ALMOST THERE...

23 FEBRUARY, TUESDAY, CONTINUED

"I don't know." I answered honestly, "I was just wondering. Like don't you ever wonder what you'd be if you weren't born a beta?"

Like I've ever thought I'd be a teacher, or a doctor, or in my wildest dream, a TV host. Don't laugh.

"Like Harv would be a socialite and hotel chain heir?" Ben asked, and then decided in the same breath, "I'd be a mastermind cyber criminal and run my own syndicate."

Wth. Who came up with ambitions like that?

Harvey shook his head, "No thanks. I'm not interested in my dad's business."

"Then what would you do?" I asked.

"If I wasn't a beta?" Harvey asked.

"Yeah." I said.

"Play computer games." Harvey answered, he sounded a little sheepish about it, "I think I wanted to be a professional gamer most of my elementary school days. If I didn't have the responsibility of continuing my father's beta duties of running Morning Light, I would probably be a game nerd."

Hahaha. I grinned at that. It was hard to imagine.

And then Harvey turned thoughtful as he remembered, "I started training when I did because Morning Light didn't have an Alpha. My dad had a close shave one night and I woke up the next morning and realized if something happened to my Dad, my mum and my sis would be just another statistic to the destitute home."

Except they would be destitute at the Langston, no?

Harvey made a short bitter laugh, "I was still young then. I hadn't realized, without a pack, there wouldn't even be a destitute home."

"You can join our syndicate." Ben offered, "I won't pay you, but at least you won't have to sleep out in the streets."

"Our syndicate?" I blinked. Why was I suddenly involved in Ben's evil cyber nonsense, "Don't involve me in your crimes!"

Ben grinned, "It's not like you'd have anything else better to do."

Oh, was Ben assuming I wouldn't be alpha if he wasn't a beta? Even if I weren't the alpha, I would have lots of better things to do! (And I would still be the good guy!)

"What would you choose, Alpha?" Harvey asked, "If you were born a normal wolf?"

"You can be my mate." Ben offered tongue in cheek.

"Why don't you just shoot me?" I joked back.

Ben chuckled as if it were that funny.

"I've always wanted to be the alpha." I answered more seriously now, "but if I couldn't, I'll be a Delta."

Because that had been my ambition, even while I thought I was going to be the alpha. I always wanted to earn my rank in the pack.

This seemed to surprise both Harvey and Ben.

"You mean you want to mate a delta?" Ben corrected, "You'll still be a girl even if you're a normal wolf, you know."

Of course I knew. Did Ben think I was stupid?

"Delta Felicity is a girl too." I argued back.

"You want to be like Delta Felicity?" Ben asked with no small amount of disbelief.

Well, no. Delta Felicity always scared me a little.

"Why would you choose to be a Delta, Alpha?" Harvey asked more calmly.

"Because as a Delta you get free food at the packhouse dinning hall." I answered.

Ben rolled his eyes, "If it's food you want, just mate a guy with a restaurant."

"No, no!" I said, and why did all my options end up with mating someone? "Free food is only good if you have to compete for it. Like there's the elite warrior rankings - I've always wanted to try."

"You'd have to. We all have to compete at least once in our lives." Ben grumbled.

Yeah, the young Alpha, Beta, and Gamma always had to prove themselves at least once.

"The elite warrior rankings..." Harvey said, "I'll be taking part in it this year. It's opened to Morning Light now too."

"It's cool. You get to test your speed and strength and skill against all the best warriors!" I boasted, "And then if you get ranked, you'd get elite privileges, like you can rent an apartment in the packhouse and eat free meals at the packhouse dinning hall. And all the other wolves would look up to you, and maybe you'd even get to be a Delta someday."

"Harv's a beta. If he doesn't rank 1st this year, everyone's going to say he's weak." Ben reminded me.

Oh right. We also had certain expectations to meet.

"I don't understand why a delta though." Harvey said, "Deltas work long hours and carry heavy responsibilities with minimal additional benefits from the elite warriors."

"Yeah, but they are the highest rank in the pack with actual off days." I pointed out.

"Off days?" Harvey frowned slightly.

Oh, I guess betas wouldn't understand the meaning of the word, "Yeah, you know, like I can actually take leave, go on holidays with my family, and stuff like that."

Now Ben was laughing, "Sam, that's like the dumbest thing I've ever heard!"

I sulked, flaring ever so lightly, "Oh yeah? You keep up your work a few more years, and you'd see how precious off days are!"

Omo. I was beginning to sound like an old person. (Specifically, Beta Lucas, who while was the same age as my Dad, always talked a lot older.)

Harvey chuffed just a little, and then he stopped himself, "Are you serious, Alpha?"

"Yes, she is." Ben said once he was done laughing at me, "Don't bother making sense of it. Sam's logic defies normal reasoning."

Wth. Now I flared properly. My logic was perfectly normal!

But I got distracted by our car slowing now. I looked out and felt a little surprised that we were entering the wide gates of the Lorent Alpha Residence. For some reason, Beta Lucas was taking his time - its like his car was strolling up the driveway. I sighed quietly against the window as our car followed at a crawling speed. If Beta Lucas was being a snail because he was admiring the scenery or looking out for potentially good putting ranges in the Lorent's sprawling gardens, I was going to be mad!

Grrr... I should've just shifted and ran over in my wolf form! Why did a simple visit to Mate have to be so complicated?

"We're almost there, Alpha." Harvey said, obviously trying to placate me.

"But don't hold your breath." Ben added, obviously trying to rile me.

Hahaha. Yeah, but it was nice that they were here. They kept me distracted from fretting over my luna. My luna and my rose. What should I do? My beautiful Bell... I frowned at the thought all over again.

Please goddess, if you could just hear my prayer... I know he probably deserved what he got, but just give him one more chance - not that I think he'd change, but I'd take his tab. I know I'm not really the best Alpha or blue wolf you ever had, but I'd work harder. Just give Bell back his arm! Please?

Because I think he will be sad without it.

And how would he catch me in mid air with only one arm?

"He'll be okay, Sam." It was Ben, he was looking back at me from the front passenger seat.

"I know." I lied.

Ben sighed, and then he decided to deal with my upset the way he dealt with all the other upsets in his life, "Whatever Sam. It's just an arm."

I felt myself flare, but it only sputtered out as a half flare.

Me getting upset would just upset everyone else around me.

I forced a smile, "I'm fine Ben. I'm not the one missing an arm."

Ben laughed at that, and then he said, "Over my dead body."

"Ben, can you check for Ki's update?" Harvey prompted. He had a slight frown, "I hadn't heard any new notification."

Ben whipped out his phone, if this was the wild west, Ben would be the fastest fingers.

"No updates." Ben reported, "The dog isn't answering his mindlinks either."

"That's not like Ki." Harvey's frown deepened.

"The dog's probably sleeping. He did have to drag Luna Bell back here on his own." Ben reasoned, "Plus if keeping Luna Bell alive wasn't a drain on his wolf, assisting in the surgery after that... Oh."

Ben switched to mindlink (but I could still hear him), {From whatever he reported so far, he's probably just wiped out by now.}

Harvey wasn't convinced, {Still, Ki would've at least mindlinked that he would be offline.}

And then Harvey made up his own plausible explanation for Ki's radio silence, {Maybe Alpha Lorent required his attention for something.}

{He should just tell Alpha Lorent to get his own beta.} Ben grumbled.

{Ki had told me Alpha Lorent has been demanding more and more of his attention since the time he sat at the Lorent table during the Silver Mountain's press conference.} Harvey started to worry all over again, {Perhaps that was some misunderstanding. I've been meaning to ask Alpha Kingsley to clarify on our behalf that although Ki has returned to the Lorent Pack, he is still under the protection and authority of our Alpha.}

{You worried they'd bully ki?} Ben asked.

I scoffed at the thought. As if my betas could be bullied that easily.

But Harvey answered seriously, {This isn't Night Leaf, or even Morning Light. It'll be best if you watch yourself when you're here too.}

{Like I care.} Ben was wholly unconvinced, {If anyone tries to play punk with me, I'd make them regret it.}

Ben turned back front, our car pulled to a stop behind the silver town car. We finally reached the front porch.

Today was very different from the last time when my family and I came for dinner. It was very lively today. The warriors rushed out the moment our cars pulled up and scrambled to open the doors for us.

Harvey handed the car key to one of them. Mum came over and caught my arm. "Come, Sam." Mum said with a smile, "Let's go together."

Dad and Beta Lucas took the lead. Mum half dragged me along behind them, and Harvey and Ben too the rear.

Someone took our coats, and someone else informed us that Alpha Lorent was with the Young Alpha James in his room. He will show us up.

As we walked, Mum launched into a last minute briefing on all the things I should not do. No wonder she wanted to walk in with me! She probably imagined all sorts of trouble I could cause on the prolonged journey here, "Now, Sam. When you see Bell, try not to... I mean, well... I'm sure Bell had been through a lot and we should all be thankful to the goddess for preserving his life. Don't get mad or lose your temper."

Why would I... Did mum think I'd burst into the room and start yelling at Bell? What kind of lunatic did she think I was?

"And try not to be too upset." Mum continued, "You might need to keep your feelings in check, just for a bit, so you don't overwhelm Bell."

Mum, you're overwhelming me!

"And be careful when you speak. Exercise utmost sensitivity. Losing a limb is a very truamatic experience..."

Gah! I give up. I nodded, "Yes, yes. Don't worry Mum."

Mum narrowed her eyes at me, and then she sighed.

"I'm so sorry Sam." She rubbed my back soothingly, "I know this can't be easy for you either. Some people say, watching your mate in pain is worse than being in pain yourself."

Gee. Thanks Mum.

Now I was starting to feel nervous about seeing Bell. We stopped in front of the door to his suite. I can sense my mate just beyond the door.

"This is our Young Alpha's personal suite." The servant who walked us up informed us, almost reverently.

Dad nodded his head, "Proceed."

The servant nodded a bow and knocked on the door.

"Come in." It was Alpha James' voice.

The servant opened the door and bowed to his alpha, "Alpha Kingsley and his Luna is here. The Alpha Princess is here."

Beta Lucas and Harvey and Ben were here too, but nobody ever announced the betas

We stepped into the ornate Lorent-style sitting room. Bell's bedroom was just behind the wall. Come to think of it, Bell's suite did look like a version of the vampiress' lair, just more modern. His sofas were modern white leather things, and his coffee table was a gun metal chunk that looked like it was supposed to be art. It's either art, or the by product of a truck accident, but since it was in the Alpha residence of the Lorent Pack, I was going to assume the misshapen metal object was art.

"Kingsley!" Alpha James looked glad to see us. He rose up from the settee where he was sitting with his Luna. Luna Edith had definitely been crying.

Mum went over to comfort Luna Edith. Beta Lucas put down the basket of tangerines on the sideboard - a matching crumpled sheet metal thing that looked like it was smashed into the shape of the counter. But I knew it was a sideboard, because it had large bowls of white roses and a golden tray displaying jeweled baubles. Bell wasn't making empty boasts to Alpha Solomen. If he wanted treasures, he could just get them from home.

"How's our son?" Dad asked.

Alpha James shook his head, he looked tired, "Not good. We've been operating intensely for most part of the morning, but his arm is not responding."

His arm was not what now? Did they really regrow his arm? I didn't wait. I simply slipped past the adults into the next room. I didn't even knock. I had to see Bell for myself.