A LITTLE TOO COMPLICATED

Fluffy differed from Wolfgang at this point. Fluffy still saw it as more of a trap than a test because Fluffy's thought process was even more convoluted than Wolfgang's. He called it the "big picture."

According to Fluffy's "big picture", Dad must have certain ambition to expand Night Leaf's territories. (So I guess Fluffy's picture was the entire map of our continent.)

Through Stephan and the disbanded Red Cloud Pack, we already had a foothold in the Red Packlands. The Underground Caves were now serving as a military outpost. It puts us closer to Night Forest and our presence could be considered a constant protection or threat for Dad's home pack, depending on Uncle Louis' actions.

Fluffy had assisted some of my beta's research, and like Henry, they had concluded that Night Forest was TECHNICALLY my rightful inheritance since I had both alpha bloodlines of Grandpa Silas and Grandma Luna. I was also the eldest daughter of their eldest son.

If Night Forest tradition was to be followed, the Kingsley's inheritance was passed down from mother to daughter. This was unique to Night Forest, but it was also the reason why Grandpa Silas had to marry into the Kingsley family when their packs merged.

In the same vein, I should be the heir of the Kingsley legacy and the Night Forest pack. The proof of it was Grandma Luna's Idonia Ring, which she had personally handed over to me after my first shift.

By placing a military outpost in the Red Packlands, Dad had strategically put some serious pressure on Night Forest to behave themselves and surrender in due time - even if the pack would likely be run by my cousin Eddy (especially if he mated Sabre when they are of age), Night Forest would be subsidiary to Night Leaf.

It was obvious that this was Dad's plan from the time he had me. Why else would he have cared to visit his home pack regularly even after leaving?

"Maybe he just wanted to see his family?" I asked somewhat caustically.

Fluffy beamed, "Why not? That's a good reason as any."

Dad was brilliant in the way he manipulated even his parents' relationship with their grandchildren to be allowed annual visitations to inspect and patiently gathered intel at Night Forest.

Like seriously, after growing up with Dad in this lifetime… how could Fluffy still think of Dad in such a light?

"He is truly the mind I admire most." Fluffy told Wolfgang.

Wolfgang nodded, "Alpha Kingsley is well known for his radical mind."

That's just because Dad was different… he's a good guy… Oh, just forget it. I'd just feel like a dumb naïve pup if I tried to argue Dad's innocence. It was enough that I believed in Dad.

But reclaiming Night Forest was only a piece of Alpha Kingsley's puzzle to dominating the continent. Why settle for strongholds in only the Red Packlands (Underground Outpost) and White Packlands (Night Forest), when he could also plant Night Leaf's influence in the Blue Packlands through Wolfgang, and the Colored Mountains through Fluffy?

By then, Night Leaf would be controlling four of seven colored packlands - ensuring the majority vote in the High Council.

"They wouldn't even know what hit them." Fluffy smiled.

Bear in mind, Luna Bell's control over the Ciara Coven in the Gold Packlands - right next to Henry's Silver Mountain. It was in Fluffy's opinion that Henry seriously miscalculated when he handed over the Ciara intel to us. Now he too would have a constant threat hanging above his head. Naturally, all he could do was play along and maximize his gains through the lifelong alliance and hiring our army to stabilize his reign.

"We have Silver Mountain in the palm of our hands." Fluffy smiled. As long as they played along to Moon Bell's tune, they would continue reaping rewarding profits from our alliance. The moment they refuse, they would be wrecked by a vampire war.

I wondered if Henry knew this…

"Although many of the key events that led to our current position seemed to have been chanced upon, I suppose it would be too farfetched to say that it worked out so perfectly purely by luck." Wolfgang allowed, "Someone must have orchestrated it."

Both men stopped to glance back at me. WHAT? Did they think I planned all this?

Of course not. (Should I be insulted here?)

"If this is true, then Alpha Kingsley is beyond shrewd." Wolfgang nodded in admiration, "By allowing the princess to run out front, not only does he expertly conceals his hand from the rest of the world, he also quietly but surely grooms his heir to take over the reins."

And what reins they would be - to a huge collation of alliances and a merged pack. We would include the military power of the Blue Demons, Colored Mountain Magic, and Ciara Vampire Army. We would include the financial backing of the three richest packs in the continent - Night Forest, Silver Mountain, and the Lorent Pack (in order of GDP). We would include many intricate and intimate relations to rather exacting degrees. Savy would be mated to Prince River of the Snow Moon Kingdom, Sabre to the future Alpha Eddy of the Night Forest Pack, and me to the Lorent's Alpha and Tyger King alongside a "Special Team" of rather powerful warriors and political figures.

(Why did Fluffy say "Special Team" while making air quotes?)

"But my circumstances are complicated." Wolfgang argued, "I don't quite understand how the benefits of trapping me outweighs the trouble of setting up such a mission."

Fluffy beamed, "You are Prince River's Teacher, and the Pillar of Snow Moon. If your allegiance laid with the princess permanently, wouldn't your entire fife follow? Once Prince River becomes King, his Queen would be Pretty Alpha's sister and his Grand Advisor Pretty Alpha's lover, do you think he would be able to escape our control?"

LOV...LO...LO... I can't even say it. Wth was wrong with Fluffy's head?

"That- but... oh." I was sure Wolfgang started off in protest, but he seemed to have come to a realization and concluded more rationally, "He was looking not at what I am, but what I would become."

Don't accept that kind of outcome!

"Didn't you notice how quickly you were accepted into the Alpha's household?" Fluffy beamed, "Even if you didn't notice, Luna Bell certainly did."

Mum and Dad were just being kind and respectful to Wolfgang because he was my tutor and they knew his current misfortune was largely my fault for publicly putting out the poor fire wolf's flame? (And Bell was just being a jerk.)

"Alpha Kingsley surely lives up to his reputation." Wolfgang was impressed, "No wonder even Alpha Gunter had always been wary and respectful of him."

It wasn't just the colored packlands, Alpha Kingsley was also eyeing the Colored Mountains. Surely it would not have escaped him that the additional resources provided through Fluffy and Hayao's family was a substantial boost to his military might.

"Notice how it has been perfectly calculated to balance out Luna Bell's growing powers." Fluffy said, "Even the Tyger King would have to think twice before provoking his father in law."

You might even say that it was a necessity to keep the Tyger King in line. It was really tricky, on one hand, Bell was our most powerful ally, on the other, powerful allies can turn and become powerful enemies. But of course Alpha Kingsley played it perfectly through the manipulation of the many invisible strings connecting all the major players involved.

Wow. That did sound impressive puppet show (even though I still wasn't convinced that my Dad masterminded the entire thing.)

"If this was a chessboard, he is controlling both the black and white pieces." Fluffy explained.

The two clever wolves took a moment just to take in how amazing that was.

"If this is true, then we would definitely be returning to the UNDO Point." Wolfgang concluded.

"And he is sure that we - particularly you, are trapped permanently to follow his grand scheme." Fluffy reminded him.

Wolfgang shrugged, "He won't be disappointed. I was already prepared to stay when I agreed to accompany the princess on this mission."

If I had known even half of what I heard today, I would never had asked any of them to come with.

Luckily, they were wrong about Dad (and pretty much everything else). Maybe these two were just too clever for their own good?

"Kingsley had three daughters" Fluffy quoted, "Each one as lovely as the other. Men send countless sons to fight the war, but three princesses were enough for him to conquer it all."

Why did these lines sound familiar?

"This was a prophesy uncovered from the Warlock's tower." Fluffy said.

Oh, yeah, I remember finding it. My beta's must have filed it, "But why do you know about it Fluffy?"

"I am the official scribe of Pretty Alpha's Yellow Brick Road Project, there is very little I do not know." Fluffy smiled.

"I am quite sure this information was not in your general archives." Wolfgang frowned.

"It's not." Fluffy beamed, "It's in the classified archives, but you already know too much. It would only be another bullet through your heart if you relinquish your flame and leave."

"I will hold on to this flame to my death." Wolfgang declared.

"Then it wouldn't matter that you know." Fluffy's smiling mask remained in place.