YOU CAN LOOK BUT YOU CAN'T TOUCH!

10 FEBRUARY, WEDNESDAY, BREAKFAST

I mean, he knew that I had the allegiance of my three betas. From what I heard, he couldn't even get Ki to properly be his beta. I was heir to Night Leaf, which by now I felt sure was the strongest fighting force in the Green Packlands.

If he played his cards right, he would be able to use me to gain everyone's allegiance, and then rule as Alpha after we have mated - just by the fact that I was just a girl! Right?

Omo

And then when we had babies, the next wolf would be a Lorent Alpha. Although Alpha James had been upfront about it during our betrothal... I didn't realize the implications then.

The implications being that the entire Moon Bell would be essentially the Lorent Pack, just under a different name. Without having to fight a single war too! In fact, Night Leaf and Morning Light would happily conceed because all this while we thought I was the Alpha... And I was. But it was the male Luna who would lead, because the Alpha would be just a girl.

Oh! So insidious, this plot against me!

"Sam's thinking something weird again." Savy decided to inform the table.

Dad didn't even look up from his screen.

Mum calmly finished up Sabre's hair with her heart shaped Vday hairclip, "Sam, finish your breakfast. Harvey should be here soon."

Sabre's red curls weren't very long, so they looked like two little curly pompoms. I reached over to poke one of them. Hahaha.

Sabre turned her head sharply from left to right to shake away the unwanted attention, "You can look, but you can't touch!"

Savy and I burst into laughter at that.

Mum made a face, "Okay, which of you ladies taught her that?"

We stopped laughing.

Eh?

"Aw, Mum! But its funny!" I said, but quickly quallified when Mum gave me a sharp look, "It wasn't me."

"She could have picked it up from anywhere!" Savy argued.

"Like where?" Mum challenged.

"Like in school?" I tried to think where else Sabre could spend time without Mum's supervision, so that was all I could come up with, "You know how kids say the darnedest things, right?"

"Mostly because they were parroting someone else." Mum argued.

I wasn't a child expert, but in Sabre's case, mum was probably right.

But I was sure it wasn't me, so I dared ask Sabre, "Hey, who said that?"

"Who said what?" Sabre asked.

"Who said 'You can look but you can't touch'?" See, I could be patient with small pups (even though this one wasn't really a pup, per say.)

"Oh. That was me I said it." Sabre answered, "Just now."

Patience...

"Yeah, but who else said it?" I asked, oh so patiently.

"You?" Sabre asked, "You copied me!"

"No, Sabre. I mean before you. Who said that before you?" I flared.

Luckily Sabre did not seem to notice my hair's impatience...but if she asked me "who said what?" one more time, I can't say I wouldn't throttle her.

My little patience was well rewarded when Savy answered, "Mama said it."

I pointed to Mum, "This Mama?"

Savy nodded, "Yes."

Mum looked truly appalled, "When did I ever say that?"

"Maybe to Dad." I teased, "Dad, did Mum ever tell you 'you can look but you can't touch'?"

Dad looked up from his phone now, "I touch whatever I want."

"Okay. Stop." I groaned, "I don't want to hear anymore."

Savy cackled.

"Not to Dad." Savy answered, "Mum said to me at the shop."

Oh. Well, that would make a lot more sense.

"Actually," Mum smiled at me suddenly, so that I got the feeling that she was about to turn the tables on me, "it won't hurt if you learned to say this line too, particularly to your mate."

Oh no.

"Sam, you're only 14..." Mum started.

"15" I corrected.

"14." Mum maintained, "Even at 15, you're still too young to be... You shouldn't be anywhere near his bed."

Oh, the rumpled bed photos that JL3 (or maybe it was me on his phone) accidentally posted in the group chat.

"I was dream travelling, I woke up in his bed." I tried to defend myself, "And nothing happened..."

Except that I sounded so unsure that my Dad put down his screen altogether.

"Our bangles are still white. I checked!" I tried to reassure them, but my reassurance ability was as bad as Krystal's.

Mum narrowed her eyes at that, "And why, would you need to check?"

Mum and Dad exchanged looks. Dad remained silent, so Mum continued, "And spending the night at the Lorent's - did you dream travel there too?"

I shook my head. She knew I didn't. Why was she asking?

"But you spent it in his bed?" Mum continued.

Technically, I spent it watching his ex-girlfriend try to seduce him... So I wasn't on his bed for most of it. Arughhh... You know what happened. I know what happened. But how should I explain it to Mum?

"He was working. I just slept there for a bit - it was more like a nap really." I answered.

Mum sighed, "Sam, even though Bell is your mate, and he is a wonderful young man, but he is a man, and you are still a child. You need to be careful..."

"You don't have to worry. Nothing will happen." I tried to strongly reassure my parents.

Mum looked at Dad again.

Dad cleared his throat, "What your mum means... I mean, what your mum and I mean, is that you're still young, and we'd like you to exercise precaution."

I shrugged.

"I think you need to be more specific." Savy advised my parents.

Dad looked uncomfortable. He looked at mum.

Of course Mum always had the answer, "As a girl, you need to know where to draw the line. Like last night over dinner, a little cuddling and a goodnight kiss..."

"There was no cuddling or kissing last night!" WTH was Mum talking about?

Savy had that look too. But it was more of a "I can't believe I missed that!"

"I was going to say, cuddling and a goodnight kiss was perfectly fine..." Mum firmly continued.

"WHAT?" This was by both Dad and me and Savy at the same time. So it was loud. Sabre whimpered.

Mum patted Sabre on her pretty head, "It was cute!"

"They kissed?" Savy wanted to know.

"Yes, just before she got into the car." Mum nodded, "It was very quick, but I saw it."

Oh, like when he put his face too close and I whispered, "See you later?"

That was not a kiss. I shook my head. It was a warning.

"You don't have to be shy about it Sam. It's wonderful for mates to express affection for each other. Just remember to keep it appropriate to your age and your surroundings." Mum advised.

"The next time he tries to 'express affection', you can tell him 'you can look but you can't touch'." Dad advised.

"So he can look?" Savy asked.

"No!" Dad decided, "He can't look or touch or breathe."

"Why don't you just kill him?" I asked.

My sacarsam was lost on Dad, "Don't tempt me, Sam."

"Oh, but darling, they were so sweet, it was cute. Our girls are growing up, dear." Mum had to remind Dad, "They aren't puppies anymore."

"Just keep it PG." Dad repeated again.

"So they can kiss?" For some reason, Savy felt it was important to clarify, "Like end of the Disney movie kiss?"

I'm not sure if Dad had ever watched a Disney movie... Maybe Finding Nemo because Mum thought it was a good idea to let him take us for Father and daughters cinema outing.

I don't remember any of the fish kissing.

Dad's brow furrowed as he tried to remember if any of the fish kissed at the end of the movie. Either that or he was struggling with the idea of any man kissing his daughter.

"Yes." Mum nodded, "Keep it to a Disney Princess cartoon level."

Mum was pretty specific because she knew our Disney movies.

I shook my head, "No way. It's not like that at all."

"Then what is it like?" Savy asked.

How would I know? I hadn't done this before. I looked at Ki, "What is it like?"

Ki paused and then smiled like a flower to the sun, "I don't think I've watched any of the Princess cartoon movies, goddess. But my observation is that the princess is innocently unwitting and the prince is frustrated to his wits' end."

WTH was that supposed to mean? I paused to decide it I should be offended or not.

"Good." Dad nodded, "Let's keep it that way."

"Poor Bell." Savy said.

Mum looked at her sharply, "Savy! What's that supposed to mean?"

"You know how Sam is." Savy shrugged lightly.

"Sam's fine the way she is." Dad insisted in his stubborn tone.

Mum seemed to consider Savy's words, and then she said, "My daughters, I'm going to share the secret to living a happy life together with your mate."

"Mum..." I protested.

"Respect." Mum said.

Oh.

Whew, for a moment there, I thought she was going to delve into what happens between the sheets or something embaressing like that.

"A gentle answer turns away wrath." Mum quoted.

I grinned, "A yelled answer would start a fight!"

Which was far more fun.

Mum shook her head, "Just try it, Sam. Speak respectfully and gently to Bell. It'll improve your relationship with him. I guarantee it!"

"Their relationship doesn't need improving darling, it needs to be frozen." Dad decided.

I think he was still hung up over his puppy being cuddled and kissed by man. It's probably a good thing that Dad actually liked Bell personally.

As for Mum, I'm not even sure where she was coming from. Why would my relationship with Bell need improvement? I was talking with him fine! Mostly because we didn't really have conversations, true. But he started yelling first, not me.

And what had that got to do with cuddling and kissing? Grrrr...

Absolutely nothing, not that it happened.

Right. But I was relief for the distraction from all the cootie inducing talk, so respect was a good topic.

"Bell is the one who should respect me. I'm the alpha." I told my family. He really shouldn't be yelling at me, or ordering me, or calling me stupid.

"But he is also your Luna. You need to be gentle with your Luna, right dear?" Mum looked to Dad for back up.

"Ah, yeah. Yes. But if he crosses the line, you may hit him. Hard." Dad said.

"Dear!" Mum looked mortified.

"Alright," Dad conceeded, "Do as your mum says. I'll do the hitting for you."

"Dear!" Mum gasped.

Deciding that my Dad was going to be no help in this conversation, Mum turned back to me, "Sam, try to treat your mate like your Dad and I treat each other."

So no hitting him?

"Remember, he is your mate and Luna. Your pack takes cue on how to respect him by watching you." Mum informed me.

"If I go soft on him, he would just boss me around even more. And then use my weakness to wrestle the reigns from me, and drive Moon Bell to further his own black hearted and neferious ambitions." I sulked.

"What neferious ambitions?" Dad wanted to know. We were suddenly back in comfortable conversational territories.

"I don't know... Take revenge for childhood grievances and personal grudges by mowing down the entire Lorent pack? Build up a sizable army to gain power and the ability to boss the rest of the continent around? Control the Green packlands with an iron fist, keep the minor packs in line and be like a meanie? Maybe he just wants to boss everyone around on a daily basis!" I gave up. I really had no idea what Mate wants.

I mean, I just met the guy. He just happened to also be my mate. But it's not like I had any idea what he wanted in life, or his dreams or fears or favourite colours or foods or whatever.

These things didn't come automatically with the Mate bond.

Dad relaxed visibly, "If that's all. It's fine."

How was that fine?

I looked at Ki who simply smiled at me.

The both of them sounded so coniving and devious while they were plotting. But now...when I said it out loud, their plot was really rather unevil sounding.

"Well, you should hear it when he says it." I grumbled, "It's a lot more evil sounding."

Savy cackled.

Mum gave her a look.

"Sam, as long as he is your Mate, his wolf will protect you with his life. Bell is an intelligent young man, he would understand that protecting your interest is paramount to securing his own happiness and ambitions." Dad said.

"So it's okay for him to use me to further his ambition? Doesn't that bother you a bit?" I flared at my dad, "He's going to take over the entire Green Packlands and do whatever he wants and you're going to let him? He's going to level down the Lorents. He's going to have his pups all named Lorents and make the Lorents top of the Green Packlands again!"

Dad frowned at that, "Sam, I don't think you get the point."

I stopped.

"What's the point?" I asked.

"He's your Mate. He will protect you and Night Leaf because you belong to him. His pups are your pups - whatever their names might be. His wins are your wins." Dad shrugged.

"Even if he is cruel and cold?" I challenged.

"Is he cruel and cold to you?" Dad asked.

I thought about it, even last night, when he supposedly Chi-Ka-Boomed, he turned warm and gentle to me very quickly. I shook my head to shake off the memory.

"Then if you choose to release control of the Green Packlands to him, however he chooses to deal with his family pack, establish our pack, and keep the Green Packlands in peace isn't so much the issue than the fact that he is working to protect our pack." Dad answered.

"Why would I ever give him control?" I asked.

"You're still young, but after you reach of mating age, your instincts to settle and have pups might come. If it makes you happy to wear pretty clothes and have lots of pups, and leave the wars and politics to your Mate, that's fine too." Dad said tiredly so I knew that he had put in a lot of thought into this, "Sam, you're my heir, but you're also my daughter. Yours and your sisters' happiness is always at the forefront of my mind."

"Bell will make a good Alpha in your stead, but only if you let him. You must know by now, Sam, your wolf is powerful beyond any of the wolves in the plains." Dad said, and then he added, "Whether Lorent or Kingsley, Moon Bell or Night Leaf, the wolves who run in it are the same. And which ever way it goes, whether to you or to your Mate, we are in the winning position."

Eh?

We win either way?

So all the Lorent plotting was plotting a second way for us to win?

Maybe my dad was more of the mad genius than I had realised.

Dad had always been good at chess. Beta Lucas told me they all used to play chess since they were puppies. Dad almost always won. Beta Lucas won once though... But only because he got a few really pretty girls to stand around Dad and distract him. Beta Lucas had laughed, rather proud of himself. I don't think that was something to boast about to a kid though.

"There is more than one way to win. The win is secured up here." Beta Lucas tapped his head, "And the play doesn't always have to be on the board."

That's why I hated these mind games.