PARTY WITH THE PRINCESS: WHEN HENRY THROWS A PARTY

Our journey to the Platinum Lounge required a glass elevator, followed by a passageway where one side was a waterfall along the whole wall. All along the way, the cool girls discussed the many ways they might get back at Abigail and make her pay.

"Do you have a plan, Sam?" Jasmine asked.

I shrugged, "Not really, unless you count having fun as a plan."

Because that was my plan from the start.

"I see..." Krystal looked like something just dawned upon her, "Zammi's got a point."

"She does?" Zara asked. Yeah, I did?

"Abigail wants to embarrass us and make us miserable." Krystal postulated.

This made Abigail sound like someone who would go out of her way to make us miserable on her own birthday. What kind of birthday wish was that? I felt quite sure that the birthday girl would've better things to focus on.

"Zammi's right. The best way to get back at Abigail is to make sure she sees us having fun." Krystal said, "We need to make sure she knows all her efforts to bring us down don't bother us."

"Like pretend we didn't even notice her s***." Leia caught on, "She is so insignificant, we don't even see her."

"Yes. And we have to look like we are having the time of our lives." Krystal nodded, "Especially you, Janice."

"Me?" Janice had stopped crying. Her mascara was a little smudged, but she was otherwise looking better.

"Yes, you, Janice." Krystal nodded solemnly, "You need to really rub it in her face that Henry is with you and not her."

"Yeah!" Zara was fired up now, "Make sure you are all lovey-dovey in front of her later. Feed each other cake. Slow dance. And do lots of PDA."

Ivan turned to Zara looking somewhat shocked, like he only just noticed he was dating her.

"And post lots of photographs." Krystal took out a phone. We had reached the Platinum Lounge. It was a glass room on the top floor where you could see the lobby of the club. The inside of the lounge was crammed with tropical potted plants. I knew because I actually recognized a few of them, including the one with very large leaves and sharp blades. Here it was, in a huge glossy black pot, looking all artistic and exotic, but I knew... in its natural habitat (not that the Warlock's Tower was natural in any way), this plant was a horror story.

"Wefie." Krystal ordered, and Leia and Zara immediately sidled next to either side of her and posed.

Krystal posted it with the caption, "Pre-party at the Platinum Lounge."

"Oooohhh... Abigail's gonna turn green under her white dress." Leia clapped with glee.

Why can't we just forget about Abigail and just enjoy ourselves? But of course, I wasn't dumb enough to say that aloud. Even Ivan had decided to keep his opinions to himself by now.

"Pete. Take photos." Henry ordered. Wait, what? Was Henry really going along with this plan? Wth.

No, Henry wouldn't care about something petty like the cool girls vs Abigail feud. (Even if it were over him.) Whatever Henry was up to, had to be something for his own benefit.

Pete obliged immediately, taking a shot of Henry with Janice and the cool girls, but Henry wasn't quite so satisfied. He frowned at the photo Pete showed him.

"Invite some people, Pete." Henry decided, "This lounge is too large for just the few of us."

And then Henry smirked, "Make sure they are instaworthy faces."

"Should I order light refreshments?" Beta Pete offered.

Henry checked his watch, "I suppose. But I'll only be here for at most an hour."

"Understood, Alpha." Beta Pete took this like it was expected, "Will you be returning to this party afterward?"

"Why not?" Henry decided.

I had no idea Henry was such a party animal. It really wasn't like Henry at all - at least not the one I knew in school.

Marcus groaned, "Here we go again."

Wait, what? Again?

"What?" Leia asked her date, "What's happening?"

Marcus gave a long suffering sigh, "Every now and then, Hen throws a party, and the next morning, it'll be plastered all over the news because of one thing or the other."

"Sam, don't just stand there. Invite your friends." Henry ordered, and then he realized he was talking to the wrong person, "Harv, who does Sam have on her contacts? Help me set the scene."

My good beta hesitated, "Do you have someone in mind, alpha?"

I could understand Harvey's hesitation. He could've just straight out told Henry that I didn't have anybody "instaworthy" in my contact list.

"Ah, anyone would do." Henry allowed

Okay, how about the last rogue king? Would that be instaworthy enough?

And then Henry sent a look over to me, "I suppose you wouldn't want anyone too scandalous with Sam around though. Ah, what the hell. Pete!"

Beta Pete was on the phone.

"Pete!" Henry yelled louder, "Don't invite anyone that would p*** James off."

"On second thoughts, invite James too." Henry decided.

And then Henry changed his mind all over again, "Ah, what the hell. Invite everyone. Fluffy, call in your fightdog friends - but only the top 20."

So it wasn't "everyone", only the top 20 "everyone."

"OH.MY.GOD." Leia realized, "We're going to be in one of those scandalous parties with famous people!"

"Oh my god!" Zara gasped, "Do you think we'll have our picture on People?"

"Eeeeekkk." The two girls squeaked, clasping each other's hands and dancing, "We're going to be famous!"

Krystal was a lot calmer about the entire thing, "You won't appear on People just because you were at a fancy private party."

Henry was still calling the shots, "Harvey, tell Ki to show up, he can bring a date or two. And call the lingerie model you were with... what's her name? Tell her to bring friends. It's been a while since I've thrown a party."

Wait, what lingerie model?

Harvey's mouth pressed in a straight line. My other wolves all froze, like for a second, and then it was like they all decided to pretend they didn't hear that.

Fluffy took out his phone, "Who should I call?"

"Let me check with Ki, first." Harvey seemed in every way his usual calm and collected self, but I could sense his wolf did not approve. This worried me a little bit. Was Henry getting us into trouble? Or was it something to do with the lingerie model? I felt quite sure that Harvey was immediately p***ed at the mention. It wasn't just me being sensitive or anything. My other wolves all caught the shift in their beta's mood. All of them, even EJ and Fluffy, seemed determined to pretend Henry never said "lingerie model".

It would have been far less sus if they just laughed it off.

I turned to Fluffy whose smiling mask was quite properly in place.

{What lingerie model?} I asked.

And I swear, Harvey must have the gift of insight, because the moment I asked - even though it was a very covet mindlink to Fluffy, my good Beta looked directly at Fluffy and it could have just been my imagination, but Fluffy's smiling mask tightened and he answered, {I have no idea, Pretty Alpha.}

{Lie.} Boo informed me.

Very sus.

"The dresses are being sent up. The caterers will arrive in twenty minutes to set up." Beta Pete reported, "Please inform all guests to come in half an hour. Invitations would be given at the club entrance. We'll start taking photos before 9 pm."

The girls squealed in excitement and jumped and clapped - even Krystal. It was like the cool girls were about to turn into cheerleaders.

At the very same time, Ivan, Liam, and Marcus decided to sit down on one of the nearby leather sofas. Marcus sighed deeply as he sank into his seat. I think the guys had officially admitted defeat. I took the sofa opposite them. I give up too.

Fluffy came over and sat next to me. EJ was too busy bouncing around checking out the view from the floor-to-ceiling windows.

"Ki will be arriving in 30 minutes. He will handle the guest list on our end." Harvey got off the mindlink to report, "He wants to know if there would be press involved."

"We can't help it if one or two slip in." Henry smirked, "You know how it is."

"Understood, Alpha." Harvey went back on mindlink again.

{One, two, buckle my shoe. No three and four, there are only two doors. Egress window exit leads out to a ledge and I think a ladder up to the roof.} Because I was quite sure that EJ was just messing around, checking out the lounge, I felt very surprised when I caught his security report to my other wolves, {Mou, Big Brother Beta! Let's get Ram in too. This place is a death trap.}

{Noted.} Harvey answered.

Aloud EJ bounced urgently behind us, "Hoi, hoi! Which way to the washroom?"

"It's on your left." Beta Pete answered.

"Thanks Beta!" EJ disappeared into it, and then reported, {Mou! Fluffy! It's unisex.}

There was a flushing sound and EJ popped back out.

"Wash your hands EJ." Fluffy smiled, {Did you check the vent?}

"Opps!" EJ jumped back into the washroom. The tap came on, {Vents are secure. Window grille is locked but nothing that can't be broken.}

EJ bounced out grinning, "The soap here smells like candy."

Really? But most of my surprise was that he actually washed his hands. I thought he was checking the windows.

Then I remembered EJ's wolf. If EJ's wolf was a perfectly capable warrior, why was it so surprising to me that EJ could do his duty properly?

"Not bad." Fluffy beamed, "You did it properly."

{Yeah, EJ!} Torque sounded genuinely proud of the redhead.

{Nice one, kid.} Neil approved.

{I didn't think you'd be able to do it.} Jax admitted.

{It was a 78 percent chance of failure.} Ink informed everyone.

Even Harvey, in his bad mood allowed, {Well done, EJ.}

EJ beamed and showed his clean hands, "Hoi hoi! I've got the cleanest hands in the world now!"

I was quite sure no one else was talking about his hands.

{I told you guys, I've leveled up.} EJ boasted, {Going to school with Pretty Alpha made me smarter.}

No, not really, EJ. It was nothing to do with me but I decided to leave it. It's not like they were talking to me anyway. I was just accidentally picking up their mindlinks again.

{Especially since Pretty Alpha stabilized your wolf this morning.} Fluffy put an arm around the back of our sofa.

{This is scientifically impossible.} Ink said.

{Yet here we are.} Fluffy looked way too pleased, {My alpha wolf fully restored and EJ's blood wolf under control.}

{Tell it again, Fluffy!} EJ bounced over to the sofa and dropped himself next to Fluffy, {Tell everyone how there was blood everywhere.}

{There was blood everywhere.} Fluffy obliged.

{And what did I do?} EJ asked with expectant eyes.

{You didn't go berserk.} Fluffy summarised.

"YES!" EJ bounced up - like physically. Everyone stopped whatever they were doing to look over.

Henry raised a brow.

"I did it!" EJ announced.

"You washed your hands?" Krystal asked. She looked like she was having second thoughts about her date now.

Luckily, Fluffy was here for the save, "Yes he did, but what he meant was, he managed to invite one of our friends over."

"Who?" Henry demanded.

"Ever heard of the Sandman, Alpha Hen?" Fluffy smiled.

"What the hell..." Yup, Henry looked slightly stunned, "For real?"

He looked at Beta Pete who shrugged back at him, "Should I increase our security, alpha?"

Then Henry looked at Harvey.

"It's safe, Alpha." Harvey said, "The Sandman, or rather, Delta Hiram one of us now."

"What the hell... Did ALL the escaped fightdogs join your army?" Henry asked.

"Not all." Harvey coolly assured the young alpha.

"Just the really beautiful ones." Fluffy smiled.

"Like us!" EJ boasted.

I laughed because they were being idiots again.

There was a knock on the door. One of the red ant warriors opened it for a few men dressed in white shirts and black vests - like waiters.They pushed in racks of white dresses a suits. A couple of fully suited men followed them, but they stood back while one of the waiters smiled and announced with flourish, "I've been told that we have a white dress emergency."

"Oh my god!" And then the cool girls lost it and screamed the house down.

At least I was sure the windows around us would shatter.