It was a good 30 minutes before Brandon and Kami made it to the dining hall. Both of them were soaking wet. He had actually dumped her in the lake! And joined her for that matter. Whether or not it was voluntary on his part or she drug him in with her was yet to be known.

My eyes widened as the two of them came walking in the back doors of the dining hall. Tristan’s brows furrowed at my expression. Mat and Cedric were sitting across from us and thus could not see Brandon and Kami walk in, both looking perplexed at me and Tristan as well.

It was only a moment or two before whispers and some scattered snickering filled the hall at the sight of the soaking wet pair.

“He actually did it…” I pointed towards the two, drawing the boys’ attention to them.

Mat and Cedric turned, not even trying to hide their amusement at the sight. Kami was trying to maintain a scowl as Brandon was laughing and teasing her. Cedric got up and headed out of the dining room, towards the downstairs shower room.

“Teach you to accuse me of trying to kill you won’t it? I was just helping you cool down.”

“I think I’ll just up the charges… Attempted murder by drowning has a nice ring to it.”

“Kami… You can swim, you’re one of our best swimmers… If you’re going to lie, make it believable.”

“Shut up, Brandon!” She glared at him, but our group could tell she wasn’t truly mad at him, just a little annoyed at him at the moment.

Cedric returned, carrying two of the larger towels. Mat took one as he reached us.

“You forgot a towel!” Mat tsked and shook his head at Brandon, holding up one of the towels Cedric brought back.

Kami turned her glare on Mat, who had no fear, or no common sense, maybe both. It was certainly debatable at this point in his life.

I shook my head and took the towel from him, while simultaneously slapping the back of his head. I headed towards Kami, wrapping the towel around her as I reached her. “Come on, let’s get you changed into dry clothes, and I’ll make you one of my breakfasts up in my suite and we can plot revenge against the boys.”

Kami’s mouth turned up at the corners ever so slightly when I smacked Mat and then grinned at the mention of my cooking. “Deal!”

“Hey! I had nothing to do with this!” Tristan pouted at me.

“Too bad, all boys are banned from the Alpha suite until further notice!” I declared and Kami and I took off giggling as we headed for the stairs.

“Not if we get there first though…” Mat arched an eyebrow at the boys and without another word all of them took off after Kami and I. Thankfully I was quicker than all of them, except maybe Tristan, but he also was not quicker than me and Kami and I had a head start.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Several pack members laughed as Kami and I squealed and picked up the pace. The boys had hit the first set of stairs and we were on the third.

I grabbed Kami’s hand, tugging her along behind me as we raced up the stairs, laughing as we went.

“Hurry! We have a head start and none of them are faster than me!” I urged Kami. Thankfully she was pretty damn quick herself.

“I heard that!” Tristan bellowed up at me.

“Good!” I yelled back.

“Gonna catch you, Red!” Mat taunted.

“Gonna pay for that later Mattie!”

For now I was not going to let him goad me into letting them get the upper hand. Kami and I rounded onto the fourth flight and I spared a glance down over the railing into the stairwell. The boys were about halfway up the second flight.

Kami and I were still laughing. “They’re so full of themselves. Never going to close the distance.” Kami spoke, loud enough for them to hear her with ease.

“Hmph. That’s what you think! Of course you also thought I wouldn’t toss you in the lake and see where that got you?” Brandon called back.

Kami and I were nearly at the final flight, “Hence why I get Aly cooking and you guys don’t!” Kami retorted.

We heard a couple of the boys growl, Tristan and Brandon if I had to make an educated guess. This coaxed more laughter and squealing out of Kami and I as we took the final flight two stairs at a time and raced down the hall to the Alpha Suite, locking ourselves in it just as the boys reached the top of the stairs.

Male wolves loved a good chase and I knew that I was going to be in for it later when Tristan got ahold of me. Kami was safe at least, for now. Her birthday was only about a month away now.

I could smell the boys outside the door as one of them rapped on the door. “Let us in, ladies.” Tristan assumed a sweet voice, hoping to win us over.

“Absolutely not.” Kami answered.

“Come on, we didn’t do anything to you, just Brandon. Why make the rest of us suffer?”

“Because you three have eaten and I need you to go pick up Rian!” I answered.

“But I haven’t eaten!” Brandon protested.

“Then I suggest you go make yourself something or sweet talk Helga in the kitchen!” Kami snapped at him.

“But… Aly’s the best cook in the pack house!” Brandon huffed.

“You know… We could go ask my dad if he’s not busy… He did teach Aly everything she knows…” Mat suggested quietly, but not quietly enough…

“That’s a good idea.” Brandon agreed.

“I would not suggest it. Or I will be forced to tell Mom and Dad why I am not feeding you!” I yelled at the door, only to be met with a satisfying round of grumbling from all of them.

We heard them shuffle away as Tristan suggested they go pick Rian up and then they could figure out what to do from there.

I smiled and ushered Kami to go find something to change into. “Go change. I’ll get cooking. Want anything particular?”

“Hmmm, heart attack burrito?” She grinned mischievously at me.

“Oh, you’re just rubbing it in now…”

“Maaaayyybeee…”

“I’m in. I’ll get started!”

We both giggled as she disappeared into the closet to find some clothes to wear. Most everyone had a basket of random spare clothing in their rooms. One just never knew when someone might need a set. I headed into the kitchen and set to cooking.