MY LAST DAY OF SCHOOL

4 MARCH, FRIDAY, EARLY MORNING

Today was my last day at Winderhill.

As I put on my uniform, I noticed how the simple action of doing up the buttons or folding up the waistband of my skirt, had become habitual movements at the start of each school day. Even the bow, which I used to have trouble getting right was now done without a thought.

It felt like just yesterday when I had woken up to my first day at high school, but when I finished pinning on the metal school badge and checked the mirror, I had to admit, the girl looking back at me was quite different from the one I saw in my reflection at the beginning of the year.

I took a good look at myself in the mirror. Where was the girl I used to be? The one with brown hair and eyes, who wore her uniform properly with her blouse buttoned up to the top of the collar and her skirt over her knees? The one who I imagined had a friendly smile and sunny deposition, who took her training way too seriously - yes, I totally did. The girl who was obsessed with lycan legends and daydreamed way too much about magical adventures with talking animals and saving the world.

All my daydreams involved running out as the Alpha and leading my pack into fun and amazing adventures where we would be brave and wonderful and return triumphant. I was such a dumb pup.

But now, what had I become? It had only been 3 months and I wasn't the same person anymore. I couldn't even exactly pinpoint the moment of change. Was it the night of my first shift, or my first kill, or my first beta (Harvey), my first save (Ki), my first kiss (you know who), my first... There were a lot of firsts lately.

And somehow along the way, I had changed irreversibly.

Now the girl in the mirror stared back at me with strikingly crayon blue eyes, her midnight blue hair flaring in waves.

Even my skin looked different. Maybe it was just the winter, or my new hair and eye coloring, but my skin was paler by two whole makeup shades. I noticed because Ki kept changing the BB cream on the makeup tray, even if I had always left it there untouched. But the number on it had dropped from 22 to 21 to 20.

Overall, I looked like a totally different person.

As I studied my reflection, I wondered if this was what a butterfly felt like after coming out of its chrysalis.

Cool.

My lips tugged upwards in the mirror, "Most OP butterfly ever."

Okay, I've got this. I know I was kinda finishing prematurely, but I was going to finish well.

Back then, I really didn't know what to expect from High School, but I had to say, for what it's worth, it wasn't all too bad.

I made friends with other wolves, some humans, and even a couple of rogues and a vampire. I realized new things about myself and about my pack which had never occurred to me. I learned unexpected skills, I also ended up doing things I never imagined I would - like star in a school production, or become the lead singer of a band.

The Last Hurrah was going to perform today. It was really the last hurrah in every sense for me. I hoped we win the Talent Time, but if I were to be totally honest, I didn't really care to go out with a bang or anything like that.

I mean, I did kinda want to leave my mark on Winderhill earlier, maybe like how Winderhill had left its mark in me. But what I really wanted today was to just enjoy the last day with my friends to its fullest.

To just have fun, kinda like last night... To just hang out and chill (not to be confused with freeze, which we also did.)

Goddess, I hope no one (especially not me) cries or anything emotional like that.

It's not like we wouldn't be able to text or meet one another outside school. I picked up my phone from the tray, but instead of putting it into my bag like I usually did, I slipped it into my pocket.

Yeah, we would always keep in contact. I could always look them up on social media. It's not goodbye to my friends, just Winderhill High.

You could even say I was leaving the worst of it behind.

{Lie}

Thanks. Like that was exactly what I needed to hear.

Ah well, it was getting late. No point getting melancholic - IT'S MY LAST DAY OF SCHOOL! I was going to be rawr and fierce... and no... Not really. I'm going to be just Sam.

And I'm going to make sure my friends and I have a really good last day at school!

I got down for breakfast a little later than usual.

"Good morning, goddess." Ki smiled like a flower to the sun as he placed my breakfast at my seat.

"Morning." I smiled quite automatically in response.

Downstairs in the dining room, it was a perfect normal morning again. Just the way I liked it.

Okay, there were a few things off. Like Sabre wasn't down for breakfast yet. Savy was also conspicuously absent. I decided to not ask any questions. Maybe my parents wouldn't notice. In all appearances, they were seated at their usual places acting like nothing happened.

Dad yawned at the table. He was still dressed in yesterday's clothes... He even smelled like yesterday's smells. But he was otherwise at the table with his coffee, checking his Alpha inbox.

"I've taken the liberty of preparing mini chocolate eclairs for your class party later." Ki informed me as he placed a medium-sized chiller box next to my lunch bag.

"Oh, I totally forgot!" I realized, "Thanks Ki, you're a lifesaver!"

"It's always my pleasure, goddess." Ki assured me.

Mum looked up from her tea cup, "Oh, Sam! Please try to remember your own school responsibilities. You're in high school now."

"I did write it down into my calendar!" I took out my phone meaning to show her, "I've leveled up! You can ask Ki."

I looked to Ki, "I've leveled up, right Ki? I'm like much more responsible now and everything!"

"Yes, absolutely." Ki's mouth curved with mirth, "Goddess is the epitome of responsibility and everything."

Mum laughed. Dad raised his brow from behind his screen.

I flared, "Ki! You need to be more convincing."

"A thousand pardons, goddess, but how might I go about this?" Ki asked politely. Grrr... He was teasing me.

"I don't know! Like be more specific about how I've leveled up." I instructed.

"Of course, goddess." Ki nodded a bow, "Goddess has been diligently following the FAO reports almost daily. And most recently, we've seen her continue expanding our pack's influence, deepening inter-pack relations with Snow Moon. Last night, she appointed Sir Wolfgang as her tutor during his stay here."

"She did?" Dad put down his screen, "And he agreed?"

"Not just that, he had also accepted the appointment as a guest advisor for the FAO." Ki smiled, "We believe Fluffy would be able to learn immensely from him working with the Fire Pillar."

Wow, my Betas must have bonded their brains together. I'm not sure how else Ki found out about what happened that night. Did Ben like immediately write the report the moment I woke up?

"Goddess had an informal chat with Sir Wolfgang last night." Ki informed my parents. I froze and waited for my parents to ask WHEN exactly did that informal chat take place, but Ki continued smoothly, "After that, the Snow Wolves came around and the contract negotiations were completed with Beta Gerald and Harvey last night." Ki informed us, "The draft and corresponding documents have been submitted for your input Alpha Kingsley."

Ah, so the report was by Harvey, which didn't feel at all surprising. Harvey was very prompt with documentation and reporting.

"The talks would not have been completed so quickly or smoothly without Goddess' intervention." Ki moved the used plates from the dining table to the sideboard.

Dad looked back to his inbox with his thinking frown and scrolled up.

This was when Ki decided that it would be a good time to refill coffee and pour tea.

Apparently, Alpha Gunter had told everyone last night that Wolfgang was the Great Teacher's last graduated disciple.

Since no one knew that Alpha Gunter was the Great Teacher - heck, they didn't even know if he really existed before Alpha Gunter confirmed it, Mum and even Dad looked very impressed.

I think that explained why Wolfgang was so old-fashioned, but Ki and my parents now believed that it was the reason for the young Fire Wolf's high standing in Alpha Gunter's court.

Sir Wolfgang was not just the Pillar of the Snow Moon Kingdom, he was also one of Alpha Gunter's personal advisors and the Commander of the Royal Calvary.

"All this before the age of 30?" Mum exclaimed, "To think he had entered the Snow Moon Pack as an orphan."

Mum touched her hand to her heart, "I'm sure Sir Wolfgang is a man who had to overcome great things to become who he is today."

I'm sure Mum would get to the bottom of his heartwarming and no doubt inspiring story sooner or later.

Beta Gerald and Harvey had concluded that I had done it again. I was amazing!

Apparently, asking Hotstuff to be the tutor to prepare me to be the future Alpha of Moon Bell was the ultimate testament of my heart to learn and foresight not to underestimate my RESPONSIBILITY as the future alpha of the combined Green Packland packs. (Yes, I was going to stress how RESPONSIBLE Ki made me sound.)

"Sir Wolfgang was appointed two years ago by Alpha Gunter to mentor his own son, Prince River." Ki added, "He is one of the top teachers of Lycan custom and history and is regularly invited to Black Forest University as a guest lecturer. When it comes to preparing young Lycan royalty for their future duties, our goddess couldn't have asked for a better tutor."

Wow. I guess you couldn't really judge a book by its cover. Professor Hotstuff. Who would've guessed?

"One look at him, and it was obvious that he had an extraodinary background." Mum said.

"Indeed, Luna." Ki agreed, "Sir Wolfgang's manners had always been upstanding."

"Did you guys forget that he was rolling in the mud naked?" I asked. (Someone had to give them a reality check.)

"Oh, Sam!" Mum sighed, "I can't believe you did that! How could you?"

What? Now it was my fault?

Ki deftly returned the conversation back to how amazing I was though, "Goddess' leadership and sense of RESPONSIBILITY has been nothing short of stalwart from the time I've entered her keep."

I could tell that Ki had gone wax lyrical now because his vocabulary had taken a sudden Lorent turn.

"Our goddess is truly a diamond among stones." Ki went on.

According to Ki, even at such a young age, I had impressed many elder wolves with my sense of purpose and foresight. My Luna Grandmother remarked as much during our last visit.

"She never lost sight of her long-term vision for Moon Bell and has been working tirelessly towards establishing her pack - securing resources, engaging expertise, deepening inter-pack relations, developing her wolves to their individual strengths... Not to mention, most diligently studying for her role and responsibilities as Alpha."

Ki was going all out to praise me. I thought it was to the point of going overboard, but for some reason, Mum and Dad nodded. Mum looked so proud of me, she forgot to remove that hand she had placed on her heart earlier.

"Sir Wolfgang was most impressed by goddess' resolve to learn." Ki continued.

Not only that, but from his few and short interactions with me, as well as what he had heard being said among my wolves, he had concluded that I was indeed "the most virtuous of maidens".

"He said at the meeting that her beauty must be a blessing from the moon goddess herself and that her strength of character and fortitude of DISCIPLINE over her herculean wolf a testament of her upbringing." Ki boasted.

"Oh." My dad said under his breath. His thinking frown deepened.

"I HAD prayed for the goddess to bless her with beauty from the day she was born." Mum remembered.

"That's because I was an ugly baby, remember?" I felt a little exasperated. And this wasn't the moment to reflect on answered prayers or your superior parental guidance, parents!

Did no one think it was ridiculous for Wolfgang to even comment on this like some kind of lycan legend narrative? I could not imagine what kind of weird conversation happened whilst discussing Wolfgang's contractual obligations during his stay at Night Leaf, but I felt quite sure Beta Gerald and Harvey contributed to it.

If Mum and Dad weren't able to show up for Parent Teacher Meetings at school, I'd nominate these two to sub for them.

"Indeed, goddess is inspirational." Ki, the other nominee for Parent Teacher Meetings continued, "Hundreds and thousands of little girls look up to her across the plains. Incidentally, I think it might be of interest to you Luna, but the best-selling build your own pony is currently the blue Alpha Princess special edition."

"Wait, there's an Alpha Princess edition pony?" I needed that!

"Yes, goddess. They've kindly sent one to you too." Ki smiled.

Oooohhhhh.... An alpha princess pony. I felt like a superhero that was made officially legit (as opposed to a crime-fighting caped vigilante.)

Luckily, Ki was not as easily distracted as I was, "In the light of her many RESPONSIBILITIES and duties as my Alpha, I consider my privilege and honor to assist her so that goddess is free to lead us without being encumbered by a myriad of daily trifles."

Ha! In your face parents! Did you hear that? I was SO RESPONSIBLE (and important)! I even had pony merch!

And then Mum's voice of reason broke through the illusion, "Thank you, Ki. I cannot imagine what our family or Sam would do without you. I am grateful for all the care and hard work of everyone every day."

And then to me, Mum said more sternly, "It's good to reach for the big things, but never neglect the little things or forget the ones around you who made it possible."

"Hm." Dad nodded still frowning and zenned, "One who is faithful in a very little will also be faithful in much."