MORE SNEAKING AROUND AND SECRETS

9 FEBRUARY, TUESDAY, 1 AM

Ki and I arrived on Lorent grounds pretty quickly after that. Ki seemed well versed with the route there. His wolf had run this way before. I supposed he had to, juggling between his work at home and at the Lorent's.

By the time we got to the Lorent's Alpha house, I realised that I would never had been able to sneak in without Ki. Security at the Lorent's Alpha house was like a maximum security prison. There were warriors in human-form patrolling the streets and guarding the gate and wolf patrols around the wooded area surrounding it.

The Great Wall of of China - or what could have passed for one, wrapped around the sprawling estate. Let's call it the Great Wall of Lorent.

I was actually nearly discovered twice. Both times I had immediately taken cover in the dark shadows of the nearest undergrowth. Ki's bright white wolf had stepped forward in response and sent the patrol away with his bossy beta-ness.

By now, it was pretty obvious that I didn't want to be seen. And it was pretty obvious that even Ki couldn't get me into the Alpha's house as a wolf without being seen. Ki thought for a moment, "Let's try it that way."

I think he was just thinking aloud to himself - literally into the mindlink. Unfortunately, he didn't think aloud the details to his plan so I had to just go with him to see what would happen.

He brought me to a large extension by their packhouse, it looked like a stable. At first I thought maybe for cars, the way Priscilla and Sean had did their home, but then I realised it was like an outdoor locker room.

Trust the Lorents to not be able to shift and undress behind a tree. No... They needed to build a locker room, with multiple stalls, showers, and shelves...WITH LABELLED BASKETS for personal items and clothes.

I began to see where Ki had drawn inspiration for the changing room next to our pool at home.

Anyway, Ki went in first. He reappeared dressed, at least in joggers. He had a t-shirt slung on one bare shoulder and was holding a basket with the label JL3 on it. No prizes for remembering who that was.

"If you don't mind goddess, please use your Luna's clothes." Ki placed the basket in one of the stalls, "I'll be waiting outside."

He pulled on his t-shirt and headed outside.

Meanwhile I entered the stall and dug around Mate's basket. There was a pair of joggers that fit if I pulled tight the rope around the waist band. The t-shirt was really baggy.

But I decided to take a cue from how Mum had dressed Sabre in Savy's PJs, and fold up the sleeves and pants.

I walked out bare footed and Ki led me around the back through an undergrowth and then towards the Great Wall of Lorent.

I thought the wall was huge just now while as a wolf, but now as a human, it was humongous! There was no way we could get over this!

Funny how when we had driven in, and the wide gates had swung open, I had not quite felt the wall was a big deal.

I mean, I did see it, but I guess it wasn't in my way then. Or it was so big, I just didn't actually notice the ends of it, the way we saw the sky through the trees without actually seeing it or noticing how it was large enought to wrap around THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD.

But Ki seemed unpreturbed. He merely said, "It's been a while since I did this, I hope its all still there."

I followed Ki carefully over a particularly large tree, we scaled it up and carefully made our way across one of the overhanging branches. We could see into the garden on the other side of the Great wall. Ki pointed out a low shed against the Great Wall, "We need to jump to land there. It's a little tricky. I'll go first, you follow. Don't worry, I'll stay on the roof to catch you."

I shook my head, "I can do this."

Ki nodded and then he was off. He needed a bit of space, two quick steps on the uneven tree branch for the momentum and then he sprung towards the shed and landed crouched on the slanted roof. He stood up and signalled for me to join him. I waved for him to make room on the tiny shed for me to land.

Okay, I can probably do this. I've jumped lots of fences and stuff before... Enough to know that Ki was right to say this was a tricky one.

I needed momentum go make that leap, but the branch, like all branches wasn't a flat and solid runway, it was gnarled and it swayed under our weight.

Like the spring board over the swimming pool but covered in bark and leaves. It was also split into two at the end. So I needed to take two or three quick steps without falling off the branch, the last step needed to be right before the branch split. And I needed to mind the momentum of the branch to jump at the right time. And once up, I needed to prepare to land low on the slanted roof so I wouldn't fall over the ledge.

Okay, I can do this... Probably. I took a half step back and then went - two quick steps, not quite far out to the jump point, but too close in to take a third step. I jumped prematurely.

It was unfortunate that my jump point came up short. This meant I had to jump further, and I didn't get the optimal help from the branch springing back up.

But momentum wise, I got it down pat, and I did make it onto the shed roof - just barely, and I would've fallen backwards had Ki not lunged forward to catch my wrist and pull me up.

"Are you hurt, goddess?" Ki asked.

I shook my head.

Ki looked relieved, "Perhaps I should've carried you and jumped. I realize belatedly that you were much lighter than your Luna."

I shook my head again, "The branch might have broke under our combined weight. It's fine. No harm's done."

Ki dropped down and turned, holding out his hands to catch me. I shook my head and jumped down the low shed on my own, "I can do this."

I grinned and started singing, "Anything you can to, I can do better..."

Ki's eyes widened, "Goddess, I thought you were trying to stay hidden."

"Oh yeah, I forgot." I answered sheepishly.

Ki froze.

Some one was coming, two warriors. Now it was my turn to freeze. I just stood there like a deer in headlights.

Ki was the one who reacted, stripping off his t-shirt and throwing it over my head and pushed me against the side of the shed. Eh? What? I looked up at him standing way too close, but he was turned towards the sound of the two warriors, "Oh, it's you Beta."

"Oh, it's just you two." Ki sounded relieved, he stepped away from me, pulling off his shirt from the top of my head to put back on.

"Oh F***, Ki! That's Rebel's girl!" I looked at Jax looking decidedly agitated.

The deep lines on Neil's face deepened, "Not just his girl, she's his mate."

"It's not what it looks like, guys." Ki said.

"Isn't she a minor? Not cool, bro." Jax shook his head.

"Shut up, I told you its not like that!"

"Your scent is all over her." Jax informed Ki. He had walked over and was sniffing in my direction. Ki hit him for being rude.

"I was trying to fool the warriors." Ki explained when Jax stepped back.

"Yeah, as if you could fool us." Jax smirked.

"Then you know it wasn't what it looked like." Ki smiled and returned his attention to the argument at hand.

"Unless you wanted us to think it wasn't what it looked like." Jax tapped his head, "I can play mind games too, you know."

"Was that what it looked like?" Ki asked, still smiling.

"Yes, even though you made it look like it was only what it looked like, I knew it was not what it looked like because I knew it only looked like it." Jax answered.

What? So was Jax fooled or not fooled?

"What the heck is that? Just say what it is and what it is not!" Neil grumbled.

Ki decided he had enough of messing with Jax and Neil, "Why are you two on patrol duties?"

"We messed up and Delta Emerson sent us on patrol." Neil admitted.

"So you left Rebel alone with her?" Ki asked.

The other two men hung their heads wordlessly.

Ki smiled, "Rebel's going to be p***ed as hell. I told you not to leave him alone with her."

"But Delta Emerson gave us a direct order." Neil said.

Wait, who's HER?

I flared.

"Oh!" Neil seemed to realized something now, "But Rebel said not speak of tonight!"

Jax gasped, "You told her?"

"I didn't tell her anything." Ki reassured them, "I merely accompanied her here."

Once again, I'm in the middle of a conversation I had no idea about, "Tell me what?"

The three men paused and then Jax nodded, "Rebel's going to kill you, bro."

"Unless he kills you for making out with his mate first." Neil pointed out.

"That didn't happen." Ki calmly informed them.

"Right, like you didn't tell her that his ex-girlfriend is here." Jax told him.

Was this the HER Mate loved? Wait, but Mate said I was HER. Ki had said Mate didn't love anyone before he met me - but where did the EX-GIRLFRIEND some from?

"Let's spy on Bell." I told them.

"Who's Bell?" Neil asked.

"She means Rebel, you idiot." Jax told him, "See, Bell, Re-Bell."

Jax tapped his head again with a knowing smirk, "Still works."

Ki ignored him, "Neil, report."

On command, Neil suddenly turned formal, he even stood at attention.

"They did exactly what you and Rebel predicted. They had dinner. Delta Emerson got Alpha Lorent to attend something in the office, her mum got the Luna to speak about something private in the library, and they've left Rebel alone with her." Neil reported, "At least that's what happened before we got kicked out and sent on patrol because that idiot had to snicker."

Neil broke out of his formality to hit Jax over the back of his head.

Jax rubbed his head, "No matter how many times you guys hit it, my head will still work."

"That's because its made of rock." Ki told him with a bland smile.

Hahahaha. Oh wait, why was I laughing? MY MATE (MINE) was alone with his EX-GIRLFRIEND (HER). This should be serious business. Grrr... I hope she kills him!

"Well, goddess. Let's go rescue your Luna." Ki smiled.

Fine, okay. Let's go rescue him so I can kill him myself!

"We'll help create a diversion!" Jax immediately offered. And then he said, "I'm glad the both of you came back, it was getting boring here without you."

"I nearly cashed in my insurance." Neil said.

"Hurry and go, if you guys get caught, I'm not bailing you out." Was all Ki answered.

"Come on, Neil. I know just the thing." Jax started off.

"But Ki said..." Neil worried.

"Ki always says that." Jax shrugged it off, "But has he ever not bailed us out?"

"I'm really not going to, so don't get caught." Ki warned them again.

"Yeah, yeah, bro. Got it." Jax called back. He threw us a saucy wink and the both disappeared around the corner.

A moment later there was a shout, "Halt! This is a restricted area! I said halt!"

Ki was still smiling, but his tone was terse, "Those two idiots don't understand how to be convert."

As opposed to you and Mate? When was anyone going to tell me about the EX-GIRLFRIEND? Was anyone going to tell me about HER at all?

WTH.

"Come, goddess. We need to move quickly."

I followed Ki and found us in some kind of garden with low brick walls, and then up another tree, onto a second floor ledge.

"Quickly goddess. The next patrol would pass by soon." Ki informed me.

Like I said, I never would have been able to sneak in without Ki.

Ki used a key card to unlock the glass latticed door and put me inside the darkened room. I smelled mate... a fading scent because he had not been here for a long time, but still lingering because this was his room!

{Mate! Mine!}

Wolfie was happy. Stupid wolfie. He's with another girl right now, you know.

{Mine}

Yes, exactly my sentiments.

If Boo was around... But she was not. Wolfie was quite happy because the scent of Mate was all around. Admittedly, even though I wanted to be mad, the scent was calming.

Ki stepped in a moment later and shut the latticed glass doors. He drew the heavy curtains before snapping his fingers twice. The lights turned on and then dimmed. I looked around Mate's large room. Mate's room!

"This is Luna's suite." Ki informed me, "There is an attached bath. Please take a shower while I prepare your clothes, goddess."

Why did I have to dress up to kill him?

And then I remembered Ki's scent "all over" me. I mean, it was just Ki so I personally didn't mind my own Beta's scent, but Jax and Neil made me feel like it was a bad thing.

Yeah, okay. Shower it was.

Sam's Agenda at Mate's suite: Shower, Rescue Mate, Kill Mate myself.

Wait, why were we rescuing Mate? Or rather, WHAT were we rescuing Mate from?