ALPHA ON A MISSION

24 FEBRUARY, WEDNESDAY, BEFORE DINNER

It looks like I was really getting things done today. I've given Daisy her ice cream and she was on her way home with her Dad by now. I've gotten Bell to agree to stop killing and destroying the world - at least I think that was what happened. I'm still reeling in shock at how easy it was to convince him. Almost like it was too easy... but oh well, that's another check marked on my internal list of things to settle.

Now to head back to the pack house and visit River at his suite. You really didn't think I'd forget about my good friend River right? Hahaha. The Sam today was efficient and focused. Flynn had already replied that he would see me before Thursday Night Training. Dad and Beta Lucas had agreed to make an exception to River's house arrest for personal training purposes. So now all that's left was to convince River that he WANTED this training opportunity.

Heh, heh, heh, I was so sneaky.

The guards let us pass. There were four of them, lined along the corridor, two of ours and two of theirs, so the space looked more cramped than it should be. It was a bit much if you asked me. Four warrior wolves Vs one puny human.

Ki knocked on the door of River's suite.

"Come in, it's unlocked." But it wasn't River's voice. It was Wilhelm's.

Ki opened the door for me to enter, "Alpha is here."

Wilhelm, Keanu, and River all stood up and bowed. Correction, four warrior wolves VS two puny humans and one warrior human. But as far as humans went, these three were very respectful.

"Oh, its you Sam." River relaxed and sat down again, "For a moment, I thought you Dad came."

For some reason, River seemed somewhat scared of Dad. Hahaha.

I grinned at my friends and sat down without invitation. Keanu and Wilhelm sat themselves properly only after I did and I was impressed by their manners all over again. If this kept up, I might be inclined to believe that wolves and humans could really co-exist quite well together after all. Maybe this was why River was so optimistic about wolf-human equality in his kingdom. To think I thought he was an idiot. How I've misjudged him!

"I heard about your adventures with Savy." I told him.

"Savannah." he told me, rather proudly, "I found out her name is Savannah."

He brought my little sis into the warlock forest to ask her name? I would like to retract my last statement about River. He was an idiot.

"Good job, Sherlock." I resisted the urge to face palm, "Now can you figure out how much trouble you're in, right now?"

"You mean besides being eternally grounded?" River bemoaned.

"What?" I asked, nonplussed.

"That's what we figured." Keanu supplied, "Although Alpha Kingsley and Beta Lucas made it quite official, the consequences of River's actions only resulted in Night Leaf guards stationed outside his suite with our Snow Moon guards. River is still allowed to go to school and have visitors. In effect, River is just grounded again."

"Please don't tell me there's more!" River said.

I considered it, and then I realized that I should better couch the training as a perk than part of his punishment.

Heh heh heh, I was so sneaky!

"Sam, we worry that there is more to it." Keanu admitted, "As we understand, River has committed quite serious offence here."

And the Keanu laughed a little, "Nevermind here, it would be considered a serious offence back home too."

Keanu looked pointedly at his friend, "But we aren't at home, and somebody forget his father isn't the alpha here."

River had the decency to look sheepish, "Ah, yeah, yeah. I know I messed up."

Oh, was that why they were here? They had gathered together to worry for River?

"It would help us very much if we had some kind of idea about how your pack's course of justice and application of your penal code is like." Wilhelm looked at me hopefully, "Do you know if something like this happened before and what was done to the perpetrator?"

My first answer was no, but hahaha, I couldn't resist, "You mean like if anyone had tried to drag Savy into the warlock forest?"

"Well, it doesn't have to be so specific." Keanu said, "To be honest, Wilhelm had helped us ask around and we already gathered that Alpha Kingsley is very protective of his daughters, so I think it's safe to assume that only River is a big enough idiot to have done what he did."

Yes. True. Oh wait... Who did Wilhelm ask? I really hoped no one said anything about Dad's embaressing chi-ka-boom of overprotective dad's alpha dominance! That would just be mortifying.

"What we mean is in a more general sense." Wilhelm tried to clarify, "For example, if anyone had ever done anything to cross your father this much before and what happened."

As if anyone would dare to cross my dad! Hahaha. He had to be joking.

Oh, or did he mean like how at the Lorent Pack, they had disobedient wolves whipped in the dungeons?

Good question. Since this was probably the FIRST TIME - at least in my entire life that someone in our packlands (that wasn't a rogue) dared to purposely cheese my dad off.

So I answered what I did know, "Actually, it happened before. Some rogues came and snatched Savy and two other pups into the woods. They didn't manage to leave our borders though."

And I paused, just to do a bit of Beta Lucas dramatics before delivering my final blow, "They're dead now."

Hahaha... Their faces!

Keanu was the first to realise that I was just funning with them, he smiled, "Since you're grinning like that, you must to think that would not happen to us."

Wow, someone is confident that I didn't want them dead! Hahaha. Talk about feeling secure in our friendship.

"Well, they were rogues." I shrugged, "Rogues who trespass here seldom leave alive."

"Don't you think that's kind of harsh?" River asked.

"River." Wilhelm was firm, "We are outsiders. It's not for us to say."

"Yeah." I nodded, "The rogue king doesn't own a summer house along your borders. Do you know how many pups and young wolves they've killed just for the fun of it - or worse, kidnapped and sold into something worse?"

"Something worse?" River asked.

"Didn't you know? The rogues here aren't like the nice ones at Winderhill. If a rogue catches you, the best thing they could do is just kill you in a fight." I decided to educate my human guests, "So you need to fight to the death - if you don't die, the things they would do to you will make you wish you were dead many times over."

No one asked me what those horrible things were, but I could tell from their expressions that they were all thinking something terrible.

And since I actually had no idea about the specifics, I decided to leave it to their imagination.

"Anyway, I don't think Dad would do anything bad to you at this point." I decided I was done messing with my friends, "You're Savy's mate, and even if Dad wants to press charges or anything, you're still a minor, so he would probably wait for your dad to get back."

"My dad's going to kill me." River groaned. He dropped his head back against the couch's backrest, "I'm going to be so dead!"

"Not as dead as the rogue that took Savy." I pointed out. Which was true.

"That's a relief." Keanu decided.

No matter how many times our parents "killed" us, no matter how "dead" we get, we'd always survive to see another day - and things always got better after you completed your course of punishment. I mean, I've lost count of the times mum had given me ice cream after I finished my time out.

The key was to survive the guilt and lecture, squarely deal with whatever forfeit was met out (time out, extra chores, grounding), and then everyone (especially you) would be able to get on with their lives.

"So I'm just grounded?" River asked.

"Like indefinitely." Keanu said.

"Please stay in your suite this time." Wilhelm advised, "Do not test Alpha Kingsley's patience. Don't forget, we are guests here. Alpha Kingsley has treated us very graciously since we arrived, but even if he does not lift his hand directly against you, the warriors and servants who have come with us are also in his hands."

I shook my head, "Don't worry. Dad won't pick on the small fries."

"Ah, forgive me, I did not mean it that way." Wilhelm was quick to apologize.

"I get it. I won't cause any more trouble." River sulked.

I didn't think River understood that this would be impossible for him.

"I'll just stay locked up here forever." River continued.

Well, my parents wanted to lock me up in a tower too.

"You've got room service, free WiFi, and full visitation rights." Keanu pointed out, "That's hardly a punishment."

That's true. I could only hope for the same should the tower thing ever happen. I'd miss running in my wolf though...

"Oh right!" Speaking of running, I remembered my purpose for coming, "I did talk to dad just now and he is going to allow you a special exemption to your house arrest!"

"Eh?" River brightened up.

"Why didn't you say so in the first place?" Keanu scolded lightly.

Because I got distracted, but the Sam today was focused and yaddah yaddah... Anyway, the point was I remembered just in time, "You're allowed to leave your suite for personal training with an authorized trainer."

"Personal training?" River asked.

"Yes. You're weak." I told him bluntly.

River nodded, "I suppose... But I'm just a human..."

"Wilhelm is human too." I pointed at the man.

Wilhelm smiled, but he was shaking his head, "I'm afraid I am no match for a strong wolf."

"But at least you can fend off the weaker rogues." I argued, "And I'm quite sure even against a strong wolf, even if you'd lose, you'd be able to inflict enough damage for your opponent to think twice before challenging you."

"Wait..." Keanu interupted, "But why do you want River to get stronger?"

"Because his stone is stupid." I blurted out, "He passes out straight after using it. How could you leave a cute girl to drag you halfway across the warlock lands to safety?"

River looked down, but I wasn't done yet, "And you're returning the stone too! What would you have then? Don't you want to be able to protect Savy? Or at least not be dead weight?"

"Oooof." Keanu said, but he was smiling.

"I got a good personal trainer for you." I added, (please take the bait!), "Delta Flynn is like one of the best trainers I've ever had."

And also the most torturous. But I didn't say that out loud.

Heh, heh, heh, I'm so sneaky.

"Physical training is good discipline." Wilhelm approved, "And since Alpha Sam has taken pains to arrange a delta to train you, it would be a shame to pass the opportunity."

"And you'd get to leave your suite for some fresh air!" Keanu decided.

I looked at River hopefully.

River hesistated, "I'm not very good with physical stuff."

"Practice makes perfect!" I quickly said, "And since you know you're bad at it, shouldn't you work harder?"

"I have to warn you, my father had tried many times in the past to improve my physical condition" River said.

Wow, I never though Alpha Gunter would fail so badly and repeatedly at anything before.

"Yeah, but Flynn is really very good." I insisted, even if Alpha Gunter couldn't do it, Flynn could. Plus now, River had a new source of motivation, "And don't you want muscles to show off to Savy?"

Okay, I know, I was really using Savy shamelessly here.

"Does Savy like guys with a lot of muscles?" River frowned a little.

I nodded immediately, and then I stopped, "I have no idea. BUT it's not about the muscles, River. It's about keeping Savy safe!"

"Okay! I'll do it!" River decided, punching his fist upwards.

Good.

River was going to hurt like hell.

Hahahahaha. I'm so evil. And sneaky. But don't blame me, my friend. Who asked you to drag my sister into the warlock forest like that? Who gave you the right to endanger my little sister? What would you do if anything happened to her? Nothing - because you had passed out from uprooting trees with your stupid stone, that's what!

I guess you could say, I was punishing River for his own good - but mostly for Savy's good. The stronger he was, the safer she'd be.