A BREAKFAST DAYDREAM

Ki popped out to meet us along the corridor, his gentle smile on, "Good morning, goddess."

Over the mindlink he was more capisce to the other wolves behind me, {Please mind your volume when in the main house.}

{Oh. Sorry beta.} Barry was immediately contrite.

Wolfgang tossed his head. Harvey shrugged wryly, and Ben replied, {Look who's barking.}

Ki's smile never faltered, {We've been through this Beta, if the dogs become a nuisance, the entire Special Team will have to be moved out of the Alpha House.}

{Just move out already. I don't understand why you guys insist on staying here when there are bigger rooms next door in the packhouse?} Ben grumbled.

{It is easier to ensure the Princess' safety from here.} Wolfgang answered sounding huffy even through the mindlink.

{It's more homely here.} Barry said.

{Whatever.} Ben shrugged.

"Morning Ki!" I greeted with forced cheer. I gave him a wide grin because I was trying hard to pretend I didn't just hear their private mindlink (again).

I actually liked having my wolves around, it did make me feel safer, and I did want to give them a family here. But I don't think I could ever get used to this...this parade on a daily basis - but, I was also well aware of how quickly I got used to the motorbike escorts etc, so we'll see.

I mean, some things were still weird. Like Ben, in a suit, lining up along the wall like a proper fancy beta. That was still a little surreal for me. I mean, Ben was still shorter than me in my mind. Sigh. I took another look at Ben. Okay, I think his growth spurt had finally stabalized, but he was clearly taller than I was. Like was he eating warlock crystals too or something?

Everyone around me was out-growing me... Even my hamster.

Mum came to the dining room door, "Good morning, would you boys like some coffee or breakfast?"

"No thank you, Luna." Ben answered politely, "We're all on active duty now."

Mum tilted her head and looked at me. AS IF it were my fault! I flared a little, "It wasn't me!"

I tried to explain it, "It's their own thing! They have this active duty mode where they have to stand around and act like proper warriors on TV."

My explanation didn't fall well on the guys.

"We're not acting, Sam. We're working." Ben said. Ha! Like real. You guys have just been walking behind me and chatting, both aloud and privately on your mindlinks - don't think I didn't know!

Just because you're all dressed up didn't mean you were working - even if you wear the warrior uniforms properly (and not in the usual Night Leaf warrior fashion.)

Actually, I've noticed that my warriors stopped wearing jeans and joggers around. The warrior jackets were now usually paired with the uniformed navy blue pants and boots.

In the beginning, it was just the new wolves. I had assumed that they only had uniforms, and I also suspected Stephan would have instilled some kind of strict dress code - he just seemed like that kind of disciplined guy. But nowadays even our local warriors come into the packhouse for "active duty" with buttoned-up warrior jackets and all the other parts of their uniform in place.

Despite the uniform, they were otherwise the same wolves. But the attire did make a remarkable difference, even when they were just on front door duty, they looked like they were legit on guard, and not just hanging out in front of the packhouse.

When did this happen? As with all the changes around me, it was hard for me to pinpoint exactly when our warriors upgraded into soldiers.

I wondered who instituted this, and also what our warriors would do in Summer. Hahaha. Our warriors in Summer liked to wear their warrior jackets opened or slung on a shoulder with t-shirts, cargo shorts, and flip-flops - although I think Gamma Harry had made a big fuss about safety footwear so now outdoor patrols required covered-toe footwear since last year. The warriors complained about sweaty socks until someone discovered crocs, and it became standard warrior summer gear - in every color and sometimes the cute buttons too. Flynn had a pair of white ones. So did Macy. Like couple footwear, I think.

Savy said it was cute to do the couple thing, but the shoes were UGLY. I really wanted a pair anyway. It was cool. All the warriors were wearing it. Mum had just bought me a pair of strappy sandals though, so she (reluctantly) bought me a pair of cargo shorts from GAP and promised to get me crocs this year.

I had planned to get a blue pair. Maybe Savy could have a red pair? You know, because our colors had always been blue and red.

"No way." Savy had shot down the idea immediately, "That's like Ronald McDonald's shoes. You go ahead. I don't want anything to do with them."

I wondered what Ki (the curator of my wardrobe) would say about them?

Anyway, my dearest Luna Mum was all smiles to the guys, "Thank you for your hard work."

She put a hand on my shoulder to steer me into the dining room, "Come along, Sam. Leave the betas and warriors to their work."

Look here, Mum. I don't know if you noticed, but I was the alpha - I WAS their work.

But of course, I didn't say that aloud. At any rate, Ki had returned with us, and freshly squeezed orange juice and french toast with strawberries and cream with a side of sausages appeared. I sat down immediately.

"Did I ever tell you I love you?" I grinned at Ki when he placed my plate in front of me.

Savy slapped her hand over her mouth, "Sam!"

Ki smiled like a flower to the sun, "The feeling is mutual, goddess."

"Oh, Sam!" Mum said, but she couldn't stop the smile. She shook her head and picked up her tea cup.

"I love Ki too!" Sabre announced.

"Thank you very kindly, little princess." Ki answered with a gallant bow, "May I refill your cereal bowl?"

Sabre had, as usual, opted for colorful cold cereal over Ki's magical breakfasts. She nodded. Ki refilled her cereal bowl with strawberries and cream.

"Oooohhh..." Sabre's eyes widened, "But this is dessert, Ki! I can't eat dessert for breakfast! It's unhealthy!"

I don't know, Sabre. I'm not an expert. But this was technically fresh fruit and bit of cream. I wouldn't say sugared colorful cereal was exactly healthier than fresh fruit. And cream was just whipped milk right?

"My mistake, little princess." Ki apologized, "I shall change it immediately."

"No, no." Sabre picked up her spoon hastily, "It's okay. I can eat this just once."

Ki's smile never faltered, "Thank you for your kind understanding, little princess."

He was rewarded by Mum's laughter, "Thank you, Ki."

"There's still more in the kitchen, would luna like some too?" Ki offered.

"Oh." Mum blinked and then decided quickly, "Yes, please. Just a few strawberries, thank you."

"Always a pleasure, Luna."

No wonder my wolves called Ki "Charming Beta."

Dad cleared his throat, "Ki, if you're going to the kitchen, may I have more coffee?"

"Yes, right away, Alpha." And Ki disappeared into the kitchen.

"Sam, you should be more careful with your words." Since the adults were busy, Savy decided that it was left to her to school me, "Don't use the word love so lightly."

"Why?" I asked.

"You have a mate now. People might misunderstand." Savy said primly.

"I don't see anyone here to misunderstand." I argued.

"Savy does have a point, Sam." Mum remembered the reason for her initial "Oh, Sam" exclamation, "You're not a puppy anymore. You're a beautiful lady now."

I made a face. Beautiful lady. Hahaha. That sounded more like a joke, but Mum was speaking seriously.

"I'm going to stay a puppy forever." I declared.

"You can't." Savy told me.

"Can too." I argued.

But Savy wasn't going to bat "Can toos" and "Can nots" with me over the breakfast table. Sigh... why did she have to grow up so fast?

"I'm a lady too." Sabre said, "I don't eat with my hands and I don't hit boys."

Wow. I guess I'll never be a lady by that definition.

"It's fine to hit boys." I said, "Just don't let them hit you back."

"Sam!" Mum protested.

What? Sometimes a girl's gotta stand up for herself, you know?

"Not all boys are gentlemen." I pointed out. It was true and my parents knew it.

"Violence isn't the answer, Sam." Mum tried to explain, "Or at least there are better answers to every problem."

"But sometimes a good hard punch is the most effective deterrent." This was Dad, not me.

Mum gave Dad a look. Hahahaha. I'm not sure why, even after all these years... Dad, shouldn't you have already learned your lesson?

But Dad just shrugged and gave Mum a wry smile. Mum huffily looked away.

I never quite understood, well, it's not like I had seriously studied my parent's relationship. I wondered if Bell and I would be like this when we got old too. Like would we be making eyes at each other (like the way my Dad was doing now while Mum determinedly avoided eye contact with him), would we have pups, would we be in love?

I mean, assuming I survive that long. I had always assumed that I would meet my soulmate and we would have a happy and loving family together. I mean, that's what Mum and Dad did. That was their happily ever after. And all the Lycan tales ended with happily mated ever afters too.

I guess it didn't always happen.

I wondered if Bell was really my happily ever after - dark brooding wolf and all. I suppose I'll only find out if I don't die. Was it a blue wolf curse? I remembered the painting Hayao and I had passed last night. It seemed that even the Blue Wolves in the Colored Mountains died young.

As much as I would like to shrug it off and say, "I don't care..."

If it were possible, I think I would like to have a family. I imagined a breakfast table very much like this one and a little boy with blue hair eating pancakes that I made - from scratch. Okay - granted, there were a lot of unrealistic points in this fantasy. From Bell's happy and proud laughter at whatever the blue haired boy said to the fact that the pancakes looked perfect even though they were made by me.

But why stop at one? If I lived long enough to have a family, I might as well have a super big one. I mean, why not right? If I could make perfect pancakes from scratch, what was half a dozen pups more into the mix?

Because it's my fantasy, it wouldn't look like Taylor's house at Morning Light either. Nope. My future home with half a dozen rumbuctious pups would look exactly like a magazine's feature home.

I decided for the sake of my newly fantasized dream that I wasn't going to die young. Nope. I was going to live a long life. Have pups, and watch them grow up and take over the reins of Moon Bell.

And then I was going to RETIRE. I'm not sure if that would be a fun experience, but Beta Lucas had been looking forward to retirement since I could remember.

Maybe it was like a permanent summer vacation.

Maybe we would retire to the Colored Mountains, and we can stay at Bell's lair and swim in his lake. Permanent summer vacation, right there!

Yeah, sorry goddess. I wasn't going to roll over and die on command (but you should know that by now). I'll do my job, don't worry, I'll keep my promise. But after that, I'm going to do something crazy and everything else. Because as usual, I choose ALL OF THE ABOVE.