PARTY WITH THE PRINCESS: AN OPTIMISTIC START

"It didn't hurt." Wolfgang lied and then he tried to shrug it off, "As you can see, I am perfectly well."

My luna was a menace.

{Mate! ~ ❤️}

No! Not "Mate! ~ ❤️"!

I imagined Bell drowning Wolfgang in our pool and felt very sorry, "When? How did he find out?"

What if he had extinguished Wolfgang's flame again? How could he try to drown a fire wolf? That was just too cruel!

"He happened to overhear Ki returning the jacket to Sir Wolfgang this morning, Alpha." Harvey reported.

All my wolves grimaced a little like they were recalling the scene. I could only assume Bell made an example of Wolfgang.

I regarded my warriors, they had not spoken a word so far, "Why aren't they talking tonight?"

I'm sure it was not for the lack of anything to say.

"Warriors on duty do not speak in their superior's presence unless spoken to." Wolfgang informed me, "Do not worry, Princess. Since I am now part of your Special Team, I will ensure we live up to your honor."

I wasn't worried at all, at least I wasn't, until now.

"That's okay, Wolfgang." I tried to tell him, "You don't have to..."

I would actually prefer if someone yelled some kind of warning if I was running everyone straight into a death trap.

"I am not doing this out of obligation, Princess. It is my privilege and honor to serve you." Wolfgang assured me, "I swear that I would personally hone your Special Team into the most elite force in the continent. In fact, I will not leave your Special Team until you are satisfied."

I truly appreciated that Wolfgang was saying "Special Team" instead of "harem".

Also, I decided not to argue with Wolfgang on this point too. Sorry guys. It'll only be for a few years. Please survive.

I took my coat from Fluffy and Harvey opened the door to the waiting car by the porch.

"And that is how you prep your Alpha Princess for her event, beta." Wolfgang concluded.

"Thank you for your guidance, Sir Wolfgang." Harvey nodded politely.

Eh? We were in another lesson? Well, at least it was a lesson for Harvey, not me.

Wolfgang turned to me, "And I do not have to remind you who you are, Princess."

"Yes!" I quickly nodded. And lest Wolfgang started another lecture on our porch, I quickly regurgitated the points I had gathered so far, "I'm Alpha Kingsley's daughter and heir to the future combined packs on the Green Packlands. I will be the next Young Alpha next month. I'm not the alpha yet, but I will be. And I don't bow, I don't apologize, I don't say yes and no in the same sentence."

"It's 'in the same breath,' not 'in the same sentence,' Princess." Wolfgang corrected, but he nodded satisfied anyway, "But yes, you've learned admirably."

Whew.

"Thank you for your guidance." I nodded politely (since I wasn't allowed to bow) and made my escape.

"Represent your wolves with pride, Princess." Wolfgang bowed in parting.

"You don't have to tell me that." Of course, I knew this. Okay, so representing my pack was totally not on my radar when I stepped out onto the porch, BUT I've grown up as the Alpha's daughter all my life. I've got this.

It really felt like it too as our merce pulled out of the driveway and the bikes revved up alongside into the open road. We're heading out... In the evening...without my parents and all dressed up to the nines. Out of Packlands under the blue-grey sky of the evening. Even the sky was matching its color to the new suits tonight.

The car ride was quiet. I watched the scenery outside darken. It happened quickly, like in a blink of an eye. I seldom left Packlands after sunset so the night scene was interesting to me. I watched as Gate City glittered. When was the last time we passed through Gate City at night? Was it that evening in the snowstorm? Or that night coming home from the last theater rehearsal? But I didn't remember the yellow-golden fairy lights cascading along the main roads either time, "That's new."

"The preparations for your Luna's inauguration are underway." Harvey explained.

"Oh."

I looked out of the window again to watch the lights strung and patterned like golden rain between the lamp posts. Did the Lorents light up all the main roads in Gate City for the event? I thought their accounts were in the red? Who was paying for this? Me?

When we left Gate City, the roads felt darker. We were really out of the Green Packlands now. But the traffic on the expressway was smooth and I couldn't help but feel excited about going to Abigail's birthday party with my friends.

I hadn't meant to go at first. Abigail hadn't invited the cool girls. Abigail and the cool girls were always at each other's throats and I realized I didn't like having to listen to them trade insults. I'm not sure why Abigail was suddenly welcoming the cool girls to her party.

The cool girls believed that it was because the hot guys were only going to come if they were. I.e. Henry, Marcus, Liam, Fluffy, and EJ - just in case, like me, you didn't naturally think they were hot.

Well, Henry was hot-tempered and full of hot air, did that count? Hahahaha.

Anyway, I kind of hoped it was a sign that Abigail was going to let bygones be bygones. I mean they've been arguing for half a term or something, and I can't even remember what started it.

I mean, things were looking up. Maybe Abigail and the cool girls would come to some kind of truce now. I was seriously in an optimistic mood. Jasmine and Liam had made up earlier today, Zara was coming with her Ivan, Leia's got her chance with her crush, Marcus tonight too. Krystal would be coming with EJ, in a Benz, which would probably make her happy.

I was not entirely sure about her plan to date around as much as the guy she was currently seeing. I don't think it should be a competition about who dated more, and I couldn't see how that would make him decide to stick with Krystal. But Krystal's relationships had always been worldly and complicated affairs, so she probably knew what she was doing.

Human courtship was too complicated for me, but no matter what, I did feel quite sure EJ would be safe and fun for her to hang out with tonight. Especially since he was taught from the Blue Demon Code, "Never date your alpha's friend. Their broken hearts will be your end." The Blue Demon Code was goddess sent!

The other pairing that was bugging me was Henry and Janice. I was not sure why it should bother me at all. Enough that I had threatened to beat him up for her. Henry was my friend and Janice gave me cookies. She's a really nice girl and she seemed to be enjoying his attention. I should be happy that they were coming together. It was win-win, really. Now everyone was coming with the person they wanted to come with. Everybody's happy, right?

At the very least, it seemed like we had adverted the Titanic Fluffy had plotted out. That alone was a definite win.

I decided to squash the little doubts aside in favor of the big positives.

So as our convoy pulled up to the white building with the big flood lights, red carpet, and long gold banners, I turned back to face the inside of the car and said, "Let's go have fun!"

"Your wish is my command, Pretty Alpha." Fluffy promised, his usual smiling mask on. I smiled back at him. This was going to be so much fun! I felt so grown up in my LBD and killer-heeled pointy black suede boots. Krystal was right, even if it was under my coat, what I wore made a difference to how I felt.

Harvey got the door for us, and our warriors dismounted. Out of nowhere, other warriors (from WAVE 1?) appeared to take our car and bikes. This was so we didn't have to tip the valet. Hahaha. JK. I think it was a security measure. We couldn't allow anyone else access to our vehicles.

There were photographers and members of the press standing behind the red velvet ropes. They called out, "Alpha Princess! Alpha Princess!"

I turned and smiled and lifted my hand to wave a bit and let the guys step in to block off the cameras and lead me into the relative safety of the clubhouse.

One of the reporters tried to ask me, "Alpha Princess, how do you feel about the..."

"No comment." Harvey answered before the reporter finished his question.

I smiled and waved bye-bye to the reporter because I could.

More reporters started asking stuff like, "What do you think about..." and "Who are you wearing?"

And I didn't have to worry about not knowing the answers or even what they were talking about because Harvey fielded it for me. It was pretty fun (for me, not the guys who had to field questions and remind the cameraman to stand behind the line please.) Even Fluffy had stopped smiling as we walked down the red carpet. His wolf was on guard as he tried to steer me toward the entrance. I took my time though. I mean, I didn't dawdle, but I didn't rush either. I sailed. Just like how I imagined Mum would do it. No thanks to Wolfgang's parting shot, I was well aware that I was representing my pack here.

Just as we got to the end, there was a commotion behind us because Henry's convoy pulled up. I would have stopped and waited for him to go in together, but I suddenly remembered he would be with Janice. Without even giving it a thought, I threw the cameras one last smile, waved, and stepped up to the main entrance.

It's not that I didn't like Henry or Janice. It was just that... I didn't like them together? WTH? It's not even like it had anything to do with me. It was none of my business. Why did my thoughts keep tripping up over them? At any rate, Henry was going to be going out with some other girl as soon as his next public event. I should just let Janice enjoy the night, right? Right. Get your head in the game, Sam. We're all going to have fun tonight. Don't ruin it for everyone.

At the entrance, there were these men in black suits and matching ties guarding the door. Fluffy showed them his invitation and the door was opened for us. Harvey entered after us, our four warriors behind him. He showed the man his gold card and shrugged, "Bodyguards."

They were all let in without question.

The inside of the lobby was large and spacious with several seating areas arranged artfully about. I would have said it was like the lobby of the Langston, except that instead of the modern furniture and chrome finishing the Langston sported, the clubhouse lobby's furnishing style felt fancy in an old-fashioned way. It reminded me of my Grandma Luna's receiving room.

I spotted my friends standing around at the foot of the large marble stairways. Lucky! I waved and quickened my steps to join them.

"Hi! You're all here!" I grinned as Fluffy and I popped ourselves into their circle, but my grin was quickly wiped off. My friends did not look happy, "Why? What's wrong?"

Henry and Janice joined us before anyone answered. Beta Pete and four warriors behind them. This wasn't anything weird I guess. It was probably standard protocol with Young Alphas even. What was weird was that I had exactly one beta and four warriors behind me too. Since when did Night Leaf follow protocol? And did that mean there were red ant warriors securing the perimeters? What about red ant assassins? Was that standard protocol too? Or just me?

"Hey." Henry smirked, and then he stopped and looked at me, "What's happened?"

It wasn't me! I just got here myself!

"Abigail pulled a fast one on us." Krystal said. She glared at everyone. I had never seen Krystal so mad.

"Pretty Alpha! You've got to avenge my date!" EJ bounced happily by Krystal's side.

"This time, that b**** gone too far." Zara cracked her knuckles. It was like an action a tough guy would do just before throwing a punch, BUT this was Zara who looked very pretty tonight with her hair done up. Also, Abigail was nowhere in sight so I wasn't sure who the knuckle sandwich would go to.

"Look, calm down. It's no big deal." Ivan tried to reason with his date, "So what if you can't swim? We'll just not swim."

"BUT SHE TRICKED US!" Zara screeched at Ivan, her hands clenched at her sides, "Of all the low down, dirty, stinky.... "

"Shhh...." Jasmine said, "This place is really posh, you can't be loud!"

"Can someone just tell me what the hell happened?" Henry asked because we all know he was patient like that.

But what he said. And make it quick. My coat was really too warm for comfort now that we were indoors. The other guys all had their coats on their arms. I guess we were going to need them when we got up to the rooftop.

"Can we head upstairs to talk?" I asked. So I don't have to take off my coat? I hated coats, they were so troublesome this way, and hot too. Troublesome and hot things. I reached up to undo the buttons of mine.

"DON'T!!!!" The girls all but screamed at me. I stopped. I had clothes on underneath, you know. And then I noticed the other girls had all kept their coats on, "Why are you still wearing your coats?"