ALL THE UNSAID THINGS

29 FEBRUARY, MONDAY, BREAKFAST

Mum didn't hide her amusement at the breakfast table when she found herself seated next to two alphas scrolling intently on their screens. It couldn't be helped, I was still only half way through my digitalised mountain of reports and I'm sure Dad had his own mountains to contend with.

I don't know why she found it so funny. If anything was funny, shouldn't it be the fact that Dad's face was still blue? So was Ki's for that matter, but somehow Ki's stain looked more faded.

Other than the blue faces of the men, the morning was like any other school day morning. Mum was drinking tea, Sabre was eating cold cereal. Sabre preferred colorful cold cereal more than anything Ki ever made. Small pups had weird taste buds.

I was changed into my uniform, and hungry again, so I got a second round of breakfast, which were just muffins today. Okay, that was a lie. The muffins weren't just muffins. I used to think the chocolate ones the packhouse kitchen made were magic. Well, today I ate a higher level magic because Ki decided to try his hand at baking.

Each muffin had bacon bits, and cheese, and right in the center, the muffin's heart, a soft boiled egg with a golden yellow runny yolk.

Pure magic.

Naturally, nobody ate any of the freshly sliced bread. Ki used it to make us our lunch, which made me doubly happy because not only were ham and cheese sandwiches one of my favourite food, Ki seldom made simple straightforward stuff like that, so it was a rare dish at the Alpha House.

Okay, admittedly, Ki had used some kind of fancy mozzarella cheese instead of the standard process sliced cheese of my puphood. And he also like to do things to these ham sandwiches - like airfry them, or cut them in shapes, or sneak in extra ingredients, or wrap them in fancy wax paper, or press them... Whatever it was, even though Ki called them ham and cheese sandwiches, and for most parts the ingredients reconciled, the final output seldom looked like a standard sandwich.

Today our sandwiches had been pressed and toasted in some kind of cat faced pan which resulted in a ham and cheese sandwich in the shape of a cat's face.

Sabre requested for a second one to bring to school for Taylor.

"Can you throw in an extra egg muffin for me, please?" I asked because I was just greedy like that.

"Me too, please." Savy grinned.

Mum had paused, her teacup still in her hand, "Sam, it's okay if you want to rest at home too..."

I shook my head, "No way! How am I supposed to become a smart alpha if I keep missing school?"

Did they want me to be a dumb pup forever?

Mum looked at Savy who was quick to deflect whatever unspoken question, "Don't look at me! I don't know what she's up to."

Wait, why should I be up to anything? What's wrong with just wanting to go to school? Oh, hahaha. Wow. I've changed.

And then Savy grumbled, "It's not like I know what she's thinking nowadays."

Yeah, it's been a while since we've done anything together. I looked at my sister who had her hair swept to one side today. I guess I wasn't the only one growing up. River's blue stone gleamed from around her neck, but she was otherwise dressed completely in black.

Oh, "Is your school conducting another memorial service?" I asked.

Savy pouted at that, "Tradition is like clockwork. But that's okay. We get early dismissal. Lizzy and I are going to the shops. Do you wanna join us after school?"

Oh! I felt my face light up. I haven't been to the shops for like... For like ages!

"That might be nice." Mum demurred to her tea cup, she looked at Ki, "Perhaps Sam might be excused from rehearsals this afternoon."

"I'll have that arranged, Luna." Ki smiled agreeably.

"Wait, what rehearsal?" I was suspicious. Mum seemed way to keen for me to stay home today.

"There's a full dress rehearsal for your school play after school today." Ki explained.

"I can't miss that!" I felt sorry the moment the words left my mouth. I looked guiltily at Savy, but she only shrugged, "It's fine. It's not like we're doing anything special anyway."

"But doing nothing together is special! I miss doing nothing together!" I whined. It wasn't fair!

"Can't the alpha take a day off then?" Savy smiled and rested her hand on her chin, "It's just one rehearsal."

"I haven't even memorized my lines." I realised.

"You could skip this afternoon. Lizzy and I can help you with you lines at the café." Savy offered.

"Actually, why not just take the day off Sam?" Mum asked, "You could spend the morning learning your lines, and then go meet the girls for lunch when they're done at school."

That was so tempting.

Wait, wait, wait. What was going on here? Was this some kind of test? It really sounded too good to be true. Mum was giving me a day off from school? And then a free afternoon for an outing? What did I do to deserve this?

Don't tell me, I know! This must be some kind of reverse psychology thing. So did they want me to go to school or not?

"Even an alpha needs to rest, Sam." Dad said.

I guess...

"But I'm not tired at all." I told them honestly, "I've been sleeping all weekend."

And then I remembered we were going to perform our play at assembly this Wednesday. I remembered how Jasmine had been estatic that her first play was going to be performed. And how Ki had to go through the trouble to invite Madam Silvia to help us. And how Henry was footing the bill for the costumes and props, and... they were counting on me to perform Bulliet.

This was probably the last thing I could do for Winderhill before my time there was up. It wasn't anything I ever imagined myself doing, but it's not like I was ever going to represent Winderhill at archery, or become part of their student council, or host any of their events...

If I could stay at Winderhill, I think that would have been the path I wanted to take. Funny how I only figured that out at the end of a full term.

It's a little late and never.

I shook my head again, "It's only one more week. I can rest after that."

Ki frozed at that, and then with a gentle smile he informed me, "Our trip to Night Forest has been rescheduled to your term break and we are expected at the High Council Emergency Meeting straight after."

All in the same week?

"Okay... When does term two start?" I asked.

"The Lorent Girls School follow a later school calendar, so they will still be in their first term." Ki answered, but quickly added before I got my hopes up, "Lady Amber has suggested the goddess join mid term so you might use the extra half term to get adjusted to your new school."

"So... I'm repeating half a term?" I felt like pulling my hair out.

Savy cackled, "Looks like this week IS your rest week."

I shook my head. Don't tempt me more than I can bear! If I really took a break, what would happen to the play and my friends - how would I be able to look Jasmine in her wide tearful eyes should the opening day of Horneo and Bulliet flop?

"I have responsibilities in school too." I said quietly, even as I realised it, "And friends who are counting on me. Even though it's my last week there and I might never see any of them again, I need to do what's right!"

"So drama." Savy chuckled, "It's not like you can't text them anytime."

Oh. Well, I guess there was that.

"And I doubt this would be the last we'd see of the Young Silver Mountain Alpha." Dad said to his screen, "Not if our alliance with them continues in this trajectory."

I felt quite, quite, sure Dad was talking more to the report he was reading than to us, but if that was the case, Dad was making more headway in his reading than I was.

That was because I was distracted again! I flared, "Okay, don't talk to me anymore! I've got too many reports to read right now."

So everyone stopped talking aloud. This would've surprised me. Since when did anyone ever listened to me and shut up when I wanted them to? But my gift of insight knew that they only became quiet to whisper about me over the mindlink - in other words, I overheard their mindlinked conversations the moment I looked back down at my screen.

I tried very hard to ignore them, but their mindlinks were being projected directly into my head, so it was pretty much impossible from the get go.

{She seems fine, but I can't help worrying anyway.} Mum fretted.

{Don't worry, Luna.} Ki reassured her, {I've already assigned Owen in her security detail. His healing abilities are basic, but his bloodline powers are particularly astute at monitoring physical fluctuation. He would be perfectly suited for any emergency situation.}

Exactly what emergency situation were we expecting here?

{Furthermore, although Luna Bell hasn't explained the specifics. He had assured me that the goddess is in the pink of health, and there is nothing she needed except to sleep.} Ki continued.

Yeah, I mean he would know. Since it was his fault and all.

{Hn, Alpha Gunter did mention something to that effect yesterday.} Dad added without looking up from his screen.

{Oh my poor Sam!} Mum exclaimed. Who was being dramatic now?

{I knew she was pushing herself, but I didn't stop her!} Mum decided this was all her fault.

Actually, I wasn't pushing myself at all. This was all on Bell. But it's not like I wanted my parents to blame my mate for anything.

{Darling, if a wolf can, he will.} Dad quoted, for some reason thinking this old quote would soothe my Mum.

Of course it didn't. Plus it might be worth noting that the young wolf in the poem who had run out to test his abilities DIED.

{Oh, but she's too young!} Mum bemoaned, {And she's just a girl - how could we have let her run out into the enemy's den on her own?}

Dad got quiet at that. And then he said, {That was my mistake. But I promise I will protect her better from now on. I will protect all of you, my darling, you and our three girls.}

{I wasn't blaming you, dear!} Mum got even more upset now, {I would never blame you.}

Dad growled lowly. Like aloud. I kept my head down on my screen. Please, parents! Don't kiss and make up now. Not when I can hear you!

Luckily, Savy was as allergic to my parent's love drama as I was, {So... Does it seem like Sam remembers being a ghost?}

{No, Savy!} Mum was immediately protective, {Don't tell her! I can't imagine what a shock it would be to her if she knew.}

And then Mum instructed everyone sternly, {No one is to mention her ghost appearing.}

{Yes, Mum.} Savy sighed, {But it's not like we can control what Sabre would say.}

{I've already explained it to Sabre.} Mum's tone was firm, {We will pretend none of it ever happened.}

Okay... I guess I wasn't going to be grounded or sent to volunteer at the pack kitchen after all.

Mum dabbed her eyes at the table with her napkin, {Our poor Sam! She's always running out of her way for others. And she never knows how to take care of herself!}

Savy fingered the blue stone around her neck, {Yeah. I know, Mum. River told me all about it.}

Wait, what did River tell you?

{I can't imagine how alone she must have felt out there in the warlock lands!} Mum fretted.

{The goddess was brave without fault.} Ki supplied... Ki, who was with me the ENTIRE TIME in the warlock lands. I was never alone, Mum!

{My poor brave Sam!} Mum concluded, {Okay, let's just play it natural and keep things normal for her this week. Let her go to school, maybe the routine comforts her.}

Mum forced a smile, {She'll be busy with alpha duties all next week too. All we can do for her is give her a safe place to come home to each time.}

I felt myself tear up, just a little. I blinked it back successfully but the table got quiet and I realized that my very minor leakage did not escape any wolf's notice. Damn their oversensitivity.

Sabre looked up from her cereal, "What's wrong?"

Sabre was looking at the adults stopping in mid motion to just stare at me. Even Dad had looked up from his screen. I suppose as the only one who wasn't in on this mindlink conversation, synchronized stopping to stare did seem weird.

"Ah, nothing! I've been staring at my screen for way too long!" I exclaimed and pretended to stretch.

Everyone else muttered something and went back to looking normal.

And lucky for me, my good beta pulled up the car along our porch, "Oh! Is it time to go already?"

I popped right out of my seat. Ki handed me my school bag and lunch, "Thanks Ki!"

Outside, I was aware of my wolves getting their bikes into position around the car. As Ki had arranged, Owen was riding instead of Jax today.

"Bye Mum, bye Dad, bye Savy, bye Sabre, bye Ki!" I yelled and dashed out through the door Ki just managed to slide open for me, "Have a good day, goddess."

I put on a wide smile and waved a last goodbye, "Thanks Ki! You too!"

And then looked to Harvey who stepped up with a bow and wry, "Good morning, alpha."

"Morning Harvey! Let's go!" I didn't let my smile go down.

Stoopid family. Didn't they know? They had always been my safe place to come home to.

The only reason why I never had to worry about running out was that I always knew they'd be here when I got back.