SILENCE OF THE WOLVES

I don't know if I looked as astonished as I felt. By now, Ben had closed the distance between us, so completely forgetting that I could've mindlink, I turned to hiss into my beta's ear, "I mean the ORIGINAL BELL...from our ORIGINAL TIMELINE." 

Ben's reaction is to grab his ear. I pulled back and noticed belatedly that the other wolves were just looking to us.

Oh, opps. It would probably be best if the Night Forest wolves didn't realize that the Tyger was the Glorious Lorent's new alpha. Even though Bell didn't seem to care the least if the world knew, Tygers weren't supposed to be real.

Now we were in a real pickle. It's not like we could mindwipe Oscar or Mr Tegan or his assistant. What should I do?

I put on my wide smile to face them. I know! I'll change the subject!

(Yes, that was the best I could come up with on the spot. It was either that or just running away.)

Looking around, the first thing at hand was the verse penned in front of me, "Oh, it's still here." 

I picked it up and held it towards Mr Tegan, "I'm done. Thank you for letting me write with your pen. It was pretty cool."

Mr Tegan looked at the sheet of calligraphy in my hand like it was a ghost. I proffered it closer to him but he didn't take it. He opened his mouth, and then shut it, and then opened it and then shut it again. I tilted my head to consider what he might have wanted to say.

Why? Was there something wrong with the paper in my hand? I turned it over to check. Despite the way it had fumed black earlier to summon the Tyger, the paper was back to its pristine white now. And now that I was giving it a second look, I must say, I really wrote beautifully. Lady Amber would've been proud of me. The fine paper quality of Tegan Paper was not an empty boast either. It was fine grained, crisp, and foil thin, but the very black ink didn't bleed through. In fact, the ghosting in the back was barely visible. I held it up to the light to check it myself and had to conclude, "This paper is nice. Is it sold downstairs too?"

I was remembering the hours Lady Amber spent with me in my last life. I wonder if I could give some to her as a gift. Would that be weird? She wouldn't know she used to teach me calligraphy or that she had shown me her personal stationery.

Hmm... But I felt sure Lady Amber would praise this paper highly. 

"What beautiful penmanship!" Delta Felicity was the first to recover from whatever was keeping the wolves around me in a silent stupor. She clasped her hands together, "I really had no idea our Alpha Princess had mastered the art of calligraphy."

Ah, no. Not at all. Just because I had lessons didn't mean I had mastered. (But it was one of my better works. Ahem. I was kinda proud about how it turned out.)

"Indeed." Ki nodded. Suddenly smiling like a flower to the sun again, "Goddess has amazing talent!"

Ki was being totally biased, either that or he was drumming up our PR. I wasn't sure which, but Mr Tegan and his assistant wouldn't know that! I felt like as THE maker of fountain pens, Mr Tegan, would have seen real master calligraphers (and noticed the difference!)

Harvey nodded, "There is nothing our Alpha Princess cannot do."

Wait, don't jump into conclusions like that, my good beta! There were a lot of things I couldn't do!

"Although Alpha Kingsley and his Luna had raised our princess quietly, they have gone through great lengths in ensuring her education." Ki leaned in to informed Delta Felicity.

Yes. Like they sent me all the way out of parklands so I can attend public highschool with vampires.

Delta Felicity took that tidbit of information as her cue to join in. She pulled an exaggerated expression to show how impressed she was and then leaned in closer to Ki, "Indeed! I had only heard a little of this special education. You know how our Alpha and Luna are such wise and humble wolves that they would never make any boast, but their daughters are the undeniable proof of their wisdom."

If you're looking for proof of my parent's wisdom, why not take Night Leaf's success, or better still, the establishment of our Gate City? I should be the last standard to gauge my Mum and Dad's wisdom... Maybe their long-suffering... but that's not the point! The point was... Actually, I have no idea what the point was supposed to be anymore.

Maybe the shock of Bell just left everyone stupid. What can I say? My mate was stunning like that... And by my mate, I really did mean MY ORIGINAL MATE... I can't explain it, but by now, I felt certain that had been the original Bell.

{Mine ~ 🩷} 

Meanwhile my wolves had gathered around to take a closer look at the penmanship that had summoned a Tyger.

"Mr Tegan, what do you think of this masterpiece?" Delta Felicity smiled - like a crocodile to a deer.

Mr Tegan responded by opening his mouth and shutting it again.

"Oh my, princess. Your calligraphy has left the poor man speechless." Delta Felicity laughed.

Despite my best intentions to live up to the standard of my Mum and Dad (whom I was now representing), I winced.

I know I wanted to change the subject but not this way! I'm sure my wolves meant well, maybe they were just joking around, but our hosts didn't know that!

Since Mr Tegan could not comment, Delta Felicity turned to his assistant, "You agree, don't you?"

Mr Tegan's assistant who was glancing nervously from his boss to the conversation startled and then quickly nodded, "Yes. Ahem. Yes. Of course."

He cleared his throat again, "Although, I am only a secretary and am in no position to ah... to comment..."

"Nonsense!" Delta Felicity waved it off, "I for one would love to hear your opinion!"

The assistant glanced nervously at his employer who opened his mouth with a little pop sound and then promptly closed it again.

I think this was when the assistant realised it was all on him now, he took a deep breath and bravely declared, "I've followed Mr Tegan for many years now and have never seen anything like this!"

Well, yes. I guess it wasn't everyday that a Tyger got summoned just because someone wrote down a few lines of a puppy's lullaby.

"Oh?" Delta Felicity raised a brow. Now she took the paper from my hand to take a closer look, "Well, to be honest I am no expert of the art..."

No, Delta Felicity, I'm quite sure he wasn't refering to my attempt at calligraphy.

Ki smiled and was far more gracious about receiving the assumed compliment, "You are being too kind. Our Alpha Princess is still young and although her penmanship is commendable, she is still training."

"Ah, no..." The assistant tried to explain and then he promptly gave up, "Ahem, I mean, yes."

I think the assistant got the gist of what the other wolves wanted him to say now, but he was an honest wolf, so he lowered his voice to a mumble when he lied, "Your Alpha Princess' talent is peerless."

Mr Tegan opened his mouth and shut it again.

Oscar, who didn't quite get the hint yet, pointed at where Bell had stood earlier, "How did you- I mean, what..."

Ben clapped him hard on his shoulder, "Alright, we've wasted enough time. Sam wants to buy paper. Where's the shop?"

"Huh?" Oscar blinked and then he mumbled, "It's downstairs..."

"Then let's go downstairs." Ben was never the patient one. And just for good measure, Ben grabbed his cousin by the shoulder and physically steered him to the door, "NOW. Don't keep the princess waiting."

I wish Ben wouldn't use my name in vain like that, but at the same time I was very relieved that we didn't have to spend another moment watching my loyal wolves intimidate other wolves into praising my handwriting.

Yes, by now, I realized they were trying to black out the incident, but seriously?

But it wasn't like I had any better ideas so okay! The Alpha Princess wants paper!

"Let's go check out the store!"

And that was how we silenced the incident at Tegan's factory, or at least we that's how we tried.