Chương 234: WHAT'S ONE MORE SCARY ALPHA?

Let's recap Uncle Louis' important lesson: Welcome the visiting Alphas, make friends, and don't let them bully you. {Alpha arrives}"Yay! We have another friend coming over." I stood up. Then I paused.

"Who's arriving?"

"Black Forest Alpha." Beta Larson answered, looking up from his mindlink. I guess the sentry duty had just reported to him.

"You know, Sam, Alpha Solomon could be a good partner to rope in," Henry informed me.

"His pack would have the expertise and resources to take the Rogue King down. And Black Forest has strong anti-lycan slave trade sentiments. He might be interested in Princess Town."

"Information is gold." I praised Henry.

"Leave it to me."

"Ah, Sam..." It was Beta Lucas.

"Alpha Solomon is probably only here to visit your Dad. He was not on good terms with your grandfather."

"He's a bloody bastard to get along with," Alpha George informed me. So I knew that they didn't get along either. Weren't Alphas supposed to make friends?

"Then come on, Dad. Let's go greet him and introduce me." I decided.

"Are you sure?" Beta Lucas asked.

"Yeah, what's one more scary Alpha?" I asked tongue in cheek.

"Sam!" Mum gasped. Henry just laughed.

"You really have a way with words, Sam." I laughed and ran for the porch.

"I'd better go with her," Dad decided. Beta Lucas and Ben followed us out. I had to admit, I didn't feel all that sure, but I felt better knowing Ben's got my back. Plus Dad was here. It should be fine. We met Alpha Solomon on the porch. I realized suddenly that we could be seen clearly from the main hall. Did everyone watch me jump into Mate's arms? (Cos that was Wolfie, not me.) Dad was shaking Alpha Solomon's hand.

I had never met a wolf as imposing as Alpha Solomon before, but despite his fierce charisma, he was a gentle wolf.

"My daughter, Samantha," Dad introduced. To my surprise, Alpha Solomon shook my hand.

"What an amazing wolf you have there." Immediately, my wolf liked him. Why did the others not get along with Alpha Solomon?

"Thank you, and thanks for coming." I told him.

"Come say hi to my Grandma, and I guess say bye to my Grandpa. I heard you didn't like him, but thanks for coming anyway." I heard Dad swallow. Alpha Solomon's laughter boomed out.

"I wouldn't say I didn't like Silas personally. It's the slave trade I didn't like." Oh. I smiled.

"Cool. Okay. Me too." We paid a stiff greeting to my grandmother. Alpha Solomon made all the polite small talk and patiently listened to her complaints, even though they were not anything to do with him. Then we bowed at my Grandpa's coffin. Final respects done.

"Have you met my mate?" I asked Alpha Solomon.

"He's right now a fight dog. But it's a secret, okay?" Alpha Solomon nodded, but I could tell he had no idea what I was talking about.

"That's Rebel," I whispered.

"But shhh... Don't tell the others." We walked over. Alpha Solomon and the other Alphas shook hands.

"Looks like, except for the Blue Packlands, all the top Alphas are here tonight," Alpha George noted. I noticed he didn't use the word "dog" in front of Alpha Solomon.

"My mate," I said. And the moment Alpha Solomon met Mate, everything I said clicked into place for him.

"Remarkable." They shook hands.

"James Lorent the Fourth," Mate introduced himself.

"I see." Alpha Solomon looked out at the bright full moon.

"Truly remarkable."

"Oh, you should meet my Beta Keys too," I said. Killion stepped forward. He clarified with his usual sanguine smile, "I am Killion, also known as Ki." He shook hands with Alpha Solomon, who I had to admit was pretty fast at putting two and two together.

"Very intriguing," Alpha Solomon said. He sat down, and Killion poured his drink. He looked around and then at me.

"What is going on here?" I guess we weren't particularly subtle about it. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

"This young lady Alpha has quite an interesting proposition," Alpha George allowed. I'm starting to realize that Alpha George enjoyed being the one to reveal intel as much as he liked collecting it.

"I want to build a town for lycan widows and orphans and former slaves to rebuild their lives in," I told Alpha Solomon.

"It would be located in the Green Packland and called Princess Town. My Dad is giving us the land. The Lorents have put in the first capital. Silver Moon will donate a park."

"Just a park?" Alpha Solomon asked.

"Let's see you do better." Alpha George smirked.

"I need all the help I can get. Expert advice, funding, anything," I told him.

"What's the catch?" Alpha Solomon asked.

"What do you mean?" I tilted my head.

"You are going to shelter and provide a second chance to wolves in their time of need. But what is the catch? What do you want in return?" Alpha Solomon asked me. Hmmm... I never thought about it.

"He means you could gain a lot from this," Bell decided to enlighten me.

"By opening your town to service the other packs, you can slowly begin to charge exorbitant fees to keep them. You can hold their widows and orphans hostage when business negotiations fall through. You could use the residents as cheap labor and pay them next to nothing. You could train them as spies and send them back to their packlands to gather intel. There are many ways you could also use this important facility as another political step up over the other color packlands in time." What did I tell you?

Mate was evil. Alpha Solomon asked me rather patiently, "What do you hope to gain from this?" I see. They wanted to know my motives. How could I convince them? People see what they wanted to see. I suppose I could only just go with the truth.

"I promised the Moon Goddess I would free any lycan slave she puts in my way." Yes, it was ironic that Mindy was standing just across the hall from me.

"And I realized that after I freed them, they would need a place to live and work and learn to love and laugh again." When I said this, I was thinking about Killion. Would my one experience with a single former fight dog count? Everyone at the table was just staring at me. I tried to explain again.

"Sometimes we just need some help," I said.

"There are wolves stuck in their cages or tragic circumstances. And they would stay there till the day they die unless someone frees them."

"You're just a girl. What can you do?" Alpha Solomon asked.

"I'm just a girl," I answered.

"But I'm also the Alpha. My wolf is strong. My pack is stronger. And if you would lend me a little of your strength, we could do even more. Even if you don't, that's okay too. I'll just do what I can with what I have." Alpha Solomon hummed a little to himself in thought, then he said, "Youth is a dangerous thing. It makes us feel invincible. It gives us impossible dreams. It dares us to run forward without knowing what lies ahead."

"And yet you survived it," I pointed out.

"I didn't steal fight dogs from vampire cages or attempt to build impossible towns," Alpha Solomon said. This coming from the man who was known as the Coven Destroyer.

"When I say impossible, I'm not referring to the physical building. Let me ask you this: what if a slave ran out from your Uncle Louis' home and to your Princess Town? Would you return the slave to your uncle? Do you not understand the implications? Perhaps your uncle would not wage a war over a slave with you, but what about Alpha George?" Alpha Solomon challenged.

"Why should any lycan have to live as a slave?" I shot back at him. To my surprise, Alpha Solomon suddenly smiled.

"Exactly." He looked pointedly at Alpha George and my Uncle Louis. They growled back.

"There will be rules." Killion attempted to integrate diplomacy into Princess Town.

"Slaves who seek amnesty will have to fulfill certain criteria. This town's objective isn't to create unrest among the lycan packs. We can discuss the details further."

"I was actually targeting slaves who would otherwise be forced to turn rogue anyway," I said.

"And lycans in highly abusive situations, like being caged up for sport and such, and rescuing pack wolves who had been kidnapped." And because my Wolfie felt it was important, I blurted out, "If we who are free do nothing to save our brothers and sisters in cages, who would?" Alpha Solomon sighed.

"All these years, I was waiting for an Alpha who would dare to say these things... And this Alpha shows up as a female pup." Alpha Lorent said to Bell, "Son, this is what your mate wants to do. What do you say?"

"Yes." Alpha Solomon turned his attention to Bell.

"Since this girl is your mate, eventually you will be Alpha. What are your plans?" Rebel crossed his arms, his Alpha wolf so powerful, I felt for a moment the only wolves who could completely defeat Alpha Solomon's in a one-on-one fight would be him.

"My princess will be the Alpha. She will merge the Lorent, Night Leaf, and Morning Light packs in a matter of years, unifying the whole of the Green Packlands," Rebel spoke with his usual stony expression and deep, rumbling voice. Alpha Solomon looked at Alpha Lorent and Dad as if to confirm it. Then he said to Rebel, "Putting your princess in the Alpha position would push her into all kinds of danger."

"Thanks for your concern, but I can protect my own mate," Rebel growled.

"I will destroy anything that dares attempt to harm her." My Wolfie was clamoring to have a go at Alpha Solomon. Why was this old Alpha repeatedly questioning our ideas? To put it mildly, he was ticking her off.

"Are you in or not?" I asked.

"What does it cost to be in?" Alpha Solomon asked. I swear, if he asked one more thing, I was going to shift and swallow him right there.

"Contribute something toward the town. Any amount is fine," I said.

"If you contribute $200, I'll name a bench after you."

"I get the park," Alpha George said.

"Correction. I get the park," Henry said. His dad looked mildly annoyed.

"That's all?" Alpha Solomon asked.

"No, and please send someone to train a select group of our warriors to fight vampires," I decided to insert since he asked.

"They attacked my Deltas on the road recently."

"To attack or defend against vampires?" Alpha Solomon asked.

"Defend," I answered. I was really getting pissed. So many questions.

"Anything else?" Alpha Solomon asked.

"How would I know? You said yourself that I'm running forward without knowing what lies ahead, right?" I pretty much snapped at him. Mate soothed my hair down.

"My princess isn't the most patient of wolves," he murmured with a smirk.

"Look, I just want to build that town, give it as a home to some brave women and children and former slaves, protect the happiness of those who live in my land, and kick the Rogue King's butt for letting his garbage spill over my borders. If you want to help me, great. If you don't, just don't get in my way," I told Alpha Solomon finally. I was done with this back and forth. The table was silent for a moment. Maybe I just blew it. And then Alpha Solomon laughed.

"You remind me of myself in my younger days. Very well, I will have someone come and train your betas on dealing with vampires. Just your leaders, though, but they may train your warriors after, although nothing beats real-life experience when it comes to dealing with vampires." He continued, "As for your little town-building project, I will contribute toward the living quarters. Depending on the later reports I receive, and how the facilities and finances are managed, I will consider further support."

I nodded stiffly, determined not to react to his condescending tone.

"Little town-building project," my a**. Alpha Solomon leaned back in his seat. He looked rather satisfied.

"It's remarkable. Of all the wolves on our continent, the Goddess chose a young girl to wear the color of her hair and eyes, to bear the gift of dream travel, and shake up some old Alphas to work together."

"Who said anything about working together?" Alpha George asked.

"Well, we are sitting here at the same table. This would be a first." Alpha Solomon pointed out.

"I wish your grandfather could've seen this. I'm sure he would have had a good laugh." The last remark made me realize that Alpha Solomon must have known my Grandpa Alpha personally enough to know my Grandpa's laughter. I felt the tears resurface. I wished Grandpa Alpha were here too.