THE WAY TO RUN A MEETING

5 FEBRUARY, FRIDAY, FIRST CANDANCE

So we started the meeting, I mean Candance. I still think it was stupid to call a meeting a Candance. I mean, a meeting by any other name would be still a meeting.

I introduced everyone with quick friendly banter. Bell was my beautiful mate, Stephan was not to be mistaken for a statue, Ben, don't mess with Ben. Alpha James was one of the most gracious alphas I knew. Alpha Kingsley was dad, just dad, Flynn's back, welcome back, Delta Felicity was wearing really pretty earrings today etc.

At each reporting, we played a game where the person reporting was not allowed to repeat what was written in the report. They could add on, give details, ask for further advice/directive, but if anyone repeated something already reported, the other wolves who had remembered reading it should raise their hands. You were allowed to keep talking till half the room had their hands up.

After that I noticed Gamma Harry just sticking his hand up from the beginning of every report. This was amusing to Beta Lucas and Gamma Endo, yes, but turned out disconcerting for some of the deltas.

"Why is your hand always up, Gamma Harry?" I asked after the third time this happened.

"I just put up my hand first, then they will talk faster." Gamma Harry explained with a grin.

"This must be what my homeroom teacher feels like at school." I joked back.

So after establishing that we were only allowed to raise our hands if we actually remembered reading the details in the report, we continued.

By the end of the meeting, I noticed Gamma Endo hadn't raised his hand at all. Were all Gammas wired to be a little peculiar?

Anyway, it turned out that he hadn't read any of the reports yet. He only just came back from outfield. Edna, who was in attendance had read them all for him.

"Thank you for your honesty." I shrugged, "And thank you Edna for your long suffering."

There was some laughter when Edna made a little bow and even Gamma Endo laughed sheepishly.

Then we dealt with the further directives. I had a look at Harvey's typed out notes, he had marked out actionable in the comments side of his document.

So we just quickly ran through that.

Mate had asked me to lend him a personal beta. He wanted Ki or Fluffy, which surprised me since he often seemed at least mildly annoyed when approached by any of my betas, especially Ki. He also recommended Stephan as second in command of the Underground after him.

Alpha James wanted Mate to visit his mother when he had the time. He also graciously invited me for dinner with Mate sometime next week or the week after. He would like me to meet a couple of candidates for the Lorent Beta position.

Mate got pissed and said he would deal with the Lorent Beta position when he got back. He had looked at Fluffy. So I think whoever was Mate's personal beta would run the Lorent.

I highly doubt Alpha James was pleased that his pack might be run by someone named Fluffy. Alpha James retorted that at this point, Ki was the one running back and forth to cover for him. Might as well let it be Ki, but I guess he couldn't have known Ki didn't like going back to the Lorent pack.

Mate got even more pissed because he felt his dad was unreasonably criticizing him again. Alpha James said he didn't want to fight in front of the whole pack's leadership again. Mate growled lowly and I decided that was enough.

"You can continue arguing with your dad when we go over for dinner." I told Bell.

"Yes, yes, come over and argue anytime." Alpha James joked back, but it was obvious that despite their differences, this father wanted nothing more than to have his son home again.

There was a bit of laughter. Beta Gerald tried to diffuse the situation by quoting an ancient lycan poem, "I was blessed with a strong son, that turned out to be my plight. There is not a day we do not argue, not a night we do not fight."

I doubt anyone in the room felt Beta Gerald was qualified to quote this since his son was the impeccable Harvey who was currently typing what was probably the most excellent minutes in Night Leaf History.

Bell shrugged, "Let's move on with the meeting, Princess."

So we did.

And we finished narrowly at 10.58PM.

"Yes! Congratulations! We made it!" I announced.

"We're done?" Beta Lucas asked.

"Yes, dad. Quit snoozing." Ben scolded.

"Our Leadership Candance will be on the 5th of March, it's also a Friday." Harvey informed everyone, "This would be just before the Underground begin their migration over."

"The refreshment table is ready in the dining hall. We invite you to mingle and follow up on tonight's discussion among yourselves." Killion said.

"Good, there's food. Very good! Good meeting!" Gamma Harry praised.

"Thanks for running through this meeting with me!" I stood up and bowed to my elders.

Everyone stood up, "Thank you for leading us."

It a very formal and traditional thing to say, usually at the end a pack run. We didn't do it anymore, but I remembered hearing the warriors say it when I was younger. The adults laughed heartily at their sudden synchronized outburst. "I just felt like saying it suddenly." Edna laughed to her brother. Gamma Endo laughed loudly and slapped Gamma Harry's back.

Gamma Harry was headed for the refreshments downstairs so he had no time to return the gesture, but he laughed and nodded as he made his way to the door.

I bet they thought they were so funny.

Ben's hand was on my back again so I guess it was time to go. I wanted to go back to my room, take a shower and sleep. I'm done. But Ben led me down to the dining hall.

By the time we got there, the other leaders were already talking among themselves.

Ben sat me next to my dad who was talking to Alpha James. Hot milk tea and cookies appeared in front of me. But I was too tired to eat.

I wanted to put my head on the table, but I wasn't in school. And Alpha James was sitting right across me so it didn't seem right.

Just hang on a little more.

The adults were talking. Beta Gerald and Alpha James seemed to get along well.

"It's amazing, what Alpha Sam has achieved." Alpha James was saying, "Very impressive."

"Our Luna Bell is also an outstanding young wolf." Beta Gerald informed Alpha James.

Alpha James looked surprised, I think because he still wasn't used to his son's Luna moniker.

"The both are truly well matched" Beta Gerald quickly added.

Alpha James nodded, "The goddess truly blessed our son. My Luna had said to me from our first meeting that this girl was truly a peerless princess. The goddess must have designed her for a great man."

"Yes, how true. Our Luna Bell is destined for greatness. All the warriors hold him in high regard." Beta Gerald answered.

"No, no, no, my son was just lucky. It is this alpha princess who has accomplished these monumental breakthroughs." Alpha James insisted.

"Her success is only enabled by your son's leadership and battle skills." Beta Gerald also insisted.

"I'm sure this Alpha Princess' skills are in no way less exceptional than his. It defies all convention, she is truly a unique girl." Alpha James replied.

I wondered briefly how long Beta Gerald and Alpha James could keep volleying the compliments to each other.

Mate came over and sat next to his father.

"Enough already old man." He growled, "The whole hall can hear you blowing hot air."

To me he said, "It's past your bedtime princess. Someone!"

Ki appeared by Mate's side instantaneously, "Yes, Luna?"

"My princess is tired. Escort her to her room." Bell instructed.

"I'm not tired." I flared.

Okay, I know, I was tired. All I wanted was excuse myself and take a nice long shower and sleep. BUT I didn't need mate to tell me that.

There was a silence in the hall suddenly. Bell frowned at me. I crossed my arms and looked away.

"You're being childish." Bell said.

"I am a child, what'd you expect?" I answered stubbornly. Yeah, and maybe I was still mad at him for all that talk about me still being a kid or maybe thinking my boobs weren't very big enough...

Bell got up growling and walked around the table to me. I stood up to face him. My hair was flaring. Did he want to fight? Bring it on!

Somewhere at the back of my mind I remembered Gamma Harry saying how it was not good for the Alpha and Luna to be fighting.

Somewhere at the back of my mind, I was aware that the leadership of the new Moon Bell Pack was now watching their Alpha and Luna face off.

Somewhere at the back of my mind... There were a lot of things I was aware of, like that I was the alpha but I had just all but admitted I was a child in front of everyone. That my Luna and I were about to fight over my bedtime. That neither of us was going to back down because we were just too damn proud for our own good.

Nothing better than to know what a fool you were being at the moment.

I could just pass the reigns to Boo and then blame her after that. I mean, this was becoming one of my favorite fallback options of late.

And then I had a brilliant flash of inspiration. I tiptoed and brushed my lips very quickly on Mate's stubborn jawline, because that was as high as I happened to reach, "Tag! You're it!"

And then I made a run for it.

I ran as fast as I could, but Mate simple ordered, "Catch her."

The Lorent warriors by the dining hall entrance immediate made a grab at me. But I dodged one and flipped another.

"Opps, sorry." I hadn't meant to flip him, but he had grabbed my arm just so that it triggered my drilled training to auto-play.

Mate swore something under his breath. The men around winced.

But my betas were on the move now.

"Luna, she's heading for the front door!" Ben yelled.

Who's side were they on, anyway?

"Don't just stand there, stop her!" Mate snapped.

OMG. That's a bad guy line right there. I knew Mate was evil.