THE BLUE ALPHA WARRIOR PRINCESS

26 FEBRUARY, FRIDAY, EARLY MORNING

TADA! AND BEHOLD! The Blue Alpha Warrior Princess!!!

I felt like a magical girl transformation cartoon hero after dressing up.

This outfit had to be Ki magic at its finest! I would never had thought to combine separates like this, but for every reason, it worked.

I had tall black practical hiking boots over black tights, and layered over my black t-shirt, a long white light knit turtle neck. It was long enough to provide a skirt.

It was white though, which wasn't much for camouflage, but I did say I needed to be princessy to meet the snow wolves. And at any rate, I had the dark navy blue warrior jacket to wear over it.

The jacket boasted the inner label "BETAMAN" - which suddenly explained why my warrior jacket was made of leather and not the regular waterproof material the other guys got.

Also there was a slightly stiff inner lining - was that their special bullet proof and cut proof material? Whatever it was, it also had inner pockets.

One of the pockets was long and narrow. I wondered what it might hold, and then I spied it in my accessory tray - a jeweled dagger in its scabbard. The treasure Heller had given to me. The one that can cut through anything - with the scabbard that can't be cut by anything.

I gave it a try, and of course, the pocket fitted the scabbard like a glove, it's stiff material holding it snugly and safely by my side.

Wow. Best jacket ever.

I didn't have time to admire it though, 2 minutes left! I burst out of my room meaning to run down to the packhouse but my good beta was waiting at my door.

He deftly sidestepped and caught the door in one hand so that it didn't crash into his face, "Good morning, Alpha. I'll be accompanying you to the breakfast. Ki will meet us there."

Harvey was also in the dark blue warrior jacket.

I grinned, "Okay, let's go!"

I guess I was going to be a tiny bit late, which I know was bad. Mum had ever said that a host should never be late - especially to a meeting with outsiders. It was a good thing Ki's got it covered over there. I was confident if it were Ki, the Snow Wolves would be properly treated, they might not even notice I was late.

As each day passed, I found myself more and more comfortable with my three betas. So comfortable that I was beginning to take the little things for granted - like the cool headed administration of my good beta, the ki magic that happened all around my home, and Ben... I'm not entirely sure what Ben did as my beta actually. Based on the reports I've signed off, Ben's name would appear whenever it was about rosters and logistics schedules, or security and intel... I had no idea what Ben did. Based on my own observations, he was always busy causing trouble and/or flaunting his bad attitude.

Downstairs, Harvey took down a hooded cape which he easily slipped over my shoulders like a lasso, but the cape had a nice weight and it unfurled down my back. It seems like my betas were also becoming pros at dealing with me and they had enough of having me run out into the snow without a jacket.

The new cape wasn't too long, the bottom of it reached my hips - which was about the same length as my hair when it was at "rest", making it the perfect length to hide my blue hair. Coincidence or design? The outside of the cape was dark blue satin. The inside was the same black of the Betamen bullet proof material. I didn't even have to see the tag to know this was another customized item.

Outside, the snow was falling like it always did since the snow wolves came. Like tiny fluffy crystal angels, just falling, falling... The moment Harvey and I stepped out, the cold crisp air breathed clarity into my mind. This air... Perhaps I would miss it when they were gone.

It only took a while to get to the packhouse porch. Our sidewalks were properly shoveled and salted already, and even though it was cold out, my boots were sturdy against the frozen pavement.

"Alpha, Ben has obtained information about the Snow Wolves we are meeting this morning." Harvey reported by my side, "Besides River, Keanu, and Wilhelm, there would be three other wolves in attendance. These three wolves all have a very special heritage and form half of Snow Moon's Six Pillars and are very loyal to their Alpha and pack. Beta Glenn, you've already met, he is Alpha Gunter's true beta, and sits as the Mountain Pillar. Although he might seem impossible to bend, we've been assured that he can be persuaded... Although, I'm not certain as to how..." Harvey's tone was measured, but I could tell from the way his mouth was compressed and his brows were crinkled that my good beta was worrying again.

"Sir Wolfgang is the successor of the Fire Pillar Seat. He is the Fire Wolf you originally asked to meet. Wolfgang's temperament is not easy get along with. He is proud and loyal, with a volatile temper. He also despises humans." Harvey continued the report.

"But isn't River human?" I asked. If Wolfgang was anything like the arrogant Fire Wolves in the lycan legends, wouldn't it be like swallowing live coals to accept a human king?

"Hm." Harvey nodded, his mouth still pressed in a firm line, "His loyalty gives him no choice but to reluctantly accept his Alpha's decision."

I bet he had to be cursing his luck to be the generation that had to serve the human king then.

"Because Sir Wolfgang comes from a very ancient and famous bloodline, it would be difficult to win his approval." Harvey warned me, "Fire Wolves only respect two things. Power and Lineage."

I nodded and swallowed. Noted. But since these two things were inherited, it wasn't like anything could be done about it, right?

{Leave it to me.} Boo purred. Luckily she only did it internally. I'd have died of embarrassment if I made that sound aloud in front of Harvey.

"Lastly is Lady Adele, she is the successor of the Pillar of Water. She would be the hardest and easiest to convince. If you win over Beta Glenn and Wolfgang, she would automatically follow to protect their lives, but she would not ever step out on her own since she is a female and a healer. Her healing ability draws from her own lifespan, although her bloodline also grants her a lifespan a hundred times longer than the average wolf." Harvey paused here, as if hesitating, then he sighed and said, "There is this other thing, although I'm unsure how knowing might be helpful to you, Alpha. Lady Adele and Wilhelm are soulmates, but Lady Adele had been promised to the Snow Wolves' Gamma since birth. Since it would be dishonorable for Lady Adele to break off the engagement, neither Wilhelm nor Lady Adele had acknowledged their mating bond."

Where the hell did my betas get this kind of information from? Harvey said Ben inquired right?

"How did Ben get this information?" I frowned. Did he hack into their databases to find out? But who would record this kind of thing in a database?

"He visited Keanu last night and inquired." Harvey answered in all calm.

So not through hacking some database - but good old fashioned face to face interrogation.

"Where's Ben now?" I asked belatedly. Harvey was here, and Ki would meet us at the breakfast table. Was it alright for my bad beta to be somewhere in the shadows doing goddess knows what else?

"He's with the Special Team. They are preparing for today's mission." Harvey answered.

"Ben? By himself?" Okay, I knew he and Jonah delivered all the emergency supplies around the pack before the last snow storm, but they did it based on Beta Lucas' list. Can he handle getting everything ready by himself?

Harvey seemed to think so, "Don't worry, Alpha. Although Ben is young, he has proven to be very capable at mobilizing our forces."

Okay, since Harvey said so, but it was kind of ironic. Ben was preparing for our big mission today all by himself. Meanwhile, I was about to attend breakfast in my own packhouse with some Snow Wolves, and my betas felt that I was the one who needed not one but two betas by my side to help? What were they supposed to help me with? Maybe they could help me cut the sausage into bite sized pieces. WTH.

"Overall, it would be best to proceed with caution, Alpha." Harvey advised, "Although their help would be a great boon to our mission. It seems that there is only a very slim chance for you to successfully win these wolves over. If they do not seem forthcoming, we should make every effort not to give away our plans today so that Prince River would at least have a chance to slip out with us."

Eh, really? It didn't sound that bad. Was this advice from Keanu too, or was it just my good beta's own thoughts on that matter? Should I be worried? I was just me after all... could I persuade three Pillar Bloodline wolves from the Snow Moon Pack to follow me instead of waiting for their Alpha as they were instructed to? I really should have thought this through!

But we had reached the packhouse porch so I didn't really have much time left to worry or ask anything more. A warrior got the door for us and Harvey got my cape. It was apparently designed for my betas as well as for me. The clasp to unfasten the cape was just over my left shoulder so all Harvey had to do was unclip it with one hand, and the rest of the cape would slide off, leaving it neatly held in his hand.

Wait, no time to admire my betas' combined ingenuity. Focus!

"Your guests are awaiting your presence in the private room, alpha." Harvey informed me.

I nodded and let Harvey lead me through the dining hall to meet my guests in the private dining room on one end. Internally, I was doing a bit of last minute panicking, but then Boo surfaced just a bit, {Fun}.

Part of me was tempted to hand the reins over and let Boo free at the breakfast table. What's the worst that can happen? It wasn't like I was expected to succeed, and if I failed, I could always pin the blame on Boo, right?

What should I do? I imagined Mum would say something along the lines of just being myself and everyone with eyes would see how special I am. (Mum was biased like that.) Would just being Sam really cut it.

{You underestimate yourself.} Boo smiled, rearing to go. Without even looking, I knew there were three marvelously powerful wolves waiting for me. Boo wasn't too impress, its not like their bloodlines were better than my own betas' or even my special team.

I took a deep breath. I'll be going as just Sam then.

"Alpha Princess is here." Harvey announced at the dinning room entrance.

And suddenly, it was like magical girl transformation all over again. I was definitely dressed like it. Blue Alpha Warrior Princess was in the house!