BUT FIRST, COFFEE (AND ICE CREAM)

24 FEBRUARY, WEDNESDAY, CONTINUED

"I... I've heard rumours... but I can't verify them... but it's been circulating among the common rogue community." Todd began.

Todd said "common rogue community" almost like it was a thing.

"You're...." Beta Lucas looked up sharply, "You are a... member of the CRC?"

Beta Lucas said "CRC" like it was definitely a thing.

"You..." Todd looked horrified, "You know of the CRC, beta?"

Now Beta Lucas afforded Todd a jaunty nod, "Of course we know about it. The CRC is an open secret."

And then Beta Lucas quickly added, "But don't let your rogue friends know we know, understood? It's not good to shake the boat."

"Yes, yes. Carry on with your boat." Gamma Harry agreed heartily, "As long as the CRC doesn't cross over Green Packland territories, we don't know you exist."

"I...I see." Todd swallowed. Poor Todd. He looked like a kid who just found out that Santa Claus was a lie. I bet all this while, he had been led to believe that the CRC was top secret or something.

"If its any help, I've never heard of the CRC." I tried to console Todd, "Oh wait, why don't you both take a seat?"

It was kind of weird to talk to Todd with him kneeling in front of the coffee table like that. When Barry brought Daisy in, she ran over to her Dad and after a tearful reunion, she just held his hand and stood there with him - they were the same height like that.

I gestured towards the empty sofa across from me. Todd's reaction was to freeze up. Okay, I know, Todd was scared. I would be too if I were in his shoes. He was a rogue wolf on Packlands - that puts him squarely in the hands of the Alpha's mercy.

I think it was all those years of being a rogue, but Todd had a way of looking like he had a gun pointing at his head a lot.

The last time I had written it off to escaping an angry human mob made of his wife's family and townsmen who believed they would attract the death god and blue demons to them, and then he very nearly had to leave his pregnant wife and Daisy in the woods to die, and then we had to smuggle them through another human town - one with a hidden rogue passageway between the Gold and Red Packlands, and just as we reached the boarders, Jennifer had to give birth to Samuel, and then die - and then the death god and blue demon warriors really did show up on motorbikes in full force. Luckily, they eventually made it to the safety of his brother's home and from the sound of it, Todd had settled his family there quite nicely.

Anyway, I could see why Todd would have looked stressed out when I first met him, but why he was still wearing various expressions of impending doom even though he was obviously safe now?

I looked around to the wolves Todd was facing to see why Todd was wearing the same face as when he thought Jennifer just died and Bell had appeared in front of him in death god costume.

Daisy looked to me, and then to her Dad... I know she was just a kid, but Todd's reaction was way too stressed out for her to feel at ease. Okay, I mean entering a room and seeing your dad kneeling in tears before a bunch of strong wolves wasn't like the most reassuring scene in the first place.

And Dad and Beta Lucas AND Gamma Harry's grim expressions were not helping. In fact, they were so not helping that they were like the opposite of helping. Their wolves were silent, unmoving, and on the surface.

The only thing more dangerous than a noisy wolf is a quiet wolf.

I regarded the three wolves I've grown up with all my life. They were unflinchingly unsmiling. Could it be? My whole life was a lie? And all the friendly faces and happy laughter did not exist outside the little bubble of my tiny existence? Omo.

I decided to test it, just a little, "Ki?"

I found myself smiling, but it could've just been the effect of being merged too much with Boo, "Please serve ice cream for everyone."

And because he was Ki, he smiled and bowed perfectly, "Your wish is my command, Alpha."

"Sam..." Beta Lucas started. He struggled for the words to express his utter horror. I imagined he might have wanted to say, "An alpha having afternoon ice-cream with a rogue? Completely unheard of! Sacrilegious! Absolutely bonkers!" Or something to that effect.

But Boo was out to play and I realized I was wrong. A silent wolf wasn't the only thing more dangerous than a noisy wolf. Not if there was also a wolf out looking for trouble. Hahahaha.

"How are you, Daisy?" I asked presently. I've decided not to rely on the men to be sociable. We all know Night Leaf men were not the best examples of social etiquette, and Todd looked like he was going to s*** himself.

Daisy looked at me, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

"Go on." Barry was the one who spoke, "Answer the Alpha."

"I'm fine, thank you." Daisy answered me very primly.

"Why don't you bring your daddy over to sit." I suggested, "We can eat ice cream while your daddy helps us solve our problem with Beta Lorent."

Daisy hesitated.

"Go on." Barry encouraged her, "You too, Mr Rogue. Alpha is inviting you to sit."

Barry really had to be the most polite prisoner guard in the world.

Anyway, Daisy and Mr Rogue sat down on the sofa. Mr Rogue looked very nervous, but at least he didn't look like he thought we were going to shoot him anymore.

Two knocks on the door signaled Ki's re-entry. He came with Fluffy, both of them wreathed in their most beautiful smiles, and a push cart - the kind the ladies in the kitchen used to push refreshments or coffee.

"I thought perhaps we might have some coffee and ice-cream." Ki suggested genially as Fluffy positioned their little refreshment station, "We have Earl Grey, Macha, and Vanilla flavors."

"Oh, very good. Do you have chocolate?" Gamma Harry asked.

Beta Lucas immediately looked impatient, "Harry... Ki clearly stated the three flavors available."

"Which ones of those are chocolate?" Gamma Harry asked.

"None, Gamma." Ki answered, his smile firmly in place, "Its either red tea, green tea, or vanilla."

"Wow, back in my time we only had chocolate, strawberry, or vanilla." Gamma Harry informed Ki, "I think I'll try the vanilla - put it in my coffee please."

"Excellent choice, Gamma." Ki smiled, and served a large scoop of ice cream with half a cup of coffee. Gamma Harry smacked his lips, "Very good! This is very good."

"I want a bit of everything in my coffee." Beta Lucas decided, "What about you Alpha?"

Dad shook his head, "Just coffee, black please."

Because Dad only ate chocolate ice cream. He was traditional like that.

"What about you, Sam?" Beta Lucas asked.

"Hurry, my ice cream is melting." Gamma Harry said. He was holding his cup of ice cream coffee, presumably waiting for Dad to start first because the Alpha was the head, and the head always started drinking coffee first.

I actually liked vanilla ice cream a lot, but the Macha was the green color of the cookies Janice made the other time. I considered trying all three, but Ki had just scooped Beta Lucas' three flavored ice cream, and it looked weird.

"Macha, without the coffee, please." I decided, and then turned to Todd and Daisy, "What about you?"

"N...no... thanks." Todd quickly refused. Daisy looked at the ice cream, but pressed her mouth firmly down and said nothing. She was still holding Todd's hand.

"Might I suggest vanilla with sprite for the puppy?" Ki offered.

Oh yes! I think I'd like that after all. And then I realized Ki meant Daisy.

"I think I want the vanilla with sprite too, Ki." I decided.

"Understood, Alpha." Ki nodded and smiled like I was an Alpha who was making some really wise decision.

Eventually, everyone was settled down with ice cream, even Barry, Fluffy, and the two warriors on duty - the warriors had to eat standing though, because they were kind of on "active duty."

"This is good! Very good!" Gamma Harry declared.

"Now..." Beta Lucas gave Gamma Harry a stern look. It was like he suddenly remembered that we were "interrogating" a rogue here, "We have some business to discuss."

"Yes, quite right, quite right." Gamma Harry agreed. He was in a good mood. Good ice cream did that to people. Too bad Todd had politely but quite firmly refused any, although Ki managed to force a cup of coffee on him. Luckily Daisy got some. The both of us had the same - a vanilla ice cream float. Yum!

"Tell us the rumor about Beta Lorent." Dad got straight to the point.

"Ah, yes, alpha!" Todd immediately agreed.

Todd was like the easiest rogue interrogation we've ever had in the history of Night Leaf. Hahaha.