EVERYTHING WAS WRONG!

20 FEBRUARY, SATURDAY, CONTINUED

It has come to my attention that the worst times for me to open my mouth and say anything was whenever I was way overdue for bed, or whenever I was insecure about myself, or whenever I had no clue what was actually happening.

Which was exactly everything that described my current situation. Grrr... EVERYTHING WAS WRONG!

I was still upset about Henry's A+ Alpha presentation. I was happy for him, yes, but I was upset for me. And now everyone, including my daddy dearest, is ganging up on Bell, MY LUNA. And there was that thing about River's stone still hanging over my head - which was technically none of my business, except that it would be the missing link to completing the cursed prophesy and meeting Bell's fate - which may or may not include my early demise.

I'm not even sure how it got so wrong. At which point did I misstep?

Dad took one look at me and decided, "Perhaps we should sleep on this. Let's continue the meeting tomorrow over breakfast."

"Yes, Alpha." The betas bowed and took their leave, just like that.

But Ben paused at the door and said, "Sam, check your phone before you sleep."

That was the final straw, "DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!"

And I krackened, right there. My hair suddenly flaring in thick heavy waves. There was a cracking sound and then the ceiling chanderlier flickered and dropped right off the ceiling. It dangled on a wire.

We all froze, watching the flickering light swing to and fro.

And then I said, "It wasn't me."

Beta Gerald took this all in his stride, "Apologies for the faulty lamp, Alpha. I will have someone rectify it immediately."

Beta Lucas made a face as he examined the ceiling, "Hoo man, Sam. You cracked the ceiling right through!"

That guy really had no tact. Didn't I just say it wasn't me?

"It's cracked like an egg." Beta Lucas continued as he walked under the line, "Gerald, what did you use to build your hotel? Eggshells?"

And then he laughed as if it was the funniest joke.

"You're not funny dad." Ben informed him.

"Ah, apologies. I would have the building inspected." Beta Gerald was also now eyeing the cracks on the ceiling.

It wasn't me. Just so that there is no misunderstanding, it really wasn't me! My hair hadn't hit the ceiling - maybe the light, because it was hanging quite low, but I was quite sure it didn't hit the ceiling, and even if it did, not with enough force for this amount of damage. My hair was like a thousand rapiers, a hundred broad swords, a metal shield... that kind of thing. It was more sharp than wrecking ball.

Harvey's mouth was arranged in a thin line as he frowned at the ceiling too.

"Will the whole thing come down on us?" I asked.

"Probably not." Harvey decided.

Mum came out, "I heard a noise, oh my goodness! Sam! What did you do?"

"It wasn't me!" I said again, but my voice was taking a rather un-alpha whine.

Mum crossed her arms and did not look convinced in the slightest.

"It's true, Luna." Beta Gerald nodded gravely, "I'm afraid our building was compromised."

By now Beta Gerald had taken off his shoes to stand on top of the coffee table. Harvey came over to assist him while Ki had found the switches to turn on the side lights. Beta Gerald tugged the chandelier a little so that a piece of ceiling came off. Harvey caught it.

"It's just plaster." Harvey said.

"Hn." Beta Gerald dusted off his hands, wearing the sternest expression I had ever seen on him, "Get Riley on the line. And Duncan too."

Ben chuckled, "Heads are gonna roll tonight."

Beta Lucas was now jumping up and down in one place, "Better check if there's actual floor under the carpet."

And I don't know why, but the entire scene, with Beta Gerald fuming on the coffee table, and Beta Lucas jumping on the spot, Mum holding Dad's arm with astonishment across her face, her hair set in curlers... I just laughed. It came out as just a chuckle, but it was like the lights came on in my heart.

Don't get me wrong, everything was still wrong. In fact, I would think everything was even more wrong now that the whole hotel might be made of plaster, but I couldn't help it. This was my pack. We weren't the fanciest, or classiest, or perfectest... but when things go wrong, this was the best pack to run with.

Because I felt quite, quite, sure from the bottom of my heart, that these were the wolves who wouldn't back off at the sight of trouble, or leave your stranded (unless it was a joke), or cower at danger, or shirk from hard work.

Eventually, Ki made coffee. Mum helped wipe the white plaster dust and little debris off the coffee table. Beta Gerald excused himself to another room, but we all heard him on the phone and he was p***ed like hell and demanded a full safety inspection and audit of the construction process and a whole bunch of other things. He was all firm and no nonsense, and his voice took a hard edge, "No, you listen. Stop. Stop. Listen to me. Do not say a word until I am through. I'm still talking."

I had never heard Beta Gerald speak that way before in my life. I would never have believed that he owned such a voice if I hadn't heard it myself. Ben snickered from next to me, "He's snapped. I heard, Beta Gerald can make a grown warrior cry."

Harvey only shrugged it off with a wry smile, "My Dad's a tyrant."

He came out of the room a few moments later, the same mild mannered beta I knew. Shaking his head at his phone he bowed a little, "That was regretful. I must apologize, Alphas."

Dad waved it off, "Who would've known?"

Mum smiled and attempted to laugh it off, "Well, you know Sam, if its breakable, she will break it."

Hey!

But everybody else laughed now.

"Yeah man!" Beta Lucas shook his head in mirth, "That's why I bought one of every plate at the store and gave it to Sam to play with. She broke all but one. So I took that plate to the store and bought a full dinner set when the twins were old enough to eat at the table. Till today, none of it has broken."

"Oh, the turquoise set at your home?" Mum asked, "Those are beautiful."

"Yes, and indestructible." Beta Lucas boasted.

"Maybe we should get the same." Mum mused.

"Please, Mum. I'm not six anymore." I tried to remind Mum, "And I hadn't broken anything for ages! Unlike Dad."

Dad growled a tiny bit, "They don't make glass like they used to."

Because Dad often broke this kind of stuff. Dad would pick up a wineglass and its stem would snap. But only sometimes, especially when he wasn't paying attention. Mum said Dad was too strong for his own good.

I told her there was no such thing as being too strong. I was eight then, and I still stand by that statement.

The stronger you were, the better you can protect those around you.

And that was all that mattered.

"Oh yeah," I said, "About just now, Bell is my Luna. We should support him as much as possible."

"Sam..." Ben started, "I know he's your luna, and I like him too, but you know he's crazy right? And that's coming from me..."

"I'll take care of it." I said.

"You have a plan goddess?" Ki brightened.

Well, it wasn't really much of a plan, but I nodded.

"Okay, what?" Ben demanded, "What will you do if your Luna goes out of hand?"

"Hamster cage." I blurted out.

"What?!?" More than one person said at the same time.

"I'm afraid I do not follow, alpha." Harvey said. It didn't look like anyone followed.

I sighed, "You know those big acrylic boxes for hamsters? We get a giant one and keep Bell in it."

If it was possible, everyone's expression of shock stretched further. Only Ki seemed to understand, he smiled his beautiful smile, "A million apologies, goddess. I'm afraid the hamster enclosure I ordered would not be large enough for Luna Bell."

I grinned back at him and laughed again, "I was just kidding. You should have seen your faces."

"So we go ahead with the Trojan?" Ben asked hopefully.

"And the new investment portfolio?" Beta Lucas asked.

How could I deny good betas their fun?

"Yeah, do what you must." I shrugged.

"Yes!" Ben pumped his fist.

"Great!" Beta Lucas decided, "You're still on for this, right Gerald?"

The men looked up at the cracked ceiling again, as if the lines would guide them to the right decision.

Beta Gerald sighed and smiled wryly, "Yes, it would be helpful. Perhaps it could cover the cost for this mess."

It was way past midnight before I could crawl into bed. I was so tired, I nearly fell asleep standing in the shower. I was so tired, my eyes could not stay open at all. I curled up in the middle of the large bed. It wasn't my golden clam shell, or my sheets, but it was clean... and honestly, it was The Langston so the sheets were really luxurious and the overlarge bed and down pillows was like the ultimate bed. I was tempted for a moment to take the pillow home with me. Just the right amount of soft and support... I had no ideas pillows could feel this way before The Langston.

Those were my last thoughts before nothingness, and then suddenly I woke up because there was a tapping on my window. My wolf sprung up alert... my person was much slower... dragging myself out of the perfect example of a bed, I rubbed my eyes - and I saw his face pressed against the glass in an attempt to look inside - RIVER?

I went over to the window and worked the latch to open it, "River! What are you doing here?"

I hope he realized that climbing up to the top of the hotel building to peer into a girl's bedroom was not only creepy, it was probably life threatening. Particularly since this hotel building could very well be made of plaster.