"Did I ever tell you about the time when Alpha and I fought a vampire?"
"You fought a vampire?" Little Sam's eyes widened like saucers.
"No, no..." Beta Lucas quickly clarified, "I meant the wise Alpha and his kind Beta fought the vampire."
"Oh, them." Little Sam nodded. Little Sam knew all about this particular Alpha and Beta because Beta Lucas often told her stories about them.
The wise Alpha and his kind Beta never actually did anything particularly wise or kind though, but they were brave and not scared of anything. Not even vampires.
The funny thing was that Mama had never heard of these two. Mama's best Alpha Stories starred a red wolf who had hair like long blades called Alpha Blades. He was the kind of wolf who saved villages from rogue attacks and fell in love with a beautiful white wolf.
Little Sam was determined to grow her hair long after that, just in case her wolf could make blades out of it. Mama was quite supportive and they were both dismayed when their daily efforts to eat veggies and brush out tangles were thwarted by a stray bubble gum incident.
Little Sam wasn't even old enough to chew gum then so it was a mystery how Little Sam got her hands on some.
Neither mother nor daughter cried when Little Sam had her hair cut off, but Mama was quite very close to tears.
"Did I ever tell you about the time the Snow Wolf Alpha cut his hair?" Beta Lucas was reminded of the story shortly after Little Sam's new hairstyle was revealed.
It turned out not to be terribly exciting though.
"I liked the one about the wise Alpha and his kind Beta more." Little Sam told Beta Lucas, "Tell it again."
"Which one?" Beta Lucas asked.
"The one where they fought a vampire." Little Sam decided. She liked that one. It was quite funny because the vampire could control them and make them punch each other like they were street fighter video game characters.
"Did I ever tell you about the time we got lost and accidentally entered a vampire's coven?" Beta Lucas asked, "Hoo boy, I thought that was the end of us!"
Sometimes Beta Lucas got so into telling the story that he forgot that the story wasn't about him at all.
"One day, I want to go too." Little Sam said.
"What? To a vampire's coven?" Beta Lucas sounded aghast.
But unlike Beta Lucas, Sam was brave like the wise Alpha and his kind Beta. "Yes. And also to the Warlock Lands, and the Ice Palace, and the Colored Mountains. I'm going to go everywhere."
Beta Lucas chuffed and folded his arms, "Not me. I'm going to stay right here with your dad. The outside world is a mess."
Little Sam laughed, "That's cause you're his beta. You have no choice."
"Well, I suppose so." Beta Lucas conceded.
"Don't worry. If I go, I'll bring you and dad too. Then we can see the world together." Little Sam promised.
"Yes, yes." Beta Lucas seemed to feel this was for the best too, "When you grow up, you can take us with you."
And then he remembered, "Did I ever tell you about the food truck by the sewers?"
"Is it like a story or a real food truck?" Little Sam frowned.
"Ah, hoo boy." Beta Lucas scratched the back of his head, "It's a story. You know I'm just telling you bedtime stories right?"
Little Sam nodded, "Yes, even if it isn't bedtime."
That was the best thing about Beta Lucas' bedtime stories. Little Sam never had to wait till bedtime to hear it.
The door opened, "I'm back."
"Dad!" Little Sam yelled.
Dad came in smelling like forest and motorbike and blood, but it was faint so Little Sam knew Dad had won. Dad always won. He picked Little Sam up and smelled her hair.
"How did it go, Alpha?" Beta Lucas asked.
"Better than expected." His Alpha drawled. His Alpha's wolf was still near the surface so his voice was growly. He must have ran all the way back, "You didn't have to worry."
"Hoo boy, me worried?" Beta Lucas shook his head and shrugged jauntily, "Why would I be worried?"
"Beta Lucas told me bedtime stories again." Little Sam announced.
"That's nice." Dad put little Sam back onto the floor, "Luc, make a call to Alpha Sean. Tell him I have his wolves in..."
Dad looked at Little Sam.
Little Sam looked back up to Dad.
"In the basement?" Beta Lucas prompted.
"Yes..."Dad nodded, and then looked surer about it, "Yes, the uh... basement. Harry's already with them."
"Hoo boy, Alpha." Beta Lucas shook his head, "Alright, I'll take care of it."
And that was that. Beta Lucas left the office and Dad went to his desk to check the papers on it. Little Sam also had things to do, in particular, Beta Lucas had left his mug on the coffee table.
Little Sam went to check. Lucky! It still had liquid in it. She carefully picked up the cup and emptied the brown liquid into the secret dark puddle she had been collecting behind the potted plant in the corner of Dad's office.
She wanted to make a magic pool, like the kind in Lycan legends. Magic pools can help wolves heal, and having one in Dad's office might come in handy. Plus Dad and Beta Lucas both liked coffee so Sam felt certain that a coffee flavored pool would be appreciated.
Dad always won, but just in case, Mama ever said, "Better safe than sorry." And Mrs Beta always made sure she had first aid kit in her handbag. The ladies would be proud of her for taking care of Dad and Beta Lucas for them.