A BIT OF WARLOCK BUSINESS

25 FEBRUARY, THURSDAY, AFTER TRAINING

Flynn was just about done when we got to the gym next door. This wasn't anything to do with how well River or Keanu held out under the torturous single session of Flynn's training.

When we got there, River and Keanu were already sitting on the side bench looking wiped out.

The only reason they were taking so long was that Wilhelm, despite being human, had presevered to the end of the session.

"Alpha is here." Harvey announced while holding the door for me.

"Well, that's all there is to it. We can end here too." Flynn decided.

"How was it?" I asked.

River moaned, "I think I died."

Keanu gave a weak smile, "I'm not going to be able to walk tomorrow."

Flynn was unsympathetic, "Although this method is basic, it is also proven to improve a trainee's physical fitness and endurance with regular practice."

"Is once a year regular enough?" Keanu wanted to know.

"What about once a lifetime?" River asked.

"If you still can joke, then you two should be fine." Flynn shrugged.

I don't think the two guys were joking though.

"I understand. I have been too lenient in the past." Wilhelm nodded, "From now on, I will diligently supervise Prince River's fitness training."

The two weaklings groaned what looked like their last breaths.

But Flynn only nodded, "It would be more effective to teach your prince some kind of physical self defense after this. Plus being physically fitter would also reduce unnecessary injuries later on."

"That's true." Wilhelm agreed, "Delta's advice is sound."

"Nah, I've just been training warriors for a while now." Flynn brushed it off, "All the best. Prince River and Keanu do your best."

"Yes sir!" The two smaller humans managed to stand on their unsteady feet.

"Thank you for your guidance, sir!" Wilhelm bowed.

The other two humans quickly made hasty bows too, "Thank you for your guidance."

"Thanks for your time Flynn." I said.

"It's nothing." Flynn brushed it off automatically, "Since this prince is going to be Savy's mate, it's the least I can do."

Harvey was leading the three humans out. I guess now that their training was over they had to go back to their suite to continue their "house arrest".

Flynn slipped into his gym jacket and picked up his water bottle, "So... The Alpha's daughters have both found their mates. One is the Lorents' Young Alpha and the other is a human prince. Very impressive."

Sabre's mate is Night Forest's Young Alpha too, but I didn't say it aloud. Sabre was human, one of those wild cards who would write their own destinies. And as far as I could tell, little Eddy had pretty stiff competition. Who knew what would happen by the time they reached mating age?

I shrugged, "Their titles are just a bit of hot air, don't pay it mind."

I never did.

But Flynn only shook his head, "Sam, the world only has time to read your name card."

Well, I wouldn't know, since I never owned a name card, but since it was just Flynn, I shook it off, "Then my title will be just Sam."

That would save the world more time.

"Nevermind." Flynn locked up as we left the gym, "I'm sure your Luna and betas will take care of that."

Hank and Ben were waiting for us outside.

"Come on, Sam." Ben was impatient to go, "Let's get you home."

I was perfectly capable of getting myself all the way across a our combined lawns to the alpha house, thank you very much!

Grrr... First Flynn and now Ben. My wolves looked down upon me too much! Then again, someone who didn't own a name card or a card key, shouldn't really complain.

We left Flynn and Hank to discuss whatever important things adults liked to consult each other about. I think Hank was still troubled about EJ's episode, I heard something about the Special Team and Tier One... but Ben was pushing, I mean leading me very quickly away.

Upstairs, the three humans and my good beta were stopped at the lobby stairs.

Harvey was frowning slightly, and Wilhelm was smiling somewhat embarrassed by the scene his young charges were making. Both of them were watching River and Keanu squabbling at the foot of the stairs.

Weren't those two already dead with exhaustion? Flynn must have gone easy on them. If Flynn had gone all out, they wouldn't have any energy to talk, much less disagree.

"Alpha is here." Ben announced in his most reluctant monotone.

"What's up?" I asked.

"Oh Sam! Good you're here!" River brightened up, "Do you have a minute? There's something important I need to tell you."

"Okay."

I wondered what River was up to...

"Ahhh!!!" Keanu shook his head, "I'm sure Sam has lots to do and it's really late. We shouldn't bother her."

River was definitely up to something...and it's probably something extremely troublesome.

"I need your help with something!" River announced.

Keanu shook his head as if warning me off, but I was never good at taking hints like that.

"What do you need?" I grinned. I couldn't help it, but my wolf smelt something fun.

"We overhead my dad's coming back tomorrow." River said.

"Oh, wait... isn't that a good thing?" I mean, once Alpha Gunter got back, he could talk to my dad and get River out of the house arrest right?

"Yes, but no... Sam, my Dad is planning on going to confront the warlock himself!" River exclaimed.

"Shhhh!!!!" Keanu hushed him, "Do you want Beta Glenn to know you know?"

Now we all stopped a moment to sense around us. The snow wolves were at least a few floors above us, but I was pretty sure the Night Leaf warriors guarding the lobby might have heard us.

"Perhaps, we should talk somewhere else?" My good beta offered now.

So we all followed Harvey up the flight to stairs to the conference room.

"Ow. ow. ow..." Keanu said at each step.

River sighed, "This is going to be a problem."

Hahaha... those guys were acting like they were mortally wounded or something.

Once we were seated around the stone table and Harvey had checked that the doors were shut, Ben said, "This better be good. What do you want from Sam?"

Yeah, cos my beta was the epitome of diplomacy like that.

But River wasn't put off in the slightest, "I need a ride to school tomorrow."

What? You made us all come up here to say this?

Keanu raised his hand, "I think we should at least tell Sam the whole story."

I nodded. Yes, tell me the whole story!

So thanks to Keanu, we found out that Alpha Gunter would be expected back at Night Leaf around noon tomorrow. He had sent Beta Glenn word of it last night and the Beta had returned from Snow Moon Kingdom with two of their most elite warriors to meet him.

"Wait, when did Beta Glenn leave?" I had thought he was here all this while.

"Ah, he had to go back to settle some things. The young beta was here in his stead, but they've since switched places again." Keanu sighed, "Wherever Beta Glenn is at, would be where Alpha Gunter would take action."

Wilhelm cleared his throat lightly.

"Don't worry, I'm sure this is not something Sam does not already know." Keanu smiled broadly, "A beta is his alpha's right hand. Even if I didn't say it, this much would be obvious to her."

I nodded blankly. I mean, yes, I know about the right hand thing, but no... I wasn't good with taking hints, or reading between the lines, or whatever.

"Since we are working together in this, it would be better if we can discuss our plans transparently." Keanu added.

"Since you know this, just spit it out already." Ben growled.

"Yes, of course, beta." Keanu was quick to oblige.

Alpha Gunter had made plans with Beta Glenn to take a couple of warriors and attack Fount on the pretext of avenging River's Mum, but Keanu felt that the real reason was to get rid of Fount and keep River's stone for themselves.

"In the most basic sense, Alpha Gunter is doing this for River." Keanu explained, "Since River is adamant about risking his life to return the stone, Alpha Gunter plans to nip the problem in the bud. Also, getting rid of the warlock would secure the stone, River's safety, and Snow Moon Kingdom's foreseeable future."

AKA, there won't be a warlock that might come back one day for his stone or take his son away. River would be able to continue using the magic in the stone to build and defend Snow Moon, and now since Savy was now River's mate, if all went well, she would produce an Alpha heir - a pure breed black Alpha wolf with Kingsley genes. Not quite a snow wolf, but not too shabby either. And who knows? If their future young black alpha wolf mates a snow wolf, this might become the perfect solution for the preservation of their Snow Moon Kingdom lineage.

"This would also be favorable for your Night Leaf too. Not only will this remove the warlock threat from your vicinity, there would be nothing stopping you from extending your territory up north." Keanu pointed out, "It wasn't explicitly said, but I believe Alpha Gunter would likely gift this new territory to your family as part of the betrothal gift from River's family."

"Nice." Ben grinned.

"No." River said, "Not nice. Its all wrong!"

Yeah, actually it didn't feel right to me too. As far as I could tell, Fount wasn't a bad guy. He wasn't even a bad neighbor. Okay, so he had put up those nasty enchantments, but they were in his own territory. He never trespassed, and until today even though he must know that his stone was just next door, he had done nothing aggressive towards our pack.

"I'm angry that he hurt my mum and made her suffer, but this is my problem." River declared, "And I will deal with it personally."

"Okay... so what do you want to do?" I asked.

"I want to meet him." River said, "I want to meet him, return him the stone, and I want to hear his explanation."

It took me a while to process that, "Why?"

I mean, it's one thing to meet a super dangerous warlock - did he not notice how even our dads, both super strong alphas, are wary of facing off with the warlock directly?

But River wanted to return his stone - the source of the warlock's power, and the only thing that could possibly give River a chance of survival? Why?

What made River think the guy is even going to give him an explanation?

"Maybe you should hear his explanation first, before returning the stone." I suggested. You know, just in case the warlock did turn out to be a bad guy. At least then, River could make a run for it, maybe uproot a few more trees to throw at the warlock, and hopefully have something to drag his unconscious body to safety after that...

"I'm not really an expert at planning, but your plan sounds really bad." I decided.

"No, just hear out my plan first." River said, "I need you to send me to school tomorrow morning, but don't really send me to school."

Uh huh... River was not only bad at planning. He wasn't very good at explaining them either. But don't worry, I can explain River's plan.