I’d read about it in one of the books Jared brought me. Ok, so it was also a hypothesis based on the book… so it wasn’t really anyone else’s fault they didn’t know about it. My mom laughed, “Mel, are you going to pick one?” I huffed once I got to the bottom because there were a lot of all black wolves, but none that looked like Oden.
Tears filled my eyes because I just wanted to get something that would remind me of my mate. I whispered, “They don’t have it. Let’s go.” She knelt down, “Mel, they have lots of wolves.” Ishook my head, “They don’t have him.” She chuckled, “Him?” I nodded. She winked, “Let’s keep that between us girls.” Ok?
A worker came over asking, “How are you ladies finding everything?” My mom glanced at me then said, “I don’t think we found it today. We’ll come back another time.” The worker frowned, “What are you looking for?” My mom turned asking, “Mel?”
I answered, “A bwack wolf with white paws and white chest.” The worker tapped his chin then clapped. He said, “You know what? I think we actually got one like that, but it was a manufacturing defect, so we were going to send it back.” Why would they do that?!
I gasped, “Pwease! Can I see it?” Ugh! I needed to stop talking because that wasn’t coming out like I knew it was supposed to sound. Why couldn’t I get all that right?! I curse not living in a different realm. I would talk at a high school level if I did.
The worker nodded, “Wait right here, I’ll go look. It might have gotten sent back already.” I bit my lip and shuffled my feet. My mom said, “Don’t worry, Ladybug. If they don’t have him, we can just order it online.” I’d looked on the tablet I had. They had parental controls on the old one I got to use, but I could get around them. I hadn’t found the wolf I wanted anywhere.
The worker came back twenty minutes later with his arms behind his back and a big smile on his face. Happiness filled me knowing he’d found it. He pulled it out and winked, “It was all packed up and ready to go, but I called the store owner. She gave me permission to sell it to you for the same price as the other wolves.” I squealed, “Twank you!” I hugged my Xander wolf tightly and we skipped to the counter.
My mom already had my allowance, so she paid for it. She chuckled, “Well, you were dogmatic, but you got exactly what you wanted.” She took a cookie out of her purse and ate it. I deflated and knew my normal mom would be replaced with themom monster. I hated when that happened, and I hated the evil cookie delivery lady. It was HER fault my mom turned into the mom monster.
I silently told my Xander wolf, “Once I have my wolf, I’ll eat the cookie delivery lady. You’d be on my side about it. You’ll protect me, won’t you?” I hugged it tightly and we got back in the car. I was quiet on the ride home, so I didn’t provoke the mom monster.
As long as no one said I did anything remotely bad, the mom monster didn’t activate. Well, unless someone asked to take me outside the pack. Then the mom monster raged. I decided today I didn’t care because I got my Xander wolf, and he was everything I wanted. I hugged him tightly as we drove back to the pack.
Flashback Ends
I shook off the past and quickly ran downstairs so I could say goodbye to everyone. All before the evil cookie lady showed up. She was here less often, but those cookies were still EVERYWHERE. ALL THE TIME. Did anyone but me find that weird? Nope.
I had this all timed out today because we could NOT have the cookies on this trip. I had things to do and that didn’t involve being foiled by mom monster cookies. I had to get word to the Faries and Hackura stealthily. I had a whole plan mapped out that came straight from multiple papers of Prince Gunner Cambridge.
I could admit I was nervous to see if I could pull this off. I’d pulled papers that were decades apart, so I was hoping they didn’t check it all. I knew I had to be above reproach and there was no room for mistakes because I was going up against the best of the best.
My own mentor… who still didn’t know that’s what he was to me…. Put all the papers out. I’d done test runs and checked everything more than I needed to, but this was important. It was for Xander. I slid down the banister like I always did.
My mom gasped and grabbed my dad’s arm tightly. She didn’t like when I did this, but if she didn’t have a mom monster cookie, I didn’t get in trouble for it. I jumped off at the end and into my older brother’s arms.
Tristan chuckled, “You go kick ass, Ladybug.” I whispered, “I wish you were coming, T.” Jason snorted, “What I am? Chopped liver?” I jumped into his arms next, and he squeezed me tightly. I linked him, “I know something is going on with T while I’m gone. I know you’re staying to have his back. Link me if you need anything.”
Tristan and Elise had their wolves now, so they were included in more stuff than me and Jason were.
Jason linked, “You know it.” I knew he wouldn’t actually do it. He’d just say he would. They were very protective of me.
I squealed, “MELINDA! MB!” They were my aunts technically speaking. I called MaryBeth, MB since she liked it right now. They both laughed and gave me a big group hug. MaryBeth said, “Go win that competition and come back with a big trophy and medal.” Melinda agreed, “For sure!”
I asked, “Where’s Uncle Duncan?” They all looked at each other. My dad cleared his throat, “He’ll be here when you get back.” I frowned because that was evasive. Uncle Duncan always said goodbye before my competitions. Maybe he was out looking for his mate again.
My Grandpa Ben chuckled, “Get over here, Ladybug.” I squealed and went to hug him. He swung me around. He whispered, “Go take on the world, Ladybug.” It was the world championship competition. I was the only dancer in ouracademy that was going. Four of my teachers were coming. Mostly that was fine, but one I didn’t like at all.
Mom said I had no reason not to like her, but I disliked her a lot. I told the Warriors to be weary of her, but I feel like they just thought I was cute. Grandma Esther hugged me next. She whispered, “We will be watching on some link T set up.” I chuckled. One, because Tristan didn’t set it up. Two, because she was just as savvy as us pups were with the internet, but she played like she wasn’t. I think I was the only one who knew she was just messing with them besides Grandpa Ben.
Tristan snorted, “I’ve already cleared out time for you to be confused and me to have to go over to your house and set up it.” She muttered, “It would be easier if we just put it on the big screen in the main house.”
Peter and Chelsea came in. He agreed, “It would be. That’s probably why I reserved it.” I giggled, “Daddy Peter!” He held his arms open wide and I ran into them. He linked, “Go do us all proud, you always do.”
We were like family, which was very common between the Alpha and Beta families, even the Gamma’s. They entered next. I smiled because everyone was coming to wish me good luck. I hugged Chelsea, Garrett, and then Sharon.
My mom laughed, “Alright, we’ve got to get going.” My watch beeped and I knew she was right. I agreed, “Yup… gotta go… for sure… last one to the car is a rotten egg!” I took off for the SUV. The Warriors going with us raised an eyebrow. I threw all my stuff in the back.
My parents came out and my dad got into the driver’s seat. He was taking us the airport. I waved, “BYE!” People from the pack were outside with posters and banners to wave us all out. I held my breath as we left, knowing we had thirty seconds left. I breathed a sigh of relief when we made it past the main entrance of the pack.
My dad asked, “Are you ok, Ladybug?” I squeaked, “Who me?” He chuckled, “Yes, you.” I nodded, “Uh huh… sure… totally fine.” We locked eyes in the review mirror. He told me, “It’s ok to be nervous. You’re going to win though.” He winked, “You always do.”
I was relieved that he’d assumed I was nervous about the competition instead of the cookie lady because that would’ve led to a blow up about her. I saw a few Warriors glance at each other. I was certain they knew. Maybe my dad did too, but he wouldn’t have been mad about it mom would’ve.
