WHERE IS MY BABY?

25 FEBRUARY, THURSDAY, CONTINUED

Inside my room, it was quiet, soft carpets under my feet, lemon oil marking my territory, my golden clam-shell bed was made... even the golden birdcage rack at the end of my room had magically "restocked."

Usually, I would find just the right outfit hanging on this rack just when I needed it. It was just one of those daily mysteries of Ki magic. But I'm not sure why, today's Ki magic really outdid itself.

I walked over to retrieve my next outfit. The rack held, not just two choices of training outfits, but also pajamas, and my school uniform, pressed and ironed. I checked the lowers shelves of the rack and found all the matching shoes and socks and required accessories - including my school bag, which I distinctly remembered leaving downstairs in the kitchen with Lucky... OMO LUCKY!!!! WHERE IS LUCKY? I LOST MY BABY!!! AGAIN???

I dashed out of my room, my hair like a blue blaze alit behind me... But I skidded to a halt after the first flight down the stairs because the guys from the special team just had to be going down the stairs together... In various states of undress.

"Yo, Alpha!" The other guys called out, but they had seriously adapted to the Night Leaf way of life now. Instead of falling in to greet me, or even just bowing from wherever they were, they guys just waved or grinned over and continued stretching, undressing, or whatever they were doing as they leisurely made their way down the stairs.

I felt a little conflicted about that. But I suppose it was a good thing that they have finally lowered their guard around this place. I did want them to feel at home here, right? Gah! Nevermind these idiots! I had to make sure my baby was alright!

Stair hoggers!

My solution was to jump off the second floor landing, which on hindsight was pretty stupid since the pool was just below me. Luckily, I had mastered Cobras fall technique and just managed to land myself right at the pool edge. It was a very close shave, I nearly lost my balance straight after the landing, but I was saved by EJ.

He bounded down the last few steps and grabbed my elbow.

"Hoi, Hoi, Alpha! Come play with us!" The moment he was sure I was standing steady again, EJ let go to bounce around me. I stepped away from the water.

"We'd definitely show you a good time, beautiful alpha." Fluffy promised from just behind me.

Was that the right way to talk to your alpha? Was that the right way to talk to anybody at all? Must be a vampire thing.

The other guys laughed.

"You know, back where I come from, only creeps talk like that." Barry told the two clowns.

"No way!" EJ shook his head, "We're not creepy guys."

"Only because we're beautiful." Fluffy produced one of his signature smiles, his smile was so much like his Mum's. Now that I had seen it, I couldn't unsee the resemblance, but the resemblance stopped there. Fluffy was quite another creature altogether, "Beautiful people get away with anything."

"I really don't think that's something you should be saying about yourself." Torque shook his head.

"But I've been told this more than once." Fluffy insisted.

"I don't think you should take that as a compliment." Barry said good naturedly. Of all the wolves in the Special Forces, I think Barry was the only one who was equipped with common sense.

"Beautiful Alpha, is something wrong?" Fluffy asked when I passed him.

"I need to find my baby!" I bee-lined towards the kitchen.

"Your baby?" Barry whipped his head around, "Alpha is... alpha is a mother?"

"Uahhhhh? You lost Lucky again?" EJ yelled too loudly, "Mou! That doesn't sound very Lucky to me!"

I didn't stop in my hurry, and before I knew it, I burst into the kitchen with six half naked guys behind me.

"Where's lucky?" I pretty much yelled, because the tall paper coffee cup was no longer on the kitchen counter.

And then everything exploded in my face. (How was I supposed to know Mum, Savy, and Sabre were baking cookies in the kitchen? - Yes, I know I should've smelled it, but THIS WAS AN EMERGENCY!)

Sabre screamed. It came out like a scary movie shriek. It was so bad my wolf ears popped out and flattened on my head.

And then my lovely and gentle Luna mum (at least that's what everyone in my pack told me she was), grabbed the small hysterical child into her arms and snarled, "GET.OUT!"

It was so bad my hair turned metallic. Behind me was chaos - I could feel their pure panic as the guys behind me, big strong warriors of the special team, all stumble over each other to get the hell away.

Naturally, I turned to run too.

"Not you, Sam." Mum said.

Gulp. I stopped short at the door, and then reluctantly turned around.

Sabre was sobbing now, wide eyed and shaking, like the end of the world had come for her. Mum kept stroking her back and soothing her, "Shhhh... Baby, it's okay. You're safe."

Savy had shrunk back. She never liked these emotional overloads.

Me neither, really. I stood there, the epitome of awkwardness. Like I knew I was in serious trouble, but I had no idea what I was in trouble for.

I just stood rooted to the spot. My instincts had always served me well, and right now, it was seriously telling me to run away.

But even so, I didn't dare disobey Mum. To be honest, I usually made it a point to go with whatever Mum said. Experience had taught me that it was more rewarding that way. Lately, I come to suspect my Mum was a little dangerous to mess with. This was mostly because of the way Boo often retreated quickly whenever Mum was around.

Still, I had no idea my Mum was this scary. I also felt quite sure no one in the pack would believe me. I wondered if Dad knew what kind of scary Luna he had mated.

So I just stood there, waiting, like a guilty pup. Eventually, Sabre's wails subsided into quiet whimpers. It was really heartbreaking. Internally, I tried to figure out if this was my fault. Every now and then, Sabre would look up at my direction and then bury her face into Mum's embrace again.

I looked around, and then behind me, trying to sense what had freaked out my little sister, but there was nothing out of the ordinary. Don't tell me, it was me? Had my little human sister suddenly learn to fear me?

I mean, I was the Alpha, so naturally, it was good to be feared, but only just a little bit. The thought that I caused Sabre this level of fear was quite upsetting to me.

My hair had calmed quickly enough. I tried to push my wolf ears back. Maybe my half shifted form scared the human. But I wasn't shifted at to begin with! It was her screaming that alarmed my wolf to partially shift in the first place.

I stole a glance at Savy to see how she was holding up. She took the few steps to close the distance between us and leaned slightly against my arm.

This was our usual position whenever we stood together to face the music after something went wrong.

The only difference this time was that I had no idea what I did wrong. I wondered it Savy knew. Savy was smart. Maybe I should mindlink and her what we were in trouble for.

"Sam, what were you doing?" Mum asked, her voice was quiet as she stroked the coppery soft curls of the child in her arms.

"Nothing." I answered automatically, "I've just been standing here."

I vaguely remembered watching her holding Savy in her arms that way too, once upon a time. I supposed there was a time when I was also held and comforted like that.

"I mean, before that Sam." Mum asked in her patient voice. That meant I wasn't in trouble yet.

"I was looking for Lucky." I answered miserably.

"Who?" Mum asked.

"My baby...hamster." I quickly clarified, "My new hamster."

Sabre stopped crying. She looked up and blinked out the last of her tears, and then she rubbed them off fiercely with the back of her hand, "Hamster? Where?"

"I don't know." I hung my head in shame.

Mum stiffened visibly, "Sam... Please don't tell me it's running lose in the house."

Now it was like Mum was about the face her own personal end of the world.

"It's not." I said.

"It's because I told you not to tell me, is it?" Mum asked weakly.

I shook my head, "No, it was in a cup. I left it on the kitchen counter. Now it's gone."

I walked over to the kitchen counter to search. Savy came over to help.

"It's like in a tall paper coffee cup with a cover on top." I told her.

"Thank goddess." Mum breathed a sigh of relief.

For some reason, since the hamster was mentioned, Sabre was starting to look better too. At least the raw fear and upset earlier had all but dissipated.

Savy checked the bin under the counter.

"Why would it be in the bin?" I asked.

Savy shrugged, "Maybe someone thought it was a used coffee and threw it away."

I froze and then peered into the bin too, but all it held was a nice clean bin lining. Uh oh.

"It...it could still just be somewhere around here too." Savy quickly moved to check the other counter.

Two knocks on the door heralded in Ki. He stood at the threshold of the kitchen, "Apologies Luna, I fear the dogs have committed folly in your home."

Who?

"No, I'm sorry too." Mum stood up to bow an apology, "I did not mean to alarm them. I only reacted to my pups cry."

Sabre slid off Mum's lap and came over to the counter to help Savy look - but she was looking on the floors under the bar counter and bar stools.

And then 'Mum realized that Ki was still standing at the doorway, "Please do come in, Ki."

Ki looked at Sabre and hesitated.

"It's quite alright, Ki. She's calmed down." Mum smiled, "And Sabre already regards you as part of our family."

Ki smiled like a flower to the sun and bowed,"Then please pardon me."

"You don't have to be so polite." I told him, "At any rate, I need your help!"

"I only live to serve you, goddess." Ki assured me with his usual smile.

"Sam lost her hamster." Savy informed my beta.

"Here hamster, hamster, hamster..." Sabre crouched down and called gently into the gap between the fridge and the kitchen cabinet.

Mum blanched at the thought of the little rodent running free in her kitchen.

But I was too miserable to tease mum about her childhood phobia, "Ki, have you seen a tall yellow coffee cup with a plastic lid somewhere here?"

Ki frowned a little, "Not since dinnertime, goddess. Should I inquire of it for you? I believe Barry might know something of it. He did kindly clean up in the kitchen just now."

"Yes!" Sabre demanded, "Tell him to come here right now!"

Eh? Ki could just mindlink Barry.

"Are you sure, baby?" Mum asked gently, her eyes clouding with worry.

"But..." Sabre whined, "Hamster!"

"The hamster was in the cup." Savy explained.

I can't believe I lost Lucky! (Again!)

Sabre gave up looking between the refrigerator gap and stood up, "Don't be sad, Sam."

Was the little human trying to comfort me?

Then she turned to Ki, "Hurry Ki."

Was the little human trying to command my beta?

Wow, just a moment ago she was screaming and crying hysterically in terror. Now she's acting like she's the alpha.

Ki smiled like a flower to the sun, "Understood. Barry will be here in a moment."