RUNNING ON BORROWED WISDOM

I had gobbled down my food and taken the files from Killion the moment he returned. Excusing myself, I wandered out of the Banquet Hall. I let my lucky sense of direction lead me to somewhere quiet and found myself in the main hall.

The main hall was usually empty except for a grand piano in a corner, but tonight there were tables and chairs set up. The piano had a music stand set up next to it. My cousin's recital would be here.

There were flowers and candles all around the room. And of course right up in front, there was a large shiny wooden box. Grandpa Alpha's coffin.

The room was empty, not even a guard. I walked up to the coffin, creeping over as if not to wake him.

I looked into it. It was really Grandpa Alpha, or at least just his body. He looked like he was sleeping and having a good dream.

I let out the breath I was holding with a quiet sigh. I had no idea what to expect when I had looked in.

I walked back to the foot of the coffin. There was a table with flowers and a framed photo of Grandpa Alpha. He looked rather dignified, but he wasn't smiling in it.

I tried not to think too hard about it.

Some guards came into the hall to take their positions.

"Sam?"

It was Flynn. He grinned, "Or should I say, Princess?"

"Don't." I said, "Sam is fine."

"Are you alright?" He asked.

I nodded. "Yeah." I looked at my Grandpa Alpha's coffin again.

"Were you close to your grandfather?" Flynn asked.

I wasn't sure what he meant. He was my Grandpa. I nodded.

"I'm sorry for your loss." Flynn said sincerely.

Would he be less sorry if I said no?

I shrugged and nodded again. I had no idea how to respond to that.

"I have some stuff to do." I said, waving the file with a smile.

"Yeah, alright." Flynn nodded, "But let me know if there is anything I can help you with."

"Yeah, thanks." I said.

I spied a table on the side of the hall and decided to sit there. I took the chair closest to Grandpa Alpha and opened up my file.

Flynn had moved on to check on the soldiers and then to answer a mindlink outside.

Harvey had collated a few more notes, but not that many. Some of them were his own personal notes on related issues, as well as Killion's notes from my betrothal.

He also included a report of what was finally gifted as my dowry. It was a long list. I flipped to the end where there was a sum of money set aside as "Capital for the construction of the new Princess Town".

It had a decent number of zeros behind it. Enough for me to wonder if that was enough for a building. How much did it cost to build a packhouse?

I hadn't the faintest idea.

Why was I so clueless about things like these? Was there a book I could read to get smarter and know more things?

I wondered if my Grandpa Alpha was smart. Grandpa Alpha, I didn't need the trust fund to find or make my happiness. What I wished you had left for me was your experience.

Yeah, I wish I was wiser. I wish I could make right decisions.

I had a merger meeting to attend. I'm just a kid, what would I know?

Wolfie what should we do?

{Win!}

Stupid Wolfie. You can't just decide that on your own. People don't win just because they want to or everyone would be winners.

I didn't even know what I wanted to win.

I wished I knew what I was doing.

I stared folornly at the printed notes in front of me. They were highlighted with colored notations from when I was in the car. The new notes too... I started working on them. Writing down my questions or anything else that came to mind.

Why were we merging the packs? To strengthen our packland defence. To join our resources. To defeat the Rogue King. To break the curse. To restore the brokeness in the Lorent pack. To reinforce the ranks of the Morning Light pack. To protect the happiness of the Night Leaf pack. To save Lycan slaves and give them a shelter they can call home.

We were merging to create a land of healing, restoration, and happiness.

This was the land I wanted to build in the green packlands. A land of second chances and opportunity. A place as magical and exciting as the Colored Mountains we came from.

Maybe one day, like Dad, I would go look for the Colored Mountains. But as long as I was here, I might as well make this place amazing.

Who knows? Maybe if I kept trying, one day I would wake up and find my dream had come true.

My Grandpa Alpha had put his heart and soul into building the Night Forest Pack. My Dad had also given up everything to come out at build Night Leaf Pack.

Grandma Luna said, "It's hard being a woman in this world. Your life is not your own. Your happiness lies in pleasing your mate."

Uncle Louis said, "Being the Alpha is a lot of hard work. I'm afraid a girl like you wouldn't quite understand."

I'm not afraid of hard work. I'd rather work hard and be the Alpha than leave my happiness in the hands of another. In fact, not just my own, I'll protect everyone's happiness.

Because I'm the Alpha. I'm strong like that.

And I'm not running alone. I had my Betas, and my family, and my friends, and pack backing me.

Suddenly I remembered my Dad's words that night we ran in the snow together, "The true strength of an Alpha isn't in the size of his wolf, but the power of his pack."

It's true I'm not very smart, but that's okay. My betas are smart. It's true I've got no experience, but that's okay. My elders are experienced.

I'm not too proud to run on borrowed wisdom.

As long as I keep running in the right direction, we'd probably get there somehow.

Afterall, I'm a wolf with an incredibly lucky sense of direction. I was made to win.

I just need to keep running.

Now that my heart was set on running, I ran upstairs to the apartment. I'm about to shadow my uncle tonight, at least my Wolfie was. Heh heh heh.

And Wolfie was determined to go as a butterfly tonight.

I looked at myself in the mirror. I needed all the help I could get. I slid my betrothal bangle down my arm. I had been wearing it under my sleeve, but now I was going to wear it outside. It shone bright and silver on my black sleeved arm, magically clinging onto my upper arms.

I also put on my white watch from Luna Edith. My watch with a lot of wishes. I was going all out.

I'm not running by myself no more.

And then I dug out my lucky jacket.

Granted, one did not wear a puffy hooded vest over a formal dress and black heeled boots. BUT in my defence, the weather was turning cold and it was a very lucky jacket. Plus putting it on, I did quite like what I saw in my reflection.

I was a kick-butt butterfly!

I barged into my betas' mindlink channel, "Ready or not, here I come!"

They had been discussing something and I felt their surprise through the link. Hahahaha.

I took to the stairs, running them two or three or more at a time. My dress swished around my legs and I was quite pleased that it didn't get in my way. It's not like I could do a round house kick, but a straight up kick would be fine.

I found Savy with my cousins just as they were entering the main hall.

"Savy!"

Savy turned her blond head, her mouth made an 'O' in surprise.

"Stay with Mum tonight. I've got something to do." I told her. To my cousins I said, "I'm looking forward to your recital later!"

And then I headed to the banquet hall in search of my Betas.

My Betas who were dressed in matching dark blue shirts, under their deep grey suits, and black ties. I had to give Ki kudos for their super styling.

They immediately stood up the moment I approached their table.

"Princess." They bowed and greeted, their deep voices growly because their wolves were stirring. Their Alpha was up to something.

The other betas looked somewhat startled.

"Good evening, Alpha Sam." Beta Gerald greeted politely.

"Evening, Beta Gerald." I smiled, "Thanks for coming."

"Sam... What are you up to?" Beta Lucas asked. Eh, what made him think I was up to anything?

"Uncle Louis asked me to shadow him tonight." I grinned.

Beta Lucas eyed my outfit, "And what are you planning to do?"

"I'm just winging it." I said.

Beta Lucas looked pointedly at my betas. I've got no idea what he mindlinked, but they nodded, so I knew he said something.

"They grow up so fast." Beta Lucas said sounding somewhat satisfied.

Oscar stared for a long time, "But she's a girl."

I guess it was kind of hard for some people to wrap their minds around it.

I grinned at Oscar, "Thank you for noticing."

My Betas laughed.

And then I decided to ask, "Where's Uncle Louis?"

"I believe he will be at the porch to greet the guests. Alpha George of the Silver Moon Pack has crossed our borders." Beta Larson replied.

"Gold Packland's Silver Moon Alpha is coming?" Oscar asked.

His dad nodded and decided to test Oscar, "What do you know of them?"

And Oscar was able to recite from his super Beta memory, "The Silver Moon Pack is known as the premier pack of the Gold Packland. They are the top in intel collection and charge a premium for their services. Their Alpha is of a brown wolf bloodline. They are very wealthy due to trade with the next continent. Their current Alpha is Alpha Patrick George, and is known as Alpha George. He has a son who has shifted, named Henry."

"Indeed, they are not ones to make enimty with." Beta Gerald added solemnly.

"I'm surprised they would come." Beta Lucas said, "Alpha George seldom attends such functions."

"You're right, but perhaps out of respect for our late Alpha Silas, he had come." Beta Larson said.

As I listened, it was weird, as if Oscar was reciting from a textbook and then the Betas were gossiping, I mean, exchanging notes. Beta Lucas said men didn't gossip, they "exchanged notes." LOL.

But what was weird was that they were talking about Henry right? As in Hen, the guys who's going to buy all the girls in the class roses for Vday and drinks even more coke than I did, right?

I would've thought it was someone else by the same name.

{Alpha approaches}

What? Oh, Wolfie decided to provide doorbell services now?

"They're here! Let's go!" I said. I ran out of the pack house. My betas following closely. Ben grabbed the door for me before I reached it.

"Uncle Louis! I'm here to shadow you!" I called out happily.