WHEN I SHOULDN'T HAVE SAID OKAY

15 FEBRUARY, MONDAY, AFTER SCHOOL

"Oh yeah, Alpha James." Jules decided to take the opportunity to help Matt. He pushed Matt forward, "You remember Matt, he's the Beta here."

Bell nodded an iota. Bell was the kind of Alpha who was very cold to anyone below his rank - even friendly betas. 

"Ah, yes, Alpha James." Matt was still not getting what Jules wanted him to do though, "Congrats on your engagement..."

"Matt was wondering if you are able to help with the security issues our school might face now that the photos of your princess attending school here has leaked." Jules supplied.

Oh. I nodded. I suppose since this was my fault, it was only reasonable to help out.

Mate shrugged, "How did the photos get leaked?"

His low voice was like the bottom of the ocean... my wolf ears tingled with pleasure to hear it. But I doubt Matt and Jules felt the same way.

"Well... uh... the other students..." Matt started.

"You should control your students." Mate cut him off.

"Yes. Apologies Alpha..." Matt was defeated at once. 

But not Jules, "Yes, we failed to prevent the leaks, but now we also need a solution to get this problem under control. We would appreciate any kind of help you could spare us, Alpha."

I honestly didn't like watching Matt and Jules squirm like this, but my cold hearted Luna wasn't in a hurry to agree to anything, "Is it not enough for you that I'm overlooking your failure?"

What now? Tell me I'm not wrong to want to smack his handsome face!  Why did he have to talk to my friends that way?

"Bell. It wasn't their fault. Can you help or not?" I decided I had enough. 

Henry laughed. 

Bell simply turned to him, "You deal with it, Hen. Your Gold Packlands. Your school. You were in the pictures too, I believe."

Henry held up his hands to wave it off, "I was just as much the victim here."

Marcus coughed, "Yeah...sure."

I laughed when Henry punched his shoulder.

"Owww..." Marcus winced loudly, making sure we all knew he had been properly punished for stepping out of line.

The cameras had stopped but only for the moment because Madam Principal had appeared. 

Oh no. Run away. I looked to where the car was waiting. The other cars had to drive around it. It didn't help that Henry's red car was parked behind us either. Today, Henry's red car had motorbike escorts too. Beta Peter was just getting out of the car, so I guess they just arrived. 

Meanwhile, Madam Principal had reached us with a practiced smile, "Hello, Alpha James! What a pleasant surprise! Congratulations on your engagement. And Henry too! Congratulations on your coming inauguration."

She bowed her welcome and smiled so widely at them, I was sure she wanted something.

Beta Peter came over to the student foyer. He didn't bring any guard.

"Good afternoon, Alphas." He greeted, "Apologies for being late, Alpha Henry. We were delayed at the barrier in front of the school gate."

"'We are trying to keep the news vans out." Matt tried to explain.

Beta Peter nodded his understanding and then remembered to add, "By the way, congratulations on your engagement, Alpha James."

Mate shrugged, "Thank you."

He actually said thank you, but he did it very coldly, in his deep deep voice, which made Beta Peter bow in response. 

"Well, the both of you were just the Alphas I needed to see." Principal Laura began. Just Henry and Bell? What about me? 

But Principal Laura had more pressing issues, so pressing that she got straight to the point, "Our pack is currently under considerable strain right now due to the rogue influx last week. We have few men to spare to deal with the paparazzi expected around our school. I do worry for my teachers and students. I wonder if either of you alphas would be kind enough to send men to supplement our current security measures, just for our school, and my teachers and students, of course."

She hesitated just a second before deciding to add, "I have to be upfront with you, we have no budget to hire your warriors, but I promise my pack would provide good meals and the necessary supplies and support for them while they are here."  

"It's not that I don't want to help," Henry answered, "But my own warriors are stretched as it is with my upcoming inauguration and our own security issues."

"Security issues?" Bell raised a brow.

"We've been receiving dumb death threats since our strike against the rogues." Henry shrugged.

"How serious is it?" Bell prodded.

"Nothing we can't handle." Henry said.

"Like four motorbike escort serious?" I asked.

Henry narrowed his eyes at me, "Yeah, and what's your excuse for those guys?"

He gestured towards Fluffy and EJ who had been so silent and unsmiling that I had forgotten they were behind me.

"Overprotective dad." I said.

Henry laughed out loud at that, "Oh Sam." Then he shook his head, "But back to business. Due to current circumstances, I can't justify my pack's involvement with the school's affairs, but as a personal favor, I think I might be able to provide some help."

"I would be grateful for any help you are able to give, Henry." Principal Laura nodded. I wondered how many personal favors she had used over the years to protect this school.

"James, can you spare the men? I'll foot the bill." Henry asked.

Bell was cool with that, "Sure, Hen. Just let me know what you need."

"Wait!" I shook my head, "Winderhill is my school too. Why does Henry have to foot the whole bill?"

"It's fine, Sam." Henry waved it off, "I can well afford it."

"I don't care if your daily allowance is enough to float an army. The point is this isnt fair. It has to be fair." I said.

"What the hell, Sam?" Henry was stumped.

"Fine. Thirty percent off the total bill. That would be my princess' contribution." Bell allowed.

In what way was that fair? Shouldn't fair be 50-50?

Principal Laura was quick to offer too, "And please allow my pack to sponsor the warriors meals and board too."

"It's just to keep the press out, right?" Bell clarified.

"Yes, don't kill them or anything." Henry said, "As in seriously, don't kill them at all."

Which made me wonder how much Henry knew about the death god.

I tried to imagine my warriors patrolling around our school. I doubt we would be allowed to carry visible hand weapons. And since reporters and paparazzi were not quite vamps or rogues, all my warriors could use would be like what? Loud growling and their scary looks? Surely there was a better way to deal with this.

"It wonder if it'll be safer to hire vamps instead." I thought aloud, "They could mind control the press to keep out."

I imagined just a few strong vamps like Maria or Dino and friends calibre would be enough. I could ask Maria.

But no one else felt it was a good idea.  Principal Laura was the most alarmed, "I think it would be better not to involve the vampires."

I could've sworn Matt's face paled.

"In what way would vampires be safer, Sam?" Henry had to ask.

"Well personally, I'd rather meet a vamp than a demon in the woods." I answered honestly. Remembering how it was like being caught up in the rogue hunt, and then Mate's death god persona.

"Yes, but they're our demons." Mate tried to explain to me.

Like he was MY death god?

The other guys were suddenly still. I think they were remembering the rumors about the underground demon army in the Green Packlands.

"These are just reporters and paparazzi. They are civilians and not actually dangerous." Principal Laura felt she had to clarify, "We only need regular warriors, more as a deterrent, really."

"Yes, of course." Bell agreed, "We only have regular warriors."

"Yes of course." Principal Laura was quick to assure Bell, but I don't think she believed him one bit. I don't think anyone believed him on this point.

I heard Jules say, "Maybe NL warriors is a little overkill."

"You think?" Bra shot back.

"Now we need to figure out a way to protect everyone from them." Matt groaned.

"It'll be fine." I tried to reassure everyone, "My warriors may be a little wild, but they're really reliable. You won't have to worry about anything with them around."

And then I realised that Jules and the other guys were on mindlink. Opps. I had accidentally "overheard" them.

"Just saying." I tried to shrug it off, "At any rate, I'm here."

"And what can you do?" Henry chuffed, "No offence, Sam, but you have no control over your wolves."

Boo immediately took offence to that, she rose to address it, "Henry, my wolves run as they please because I allow it. BUT WHEN I RUN, THEY WILL ALSO RUN. And no power in hell would be able to stop them."

I smiled once I was sure I got the point across, or was it Boo who smiled?

I don't think my words helped reassure them at all, but what else could I say? Best to retreat before Boo says anything more. I turned and left. My Luna suddenly turned polite and nodded a quick bow before turning to follow me, just half a step behind. And the two clowns, now the epitome of extremely beautiful, but otherwise perfectly trained warriors, took their dressing and followed us out.

Mate opened the car door for me, and we were soon on our way home. Past the Gold Packlands, across the expressway, through the glitter of Gate City, down the long road home, into the deep parts of the Green Packlands.

All this time, I've thought of my home as the safest place in the world. 

I've never quite understood why other wolves liked to paint our pack as barbaric or dark or with some kind of mysterious magic hanging over us. So our neighbor was an old warlock, and our packlands were closest to the colored mountains, the Lorent's dungeon practices were less than transparent... but whatever, we were a very normal pack with families and friends and everyday things like groceries and school and pavements and toilets. 

"A penny for your thoughts, princess." Mate said. Another smile. (Sigh~)

"Hm?" I blinked at the last rays of the sun... Or it could be just Bell's dazzling aura.

"What's on your mind?" Bell tried again.

"Nothing." Because I think his smile had a power of mindwipe.

Wth. I dropped my head in my hands. What's wrong with me?

"Princess?" Mate cast me a side glance while still driving.

"This isn't working." I said miserably.

"What isn't working?" Mate asked nonplussed.

"I think I malfunction when you're near." I confessed into my hands.

Mate laughed. It wasn't a loud or long laugh, but he laughed. I took a peek at his face, but missed the moment.

He was smirking as he drove though.

"What's so funny?" I demanded.

"Nothing." Bell said, but he didn't stop his stoopid smirk, "I'm just a little gratified that our mating bond isn't completely one sided."

So he felt it too? But if Mate had ever malfunctioned, I hadn't noticed.

"But I think I have it worse than you." Mate informed me.

I waited to hear his complaint - all that he had to put up with me as his mate. Why? Was I always getting into trouble? Too distracted? Too immature? Too wild? I don't follow instructions?

"You're too cute." He grumbled.

Our car drove through the familiar roads of Night Leaf Town. I felt the heat on my face. Was it because he said I was cute? Or just because I was malfunctioning again?  I couldn't even exactly pin point why I suddenly felt I could not meet Mate's eyes. It was a good thing he was still driving.

But just as I got my fluttering heart and abnormal blood flow to settle back, Mate had to add, "I keep falling in love with you. Everytime I think I'm back on my feet, you show up and I fall all over again."

Oh.

This had to be officially the most romantic thing anyone had ever said to me.

The only problem was, I had no idea how to respond to that, so I said, "Okay."

Yeah.

That was what I said.

I must have been a hundred kinds of stoopid. Okay!

My gorgeous and proud alpha soul mate just confessed something big, and all I could say was "okay."

But that wasn't the worst of it.

We drove up the Alpha House driveway and I opened the car door before it even stopped and ran for the house.

It would've been a quick escape too, except that the front door was locked and I had to wait for Ki to open it.

Mate naturally caught up with me. I stared silently at the closed door. He didn't say anything either.

Ki opened the door, "Welcome home, goddess. Luna Bell, will you be joining us for dinner?"

"Yes." Bell answered.

I ran for my room and slammed the door shut behind me.

And yes, that was the worst of it. There was no way it could've gone worse. This was now officially the most embarrassing moment of my life.

And he's staying for dinner. Omo. Somebody just kill me.