DON'T WORRY MUM

7 MARCH, SUNDAY, AFTER DINNER, TIMELINE 3

I had been looking forward to visiting the new Underground Army Base since the Original Timeline. This was the new military facility located on the outskirts of Princess Town. It was officially the first inspection and everyone else was taking it very seriously, but in my mind, I had somehow always interpreted it as a tour of some fun and exciting place.

Now that I was older and wiser, my enthusiasm had dampened somewhat. I had already seen the Underground Army in their rugged Red Packlands hidden underground base - from Bell's cold single cell room, to their tactical meeting rooms, administration offices… their hall of heroes, their underground "carpark", their drop zone… been there, done that.

I had also somehow ended up in our Green Packlands notorious hidden bunker when I had come into our territory in Madam Principal's car - which wasn't all that exciting a location, although we spent all the time there just sitting at a random table and bench in the foyer space.

Between the two, I doubt the new Underground Base would be anything special. Even if it looked like the gritty army bunks in the movies, it wasn't like beds and cabinets in a row were exactly exciting things to inspect. Neither were cafeteria benches and tables, nor training halls and fields - those were just empty halls and grass.

I mean, I knew all their weapons would be stored in the armory, their bullets accounted for, and that part of the inspection would include looking at printed reports of everything they accounted for - which, last I saw, were just files of pages filled with fine print and numbers of varying denomination, unit, and notations, all with their own set of footnotes and explanatory notes. Nothing interesting or fun.

I guess growing older and wiser did tend to rub out the magical stardust effect on my expectations.

Because I had such realistic expectations now, I surprised my betas with my calm lack of visible impatience when we were due to leave. I didn't mind that Ben had to shower first, or that Beta Lucas took an extra half an hour after everyone else had freshened up, changed, and regrouped.

I think his guts needed the time to purge all that chili.

I also had to change into a more appropriate outfit for the official event.

Admittedly, the outfit was kind of exciting because I got to wear our warrior jacket (altered to my size). Ki paired it with tall boots and a knee-length pencil skirt. Both in black. He must have thought I wasn't going to like the skirt because he included a pair of pants in my golden birdcage rack… yes, everything in my room was "just as it should be", golden clamshell bed and all.

I chose the narrow pencil skirt though, because it made me feel cool and grown up and sophisticated. It was tight and restricted my legs, and this might be the Lala in me talking, but who needed to walk?

Haha, okay, I was exaggerating. I could walk, if I took measured steps. I just couldn't roundhouse kick, do jumping jacks, run, or anything that required unladylike speed or extension.

I can't believe I picked it over the pants either - but my reflection won me over.

When I came out of my room to meet my betas on the landing, my outfit choice did not escape anyone's notice. Ki beamed like a flower to the sun, "The outfit suits you, goddess."

Of course it did. Everything Ki picked for me always suited me.

I grinned back at him, "Thanks."

"How are you gonna walk in that?" Ben asked more practically.

"I'll wing it." My grin didn't leave my face.

"I hate that word…" Ben groaned before he caught sight of the stairs down from my third-floor landing, he smirked, "Well, let's see you wing yourself down the stairs."

Hahahaha, Ben, oh Ben… how you underestimate me!

Maybe the Sam I used to be would've waddled and stumbled like a penguin in this skirt, but I had the power of Lala now. I knew exactly how to go down the stairs in a tight skirt and heels. Not without support, if I were to be very honest, but as Lady Olivia always said, stairs had banisters, and men had arms. Those were not there just for decoration, you know. Muahahaha…

So thanks to Harvey's arm (since he was waiting closest to the stairs), I took great delight in gliding down the stairs to meet Dad.

As usual, Dad was waiting at the door, his coat in one hand and Mum in the other. They looked so natural together that I almost forgot we were not in the right timeline.

"I'm ready, let's go." I said in my subtlest attempt to get Dad's hand off our not-right-timeline Mum.

Why? Was I the only one weirded out by this? Omo.

Dad shrugged, "We still need to wait for Lucas."

"Oh, Sam." Mum frowned, "Are you going in that?"

I looked down at my outfit, "What's wrong with this?"

It was an honest question, not a defiant one. I honestly didn't know if it was the warrior jacket or the tight skirt… at least those were my two guesses. My third guess would be the high-heeled boots. Maybe Mum was worried about blisters.

Mum shook her head, "I don't know… too grown up?"

Now she looked at Dad for confirmation. Dad looked at me and frowned, and then surprised me by saying, "She still looks like a pup to me."

I would have thought Dad would side with Mum automatically. So did Mum.

"I mean the skirt… " Mum tried to explain, "And the heeled boots… there will be so many unmated male wolves at the Underground…"

This confused both Dad and me. We both looked over at my three betas, and the four agents lined up waiting on our porch, and the eight motorbiked warriors on our driveway waiting by our convoy.

"In what way would that be different from now?" I asked cheekily. Not helping, I know.

"She'll be safe with me." Dad seemed to think this was all that was needed.

Mum sighed, "Alright, just keep her in your sight."

She came over to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulder, "Oh Sam, you're growing up too quickly - and too prettily…"

"Didn't you always want me to be pretty?" I thought Mum prayed that every day since I was born.

Mum smiled, "Yes, but lately I've been thinking that being too beautiful can also a burden."

I remembered Wolfgang saying how beauty could also be a curse. I guess if wolves like EJ had not been as good-looking, they wouldn't have been kidnapped and sold to the fight cages. I laughed, "It's not like anyone's going to kidnap me to be a fightdog."

"But if I were a fightdog, I would be number one." I added.

"Oh, Sam!" Mum gasped and then she sighed and shook her head, "That's not what I was worried about… never mind, just follow your father and you should be fine."

Which was exactly what I had been doing from one timeline to another, and see what a mess we were in! But it wasn't like I could say that aloud.

Over their private mindlink, Mum said to Dad, {Do you really have to bring Sam? She's just a girl.}

{She's their alpha, darling.} Dad said very sensibly because I was the alpha of the Underground in this timeline. Stephan was sworn to me as my agent and the army ran under him.

Mum sighed again, {I feel like we'd lose her… she keeps running further and further away…}

{I don't like it either, but now that we are rejecting the Lorent Boy and Daniel's Boy is probably dead, Sam'll have to run as Alpha if she wants to inherit Night Leaf.} Dad said.

{Silver Mountain has a nice Young Alpha who is Sam's age…} Mum suggested, {He seems quite smitten by our Sam…}

{No.} Dad said, {If she mates an Alpha outside our packlands, she'll have to leave Night Leaf.}

And what would happen to Night Leaf then?

Luckily I was the Alpha. I was going to protect Night Leaf.

"Mum, don't worry." I said.

Mum looked up surprised, "Why would you think I'm worried?"

Because I could hear your private mindlink with Dad.

"You're always worried." I said instead. I shrugged, the elegant Lorent one, "Mum, I'm an Alpha Wolf. You need to let me run. I've shifted now. You need to trust me."

Mum teared up immediately. I almost thought it was a rebound from the chili earlier (could chili do rebounds?), but no, Mum was just getting emotional again. She grabbed me into a bear hug, "It's like you suddenly grew up, Sam…"

Ben cleared his throat and gave me a meaningful look.

Oh, he felt I was definitely blowing our cover again.

"Don't cry, Mum. I'll always be your puppy." I promised.

"Oh, Sam." Mum pulled away and wiped her eye with the corner of the clean handkerchief that Ki passed to her hand, "Thank you, Ki."

"My pleasure as always, Luna." Ki smiled his killion-dollar smile.

"Oh, Sam." Mum returned her attention to me, "Just grow up naturally. Yes, go run…"

And then Mum thought better of it, "But run close to your Dad."

Beta Lucas was running across the road from the Beta House outside. The movement of him with his jacket flapping as he ran didn't escape any of our wolf eyesight.

I hugged Mum back, no matter what the timeline, Mum was still Mum in every way, "Thanks Mum."

Ben pulled open the door even before his dad could knock or let himself in, "Alright, time to go."

Beta Lucas stepped in and announced hurriedly, "Better go Alpha. We're behind schedule."

"And who's fault it that?" Ben muttered in all his bad attitude.

Yeah, this was the Night Leaf I wanted to protect.