ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK

We laughed together as we plodded on through the dirt tracks behind the wooded area of the packhouse. I didn't even know what we were laughing about half the time. Nothing was really that funny but everything was funny at the same time.

It wasn't a long path, but River was really slow and prone to tripping.

"It's dark." River explained when Savy asked him, "Are you okay?"

"No it isn't." Ben said.

"Oh, it is for humans." I realized belatedly, I informed my wolves, "Humans are pretty blind when it gets dark."

I guess formlings were the same... or worse...or it could just be River.

River kept tripping, even with Savy holding his hand. Eventually, he gave up and raised his hand to cast a spell. His earring glowed, "Let there be light."

I wasn't a magic expert, but from the way the air shifted and the smell of warlock magic seeping out of his hand at an alarming rate,this was going to be a big kind of magic, "River, stop!"

River stopped. He clenched his casting hand, as if holding on to the spell, "What?"

"You're going to give our position away!" I hissed at my friend. Seriously! Did he want us to get caught by some responsible adult?

"Alright just a little light then." River nodded, and then he opened up his casting hand again.

At first nothing happened, but the air around us was already the smell of warlock lands so I wasn't fooled for a single second.

And lo, a tiny firefly, and then another and another... They started floating out of the grass around us in uncountable numbers. It wasn't even summer yet, actually, it was a really cold night with the Snow Wolves around. Poor fireflies were going to freeze their light butts off.

"Oh f***." Ben said when it became obvious that we had hundreds and thousands of tiny fireflies draw out the entire hidden path in the woods.

Which was a really typical Ben reaction so we all ignored it.

Savy's eyes lit up, Lizzy took a step back, "Oh wow."

Yeah, wow. It was the most beautiful sight. I wished, just at that moment, that Bell was here (and not somewhere else busy strangling a vampire lord with an ugly jacket.)

"We gotta run for it." Ben decided. He grabbed my hand, "Come on. Jonah, grab the Prince. Let's go soldiers! Move out!"

Ben liked watching war movies.

So we were suddenly playing soldiers. I didn't have all that much choice in the matter since Ben was dragging me by the hand.

He turned back to the others, "Keep up!"

We zigzagged through the dance crowd. Halfway through I sped up and took the lead, my wolf radar was picking up Snow Wolf Warrior movement all around us. I guess it was pretty obvious to them that their Prince was somewhere out here now.

They were circling to surround us, the dance music was blaring... But this was an adult party now, it was too late on a school night and the music was proof - it being dance music that went "One o'clock, two o'clock, three o'clock rock."

We ran through the crowded dance field. It was more crunchy under my boots than muddy now. I think someone had the bright idea of freezing and smashing the mud into iced pebbles.

But when Tim's dad shouted into the mic, "Everyone, go clockwise! Ugh!"

Just ignore the last sound. He was just jerking his hip outwards into his guitar and posing but... He was Tim's dad so it was cringe like mad. But inappropriate dance moves and sounds aside, I realized our way out.

I turned with the crowd who was screaming and waving like they had all turned into Delta Felicity, and looped back to the only opening the Snow Wolf warriors had left for us - back where we started.

The Snow Wolf Warriors had gathered at the end of the firefly road and had fanned out from there, leaving it unguarded.

I guess they didn't expect us to U-turn back. Or rock around the clock back either.

My lucky direction found a few fallen burnt porch beams, now stacked to make a neat wall. I darted through the sidelines of the dance and dropped behind it.

Ben landed himself next to me - like he pretty much nose-dived to my side. Seriously, I know I've said this, but he was watching WAY too many war movies.

But Sergeant Ben helped catch River when he tripped after Jonah put him down on his feet. Jonah had pretty much picked up the prince fireman style and charged over.

Then Ben popped back out and grabbed Lizzy and Savy by their arms to our little corner. I think they nearly ran past us there.

We made it!

We were now just on the party sidelines, nicely blocked by the cover of stacked wooden beams and constant traffic of wolves making their way around the dance floor, chilling with friends, taking a break, or just making out...

Urm... I paused at the sound of purring and growling behind me.

Ben pushed me to the other side, "Maybe not here after all."

We carefully snuck out again, and this time, we hit jackpot because we found the buffet table. More specifically, we found the underneath the buffet table. We still had Snow Wolf warriors prowling through the dance crowd looking for River so it wasn't like we could stand coolly around holding drinks.

So crouched under the table, the six of us grinned at each other. We did it! We got into a grown up party!

"Now what?" I asked expectantly.

"We wait it out." Ben said. He and Jonah nipped out and returned with a box of doughnuts.

We squatted under the table eating stolen doughnuts like a gang of raccoons. I mean, it was alright for the guys, but Savy, Lizzy, and I were in cute dresses that were tight in some places and short in others.

Luckily it was really dark under the table, but still. This was dumb. We should've cosplayed as soldiers, then we could crouch here and pretend we were living in the trenches on a diet of Krispy Kreme doughnuts.

But the Snow Wolves retreated from the dance floor after a while. I think they had it with the dancing barbarians rocking to retro tunes. Now they were just guarding around the perimeter of the party, no doubt to drag their young prince home the moment he leaves the party.

I double checked my radar, "I think they've pulled back, but they've surrounded the party."

"Yeah?" Ben raised a brow, he looked too Jonah, "Go check."

"Yeah. Got it." Jonah stuffed half a jelly doughnut in his mouth at one go.

"Jonah that's gross." Lizzy took offense.

"No, it's yummy." Jonah said with his mouth full, "Want some?"

Lizzy hit him before he left our trench.

Ben stuffed the last doughnut into his mouth whole.

"Ben!" Lizzy complained.

Ben pulled the soggy doughnut out again, "Want it?"

"Ew...no!" Lizzy made a face.

Jonah got back under the table, "Reporting. The Snow Wolf warriors are guarding along perimeter."

Ben turned on his phone. I looked away from the bright light. Using it as a torch, he drew in the dirt so Jonah could mark out where what Snow Wolf warriors were.

The light was pointed at the ground, but I adjusted my skirt anyway. Just in case.

"Also my parents are here." Jonah added. He dropped his voice into a whisper, "On the other end of the table."

"Okay, we go topside, split up, and rendezvous here." Ben drew a cross somewhere on the other side of the dance furthest from Jonah's parents.

It was furthest from the stage and the buffet table. But okay, beggers can't be choosers. Nor party stowaways out in the AM on a school night.

We split into pairs. Ben and I would go first and secure the rendezvous point. Savy and River should come next, because River was slow. And Lizzy and Jonah would take the rear and maybe help Savy and River if they got stuck en route.

It didn't take long. I led Ben by my lucky sense of direction. He swiped a container of food as we got out from under the table and made a run for it. My hair was kind of a giveaway, so I tried to move fast and stay in the shadows.

Ben felt sure he saw Flynn. I checked my radar, yes, both my deltas were here. We mindlinked the others warning.

It was so weird when River answered, {Who?}

It was just weird because River was Prince of another pack which he had no mindlink to, but he could mindlink us through his mate bond with Savy.

Anyway, it was weird, like the way they held hands, but didn't let go even when they got to us.

Ben and I found an empty table. Turned out this side of the party was like an assortment of summer outdoor furniture dragged out and randomly scattered in the dark.

We found one in the corner next to the treeline. This would give us an escape route into the woods if needed. Nice.

Jonah and Lizzy joined us soon after, Jonah dragging Lizzy by her wrist. He let her go the moment they reached us - like a normal friend would.

I look to check on River and Savy. I felt quite sure they were still holding hands under the table.

I decided to just ignore what I didn't see tonight and sat opposite them. Ben joined me. Jonah took his side, and Lizzy sat next to Savy. We were just right for our outdoor foldable picnic bench. It was a bit of a squeeze - especially since my side was shared with Ben AND Jonah.

If we were on a see-saw, we would be stuck on the ground.

Ben checked the container of food he had swiped, "Awww man... It's pasta."

"Pasta's good." Jonah said.

"We don't have forks." Ben grumbled.

"Why'd you take pasta?" Lizzy asked.

"It smelled like pizza." Ben admitted.

Oh. I couldn't smell anything, but I guess half the ingredients were probably the same...

So... here we were.

Savy and River were gazing into each other's eyes. If we put the untouched pasta in front of them, they could act out the Lady and the Tramp scene.

Lady and the Tramp didn't need forks.

"What do we do now?" I asked eventually.

Ben shrugged, "Dunno. I seriously didn't expect to get this far."

"Maybe we dance?" Jonah suggested.

"No." Lizzy said firmly, "The last time I danced with you, you nearly broke my toe."

"Uh. Yeah, sorry." Jonah looked immediately apologetic.

"Ahahaha... To tell the truth, I have two left feet." River confessed to the surprise of absolutely NO ONE.

My friends looked at me. What?

I shook my head, "Alphas don't dance."

"Great." Lizzy said, "So we came all this way to freeze in Sam's designer boots while Ben dances."

"I'm not dancing on my own." Ben said.

"You can dance with me." Jonah offered, "I don't mind stepping on your toes."

Ben glared at his best friend and mindlinked a rude word. Jonah chuckled.

And then my friends returned to looking at me again. What?

"Maybe we can just hang out?" I suggested. I know, it sounded lame when I heard myself say it, but my friends nodded and we did try.

Ben and Jonah even managed to run out and bring back forks and coke. Hank and Flynn were hanging with Titanium and the other warriors around the punch bowl and Jonah's parents were still at the buffet table - mostly because Gamma Harry was at the buffet table. Laura was just stuck with him.

"My Mum thinks Dad is sexy when he eats." Jonah clarified.

"TMI Jonah!" Lizzy informed him.

Anyway, our forks and coke were from the Packhouse Kitchen. The boys found a way to sneak back!

"Good job." I commended the brave soldiers. They should be war heroes.

"But only to the kitchen. The dining hall and first floor are crowded." Jonah reported.

That made sense. It was much warmer indoors.

It was really still too early in Spring for outdoor parties into the night - unless you were dancing, or doing any kind of other urm...heated activity.

In hindsight, we could've just hung out at Ben's Lair and called in pizza.

But while we were sitting there watching the adults dancing, River said, "Oh yeah, Sam... About Sir Wolfgang..."

"I dun wanna." I told River in no uncertain terms.

"Listen to what River has to say first, Sam." Savy said.

I blamed their mating bond. But okay, fine, "Tell me the story of the Last Fire Wolf."

Yes. I cast the spell, on River. And yes, I cast it with his own magic - it's not like there was magic in the air around here, and River had stray Magic hanging off him all night. Magic was magic, no matter what the source.