THE SHORT WALK TO BREAKFAST

"I know right?" Barry answered good-naturedly.

"She's his kryptonite." Ben spoke now. He shrugged like he didn't see what the big deal was, "It's a soulmate thing. You become WEAK."

Shhh... Ben! Don't let Bell hear you! But yes, it did sound like Ben and I had a very similar understanding about this "soulmate thing". Soulmates made you stoopid.

"Oh." Barry was older, but he sounded honestly surprised, "Í suppose that would explain it too... although the other guys said..."

"Enough." Wolfgang clipped our conversation short, "Warriors on duty do not speak unless spoken to."

"But you spoke first!" Barry protested, "Aren't you on duty too?"

"I..." Wolfgang's eyes widened at the realization, "I was also doubling up as the Princess' tutor."

"Wolfgang is on duty?" I asked. That would explain his warrior uniform. I knew it couldn't be because his suit was at the dry cleaners. Far be it for Professor Hotstuff to not dress precisely for the occasion.

"We're short on Special Team wolves." Ben told me, "You need to get more Sam, or else we need a larger auxiliary unit."

Yeah, sure. Just put it down on the grocery list Ki kept on the fridge. There's a magnetic pen next to it. I think there's some kind of system. I had seen Mum and Savy's handwriting on it. I'm assuming Ki-magic would make those things appear in our kitchen.

"Alpha is due in family dining room in two minutes." Harvey prompted.

We all started walking while Ben grumbled about the shortage of manpower.

Last night, we had Torque and Ink on guard duty. Cobra was on duty too (but completely invisible in the shadows.) Fluffy and EJ were undercover (but completely and very visible). Neil and Jax, who were the main auxiliary approved by my luna, were accompanying Bell yesterday night too. Owen (the newest member in the auxiliary unit) was at the Underground in the Red Packlands this morning assisting Theo with some "housekeeping" - at least it sounded like Ben probably said "housekeeping" in air quotes. It was hard to tell since Ben was speaking in his usual monotone, but it wasn't like we needed Theo AND Owen to go all the way back to the underground bunker all the way at the Red Packlands to sweep the floors or make the beds right?

Anyway, only Barry and Wolfgang were available for the morning shift today. So my bodyguards were going to be a cook and a tutor.

"I don't even need bodyguards." I protested. This was all very unnecessary, although maybe if they were always around I would neither grow hungry or stupid.

"Just deal with it, Sam. You're the Alpha so..." Ben shrugged without bothering to explain anything. Yes, he was just going to leave it like that for me to fill in the blank on my own. Ben's explanations were always like this. I think it's because he's too smart, so he didn't understand that normal people would actually require you to finish your sentence to understand you.

"Exactly." Wolfgang agreed, "It would be best if Princess took this opportunity to accustom yourself to the life of an Alpha."

I promised you, Dad had never, in all his Alpha career, required a pair of warriors to protect him around in his own home.

We arrived past the glass house and through the corridors. My wolves lined up against the dining room walls.

What? I was about to pass them and step through, but stopped to take a second look, "What are you guys doing?"

"Is there anything else I can do for you?" Ben asked very unenthusiastically.

I shook my head, "No thanks. But aren't you guys not allowed on this side of the house? My little sister..."

"Sabre said the pretty men were allowed." Ben cut me off.

Actually, I meant Savy. Savy wouldn't be able to cackle freely in the house if she knew there was a chance of one of you guys lurking around. Wait, what?

"Sabre said that?"

The guys laughed.