WHEN WOLFIE WAS QUIET

1 FEBRUARY, MONDAY, GATE CITY STATION

What's wrong with me today? First I was scared about transferring to Lorent Girls' Academy (still terrified). Now I'm spooked by vampires... More specifically walking alone in an emptish station. I used to feel lucky when I found the station empty.

And my Wolfie had been very quiet all day. She's there, but she hadn't said a word. She hadn't even announced a single arrival.

I had thought she was quiet because today was a boring day for her. Now I'm beginning to worry.

I stopped in my tracks and turned back to the shop. WTH. I need to face my fear. Oh wait, Mum said to go straight home... But I was early.

I found what I was looking for very quickly. Little plastic gift bags meant for small cookies and chocolates. They even came with their own gold twist ties. I bought two packs of 20 each.

They were pretty, with lace printed on them. There were also cheesier options with cartoon hearts printed all over. I was tempted, but I figured out someone might not realize I was purposely trying to be cheesy and I might end up being known as the cheesy warlock in school.

Let's just keep everything safe, simple, and classic.

Ooooo...there it was again! My need to be safe. What was wrong with me today?

Everything was changing, Henry was leaving, I was transferring schools, my new school was scary different from anything I had ever known, and there was an entire coven of vampires hunting me down.

This really wasn't the time to try and play things safe. I actually don't think safe was a possibility at this point.

Arughh! It's because I was that careless. I knew I shouldn't show my face to a vampire, yet I didn't wear a mask that night. I did hide behind my mate. Not on purpose, I was just that terrified. Maybe the vamp wouldn't have seen my face clearly. It was dark too... Of course vamps had night vision, but was their vision as good as ours? Or better?

The thought of the old vamp sent chills down my spine.

I shook off the bad feeling and went over to check out the stationary. I needed something like a card to match the lacy packets. Might as well get it here and be done with Vday shopping.

Everything was pink or red. I guess that made sense since it was Valentine's Day. I didn't want a large card, I never had that much to write. Oh, look! Laced paper dollies!

I pick up a pack of 50. They would fold in half and fit into the gift bags. I could write my message in that. Plus they were much cheaper than cards. Hahahaha.

I was on a roll. I went to pay when I caught sight of nail stickers. And that, I figured would be the perfect gift for Savy and Lizzy. The only problem was that there were so many designs! I frowned at the selection. I was never very good at these things..

I sighed and thought as hard as I could. Savy didn't like glitter and gems, but did Lizzy? I tried to remember all their outfits. Finally I gave up. I should just pick out something I liked? I looked at a white set with cute bunnies drawn in black outline. Their tails were a little heart on their butt. Hahaha.

I picked it up. This one was mine... If I could figure out how to wear them. The instructions looked straightforward enough.

I looked back at the shelf and studied the contents very carefully. I didn't know what they would like... I knew what they would definitely hate, the tiger stripes in pink and blue was out.

Hmmm... I could eliminate half the designs on the shelf based on what I felt sure Savy and Lizzy would hate, but that still left at least 10 others.

The saleslady came over, "Can I help you hon?"

"Ah, no thanks." I said a little too quickly.

She frowned at me. Great, now she was going to think I'm a potential shoplifter.

"I mean, I'm just choosing 2 more for my sisters." I explained.

"Oh, well, why don't you make it a matching set?" The saleslady suggested. She showed me the same bunny outline design, but with a pink back ground. There was also a black one with the bunny drawn in white.

Well, I guess it would be a better excuse than whatever I picked randomly. Maybe I should just go with that.

"Or if they're older than you, you might like to get them something like these." The saleslady showed me some transparent ones, oh with lace over it.

They were perfect.

Okay! I picked up one in black lace and another in white.

"If your sisters paint their nails, it can over any color they choose too." The saleslady suggested helpfully.

I nodded, "Thanks. That's really helpful."

The saleslady smiled, "Anytime hon, that's my job. You wanna get anything for your boyfriend?"

My what now?

{My Beta}

Wolfie spoke for the first time today. For some reason, I knew without turning around it would be Ben.

And it was, his dark broad back leaning against the glass of the shop window. He was taller and broader than how I remembered him, but his hair was the same dark waves.

He had been here for a while now. My Wolfie knew this.

And I suddenly realized why my Wolfie didn't talk. She had expected me to know whatever she knew. And I was knowing this now because I could.

Looks like my merger with Wolfie took another step forward. Level up!

I paid for the stuff and put them in my backpack. Then I went out to meet Ben.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" I asked.

"I'm supposed to be picking you up." Ben grinned, "Just got my license."

Eh?

"It's a Lorent license for Betas, works only within Green Packlands though." Ben walked on, his hand on my backpack. I let him guide me out of the station. Oh no! I hope it's not the Lambo. I don't wanna go through that again!

And... it was the Lambo. It had to be the Lambo. T.T

"I don't like the Lambo! It's scary!" I whined to Ben.

He only laughed and opened the door for me, "Yeah right, Sam."

I sulked and buckled myself in. Okay, get a grip. What the hell was wrong with me today? Even if I were scared, I would never had said it out loud. I'm becoming a sissy.

Luckily Ben had taken it as a joke.

The engine started with a bang and we were off. The midnight blue Lambo angrily stormed out of Gate City towards home.

I can't believe Ben got his license. I actually could believe that the Lorents had special exceptions made for Betas and Alphas, but I just couldn't believe Ben got it.

I couldn't believe Ben passed his driving test in a Lambo either. Did he drive himself to the test center? Who took a driving test in a Lambo? Was that even allowed? No, wait, I digressed.

Back to my point, I can't believe Ben was driving. The road home at this hour was rather empty and Ben drove fast, so on the bright side, this ride would be a short one.

I hated the Lambo. Why did I get in? It sounded like an angry beast even from the inside. Why was it so noisy?

Actually, it was quieter than when Harvey drove it. Maybe I was getting used to it.

The trees outside the window were really flying past us. I took a glance at the speedometer. We were going past 200.

I sighed. Beta Lorent could consider gifting Lambos to his enemies and letting them drive themselves to hell. Who knows? Maybe this lambo was his gift to mate. Most expensive ticket to hell.

Eventually, we slowed down. Ben was really enjoying this. Speed demon! But we had slowed to a respectable speed and were entering our pack town.

Grrr...

Ben raised a brow at me and forced a mindlink:

BEN: What? Sam, you okay?

ME: Do I not look okay to you?

BEN: You look fine. Just that...

ME: Just that what?

BEN: Your wolf's awfully pissed.

Of course I'm pissed. I hate riding in this thing! Why were we riding it? What happened to switching it out for a truck and motorbikes? Wth. Wth.

I heard Ben chuckling the moment the engine was cut. We were in front of the pack house. "Tough day in school huh?"

Eh? I paused, did I let my thoughts slip through the mindlink? Or was Ben guessing?

"It was lucky I found you." Ben continued, "You didn't answer your text or calls."

Eh? I reached to my pocket. My phone... It's still under my desk.

"I was seriously worried I had missed you." Ben admitted. He got out of the car. I unbuckled and looked at the door. How do I work this thing?

But before I could try my hand at cracking open the Lambo, Ben had opened the door for me from outside. He pulled the handle and let go. The door shifted upwards. I grabbed my stuff and got out.

"If you ever pick me up with this thing again, I won't get in!" I flared at Ben.

Ben smirked, "Understood."

We got into the packhouse. The passing guards bowed respectfully. Ben acknowledged it with a hand.

I narrowed my eyes at him. They were bowing to me, not him. And why were there so many warriors walking about? We went up the stairs to the third floor and then to the private lift that led to the alpha's penthouse.

Ben pressed the A button.

"Actually, Ki wasn't around and I only had the keys to the Lambo on me." Ben admitted eventually. "The other cars had been scheduled for cleaning for tonight's convoy to your grandfather's memorial."

Eh, we were going by convoy? Why?

We got to the apartment and Ben took out his keycard to let me in. The apartment was busy. I hadn't expected that.

Usually it would just be Ki, or Mum, or Savy doing their own things in the kitchen or their own rooms... But today Beta Lucas and Mrs Beta, Savy, Lizzy, Mum, and Dad were all in the apartment.

I actually kinda knew who was behind he door before it was even opened. And because I hadn't caught their scent trail clearly at the front door, I could assume that everyone was at our apartment for a while already.

Ki wasn't though. Ki felt pretty far away. Yes! I'm getting it... The feeling of Ki far away. Harvey wasn't nearby either. Mate was super far away, and he had a really tight seal on our link, making him completely uncontactable, which was why Wolfie had been in an increasingly black mood. Wolfie didn't want to talk about it though.

So Mate was the reason for Wolfie's bad mood. Okay.

And I was figuring out Wolfie's radar. It could scan for pretty much anyone I had a link with and work out his general direction and distance. And it had like a territorial guard around my land, so I would know if anyone trespassed.

Cool.

"Alpha Sam is here." Ben intoned.

But that was completely unnecessary. Everyone had stopped and looked up the moment I entered.

"How was your day?" Mum asked at the door. She turned to Ben, "Thanks for picking her up. Did you have trouble meeting her?"

"It was no problem, Luna." Ben said.

"It was good you happened to find that Lorent driving rule exception." Beta Lorent said.

"Trust Ben to be clever with things like that." Lizzy scoffed.

"Well, it helped us out." Mum smiled "Everyone is so busy. Oh my goodness! Everything had to happen today!"

"What happened?" I asked.

Ben had helped me out of my bag and jacket. I think my Betas were spoiling me. I couldn't remember the last time I hung up my own jacket.

I wanted to go take a shower but yeah, something was definitely up.

"I'll leave it to Savy to explain it to you. Your dad and I need to go downstairs in a while. Uncle Louis and Aunt Jade are coming." Mum said.

"You better go change now, Luna." Mrs Beta said gently, "Don't worry about anything else for now."

"Yes. Thank you." Mum disappeared into the room.

"I better go change too." Dad said.

"We only have fifteen more minutes." Beta Lucas informed Dad.

Dad narrowed his eyes at his Beta, "I know, Lucas."

"Just saying." Beta Lucas said. But why was he saying?

"We're really just changing." Dad growled.

"Yes, if you say so." Beta Lucas said.

"14 minutes." Ben smirked.

Dad left for his room and slammed the door like an angry teenager.

Beta Lucas grabbed at the files on the table, "Alright Ben... I'm going to head down to the porch. I need you to..."

"Update Sam. Lock up the apartment. Secure the ring. I know." Ben said.

Wow. Everyone was straining under the pressure. Even Beta Lucas...and Dad. OMG, Dad just threw a teenager tantrum. What the hell happened?

And the ring. Grandma Luna's ring? I closed my eyes and tried to find Uncle Louis with my radar. He was still outside packlands.

"Sam? Sam!"

I opened my eyes.

Savy was tugging at my arm. Lizzy was watching me with a worried expression.

"Don't freak out yet Sam, come on." Savy brought me into the room. Lizzy and Ben followed us in.

I heard Beta Lucas leaving with Mrs Beta. And my radar was still on. I blinked to tune it out. Ben put my bag on my dresser. My clothes had already been prepared on a hanger.

"Sam, we need you to focus." Savy said, grabbing my shoulders, "Don't go wild on us or anything. Remember, we are just the messengers."

Uh oh. That didn't sound like good news.

But I nodded. I'm the Alpha. I can take it. Probably.