บท 234: THE KICK-BUTT BUTTERFLY
"Uncle Louis! I'm here to shadow you!" I called out happily.
Beta Larson took his place by his Alpha's side.
Uncle Louis looked put on the spot, it's almost as if he had changed his mind, but he nodded and decided to show me how hard it was to be an Alpha, "As Alpha I have to welcome all incoming Alphas. It is important to keep good relationship with the other packs and keep your pack in good standing. Alpha George..."
He didn't have time to complete his lecture, a black stretch limousine followed by an entourage of motorbike pulled up our long driveway.
"Welcome them, make friends, don't let them bully you. Got it." I said.
Alpha George stepped out of his car and Uncle Louis couldn't respond to that.
The two older Alphas shook hands.
"Thanks for coming." Uncle Louis said.
"I'm sorry for your loss." Alpha George intoned.
"Don't be." Uncle Louis said, "My father finally found his rest."
And then Henry appeared. He shook hands with Uncle Louis, and repeated, "I'm sorry for your loss."
I'm beginning to learn that people said "I'm sorry for your loss" at funerals the way people said "bless you" when you sneezed or "Happy birthday" on your birthday.
Uncle Louis repeated again, "No, no, there's no reason to be sorry. He is resting in peace."
I felt quite sure now that wasn't the correct response based on Henry's expression. It was like saying, "No, no, don't be happy" in response to "Happy birthday."
"Hello Henry!" I grinned.
Henry cracked a very small smile, "How are you, Sam?"
"I'm good." I quipped, "Thanks for coming."
"Welcome Alpha George." I decided to make friends like Uncle Louis said, "I'm Sam. I'm Henry's classmate."
"Alpha Kingsley's daughter, next Alpha of Night Leaf in the Green Packlands." Henry decided to give some context to his dad.
Alpha George raised a brow, "Is Kingsley really passing on his title to this girl?"
I grinned, "Yups."
"Always the maverick, that one." Alpha George commented.
I couldn't tell if he felt this was a good or bad thing.
"My brother is inside." Uncle Louis decided by now that this difficult guest was here for my dad. He seemed openly relieved.
"Yeah, come inside and say hi." I said.
We went into the main hall. First, we greeted my newly widowed Grandma Luna then we went to the coffin. Alpha George and Henry bowed their respects. And then we went to sit down.
Henry sat next to me. He had an arm slung casually over the back of my chair. I couldn't decide if he was being friendly or trespassing my personal space. Killion served him a coke immediately.
"I can't decide if I want to introduce you to my sister and cousins or not." I told him. There were many things I could not decide about having Henry in my personal space/life suddenly. Sometimes I wished my friends in school would stay in school, and my pack wolves would stay in my packland.
Henry chuckled, "It's alright. I'm not in a hurry to meet my mate."
What? Who said any of them would be his mate? That was somewhat disconcerting.
"I see James put a collar on you though." Henry indicated at my silver bangle.
"Yup. I got betrothed." I told Henry.
"Should I send a gift to congratulate you?" Henry asked.
Was this the way Henry was making friends too? Was he also doing the "make friends, don't let them bully you" Alpha thing too? I grinned at him, "I only want two very specific things in any amount."
Henry groaned, but he was smiling, "Sam, I don't dare ask what."
I laughed, quite happy to have Henry's company, "Money and information. Specifically, I want donations towards a new town I'm building. Like in any amount."
"Like how much is 'any amount'?" Henry asked. He was starting to get into business mode now. Henry's wolf was very business minded.
"Like any amount." Then I had an idea, "Like if you donated $200, I'm sure I could name a tree or a bench after you. If you donate enough for a park, I'd name the whole park after you. What do you think of that? The Alpha Henry Park in Princess Town."
Henry considered this, "And how much for the park?"
I shrugged, "Do I look like I would know these things?"
Henry laughed at that.
"Talk to my Beta." I told him, "It will be less frustrating for you."
Henry was seriously thinking again, "How serious is this Princess Town project?"
"What, you thought I was joking?" I flared at him.
Henry shrugged, "Sam, building a new town is a long term project."
"We got the land on the Green Packland. Alpha Lorent had already put in the first capital. It's a real project, Henry. It's like a..." I looked over to Killion, "Ki explains it better."
Killion stepped forward with his usual placid smile and a small bow, "The princess is building a small self sufficient town in the form of a social enterprise to shelter homeless Lycan widows, orphans, and former slaves. We are currently at a initial conceptual stage. I believe the Princess is asking for your partnership."
Yeah, what he said.
"Yeah, Henry! I need all the help I can get! You and I, we live such comfortable lives, but sometimes all a Lycan needs is a second chance, and a real shot at life. It's not going to be like a free soup kitchen. Its just a safe place for them to work hard and rebuild their lives. Come on, it'll be a really classy town, with clean roads and a large park right in the middle of it. Do you see it?" I asked.
Henry shook his head, "I only see in numbers, Sam."
I sighed, "Fine. Killion will send you the numbers. But I still think Henry Park has a nice ring to it. You can come and visit, and it would be a testament of your involvement and support to the Green Packland for generations to come. There are no numbers for stuff like that Henry."
"It does sound promising." Alpha George said.
"So George Park?" I asked hopefully.
"I would put my money on it." Alpha George said, "Let your beta send me the details too."
"Dad..." Henry started.
Alpha George smirked, "If the Lorents put their money in it, it would make money."
"Dad..." Henry said.
"And there was no movement spearheaded by Alpha Kingsley, no matter how radical, that had failed before." Alpha George sounded way too confident. Especially since this wasn't my Dad's project... It was mine.
"And you wanted information, girl?" He asked me, "I'm curious. Tell us what you want."
"My name is Sam, Alpha George." I took offense to him calling me 'girl'.
"I know." Alpha George smirked.
What did Uncle Louis say? Don't let them bully you.
"Good." I smiled at him, "Because that's the name of the wolf that's going to take down the Rouge King."
The table quietened and the adults who until now had been pretending to have adult small talk had stopped pretending to listen in fully.
"Don't tell me you want intel to take him down, Sam?" Henry asked, so I knew he had it.
"I've got a score to settle with him." I said.
"Sam, it's dangerous." Henry started.
"So intel would really help." I answered.
"Sam, a normal girl would ask for bling or something." Henry told me.
I laughed at that, "You're so funny, Henry. Do I look like a normal girl to you?"
Henry laughed, "So no bling?"
"Does a flip knife count?" I asked.
"No. It doesn't count." Henry snapped. And then he sighed and pinched his forehead, "What I want to know is how James handle you."
I laughed at that, and brushed off Henry's mock despair, "Yah, yah, I know. My poor mate, my poor betas, my poor pack, they're stuck with me. But for as long as they are running with me, I'll protect their happiness."
Henry sighed, "Does James even know what you're up to half the time?"
{Mate! Mate! Mate!}
I could stop the smile that spread across my face, "Looks like you can ask him yourself! He's here."
From the full length windows by the side of the hall, you could see the white cars gleaming under the bright moonlight outside.
Uncle Louis stood up. I got up too, "No need, Uncle Louis, I'll go greet them."
Uncle Louis looked extremely unsure.
"Wait here, Hen. I'll bring James over in a bit." And I left.
Henry leaned back and said smugly to his dad, "I told you she was a real Alpha."
"Fine, you win. How much do I owe you?" His father said.
"How much is a park?" Henry asked.
Yes! I'm getting a park! I ran out to the porch.
Seems like Alpha George had just lost the wager with his son. Hahaha, that's what you get for betting against me. It was also the reason for Henry's chattiness tonight. He was ensuring his win by using our conversation to prove my Alpha wolf quickly.
The Lorent soldiers recognized me and bowed, but I ran straight to Mate. Oh he smelled nice, his clothes like salted caramel. Grrr... I threw myself around him.
He was surprised but caught me neatly by my waist, "What are you up to now, Princess?"
"I'm here to greet you." I told him.
I took a quick bow at Alpha James and Luna Edith and led them into the main hall where I introduced them prettily to Grandma Luna. They graciously extended their condolences on behalf of the Lorent Pack.
Alpha James and Luna Edith took their turn first to pay their respects. They made a quick bow in front of his coffin. Dad and Uncle Louis and Mum all came up to welcome them and usher them to the table straight after that.
The Betas were quick to pour drinks.
Mate and I made a bow together next. I looked at Grandpa's serious photo.
Oh I wish... I wish you could meet Bell, Grandpa. I wondered what you would say. I wonder if you would laugh.
Suddenly something hot and wet was rolling down my cheeks.
Mate put his arm around me, "Shhh...baby, it's okay."
"I didn't even get to show him you... Or my wolf... or scold him... for all the... lies... he told me!" The tears rolled down. Mate used the pads of his finger to wipe the tears. He held my head close on his shoulder.
"Stupid Grandpa." I cried. I muffled my sob in mate's jacket.
Mate stroked my hair, "If that's all you regret, baby, then it's okay."
How was that okay? Plus I'm crying. And I'm sure the whole hall could see it. Stupid Grandpa. Stupid tears.
I rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand, "I promised Henry to bring you to him. Come on, let's go."
I took Mate's large hand and dragged him to our table. The adults were talking.
"Who knew Old Silas' death brought the top dogs of three packlands to the same table?" Alpha George smirked.
Adults had a weird way of making friends.
"Are you okay, Sam?" Mum asked.
I nodded and grinned, "Just a little leaky. No biggie."
Mate didn't remove his large hand from the small of my back.
"Oh, this is Alpha George, Henry's dad." I said, "They may be donating a park to Princess Town."
"This is my mate, Bell, I mean James." I told Alpha George.
"James Lorent the Third." Alpha George said, "The only male alpha left of the second generation in the Green Packlands."
Really? Was that true?
"The Rogue King has been targeting Green Packland for years. All of the future alphas in the minor tribes are dead. It's hard to survive as in a minor tribe in these times." Alpha George sighed.
Dad nodded. He knew? I suppose he would. They all would have known. "It's unfortunate."
"It's not easy for a pack of any size now with the Rogue King in power." Alpha Lorent said.
"I heard he had made a move on Night Leaf?" Alpha George said. He raised a brow at me. Oh right, I did say I had a score to settle with him.
"He poked at the wrong pack." I growled. My hair flared up fully, taking half the table by surprise.
The other half just shrugged. That's just Sam going bonkers again. At least that's what I imagined they were thinking.
"Well, when you get him, send him my regards too." Alpha George smirked.
"Then you'd provide us the intel?" I asked.
"Intel is easy." Alpha George boasted.
He would give me the intel and let me do the hard and dirty work of actually taking the Rogue King down. That was the Silver Moon Pack's way - let others do the dirty work. Information is power.
But I didn't mind hard work. And I didn't mind getting my hands dirty.
I had a land worth fighting for now. It's going to have opportunities and freedom and happiness and probably a park named Henry.
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