GENTLE AND CHARMING

24 FEBRUARY, WEDNESDAY, WEE HOURS

Looking around the hanger, it was pretty obvious, it wasn't just Mate who was dressed for Halloween. All my wolves were dressed in the same black leather jackets, and matching white wolf faced masks.

Wait no, not all of them were mine. I couldn't smell in my dream, so I couldn't be sure, but at least half the wolves were rogues?

But rogue or no, the overall effect was really scary, which was cool, but also... why weren't they wearing the Night Leaf warrior jackets? What's with the image change?

"You're going to do something bad, aren't you?" I asked. They were certainly dressed to be bad guys.

"Not really." Bell demurred.

"Something illegal?" I guessed again.

"Only arguably." Bell assured me, "'Don't worry. When the High Council brings it up, we will explain that the one-armed death god fought your luna and injured his right arm."

Who was going to believe that?

"Don't worry, Stephan will lead the Underground to fight back and triumphantly return to you with your fight dogs when the Princess Town construction is completed." Bell sounded very confident.

I'm not sure what new lycan legend my luna was spinning here, but he was talking like the death god and my luna were two separate entities.

"And what would happen to my luna?" I asked.

"Poor b****** will be disabled for life." Bell decided, "Don't worry, you'd like your new luna. He'll be a gentle and charming fellow."

"No!" I flared in alarm, "You're my luna! No one else. You're MINE! MINE!"

The other wolves perked up to look in our direction.

"I was talking about me." Bell said lowly.

"YOU?" Hahahahaha.... since when was my luna gentle and charming? And then I suddenly flashbacked to Bell sitting upright in his bed, sipping tea under the winter sunlight, with his jacket draped loosely across his shoulders. OMO.

My mate was going to be gentle and charming luna by day, and then death god with a vengeance by night? WTH? Who came up with this plan? It was mad as a hatter. Actually, I kinda liked it. But no! I shook my head, it was incredulously dangerous. If anything happened to Bell out here, who was going to back him? And what about the Lorent Pack? Was being gentle and charming enough to command their respect? I was beginning to understand Alpha James' frustration. Was Bell even serious about becoming Alpha?

Bell stroked my hair, pausing to watch the silken locks slip out from between his fingers, "Go home. Wait for me. I'll be home by morning."

Why was everyone telling me that?

I had to stay home and wait, Dad and Beta Lucas would be home by morning with Savy (and probably River too.) I had to go to bed, Delta Simon and Delta Oran would take care of Bell and Ki tonight. It's like everything had gone wrong and my job was to sleep and not wake up grouchy tomorrow morning. WTH.

"No. I'm coming with." I crossed my arms.

"Princess..." Bell sighed, he ran his hand roughly through the wild curls of his hair, "It'll be dangerous and scary. Return home - or stay here if you must. I'll have someone accompany you."

I shook my head, "I'm not scared."

And I'll be damned if I needed a babysitter.

"I can't carry you, okay." Bell sounded frustrated, "I can't even ride myself now."

Bell looked down and unclenched his left fist.

"I can lend you a hand." I offered without a second thought, "I know how to ride a bike."

Bell looked surprised, "You do?"

Kind of. I think I could still remember how. And I did okay when Ki rode behind me.

"The bike's kinda tall for me though, so I need you to step down when I break." I said.

Bell hesitated, was he really considering it?

"And you can help me control the clutch too." I offered.

Now Bell looked suspicious, "Do you really know how to ride?"

"It's easy!" I said. (As long as someone else helped me from behind).

For a moment, I really thought Bell would take the bait, but then Theo rode up to us and the rumble of motorbike shook Bell out of it. He shook his head, "Nice try, princess."

Then Bell mounted up behind Theo, grabbing the silent wolf's shoulder with his one hand, {Tonight, we will take our vengeance on behalf of our brothers from Cloud Forest!}

"Yo!" The wolves yelled back, punching their fists in the air, revving their engines, and generally sounding like demons about to be released from hell to wreck havoc.

{The Captain would take the lead.} Bell continued.

{The honor is mine, Rebel.} Stephan answered.

{Owen. Stay back with my princess. Ensure she remains in the safety of our base while she is here.} Bell shot the last instruction through a personal mindlink - but of course my wolf overheard it.

{Yes, sir.} Owen answered.

Wasn't he the guy with EJ when I first came over? Back then, I thought he was EJ's patrol partner. Now I saw that he was the resident babysitter. EJ was the kind of wolf who needed a babysitter almost 24/7. Fluffy was usually the one watching out for him now. I don't think EJ had very good survival instincts. He never knew when to shut up, butt out, or stay out, and he was always so quick to act that before you knew it, the poor Lorent Delta having a perfectly civil conversation with you would be dragged out of the second floor window.

But that was EJ. I didn't need a babysitter!

The hanger filled with the sounds of revving and exhaust. (I couldn't smell it, but I could see it.) And then the large doors lifted mechanically and the bikes streaked out like fireworks on the 4th of July. Those packs were doomed.

I waved off Bell and Theo's bike, watching as Bell's cape waved back dramatically behind him, and then waited till all the bikes were gone. All but one. Owen had reparked his bike and pulled up his mask to come over to me. It looked like I was going to be left behind again.

Not.

I grinned at Owen, "Okay, it's all clear now. Let's go!"

Owen looked totally shocked. What? Did he think I would just wait here when the action was out there?

"But Alpha, Rebel said..." Owen started.

"Who's the alpha?" I asked.

"You are, Alpha." Owen answered with a bow. It would be all very nice too, except that he sounded like someone confessing to something that would lead to capital punishment.

"You don't have to sound so sad about it." I joked.

"Rebel is going to kill me if I let you go." Owen said.

That was probably true.

I wonder if this was how men who's soul mate was a beautiful but evil villianess would feel. It's really quite bothersome. I knew Bell would never ever do anything to me, but who knew what he would do to those around me? Especially if he thought I wouldn't find out about it.

Gentle and charming luna, my foot.

I frowned, hmmm...

"Okay, let's think this through." I told Owen.

Now Owen only looked confused, "Think what through, Alpha?"

"How can we go join in the action without getting caught by Bell." I answered, "Do you have any ideas how we might sneak in?"

Owen shook his head haplessly but tried to dissuade me again, "The battle would involve explosives and fire. Rebel plans to completely flatten the villages that had infringed the borderlines. Sneaking in might render us trapped at the last minute."

Since Owen was such a sensible wolf, I felt inclined to believe him, but I didn't want to be left out again!

"What if we watched from the side?" I asked.

Owen looked troubled. It seemed like Owen wasn't just following orders. He personally didn't think it was a good idea himself, "Alpha, this battle is expected to end rather gruesomely, not just because the one-armed death god is revealing himself, but also because its essentially a territorial war. Our army would be making those villages an example and warning to the rest of their packs not to intrude again."

"It's just going to incite those packs to join forces and attack." I said. Because that's what always happened in history books. Did they really believe that those three packs were going to just sit there and do nothing?

Owen nodded, but he was still frowning, "That's why they are going to go all out. It's going to be so bad that the three packs would not dare fight back."

"They wouldn't do nothing either." I argued.

"Rebel expects them to appeal to the High Council for help." Owen divulged.

So Rebel was assuming they would be cowardly wolves then?

"And then what?" I asked.

"Night Leaf would offer to send it's underground army - at a price." Owen said, "The Captain would lead your army to halve the one-armed death god's minions in retaliation."

"What if those three packs want their villages back?" I asked.

"They would not be able to afford it." Owen answered, "Even for just the attempted eradication of the one-armed death god, the three packs would have to convince the High Council that this was great enough of a threat to the Lycan community at large to receive financial aide toward this course."

This was beginning to sound like the scam of the century.

"Don't worry." Owen assured me, "Rebel knows what he's doing. He'd even make sure to take in hostages so that the High Council would be unable to ignore the three packs' request."

You know what I said about Owen being a sensible wolf? I would like to retract that statement.

"My Luna is a madman." I muttered under my breath.

"What, alpha?" Owen asked.

"I said my Luna is a good man." I ammended for Owen's sake.

Owen looked like he wanted to disagree, but was too polite to do so, "He is indeed a master tactician."

Which was nothing to do with a good man. But don't worry, Owen. Bell was going to learn to be good whether he likes it or not!

"Let's go." I said.

"But...but...alpha!" Owen worried.

"Owen, if you don't come with me, I'll go on my own." I threatened, "It's probably worse for you to let me go out there alone."

Owen gulped, "Yes, Alpha."

"You may inform Bell and Stephan that we're coming to watch." I allowed. You know, so we don't get blown up mistakenly.

"Thank you, Alpha." Owen nodded as he followed me to his bike.

I waited patiently for him to finish with the mindlink and get on. Then I hopped gingerly on behind him, leaving a comfortable space between us.

I liked Owen's bike. It's back seat had handles on the side so I didn't even need to hold on to him.

"Rebel says we have permission to ride around the perimeter." Owen informed me, "And you must not be recognised."

"Okay." I nodded agreeably.

Owen frowned a little, then he pulled out a black raincoat from the side bag of his saddle, "Maybe you should cover your hair, alpha."

I put on the oversized waterproof jacket and zipped it all the way up so that it covered my mouth and nose.

Owen looked and nodded satisfied. Then he lowered his own mask, and we were off.

I knew I was still being kept out of the action, but at least I was this much closer to it. And I was always lucky you know. Who knows? Maybe the action would come to me?