STEPPING INTO MY NEW LIFE

7 MARCH, SUNDAY, BEFORE DINNER, TIMELINE 2.

Eventually we ran out of time. Beta Lucas hadn't gotten back yet and Dad said he probably took the scenic route home. It was almost dinner time so we had to wrap up.

Fluffy-Kai concluded that we had two options. The first was to return to the UNDO POINT, and stop ourselves from altering Jude's past. This should put everything back into its original timeline with only very small and probably unnoticeable deviations. I would go back to being the Alpha Princess. Ben, Harvey, and Ki would be my betas. We'd return to living in the New Alpha House with my Special Team, convoy of cars, and all the perks. The Green Packlands would merge and become the Moon Bell Pack and we will see that wonderful future where my office would be "under a spreading chestnut tree"... Okay fine, I had no idea what kind of tree was growing. I was just remembering the lyrics of a song.

The second option would be to remain in this timeline. With the help of the cats, we may consult the future and work to move everything towards minimizing the civil war and unwanted loss. If we were to stay, Fluffy will become Night Leaf's Alpha in winter when he officially turned 18. I would be free to continue whatever Lala the silly girl was doing, or whatever I wanted to until I was old enough to mate. (Officially, this would be when I turned 18, but knowing Dad, maybe we should stick to a more conservative estimate of 45. Haha.)

But the point was, my Dad and brothers would take care of everything in this life. The war, the pack's welfare, the High Council, economic sanctions, trade routes, alliances and powerplays... Actually, pretty much everything.

I wasn't the alpha anymore.

And to my surprise, the realization came along with a sense of relief. I was free.

So while Dad, Fluffy-Kai, and Ben settled the timeline for this operation (we had two days tops and seriously needed to be back in time to prepare for the High Council Emergency Meeting if we intended to go back), I was left with the question, "So... What do I do now?"

Fluffy-Kai smiled at me, "Anything you like, Lala."

"But maybe not do anything too crazy, Sam." Ben advised.

"Just take the time to explore this timeline for now and relax, Sam." Dad said, "I'll let you know when the arrangements are made."

"Pretend it's a holiday." Ben said.

Fluffy-Kai beamed, "Except you have school tomorrow."

Wait what? Oh right, because I was attending my first year of high school at the Lorent Girls' School and their term dates were different from New Leaf Academy's.

Why did I insist on changing school? T.T (Now I was the only one who still had school!)

Dad patted my head, "Let's go home for dinner. It's a school night, your Mum would want you home by dinner time."

(And my curfews were as strict as what Savy had to live with!)

We made our way home to the Alpha House. Ben didn't bother to walk us because this was Night Leaf before Ki and here betas didn't have to accompany their alphas 24/7.

Which brought me to what I realized was probably the worst thing in this life - it wasn't having to go to school when everyone else was on term break, it wasn't sharing the same the strict curfews as my sister, it wasn't even having to play happy family with Jude-Kev (he was only around a couple of nights a week anyway).

What was really the worst thing was that we now lived as we did BEFORE KI.

When we got to the front door, there was no smiling Ki to welcome us. No smells of home and the refreshing scent of ginger flowers and white tea leaves. No fancy dishes or pretty deserts. Home was just not home without Ki! I felt a sudden deep sense of loss. I think if I were to be very honest, I don't think I can ever happily return to a life before Ki.

But when Dad let us into the house and I smelled the familiar home cooking and realized Mum baked salmon today, I felt a bit better.

Our Alpha House looked very much like our Old Alpha House. It had an extra extension on one side where Mum hosted tea meetings, and extra bedrooms too. I guess a home for a family with four pups needed more bedrooms.

"Welcome back, dear." Mum popped out of the kitchen to greet Dad. She smiled when she saw us too, "Oh, good. Kai, you're home early too. Lala? When did you leave the house?"

Ah... I don't know why, but I panicked internally, "I was with Dad..."

Which in my old life was a perfectly good excuse, but in this life, Lala seldom hung out with her Dad in his office for fun.

Mum frowned, "Did something happen?"

Luckily, Fluffy-Kai was around, "Yeah. I got harshly disciplined and learned my lesson."

"Oh Kai!" Mum sighed, "What did you do now?"

It was very refreshing to hear this used on someone that wasn't me.

A door opened and shut from upstairs and Jude-Kev came down the stairs in a tight t-shirt and joggers. His blond curls were damp and he still had a towel draped across his broad shoulders, "Is it dinner time?"

"Not yet. I need 5 more minutes. Go dry your hair Kev." Mum suddenly got into her bossy mode, "Kai, Lala, go wash your hands. Kai, change your shoes. I've told you, no boots in the house! Lala, be an angel and tell Kenna to come down for dinner."

Did you hear that? I was the angel in this home.

Mum dropped a quick kiss on Dad's cheek, "Welcome home dear."

I knew Dad would kiss her back and then follow her to the kitchen to talk and help take out the plates and stuff.

It was very much the same pattern as life before Ki in my old timeline. This... wasn't bad either. Okay, maybe I could live without Ki. This had to be the true meaning of sacrifice.

I took myself upstairs feeling strange that my room was now on the right side of the house. Knocking on Kenna's door, I yelled over the music, "Nana! Dinner time!"

And then I let myself into my room - I had lived in this room since I was a baby, but it was like the first time stepping in. The walls were a blush pink, my curtains were cream colored. I had complained they were too plain and Mum had sewn colored pom-poms on them.

It was a far cry from my lemon scented 3rd floor bedroom with my golden clamshell bed, full height glass doors to an open balcony, and hidden wardrobe and treasure room, but it was cosy and I instinctively felt safe and happy when I stepped in.

Kenna came into my room without knocking, "Lala? What are you doing? I thought you said it was dinner time?"

Kenna looked every bit like Savy pre-shift. I had forgotten her hair used to be brown too. But unlike Savy, Kenna was dressed completely in black. She also lined her eyes with black liner. It was a pretty cool look.

"La? What is it?" Kenna asked.

"Oh, urm... Nothing. I just need to wash my hands." I said.

Kenna gave me a weird look, "Just your hands?"

"Yes?" I was as certain about it as I sounded.

Kenna shrugged and sat on my bed and got busy with her phone, "Whatever. I can wait."