PLEASE SAVE DAISY!

24 FEBRUARY, WEDNESDAY, LATER

The rogue arrived at our packhouse with a black cloth bag over his head. This was for our protection as well as his. It blindfolded him, and the inside of the bag was usually scented strongly to disorientate his wolf. Nothing too fancy - I heard they sprayed it with cheap air fresheners, so its just really unpleasant, but not quite inhumane as in other packs where they sprayed far more sinister things.

Rogues were also shot on sight here, and their stench was not something that patrolling wolves would not notice - even more so in our rogue free lands. But a rogue with his head in a bag was a captured rogue, so no one would shoot him by accident - the moment they aimed their gun to his head, they would notice the bag.

Could it be that River did have a point after all? If we shot on sight, than out of sight = safe? Omo.

Gamma Harry and two warriors brought him into the receiving room on the first floor. I know we called it a receiving room, but we had two receiving rooms. One of them was furnished with nice furniture and paintings by the children at the destitute house at a particular fund raiser. The other one - the one we were at - also had sofas, a coffee table, and sideboards, but the other side of it were two large cages - like fight dog transport cells.

This was where we met Sabre that fateful night.

It didn't use to be this way. They set up the cages and rearranged the room after the rogue run-ins and the elders realised that we needed a holding area for less than welcomed guests.

The moment the rogue stepped through the door, the entire room smelled like rogue. I drew back against the armchair - I was even seated furthest from the door!

The rogue was shoved roughly down in front of our coffee table.

"Kneel, rogue." The warrior ordered. He was so fierce, I took a double take. Was that really one of our wolves?

The rogue immediately knelt.

"Hello, Alpha, Beta." Gamma Harry came over to join us. He used to handkerchief to wipe his brow. It looked like he ran all the way here, "Sorry, I'm late. I had to finish my patrol and run all the way here."

We all took pause but decided not to ask why he didn't just drive.

"Remove the bag." Dad turned back to the rogue before us.

"Yes, Alpha." Our warrior pulled the bag off his head.

Oh. I knew this rogue!

"Todd?" I knew he said he was Daisy's dad, but I didn't actually believe it.

"You know him?" Gamma Harry asked somewhat shocked.

"I ah..." I saved his family from being hunted down didn't seem like the best way to put it, "This rogue is not a dangerous one. He lives in the gold packlands with his family."

None of the men around me looked entirely convinced, but I didn't let that bother me. This was the usual way they looked at me.

"Please Alpha." Todd was crying. His face looked swollen, "Please, save Daisy."

I blinked and looked at Ki. Daisy WAS safe in our dungeons right?

Ki nodded an iota.

"Tell us properly, rogue." Beta Lucas ordered. I could never imagine Beta Lucas being properly fierce before today.

Todd managed to explain through his tears and snot about how his wife, Jennifer, brought Daisy, Jack, and baby Samuel (named after me!) to the park today. She let Daisy and Jack run at the playground while she sat on a nearby bench with the baby.

Two women came to admire the baby when there was a commotion in the playground, but the two women were blocking her line of sight. Jennifer tried to excuse herself, but the two women were determined to view the baby longer.

"Mama! Mama!" Her pup's frantic cry caused her to immediately break social etiquette and push past the two ladies. To her horror, Jack was sitting alone in the sand pit, there was blood on his mouth.

"They took Daisy!" Jack cried.

They also kicked his face. Jack had tried to stop them by grabbing one of the men by his leg.

Jennifer screamed and grabbed baby Samuel and Jack to herself. Then she screamed Daisy's name. Looking around frantically, she couldn't see any sign of her daughter.

She suddenly thought to ask the two nice ladies for help. She saw them leaving and gave chase, "Can you please help me?" She called.

But the two ladies rushed into an dirty beat up white van.

WHAT WAS WITH THESE ROGUES AND BEAT UP WHITE VANS?

Jennifer mindlinked Todd who was at his new job. His boss didn't let him off. Jennifer told him to stay put. They just rented their own apartment and needed the income. She would take care of it herself. She brought the boys home to find they tiny new home ransacked. She called the Warrior hotline to report and they were very nice and sent two officers to their tiny apartment, a man and a lady to take her report.

This morning, my lunchbox was sent to their house with an unsigned note.

Within the box was Daisy's pink ribbon hair clip.

"It could've been worse." Gamma Harry pointed out.

Todd froze.

"It's true." Gamma Harry callously continued, "Normally, they would cut off her finger or at least her hair."

Todd looked visibly shaken.

I suppose what Gamma Harry said was true, but the thing was, River and Savy had saved Daisy, so they didn't actually have the pup to cut anything off. Thank goddess for that. I supposed they made do with whatever ribbon Daisy might have dropped in their van or in the cage.

Beta Lucas opened up the note to read it. He suddenly looked grim and passed it to Dad. I waited for my turn but Dad handed the note back to Beta Lucas, "No. That's out of the question."

Eh? How much were they asking for?

"How much do they want?" I asked.

"It's not how much, Sam." Beta Lucas growled, "It's what they want..."

Dad's low growl cut him off, but Gamma Harry obviously didn't get the memo to shut up, "They want the Alpha Princess to meet them in the warlock forest alone. They even drew a map. It's good. It promises that there would not be traps in the path."

Dad and Beta Lucas growled lowly and glared at their gamma.

I took the letter from Dad's hand, and he released it. I guess he figured since the cat was out of the bag, might as well let me look.

The map was scrawled on like a homemade treasure map. The meeting point didn't look very deep in.

"Sam..." Dad warned.

But I too had an axe to grind with these stupid rogues. I released Boo and smiled, "But Dad, I'm not grounded anymore, and how can I refuse this kind invitation?"

Boo would have fitted right in with the Lorents.

"I should have grounded you forever." Dad muttered.

"Sam...." Beta Lucas raised a hand, "I want to know why... since we have already safely rescued the rogue pup."

At this news, Todd just looked stunned. But instead of telling Todd properly that Daisy was safe, Gamma Harry said, "I don't think it's an invitation to something good, Sam."

Todd opened his mouth, but he shut it quickly again. He looked like he could barely believe his ears. Could it be? Daisy was already rescued and in a safe place?

But no one seemed to be in a hurry to tell it to him properly. The men in my pack could be kind of insensitive like that, but even Ki, who frowned at the note from behind me.

And then when Ki spoke, he actually forgot to do so with his smiling mask, "This handwriting... no doubt about it, it is in Beta Lorent's own hand."

The moment these words left his mouth, it was like a dark cloud dropped down into the room.

"Ki..." Beta Lucas paused, "Are you hundred percent certain?"

Ki nodded, "Quite so. The resemblance is uncanny."

"Maybe the imposter is a really serious one." I said, "And learned how to write and speak just like Beta Lorent?"

As usual, no one looked convinced.

At this point, Todd raised his hand, just very tentatively. I thought he was going to ask about Daisy, "Don't worry, Todd. My friend and sister saved Daisy from the rogue's yesterday. She's downstairs right now..."

I brightened, "Ki, can Barry bring her up?"

"Of course, goddess." Ki broke into one of his beautiful smiles again, "Do you still want to give her ice cream?"

Oh right! Our ice cream!

Hmmm...

"Ah, thank you... But..." Todd worried.

I stopped, "Why? Is Daisy allergic to ice-cream or something?"

"No, that's not it." Todd said.

"If you have something to say, I suggest you get to the point, rogue." Although Ki was still wearing his usual smile, his tone, like his words were caustic when directed at Todd.

It was a little weird. It was like I was quite sure we were going to help them, but everyone was acting like they hated rogues or something.

Todd bowed, "I ah... This Beta Lorent... I might know something... I've heard some rumours circulating among the common rogues in the Gold Packlands. But... I had no way to verify it..."

"Please say it, rogue." Ki was still smiling, but his tone was clipped.

Todd nodded another bow. He didn't seem to take offense at how he was being treated here. In fact, he looked like he had expected it, "Then please excuse what I'm about to say in advance."