JUST ANOTHER PEEK

"Wait." I had an idea, "Since we are already here…"

Because there was no longer a Ben in our group, nobody had the bad attitude to groan or complain.

"Your wish is our command, goddess." Ki smiled. I hadn't even said what yet!

I looked to my good beta for a more balanced and sensible response, but Harvey only looked serious and nodded, "Just give us your instructions, Alpha."

All my life, I had groused over I was always questioned by my parents, my elders, and everyone around me. My refrain had always been, "One day, I'll be the Alpha, and everyone would follow me."

This year, I shifted, and for whatever reason, (be it my Dad's will or pack instinct or my wolves loyalty, and maybe the fact that most of us were idiots - probably a combination of it all - Ink would probably be ablet to give the percentages), but for whatever reason, my wolves had started to take my lead.

WHY?

And after meeting the Future Me from 3-Years-Later, I seriously worried. I didn't feel like I was very reliable at all. Very beautiful, yes, but not particular safe to follow.

And for some reason, none of my wolves seemed to have a problem with such a future. In fact, they all left the Future Alpha House so satisfied that you would be hard pressed to me such a smug group of wolves anywhere.

I'm not sure if this was a case of reverse phycology, but now that all my responsible wolves have heaved their sighs of relief, I was the one getting stressed out about my own decisions.

My wolves gathered around me expectantly.

"What is Pretty Alpha's plan?" Fluffy asked.

Can I really do anything I wanted? Was this really okay?

"Alpha?" Harvey's lips pressed into a thin line.

"It's not really a plan." I confessed, "More like an idea."

My wolves looked expectantly at me. Like don't look at me like I was about to say anything amazing! But anyway, here goes, "Let's go spy on our future."

"WHAT?" More than one wolf exclaimed.

It wasn't that crazy an idea, was it? I mean, since we had come all the way here.

"I'm just a little curious." I admitted.

There was a pause, and then Neil spoke, "But… that…"

He pointed at the combined Alpha House and Packhouse - was it the Alpha House or the Packhouse now?

"Yeah, we're not cats!" Jax said, "We can't just stroll in and out as we please!"

The two cats exchanged glances but did not deny this truth.

I sighed and pretended to be burdened by their protest, but if I were honest, I was suddenly in my element again. How should I put this? Now that there was someone doing the worrying, I was finally free to wing it again, "You haven't even heard out my idea yet!"

Basically, my idea was to switch to ghost mode. We can go check things out and be back without anyone noticing.

"Gho…ghost mode?" Neil looked extremely uncomfortable about it.

"We don't all have to go." I reassured him, "Someone need to guard our bodies."

"Do you mean to say you can transport us in ghost form too?" Harvey raised his hand to ask.

"Technically… probably." Actually, I hadn't quite thought it all out, but I could take my betas on a dream travel. My ghost form seemed like just another way to dream travel… probably.

"Anyway, we won't know until we try." I decided.

Wolfgang was frowning. Ah… now I was beginning to see the resemblance to Parry's permanent cat frown.

"Very well. I will stand guard." Wolfgang decided, "I will protect my princess with my life."

I sighed, "I don't think its that big a deal. We just need to avoid being found by the patrols."

Harvey frowned, "There is a high chance that the patrol routes and schedules have been changed."

Apparently, my good beta had noticed that our gravel paths had been shifted, "Not right here, this path looks the same, but further up."

There was a very good chance a patrol would be coming by every 45 minutes.

"Then we should move." Sir Wolfgang checked his watch.

"Okay, I know a place." I said. I started towards the direction of our secret shed on the packhouse side of the woods… here's hoping that it would still be there.

Two minutes down the path and I realized Harvey was right. The paths had been shifted over the years. If I didn't follow my lucky sense of direction, I would have let the new path lead me off course.

It was weird, this place was so familiar, but at the same time, it felt like I was somewhere else.

But lucky us! The shed was still there. It looked weather beaten and run down though, but it was still empty and abandoned just as it used to be.

"Okay." I didn't waste any more time, "Who's coming with me?"

Ki and Fluffy immediately raised their hands.(Why was I not surprised?)

Neil took a step back, "Ah, I don't know about this ghost thing… so I guess I can just guard here."

"I'll stay with Neil." Jax decided, "So he doesn't freak out on his own."

Wolfgang chuffed, "Aren't you ashamed? Grown warrior wolves afraid of ghosts? Forget it. I will also stay and guard."

Harvey considered this and nodded, "Alright. What about you Leon?"

Leon made a polite bow, "I will follow your order."

Harvey considered this again and then decided, "Then I will follow Alpha. Leon, please guard His Majesty's princess here with Sir Wolfgang. Mind the cats do not leave your sight."

"Understood, Beta." Leon nodded another bow.

"If your location is compromised, Leon can open a portal." Harvey continued, and then he pointed at Jax, "V."

At Neil, "V."

At Fluffy, "V."

At Ki, "V."

At himself, "V."

At Wolfgang, "V."

At Leon, "V."

At the cats, "I"

At me, "P"

"Why am I first?" Jax asked, "They always put me in front of you."

"Haiz… first and second again. Always the cannon folder." Neil shook his head.

I knew this VIP code. Basically, it marked me as the "Package", marked the cats as "Important", and everyone else in order of their dispensability to the mission.

For example, if Wolfgang and Leon both fell off a boat during this mission and only one of them could be saved, they'd save Leon. (Presumably because he was more useful since he had a portal.)

And if we had to throw off someone to keep the boat afloat, it would be Jax.

This was how our warriors on risky missions strategized in a few alphabets. Who should step up to hold off the enemy, who should draw back to complete the mission… it would all be explained in three letters and the order in which they were pointed to.

I'm very proud of this VIP code. Not many people knew this, but I was the one who introduced it to Night Leaf. It was something the King's agents did (in the movie), and then I found out from Mrs Beta that this was historically accurate, the agents in the Colored Mountains did use such a code.

And I daydreamed about it. Most of the time, I wanted to be the letter "I", the important one, the key to the mission. It turned out, the cats were the important ones.

For a while, my gang and I used it for our own official and unofficial lycan study group missions. Although we would spend most of the time arguing who got to be "I." This was also during the time I was a Leon fan and liked to quote him, "The shortest route is the straightest!"

I was so proud when I first heard about Flynn using it during his real grown up warrior mission. (The VIP code, not Leon's quote.)

Now it was one of our mission types. If a warrior said he was going on a VIP Mission. It meant that he was on a risky mission where casualty would be expected.

"I got the idea when I watched some puppies playing." Flynn had explained.

So even though no one except my gang knew, the VIP code was my very good unoriginal idea. See, I was full of good ideas since I was a pup! Just like this ghost run was a very good idea.

Wait… but I don't think Harvey was playing pretend VIP Mission. I think he was seriously numbering us off. Did that mean my good beta felt this was going to be risky? Omo.

WTH was I getting us into?