WHY DO YOU CALL ME ALPHA?

19 FEBRUARY, FRIDAY, ON THE WAY HOME

The journey home with Harvey was calm and pleasant, as always. We discussed some of the documents I read at school, particularly the White Paper that Delta Felicity had submitted on the economic situation at Night Forest. It was a good thing that I read the report properly. Harvey updated me on the travel agenda Delta Felicity had submitted this afternoon. She would be leading a small team of consultants, a few guards, and the FAO team (me, Ben, and Lola.) as her understudy. I could not quite imagine what it would be like to understudy Tim and Angela's crazy mum, but maybe like my motorbike escorts, Delta Felicity had a different face when working outside. I mean, her White Paper on the Night Forest Economic Situation was very proper and serious. I was quite surprised to see her name as the lead author.

The traffic was slow-going though, so it was really lucky that I was riding with Harvey today. If it were Ben, I'm sure Ben would have imploded. Usually, Harvey and I would discuss whatever pack matters, sometimes Harvey would pull aside for a while to type notes in his phone, but today the traffic was so bad that Harvey could type his notes at the stop lights. I had some things I wanted preparations for, like a few personal gifts for my cousins, additional reading from the references quoted in the white paper, and the full financial report because my appendix only had the main financial statements. I wanted to be prepared... because honestly, I didn't know what to expect from following Delta Felicity, and also tbh, I didn't want to look like an idiot.

We also discussed the progress of Princess Town, and the Underground Army had reported that they no longer needed the monthly stipend from our FAO. They were now financially independent for their regular expenses, inclusive of all warrior, staff, and medical personnel salaries. I remembered the stack of invoices I had seen at the underground, I suppose it would only be a matter of time before they would stop any other financial support from us. Right now, we still sponsored investment purchases - like new technology, infrastructure, etc... why were they still upgrading infrastructure?

"I think you Luna has plans to build an army training facility outside of the Green Packlands." Harvey reported, "Curiously enough, he made no mention of it in any of his reports. It was Ben who flagged it, and Ki would confirmed it personally with Luna Bell. We have received a request for financing new gym facilities, as well as an indoor firing range. We've put it on hold for now. Ben would like to discuss it with you before proceeding."

I knew it! My Luna was bent on world conquest.

"How much is it?" I asked, and then I decided to rephrase it so I would understand whatever Harvey answered, "I mean, is the amount they're asking for reasonable, and do we have it?"

Harvey looked surprised, "Alpha, it's not exactly the money that's the issue."

"Then what exactly is the issue?" I asked.

"There are two." Harvey informed me, "The first is the issue of, for the lack of a better word, repayment. As of now, we are sponsoring the Underground because they are your army, and thus the future army of Moon Bell, but in setting up an independent financial system, it would seem the Underground Army is positioning themselves as an independent mercenary army. The warriors are all sworn to you and wearing our blue uniform, but none of their income is returned to the FAO in anyway."

"So its not so much repayment than establishing our urm..." I struggled for the right term, "Like the relationship between the Underground and the FAO?"

"Yes. That is the first issue." Harvey sounded satisfied that I understood the situation, "The second is... well, I'm not so sure how to say this..."

Now it was my good beta's turn to struggle for the right words, so I guessed it wasn't a business or political term...

"Just say it plainly. I prefer that anyway." I said.

"Yes, Alpha." Harvey nodded at the traffic ahead, "Your Luna's chosen course of action is rather suspicious."

Oh really? In what way? Was it the way he had an underground army that constantly needed upgrading? Was it the way the underground had been recruiting - even rogues, I had seen that report, his reason was that it increased manpower (why would we need more manpower?) and took rogues off the streets. I guess for the rogues only good at fighting, this was an employment opportunity of a lifetime. They would not be returning to the Green Packlands though - you know, since rogues would be shot on sight, but they would be stationed at the Underground to establish security for Green Packland's surroundings. In other words, it planted an entire army right up close to some of our largest rival packs in the continent, but just out of reach from their jurisdiction, thanks to Red Packland's central geographical location and pro-independence policies. It wouldn't just be my betas who would be suspicious - I bet every other major pack would be keeping an eye on this Underground Army in the unspecified location somewhere in the deep forests of the Red Packlands. The spooky part - with the ghost mist... You know how bad guys liked to situate their lairs in secret places, preferably underground, and in a place where the environment was foreboding.

Come on, the guy even had a mask and cape, complete with evil moniker - death god.

Like yeah, that was my luna.

Harvey took a side glance at me while driving to see my reaction. I'm not sure what kind of reaction he had expected.

"You don't seem surprised, alpha." Harvey noted.

I shrugged, "Bell has a rather unique hobby."

Harvey narrowed his eyes, "I wouldn't exactly think of it as just a hobby, Alpha."

I laughed at that, "It can't be helped. He is my Luna after all. Ask Ki to get more information from him about what he's up to, and then check if we can afford it."

"You're going to fund his army?" Harvey could barely hide his shock. Hahaha. It was kind of fun, messing with Harvey like this.

"Bell's Investiture is coming. I need to give him a proper present to congratulate him. Better to give him what he really wants than another Rolex or whatever it is that rich guys get in their present boxes." I decided.

"Apologies, Alpha, but knowing Luna Bell's personality, an independent army in his hand might lead to catastrophic outcomes." Harvey tried to reason with me.

"Knowing Bell, he would have his army whether we help him or not." I answered, "Don't worry. I'm the alpha. I won't let him go too far."

Actually, even as I said those words, I realized I was jumping off the far side of the cliff with this one. It was one thing to say, "I'm the alpha, I've got this" in the face of a vampire incident. It was totally another level of winging it when it came to my own Mate. Geesh, goddess, why couldn't I have just gotten a merman or something harmless like that?

Our car suddenly broke free from the traffic jam in Gold Packlands... and we found ourselves right in the crush on the beginning traffic congestion further up the expressway. Harvey actually sighed aloud, "Apologies, Alpha. It seems our ETA home would be further delayed."

This was all Henry's fault. Marcus was right, even though his inauguration was tomorrow, people were arriving today so the traffic in the Gold Packlands was horrendous. And now that we were out of it, it was just about the beginning of the usual Friday evening peak traffic hours. Grrr...

"Alpha, you might still be able to reach home in time for dinner if we took a short cut." Harvey suggested very tentatively.

I narrowed my eyes at him, what short cut? And then I looked out of the window and watched as our car inched forwards a few steps at a time along with the rest of the traffic around us.

"We're approaching the slip road, Alpha. Should we take it?" Harvey gripped the steering wheel firmly, and continued to carefully guide the Porsche along the main road. Two of our motorbikes rode ahead of us.

"Why not?" I decided. I mean, heck. I was going to give my Luna the parts to expand his threat to world peace, driving off the main road was no big deal.

"Understood Alpha." Harvey nodded.

Two seconds later, Neil was signalling for the lane on our left to give way. At first, it was just him waving an arm to signal left. Harvey flipped on the left turn indicator too. I could see EJ waving his left arm behind us from the rear view mirror.

When the traffic didn't stop for that (why would they?) Neil simply drove his bike into the first space he could - ending up facing sideways on the left lane. But now the other cars did stop. Some horned. But Neil only raise both his hand.

EJ drove up to take Neil's front position, and we were diverted into the left lane, Neil turning his bike to rejoin us and we were on our way.

We turned again at the slip road and I realised the reason for Harvey's hesitation. It wasn't just the trouble to change lanes, we were back on the shortcut where we had fought our first vamps - well, now I knew they were just small fries, but it was a big deal then.

And we had found Hank and Flynn, their bodies crumpled in a heap at the back of a vampire's transport truck.

And Ki. Who knew my life would change so much since then - and I'm not just talking all the delicious things I eat everyday.

"It feels like a long time since we were last here." I said aloud as the same trees passed my window.

"Indeed, Alpha." Harvey sounded so serious, I turned to check on him. But he was just concentrating on the road.

It was a little bumpier this time. I guess it was the potholes now that most of the snow has melted.

Harvey winced at yet another bump, it wasn't a very big bump so I wasn't sure why Harvey even gave it a second thought.

"Apologies, Alpha. The Porsche wasn't built to drive off road." Harvey admitted.

Which could be the real reason for his earlier hesistation.

"I miscalculated. I didn't remember the road condition being this bad." Harvey said.

"The snow had melted." I told him.

"Apologies, Alpha. I should have taken it into account." Harvey liked to blame himself for a lot of things, like the bad traffic, the snow melting...

I waved it off, "Forget it, Harvey. Its just a car."

Harvey's eyes widened, and I realized I had just gone against every car-loving male wolf in my pack.

"I mean, at least it's not your truck." I tried to amend.

"My truck would not have a problem with off roads." Harvey said, there was a soft pride in his voice. It seemed like all my betas were having love affairs with their vehicles. Was this a beta thing? Or a general guy thing? Or maybe it was a just my luck kind of thing - like it was just my luck that all the guys around me were bossy, chauvinistic, car-loving wolves with underlying darkness of some sort. Even my good Beta... he was always good, but every now and then, he would let slip and I would see that his was a wolf who hadn't always been living in a bed of roses. Let's just say, I had reasons to believe that the rose bed of The Langston's heir had its share some deeply rooted thorns too.

"Then lets take your truck next time." I decided.

Harvey shook his head aghast, "You're the Alpha Princess of the Green Packlands. I can't drive you around in a truck."

I think Ki had a bad influence on him. Since when did Alphas not drive trucks in Night Leaf or Morning Light? We didn't always have proper roads - some of the minor packs still had unlit gravel roads. A truck was the way to travel in the Green Packlands, don't let the photos of glitzy white long cars at Lorent events fool you.

"Hey, I can ride on trucks." I protested, "I've fallen off my share of pick up trucks too, you know."

I had meant to make Harvey laugh, but Harvey looked even more aghast. And then he frowned, his brows crinkling up, just a little. His thin lips pursing together. It was a little bit like the face he made when he heard that Kevin had broken up with Lola. I cocked my head to one side and regarded him. Was he being protective of us?

"Apologies, Alpha." He said at last, "I did not mean you could not ride a truck, I was merely concerned with the appropriate transport given your reputation outside our packlands for now."

Yeah, because of the paparazzi... who had be conspicuously absent outside the school gate when we left. Most of them had followed Henry's car. Poor Henry. Paparazzi were like magnifying glass that zoomed in on the most random parts of your life, like how your friends had to stand around you, or what vehicles you could not ride in. And if you stand under the glare of their scrutiny too long, you start to feel the heat of their lens.

A gun could shoot you and mortally wound you. A camera could also destroy you when held in the wrong hands.

I've read of a barbarian pack - like a real one, who lived in huts and didn't have electricity. There were still some of these in the next continent. The one I read about killed tourists who tried to photograph them. They believed the cameras sucked up their souls. Maybe they were on to something. Hahaha.

"Alpha? Alpha?" Harvey was asking about something.

I blinked, "Yeah?"

"We are approaching the Alpha house. The Lorents have already arrived." Harvey informed me gravely.

"Ok." I nodded. The sky had darkened somewhat, but we were on home ground. It should be okay.

"Harvey?" I asked, because it was still bugging me.

"Yes, Alpha?" Harvey answered immediately, ready to take instruction.

"Why do you call me Alpha?"