletries were the same. I could tell you that much from the moment we reached our suite because I was an expert after staying in Gate City's Langston for one night. Once you've been to a Langston, you've been to all the Langstons.

Our bags got delivered to our rooms and our betas worked at "getting us settled". Ki did his rounds inspecting our suite for bugs (this guy really didn't like insects), and then offered to order lunch through room service.

"We can eat at the Welcome Reception." I suggested. Especially since it was now only 15 minutes to the event. Luckily it would be held downstairs at The Langston's ballroom.

"Oh, Sam, no. A lady must never stuff her face at official events." Mum said, and then she corrected herself, "A lady should not stuff her face at all. But eating before attending such functions will help you avoid situations where you find yourself starving and unable to eat anything all night."

Why would I not be able to eat anything? It was a buffet!

"Yes goddess, I'm afraid food at such events are only for show." Ki agreed.

Why? Were they made of plastic?

"Then I'll have a hamburger and milk shake!" I decided without looking at the menu.

"Sam, please choose something from the menu..." Mum picked up the menu from the kitchenette counter, she looked vey surprised, "Oh Sam!"

I went over to look and was so pleased I couldn't stop smiling. First item on the menu was "Samburger with fries and fruit salad on the side."

No, it was not a typo.

"Named after the Night Leaf Young Alpha. Our Samburgers are seven hearty layers - premium pound wagyu beef, morzerella, smashed roasted cherry tomatoes, mayonnaise, mustard, preserves, and fresh leaves, clasped between fresh Blue Pea Flower brioche buns.

I love The Langston more each stay.

After we had all decided on what we wanted, Ki rang up room service. I remembered at the last minute, "Charge everything to Bell's card!"

"It's alright, leave it on my card." Dad said.

"Apologies Alphas, your family's tab is on the house." Beta Gerald said, "It would be against my concious to charge my Alpha anything at my establishments."

I turned to my betas, "Okay, new plan. You guys order up lunch too and put that on Bell's card."

"Sam... What are you up to?" Mum was starting to get suspicious.

"Just making sure my betas are well fed..." I tried to look innocent about it too.

"Don't worry, Alpha. Your betas' meals and stay are also on the house when they are traveling with you." Harvey informed me with a wry smile.

Eh? How was I supposed to put anything on Bell's card if it was all going to be free? I wondered if we could tip with a credit card. Next time I'll tell Bell to leave me cold hard cash - and then I'll give away the money! Muahahaha.

"Sam? What are you planning?" Mum asked again. I wondered what was it about my expression that gave me away.

"Nothing much." I mumbled, "Just trying to take out my anger on Bell's card."

nly

"What? Sam!" Mum sounded exasperated.

"He made me mad." I tried to explain, "So now I'm going to make him pay!"

Quite literally.

"Perhaps I might arrange a shopping trip before the end of our stay here?" Ki was as always supportive of my causes, no matter how petty they seemed.

Mum who was less supportive of petty revenge schemes sighed, but it's not like Mum could refuse a shopping trip. So she just nodded, "Thank you Ki. That sounds wonderful."

To me she imparted these wise words, "Sam, never shop in your anger. You'd only end up buying things you regret."

Now that they were satisfied that their alpha family was properly settled, our betas stopped fussing around and left. Mum took charge after that, directing Dad and me to take the time before our meal to freshen up and change our outfits. We were going to be so late!

"It's fine." Dad shrugged, "This type of thing, everyone will be late."

He put his large hands on Mum's slender shoulders and I quickly made my escape before the parental PDA escalated. Maybe sharing a suite with Mum and Dad wasn't the best idea.

My dress was a white wrap dress with a tulip skirt that ended past my knees. Ki had laid out the entire outfit so I was done pretty quickly. Just pulled on the dress and exchanged my accessories for whatever was laid out in the small tray on the dresser.

The thing that took the longest was the fact that I needed to wear stockings. That took the longest to put on. They were black but sheer and I had to take care not to rip a run into them, because I had a knack for ruining these things. I never had a pair of stockings that would not sport a run or two after a single use. Sometimes, I even had to go to the ladies to take the stockings off because the run was so obvious.

Usually, I skipped the stockings altogether, or used tights or leggings instead, but I thought it would be better to play it safe today and put on everything Ki had planned.

I skipped the handbag though, I had nothing to put in it. But at least I remembered to switch to the black velvet heeled boots Ki had placed next to the dresser. And after that, I noticed a black fur wrap hanging on the side. It was so, so, soft I didn't want to put it back down. So I slung that around my shoulders.

I was now in a very respectable panda color scheme. It was very modern, bold even, but still in every other way very appropriate for a fancy ballroom reception.

Room service arrived 15 minutes later.

Okay, we were late! Weren't be supposed to be at the reception now?

"We're late!" Mum fretted after Dad tipped and let the uniformed guy out.

I sat at the dining table to stuff my face with my burger. The buns looked normal at first, but after the first bite, I realized they were blue on the inside. Wow! Mind blown.

"Look! Look! My bun is blue!" I showed my parents excitedly.

"Don't drop the burger, Sam! Do be careful, don't drip sauce on your nice dress!" Mum always got like this when she was stressed.

But I was wearing a pure white dress, so dripping burger grease and sauce down my front would be a bad idea - even to me.

"Eat something, darling." Dad coaxed Mum, "There's still time."

I supposed Dad was right, especially since Beta Lucas had turned on our TV just now (as part of settling us in). It was still on the live telecast of the greeting ceremony and Henry and his parents were still at the Alpha Hall accepting gifts. According to the news, this had started since yesterday afternoon, and the gifts and visitors just kept pouring in, a testament of the Silver Mountain Pack's large sphere of influence.

But Dad's point was probably that if our hosts were still stuck at the Alpha Hall receiving guests and their gifts, it's not like they would be on time to the Welcome Reception to formally welcome all of us.

"As long as Lucas isn't banging on our door, we aren't late." Dad said.

Right.

But now that Dad mentioned it, I realized that none of my betas were rushing me either. Wow, I had no idea betas could be used for telling time like this.

Just in case though, I made short work of the burger. Oh! I should take a picture. I found my phone in my room and took a picture of my half eaten burger, and then I flipped opened the menu to take a photo of the Samburger description. I decided to send the photos to Savy with the announcement,

ME

"I'm famous!"

SAVY

"Because you have a burger named after you?"

ME

"Yes."

SAVY

"You're too easy to please."

ME

"Ki is taking us shopping before we come back. Can I buy you something expensive?"

SAVY

"I <3 you."

ME

"You're too easy to please."

SAVY

"I want this in red."

I frowned at the picture of the red bag.

SAVY

"Ki would know."

"Sabre wants ice cream and a new pony."

ME

"OK."

SAVY

"What really?"

ME

"Yes."

Then I swiped my screen to take a screenshot of the last bit of our conversation and sent it to Ki with the instructions:

ME

"Please charge these to Bell's card. Souvenirs for my sisters."

B.KILLION

"Should I purchase a matching bag for you too, goddess?"

ME

"Yes."

Of course I said yes. Take that, Bell! Muahahahaha!

"Are you texting Bell?" Mum asked with a smile.

What? No!

"What makes you think I was?" Seriously! Next time, I was travelling in a separate convoy and staying in a separate room!

"Your wolf just felt very happy." Mum shrugged.

"I wasn't even thinking of him!" I flared, but that wasn't entirely true, "Well, only a little."

And only in the way of reaching his credit card limit.

But Mum smiled knowingly. She didn't say anymore about the matter, and I didn't know how to explain it without admitting that I was still taking revenge on Bell's credit card, so I had to let it go.

It wasn't long before our Betas were banging on our doors. Only that their way of banging was their usual two well placed raps and then they let themselves in.

All five of them had come at the same time. Five betas all present wasn't an everyday sight for me. Usually, at least one of my betas would be having downtime, or admin to clear.

Five betas altogether was like an unexpected coincidence, or an emergency. I supposed it could also mean that someone messed up the schedule, but these were my betas we were talking about.

I guess five betas standing in a row could also mean something important was about to happen - especially if they were all dressed in the same colour as our cars. My betas were in their usual - I noticed again, dark blue suits, dark blue shirts, black skinny ties and shoes. And Dad's betas surprised me by appearing in matching suits too, in dark grey, with the more conservative white shirts underneath, and dark blue skinny ties.

Beta Lucas tugged at his tie, "Man, I'm being strangled here."

"You don't have to wear that." Dad said. He was an alpha who led by example, so Dad was now the only man without a tie. He was also wearing his old brown suit... Oh wait, that should have been burnt down with our home right? So he either found another old brown suit in our basement OR he made a new suit to look exactly like his old brown suit.

Because it's Dad. And going to the tailors and asking for the same suit made 10 years ago was something my Dad, the advocate of change, would do. I'm not being sacarstic. He would really do it.

"I don't know how you guys stand it." Beta Lucas grumbled to the other betas, but he didn't take off his tie.

Dad gave the tie in Mum's hand a misgiving look, "I haven't worn a tie since I became the Alpha."

"You're the Alpha." Beta Lucas shrugged.

But Mum was more insistent,"The dress code says semi-formal, dear."

Mum proffered up the tie. Dad took it, "Alright."

But Dad didn't wear it. He put the folded tie in the front pocket of his shirt, "There. Now I have a tie."

"That's not how you wear a tie Dad." I said.

"Yes it is." Dad said rather pleased with himself at his own ingenuity.

Beta Lucas tugged at his tie again, "Hoo man, it feels like I'm on a leash or something."

Beta Gerald chuckled politely, it struck me that the suit and tie looked very natural on him.

"I don't know how you stand it Gerald." Beta Lucas complained.

"I often have to attend formal meetings, so I got used to it." Beta Gerald answered.

"10 minutes to our ETA." Ki informed us, getting off his mindlink. Our Betas began to stir. It was time to go.