The moment we got out of the
cottage, Ben dragged me by the arm into the thicket. I was right, the cottage was cosseted somewhere deep in the woods. Even in the dark of night, it was obvious from the way the surrounding trees were spaced, and the way they loomed over us from such a height that I felt sure this wasn't even secondary forest type. We were in so deep, the trees here had probably been here since time began.
This was the kind of woods I always imagined the three bears lived when I was young because I was a dumb pup who couldn't tell fairytales apart from Lycan legends.
This was particularly problematic because while I knew fairytales were make-believe, I believed legends were history that the adults never gotten down to writing the proper paperwork for.
So I had at one time argued that the three bears could've been the reasonable explanation for Bigfoot sightings. The only reason why we never found the cottage was because it was so deeply hidden in the woods. Mum had made a face at my theory of Goldilocks and the Three Big Foots, but no one had corrected me.
No one, except for Ben who said, "The only way they are the same, is that they are both make-believe."
Ben was skeptical about everything since he was a pup. (He didn't even believe in volcanos because he had never seen them with his own eyes.)
"That's not true!" My dumb pup self would argue, "They were also both furry and lived deep in the woods!"
I mean, I was very logical like that.
Anyway, that was when I was a dumb pup. I wasn't a dumb pup any more. But I was still apparently, dumber than my beta, Ben.
"Where are we going?" I asked. I thought he said we were leaving, so why were we hanging behind some bushes?
Ki joined us silently with his placid smile so I knew we weren't quite done with our mission yet.
"Ben, explain!" I was sure he had some kind of plan he wasn't bothering to verbalize. Ben liked to skip steps like it was his maths homework.
"Shhh... We'll wait here." Ben said.
As if my beta had the patience to ever wait for anything.
{Ben!} I scolded, but only over the mindlink because Ben had just pulled me further down to a low crouch next to him. I recognized that immediately as the universal language of puphood to mean, "We are about to get into trouble."
{I don't believe the lady would be able to make it to the road, beta.} Ki solemly informed Ben. I don't think Ki spoke the universal language of puphood, but he was good at reading the room and had also crouched down low to join us.
Wait, that was what I thought too! So it was true? Grandma Wanda wasn't going to make it? We can't leave her here alone! I was alarmed, {Ben!}
{I know.} Ben said pointedly at us. He sounded offended that we thought he would have known less than we did, {But I don't trust her to be able to hide much from Alpha Louis.}
{But... But...} I worried. And as if to prove my right to worry, Grandma Wanda stumbled out of the cottage with the overlarge and heavy basket in her single arm. She was already breathing hard from the exertion of getting it out of the door. And even in the darkness, her complexion looked as white as a sheet.
{She took her time.} Ben grumbled.
{Ben!} I know, I was always eloquent like that.
{This is because she annoyed you, isn't it?} Ki hazarded.
{Yes.} Ben said, and then grabbed my arm before I stood up to go over and help, {I mean no.}
He was lying. I heard myself growl lowly. Ben was going too far.
{I mean yes, but not entirely!} Ben sighed resigning himself having to explain, {This way, she can honestly say she walked herself to the roadside to get help.}
She won't make it though?
Grandma Wanda put the large basket onto the ground and looked around, "Hello? Anyone there?"
I covered my mouth belatedly, did she hear me growl just now? She looked around, for a split second, I thought she must have sensed us, did legendary healers have special sensors for lifeforms? But then she turned her attention to the sky, "I suppose it's...now which way was it?"
Now she tilted her head, "Ah, I can't see the North Star through the trees... I suppose it doesn't matter..."
Wth! Had Grandma Wanda never nagivated before? Nope, she wasn't going to make it.
And then she sighed and picked up the basket, "Young Betas have no consideration for their elders..."
She continued to grumble while stumbling in a vague direction that was NOT South-East at all.
And apparently, Ben's plan was to silently follow her from the shadows.
Again, this was amazing never-before seen self control and patience on Ben's part. Grandma Wanda made her way very slowly and spent most of it grumbling about the young beta being a heartless, immoral, foolish pup who had no manners or etiquette fit for polite company. Which was harsh, but not that far off the mark. Just saying. 1I wished Grandma Wanda also knew that this young Beta was also very petty and how he would probably get back at her should she survive tonight.
She really didn't make it, but she complained all the way to her last breath. Eventually, she ran out of insults and energy and collapsed in a heap at the foot of a tree. She was a few decades older in Ki's glow when we approached her.
"Don't heal her too much, dog." Ben cautioned, "It's better to leave her unconscious."
Why? So she won't be able to insult you further?
But we followed Part 2 of Ben's plan which was to carry her unconscious body to the pick up point and leave her for Gareth to find when he drove by.
This way, if she were questioned by Alpha Louis, she could truly say she had no idea how she made it by herself to the road.
"What if Gareth doesn't find her?" I worried, "What if Uncle Louis questioned Gareth?"
Ben rolled his eyes, "Sam, please."
Apparently, I was underestimating my wolves.
Well, Ben's plan did seem to be working out so far.
Maybe Ben knew something about Gareth that I didn't. Maybe Gareth had some OP mind-game skills.
"At any rate, I'm sure your Luna Aunt has been checking on us." Ben grinned evilly, "She would be seeing us sleeping in your family suite the entire time."
Ki smiled like a flower to the sun, "Even if he suspects it, Alpha Louis would be hard pressed to find any evidence of us leaving his Packhouse."
Oh, my betas were so sneaky.
They even tricked Gareth into believing that he had accidentally found Grandma Wanda by the roadside all on his own. (So much for mind-game skills - Gareth fell for every loop the loop.)
Ben even used Harvey as a screen by minklinking Harvey to mindlink Gareth. It was the most inefficient communication line, should I be worried at how Harvey didn't even question it?
My good beta dutifully called off the extra errand to return to the Night Forest Packhouse ASAP. The timing had to be just right when Gareth's truck had turned up the road into the forest. Of course this was possible. Ben had all our registered vehicles tagged on GPS.
At this point Ben used his phone to flash a light a few times just to make sure he caught Gareth's attention to the roadside ditch where we had left Grandma Wanda and her basket.
Then we scurried behind the overgrowth on the other side and made Harvey mindlink Gareth again for a status update just when his truck stopped.
Gareth got out of the car, but paused to end the mindlink. He frowned almost immediately, because unlike Ben, Ki, and I who were dream travelling, Gareth could smell the dried blood on Grandma Wanda's dress like Gamma Harry could smell hotdogs on a grill.