We made it to the airport, and got checked in. My dad sighed, “I wish I was going.” My mom put her forehead on his and they rocked together. I was pretty sure that was unconscious on their part. My parents were fated mates, just like Xander and I were. I loved their relationship and hoped Xander and I would have what they did.
They kissed before my dad kissed the top of my head. He said, “You’ve got this, Ladybug. I’ll probably growl about your costumes. Don’t think I didn’t notice you nor your mom showed me what they looked like for this one.” I chuckled, “I didn’t pick them out.”
My mom gasped, “Don’t even imply I did! I had NOTHING to do with it.” I snorted, “That’s true. The teachers picked them.” The Warriors with us snickered. My dad hugged me one last time then mom and got us to the TSA line.
He walked away muttering, “Why do those dance teachers want me to lose my goddamn mind? She’s just a pup and she looks damn near twenty years old when she’s done up in the makeup and the hair, combined with those outfits. I swear they want to give me heart palpitations.”
My mom and I both busted up laughing. I asked, “Daddy knows you do my makeup, right?” She winked, “Of course he does. I’ve been doing makeup since I was in high school.” Shewas really good at it and often did it for she wolves for fancy events. She just also had an accounting degree and was really good with numbers.
I knew at one of the BAGG (Bad Ass Girl Gang) day’s she’d done everyone’s make up. She loved doing it. She was certified and everything. We made it through the security line and to our plane. We were flying back on Peter’s private jet.
I was shocked mom didn’t have Sharon pop us into the competition this time. It told me that something was definitely up in the pack though. I pulled up my tablet and started reading through Alpha Eric’s paper first. He was giving out battle strategies.
I pulled up my notes on the side and began to type them out with my questions. My brain also formulated additions to the offensive and defensive strategies Alpha Eric put out. I got lost in the paper and my thoughts.
Our flight was called, and we all boarded. It seemed silly since it was a private flight for it to be called, but that was just me. We got settled in and I finished my notes and reading on Alpha Eric’s paper. I filed those away and got to King Aiden Holloran.
He had interesting papers on hybrids I read, but also full bloodied Fairies. No one paid attention to those but me. I monitored his tracking for analytics on them. The Hackura were the only ones who read them. It seemed silly because he was telling people they were dangerous, and no one should cross them.
Somehow people didn’t seem to understand or comprehend they should NOT mess with Fairies. There were a lot of times the freak weather reports were them because people weren’t listening. Xander’s brother, Max, could cause earthquakes. Cassie could create tornados and there were others. Julian had a lot of earth powers, but people respected that.
For some reason, it didn’t occur to them to respect the Fairies that had more capabilities than the Conners. Or stronger earth powers. It was maddening to me, but I would imagine it was more so to the Fairies themselves.
Well, that wasn’t true. I think they kind of enjoyed it. People STILL didn’t suspect them of the things they did. The overall characterization of them was that they were flighty, uncaring, and fun loving. So, no one suspected them of being serious.
When in truth, they could be quite serious. Also, their versions of pranks were insane. You did NOT want an angry Fairy pranking you, but no one seemed to get that. I found that odd since Xander’s mom, Princess Haley Holloran Cambridge Conners, had beyond proved that.
She was even nice with most her pranks because of Alpha Eric and his alliances. She still got people good, and they seemed to just think she was extreme. She was quite tame by Fairy standards to anyone who was allied with Alpha Eric. They just didn’t seem to get that.
They clearly didn’t know how she pranked Fairies. Which was totally NOT something I knew because I’d put a device I was working on a book Jared returned. It did NOT help me piggyback onto their system and hack some files. That’s not a thing that I did. Nope. Not even kind of.
We were landing before I knew it and I huffed because I had to put my Fealish book away. I’d been taking notes on it. I stowed all my stuff, and we got off together. We were waiting for my teachers who came on other flights. The last one that showed up was the one I didn’t like.
She plastered on a fake smile, “Hey little tiny dancer.” I frowned, “Litle and tiny imply the same thing… so it’s not necessary to say both and…” My mom cut me off, “That was rude, Melanie Janie. Say sorry.” I sighed, “Sorry.”
She was right. It was rude but I REALLY didn’t like Miss. Janie Loperstom. That sounded like such a fake name, but I hadn’t been able to prove it was. I mentally grumbled that if I knew Prince Gunner, he could prove it. Or his son, Micah. He could totally prove it too.
We loaded up in the SUV’s my dad rented for us and took off for the hotel. My plan was going to come into play tomorrow night. My teachers and my mom were attending a parent’s night out deal the competition was doing. I was going to be “asleep” when they left with Warriors on the door. I had everything to get that done.
My mom clapped, “Ok, we get to the hotel, check in, and we will get you ready for the afternoon competitions.” I nodded because I knew that. I was more relaxed when all the teachers got their rooms. Miss Janie Loperstom was arguing with the front desk because her room wasn’t near ours.
My mom chuckled, “I wonder why she’s not by us.” The Warrior who checked us in answered, “Beta Drake got you the penthouse. Alpha Eric owns this hotel, and he worked it out with him.” I gasped, “He did?” My Xander’s dad gave us the penthouse? He winked at me and nodded.
Janie Loperstom squealed, “That’s great! We can all share!” I linked my mom, “Who tells her when she’s rude? Because… that was totally rude. You always say I can’t invite myself places.” My mom’s lips twitched trying to hide her smile.
My main teacher, Miss Becky Saveron, gasped, “Janie! You cannot invite yourself into their room!” Mis Janie argued, “They have a whole penthouse, and we were supposed to be on the same floor to work on the routines.”
I snorted, “Huh? I know all the routines… because I choreographed them… I’ve practiced them for almost half a year… so… working on them doesn’t make sense.” The most senior Warrior with us, Tom, said, “Sadly, we cannotaccommodate more in the penthouse. We will all be up there and there are additional guards coming.”
Miss Janie squeaked, “WHAT?!” My eyes narrowed in suspicion because she sounded nervous. I wasn’t the only one that noticed this time either. Tom said, “Alpha Eric has wolves that work security for the hotel, and they will be joining our detail for the competition at his insistence.” I hid my grin behind my stuffed Xander wolf.
My mom said, “Well, that’s very nice of Eric.” Yeah, she was allowed to call him that. Miss Janie wasn’t, and I bet that made her mad. Miss Becky dragged her to the opposite elevator. When I noticed no one was watching me I stuck my tongue out at her and made a ‘I’m watching you gesture.’
She narrowed her eyes, but her glare stopped. She quickly looked away. I glanced over my shoulder and nearly groaned. Tank was watching the two of us. He had just graduated high school, but he’d always hung out with Jason and his friends. Jason was mature for his age.
Well, we all were… and Tank watched me a lot growing up once he moved to our pack. He was officially on my sometimes detail when he passed his next level Warrior class, that solidified he could go out as a guard once he graduated.
We were led to a different, private, elevator. Ok, this might make this all harder to get out. It was SUPER cool though. I just needed to tweak a plan or two… because I had studied the blueprints of this hotel. I knew who owned it and everything.
