NOT ALL LOVE STORIES END HAPPILY

3 MARCH, WEDNESDAY, AFTER DINNER

I had meant to go straight up to my room after dinner to practice my song but ended up watching and laughing at my school play. Even Harvey stayed to watch, and I was quite, quite, sure my good beta had work.

Sabre ended up getting to watch too. She had straight up refused to go up to her room, and for a human, I must say she had the perfect pair of puppy dog eyes.

In the end, my parents relented. Ki made popcorn. And we had a super good time.

{It's too bad Ben's still grounded. He's going to be so p***ed that he missed this.} I accidentally overheard Harvey tell Ki.

Ki's smile never wavered, {I will make sure to tell him about it.}

When it was over, Savy grinned at me, "If you ever get tired of being the alpha, you can always retire to show biz."

Then who's going to lead our pack? Bell? No Savy, I couldn't do that to everyone.

But it turned out that Lunas weren't allowed to perform on stages either. Mum brought up Henry's mum as an example of a very famous performer and Ki obligingly poured the tea.

Theirs was a high-profile love story, partly because it involved a rich young alpha, and partly because the other party was the brightest rising star of the time.

Their love story was of a handsome and rich young alpha accompanying his parents to the opera one fateful night and falling instantly in love with the beautiful and exotic soprano.

His parents were initially against it. The girl was obviously from the other continent and no one quite knew her origins or how she got here alone. Before her theater debut, she had sung on the streets to make ends meet until someone handed her an audition card.

But love conquered all, and eventually, their love moved the young alpha's parents who gave the new couple their blessings.

And they lived happily ever after... Until they had Henry. Hahahaha.

Okay, I added the last part about Henry. According to Ki, their love culminated in the Gold Packland Prince, the Young Alpha Henry George, but I begged to differ.

"That's why we should always treasure our soul mate." Dad concluded, his arm draped easily behind Mum. I had no idea how he came to it based on tea made from what was probably archived LNC gossip news.

"I thank the goddess every night that all my girls have found their soul mates." Mum drew a different conclusion, "It's really only fate that brings soul mates together."

"Doesn't that mean everyone would definitely meet their soul mate?" I asked. I mean, wolves were all bound to their fate.

I watched Ki take out the tray of empty popcorn bowls and coffee mugs. I guess not all love stories ended with happily ever afters.

"Maybe in theory." Mum said, "But in reality, life can be very complicated."

"Mama, you forgot me!" Sabre accused, "I haven't met my soul mate yet!"

Yes, you did.

But of course, no one told her that.

"One day, Sabre. When you're older." I promised, "Just remember to volunteer whenever Mum and Dad need a daughter to accompany them to boring events."

"Sam!" Mum scolded.

Hahaha, I'm so sneaky.

This was when Mum decided it was way past Sabre's bedtime. Savy retreated swiftly into her room. Harvey thanked everyone politely and excused himself to head out to the FAO to prepare for tonight's meeting.

"Ah right, there's a meeting." Dad remembered, "Where's Lucas?"

I hurried up to my side of the house too. As I ran up the stairs, I heard the distinct sound of a violin wailing. Looks like I wasn't the only one who was practicing tonight.

"Shut up EJ!" I was quite surprised to recognize the voice as the usually mild-mannered Torque, "Some of us have the graveyard shift!"

The violin sounds were replaced by EJ's voice, "But I need to practice my new sounds."

Hahaha. Wth! EJ's sound effects were really amazing.

"Shhhh...." Cobra hissed.

"Look, now you woke Cobra." Torque scolded.

"Go practice in the dungeons with Fluffy!" This time it was Barry.

Let's hope my alpha room would be as soundproof as Ki claimed.

Just as I approached the third-floor landing, the violin started wailing again and then morphed into a siren. There was some door slamming and commotion, EJ started outright screaming, "AHHHHHHH!!!!!!"

And then a very loud splash - it sounded very wet and real. This was followed by triumphant hollering from the other guys.

And then a sudden silence.

I froze at my door.

Ki's capisce tone cut quietly through the silence, "Dogs who don't know how to behave indoors sleep outdoors."

"Yes, beta!" The guys answered.

"You can show yourselves out." I could see Ki smiling in my mind's eye. But his tone made him far from friendly.

"Yes, beta." The guys moved to go.

"Quietly." Ki reminded them sharply.

"Yes, beta." The guys answered quietly and then moved to go much more quietly. I had to strain my ears to hear them now, even the doors opened and shut quietly now.

It was moments like this that made me wonder why I had worried about Ki not knowing how to say no. Even without using the word no, Ki wasn't a pushover.

I actually felt bad for the guys, but then I heard EJ announce, "Come on guys, I know a good place we can stay."

"You mean the dungeon, don't you." Barry didn't sound enthusiastic.

"I heard it was haunted." Torque worried.

"That's the other dungeon." Barry said.

"It'll be fun. Just like old times!" EJ said.

"Why are you bringing a beanbag?" Barry asked.

"I don't know, EJ... Nothing in the old times was fun." Torque wasn't convinced.

"Shhhh...." Cobra said.

I turned the knob of my bedroom door meaning to ignore them and get down to practice but was startled when Ki's gentle voice spoke, "A hundred apologies, goddess. Did the noise disturb you?"

I turned to see Ki smiling at me as he stepped up onto the third-floor landing. He was the usual gentle Ki again. Were there two Kis? I shook my head quickly.

Ki held the half-opened bedroom door for me to enter.

"I've been informed that the goddess requires a black outfit for Friday's Talent Time contest." Ki prompted, "Does the goddess have any item or style in mind?"

I shook my head again, "Janice is wearing a black dress, and I think Marcus is wearing torn jeans. Henry said we were going shopping after the rehearsals - do you have any suggestions?"

"Perhaps an off-shoulder raunch top with jeans?" Ki offered. But I had no idea what that was.

"Or would goddess prefer a dress?" Ki asked. He flipped the switch for the mirrors to open up to the wardrobe.

I shrugged, "I have no idea."

I followed Ki into my wardrobe. I had all but forgotten I had a wardrobe, but looking around in it, I realized, "I don't need to go shopping at all, do I?"

Ki took out a few items to show me. A long skirt, a black knit top, and a few pairs of jeans, but none of them were torn. Everything looked good, really.

"How about you decide?" I asked Ki.

Ki smiled, like a flower to the sun, "Understood, goddess."

I smiled back, mostly from the relief of not having to figure it out myself. As much as I felt going to the shops with my band would be an interesting experience, it took a load off me that I wouldn't have to actually find something to wear there.

As Ki busied himself with all the other beta magic routines, I took out my lyrics. It was folded and a little crumpled in my school bag. Bell's scribbles in bold black ink all over the page.

{Mate ~❤️ !}

Boo seemed to have mistaken this for a love letter.

I missed him - just a little bit. Seeing him appear and disappear again left my heart aching each time.

{Mate ~❤️ !}

Yeah, Ikr.

{Mate ~❤️ !}

Yes, yes... Love was stooooopid like that.

{Mate ~❤️ !}

{Mate ~❤️ !}

{Mate ~❤️ !}

Oh, wait, as in MATE! He was nearby! Like right next door nearby. I pushed open one of the balcony doors to get closer to him and found myself looking out to the packhouse next door.

{Mate ~❤️ !}

Boo seemed all too pleased about this. I was just missing him and there he was! Fate!

I re-entered my room smiling like a doofus.

"Is there anything else I can help you with, goddess?" Ki asked as he shut and lock the glass sliding for me.

"Wanna see Mate." I told him pointing out towards the packhouse. For some reason, I suddenly remembered that this was how I used to talk to Beta Lucas too.

But only because I was a small puppy then and didn't know any better.

I wasn't a small puppy anymore though, and Ki couldn't just pick me up and piggyback me to wherever I demanded. It was more complicated now.

"Understood goddess." Ki quickly opened the bathroom door for me, "I'll prepare your outfit at once."

Why can't I wear... I looked down at my current outfit - Ack! I was still in my school uniform! Right, I came home late today and hadn't showered or changed yet.

Ki also took out my surface pro, "The agenda and corresponding reports have been uploaded last night. I will inform Harvey of your attendance."

Wait, I was supposed to study reports in my shower?

Sigh... The things I did to see my mate.

"Thanks, Ki." I took the screen from my beta and turned to the bathroom.

"It's always my pleasure, goddess." Ki was still smiling, but he sounded a little muted. Was he sad? Or maybe he was just tired?

It made me worry a little. Maybe it was really a firstborn thing, but of all my wolves, I worried about Ki the most. There was always something to worry about when it came to Ki. I mean from the first time I met him, he gave me good reason to worry.

I was worried that he was so broken, I was half afraid he wouldn't survive it. And then I worried about him flirting inappropriately and getting himself killed. And then I worried about him wanting to die as a dog, I worried about him being overworked, I worried about him being bullied by Bell, I worried about him returning to the Lorents as a beta... And most recently, I worried about him not knowing how to say no.

Of course, now I knew he only didn't know how to say no to me. Which was probably something to worry about on its own.

Now I was beginning to sound like Mum. I mean, it's not like Ki had given me any real cause for worry. So okay, he did let himself get whipped at the Lorents, but we've made it quite clear to Alpha James that Ki was my wolf now.

And overall, Ki had proven himself as a trustworthy and reliable beta. My family loved him, he was popular with the other wolves - whether they be the younger gen of the Lorents, or the ex-fight dogs, or even among Night Leaf and Morning Light warriors. I could tell, Ki was the most popular beta around. I knew because most of the guys called him by name unless they were on duty or Ki was in capisce mode. And according to LNC, Ki had been spotted dating some rather famous ladies.

Oh! Was I keeping him back from something? Maybe he was supposed to be going out with the guys or picking up his date!

I flung the bathroom door open, "Ki!"

Ki immediately spun around, his wolf on the alert, "Yes, goddess?"

"Ah, no, it's nothing." I said, suddenly feeling embarrassed because he had rushed to the bathroom to scan for danger.

"I mean... I just..." Wait, what was I going to say? You sounded sad? I was worried for you? Are you going out on a hot date tonight?

"Urm... I just... Are you... Do you have something on tonight?" I faltered.

"Not at all, goddess." Ki smiled, "Is there anything I can do for you?"

No! I mean, I was just... I wordlessly shook my head, "I just didn't want to keep you from something if you had plans...or if you needed rest..."

Maybe I should've just asked him if he was okay.

Ki smiled like a flower to the sun, "Thank you for your care, goddess."

Urm...okay. I didn't know how to respond to that so I retreated to the bathroom. Whatever. Ki was a grown man. If he wanted to keep smiling and acting like everything was okay, who was I to stop him? What did I want him to do? Cry on my shoulder? It's not like I would know how to unbreak him.

I wish I could make all the bad things disappear, but even if I changed the world, there were things that could never be undone.

Maybe all I could do was keep smiling back. Maybe one day, someone who knew how to fix hearts would come along and make Ki truly happy.