OH HAPPY DAY!

25 FEBRUARY, THURSDAY, EARLY MORNING

I was in such a good mood I even felt energetic first thing in the morning. I took a quick shower reveling in the hot water, soapy suds, smell of sakura and ALL THE TIMES I WAS RIGHT!

For example, I was right about Alpha Gunter's horse being Silver Lining! Ha! If Silver Lining thought his dumb horse act would fool me, he would be right, but I could only be fooled for this long!

Honestly, I felt quite triumphant about outsmarting that horse. Like I totally knew it!

As an added bonus, I've come to learn some of Alpha Gunter's secrets. My experience with my Lycan studies teachers had taught me that it never hurt to know a thing or two about your teacher. Muahahaha.

And I knew Bell's arm could be fixed! Okay, so I had hoped it would be an easier fix, maybe even a DIY thing, but I've always been lucky, so despite Haku's less than optimistic outlook on my endeavour, I was quite sure Bell was going to be okay.

And well... If I were totally objective about it, my dream travel revealed more things I didn't know than things I knew. Actually, I only knew about the horse. Everything else was new and ridiculous.

Okay, I've read enough Lycan tales to know this was exactly how a Lycan tale would go, but this was real life! Not a storybook! And in all those Lycan tales, I was never actually part of the story, so I never logically thought about it and realised how unrealistically crazy everything was.

I switched off the water to dry off and get dressed. Yup. I was wise to decide never to go back to the Colored Mountains again. And once again, I had to admit, my dad's retirement plan wasn't the best. That award would have to go solely to Beta Gerald @The Langston.

I remembered Fluffy saying he didn't want to go back to the Colored Mountains. Something about the darkness that lurked there. I honestly didn't see anything terribly dark, but it was as loony as a Lorent. And I could see why the first wolves left that place. Maybe they just got tired of being crazy.

In comparison, life in the plains was like the quiet and safe retirement place of choice for those who just wanted a break from the over the top legendary living that the Colored Mountains boasted.

Wth. Who decided their king based on two sketchy lines about a blue flower and a ring?

Even the smallest Red Packland settlements had more established leadership transitions, what more the entire Colored Mountains?

And guess what? When I got downstairs to the breakfast table, my whole family was there!

Dad was frowning at his screen, reading his emails. Mum was fussing over Sabre who was urm...

"What are you today, Sabre?" I asked trying to make sense of her breakfast.

"I'm a butter-fly." Sabre said.

Ah, which explained why there was butter on every piece of item on her plate.

"But you should eat the other things too, baby. Not just the butter." Mum sounded like she was at the end of her rope.

Savy took pity on her. (Savy was hooooome!!!!) "Sabre, if you don't eat the other stuff, you won't become a colorful butterfly. Just a brown one."

"Oh." Said Sabre. She looked at her plate and reconsidered her food choices.

Mum mouthed a Thank You over Sabre's red curls. I wanted to pat it but she was sitting all the way across the table from me.

Ki appeared from the kitchen with my breakfast on a plate. Like magic. His usual smile and "Good morning, goddess." Like magic. A tall glass of fresh pressed orange juice. Like magic. Yup this was all the magic I needed.

"Thanks Ki." I smiled back widely.

"You're in a good mood." Mum observed.

I nodded, "Of course I'm happy. Everyone's back home. Ki is up and smiling again. And we were born in the plains where life is good!"

Ki smiled like a flower to the sun.

"What's gotten into you now?" Savy asked.

"Nothing." I answered in all my zenness, "I'm just realizing how good I've got it exactly how things are right now."

Two sharp raps on the door and Beta Lucas and Ben came in. Lizzy popped in behind them with a smile and a wave. Eh? What's up?

"I'll be driving the pups to school today, Alpha." Beta Lucas announced. He gave Ben a pointed look, "Since one of my offspring had resulted with a meeting at the principal's office."

"Look, Harv's already been to Principal Charlie's office and given me a earful. I don't need you to go over and repeat the dramatics it all over again." Ben grumbled.

"Is Harvey your father or am I?" Beta Lucas scolded.

Have I ever told you how much I loved my life at home with my pack?

"I'll be back with the first patrol Alpha." Beta Lucas told Dad. Which meant around the time the first patrol returns from their route... sometime after sun up.

"Yes. Alright." Dad nodded his assent.

Outside, my security team were getting geared up. It looked like Harvey spent another night here. He stopped the car in its usual place in front of our porch and got out. He was early.

Beta Lucas looked completely put off by their appearance. Harvey had parked in front of his car. Beta Lucas stomped out, "Harvey! Good Morning! I see you have put your car in front of mine!"

Ben was quick at his heel, "That's Sam's car, Dad."

So naturally the Alpha's car would be parked in front of the Beta's car to leave first.

"How would I know whose car that is?" Beta Lucas fumed, "All your cars look alike."

"That's the Porsche. Not a pick up truck." Ben deadpanned. I bet he thought he was so funny. Actually, I thought he was funny too. Hahaha.

Mum narrowed her eyes at me so I swallowed the laugh.

"Apologies for the inconvenience, Beta." Harvey was naturally respectful towards his elders.

"No, no, you're just doing your job." Beta Lucas waved it off, "Unlike a certain young beta I know who can't get through a year without me receiving a call from the principal!"

Ben rolled his eyes, "Come on, Dad. Your car isn't going to drive itself."

"Oh, quick, our ride's leaving." Lizzy said.

Savy quickly downed her cereal, "Okay, let's go. Bye fam."

I took a while to figure out who's fam.

And then they were out of the house and into the back of Beta Lucas' car. Even when riding their dad's car to school, Ben, Lizzy, and Savy made it look like they were cool kids going out for some fun. I guess that's the difference when your school didn't require uniforms.

I mean, I was leaving with motorbike escorts and a cool beta with a Porsche, but in my school uniform, I just looked like I was going to school.

Dang it. Hahaha.

But my uniform was on in the way Krystal and Jasmine had taught me to style it. My backpack was still the same, but I liked it.

The best thing about my life was that it was fine just as it was. I didn't want it to ever change. Okay, no, I did want Bell's arm to be healed. And the warlock issue to be resolved, and maybe it would be nice if the snow wolves could go home and let Spring come.

Our Packlands were just starting to thaw too!

So did I like changes or not like changes? I had no idea anymore.

"Better get going, Sam." Mum prompted gently, "The poor boys must be freezing outside."

I glanced up at the warriors and Harvey waiting on our porch - the warriors on our driveway with their bikes, of course, because Dad had a "No warrior on the porch" rule.

I think that rule was suppose to mean that the warriors were free to enter our home, but no one in our pack would just disrespectfully enter the Alpha's house at will, so the rule was kind of backfiring on a daily basis.

At this point, perhaps a good Alpha was supposed to sit up and realize it, and then consider a way to change it. But maybe I should just let it continue because it's kinda entertaining.

The next time Fluffy or EJ or any of them sass me, I was going to just leave them waiting outside longer the next morning. Hahaha. Although this would only work during winter.

"Maybe we can put a bench out in our porch." Mum suggested, "For the boys to wait. They don't seem comfortable about stepping into our house, and leaving them on the driveway seem cruel."

"They're warriors." Dad said gruffly, "What's a bit of snow?"

Ah, I was truly my father's daughter.

"But Harvey is only in a suit." Mum worried, "The poor boy has been working around the clock for days."

Dad shrugged, "If he wants, I'm sure he is perfectly capable of letting himself in."

True, but Harvey was outside tapping on his phone. His breaths came out in white clouds. I think he was rushing last minute work.

"Poor Harvey." I said.

"Oh Sam," Mum scolded mildly, "It's no use just sitting here feeling sorry for him. Hurry and finish your breakfast!"

And as I shovelled the rest of the breakfast into my mouth, she added, "You're their Alpha. Be kind to them. They love you so dearly."

Who? My betas?

Hahaha. Mum uses the word "love" so casually. I bet Harvey or at least Ben would be seriously embarrassed. Luckily, only Ki was here to hear it. Or maybe not that luckily, because he chimed in without hesitation, "It's true, Luna, goddess is beloved by everyone."

Which was somehow even more embaressing to hear, "Okay, I'm gone. Thanks for the breakfast, Ki! Bye Mum, bye Dad, bye Butterfly!"

And then Ki handed me my bag and opened the sliding door for me to step out like he did every morning, "Have a good day, goddess."

I looked up at his perfect smile, "You too, Ki. Bye bye."

Harvey was immediately by my side to open the car door for me. He allowed me ample time to be seated comfortably before shutting the door after me.

Actually, who would slam the door shut on their own Alpha? Just Ben. Hahaha.

"Good morning, Alpha." Harvey greeted politely the moment he was seated next to me. He buckled up.

"Good morning." I smiled, "Guess what? I found out Silver Lining was the same horse as Alpha Gunter's."

That's how I ended up telling Harvey about Alpha Gunter's alias at the Colored Mountain and that he should be expected back on Friday. I pretty much skipped the entire prophecy about the blue rose and ring. I wasn't going to ever go back to it anyway.

But then, a little nagging feeling worried me. So just in case, I asked Harvey to take down the lines.

"He who holds the blue rose with Idonia's ring

Will be the mountain's next true king."

"It's a colored mountain prophecy." I told him. I had planned to leave it at that.

But of course, my good beta's mind was sharper than that, "This prophecy is about your ring, alpha."

Eh! Was it that obvious?

"Yeah, I guess..." I wondered how much I should say.

"If I might be so bold, alpha." Harvey's forehead was crinkled again.

"Yeah, just say whatever is on your mind, Harvey." I told him. Its far more frustrating for me whenever my betas wanted to tell me something but didn't.

"Is this prophecy about your Luna Bell?" Harvey asked tentatively.

Eh? What? No! Why? Were all the prophecies in the world about my mate? No, it's about the true king of the Colored Mountains... Ah... Hahahaha... Now why hadn't the princes of the Colored Mountain seen it that way?

My beautiful and gentle Luna, the True King of the Colored Mountains?

"That would be a stretch." I chuckled at the thought. Oh the poor princes of the Colored Mountains!

"Just in case, let's keep this between us. Don't tell Bell. Don't even tell Ben or Ki unless something happens." I said.

Yeah, definitely don't tell Bell. Who knows what my moon and rose would do?

"Understood, Alpha." Harvey nodded, "But what should we be expecting to happen?"

Which turned out to be a question that would make the Great Teacher proud.