Chapter 248: Condition: Restraining Order
Of course, it was none other than Alpha Burke. Damon quickly accepted the call and put it on speaker so everyone was privy to the conversation.
"Alpha Burke, how nice of you to call," Damon said.
"It was hard not to, since I’ve received possibly the most preposterously worded email in my entire life," Alpha Burke retorted evenly. "Boy, your font is atrocious and your signature takes up half the screen."
Damon cleared his throat, the back of his ears reddening at the surprising criticism of his emailing skills. "Well, at least you got the message. I presume that you’re calling me to discuss things further?"
"I read it twice, yet I must say, understanding eludes me," Alpha Burke said. "You want my son to become Thunderstrike’s beta for an unprecedented amount of time so help young Darach get back on his feet? You certainly have some nerve― especially when I recall that it was young Harper who was Darach’s first choice for a beta. How did my son get dragged into this mess?"
Damon gestured at me to reply. I stepped closer to the phone.
"Hi, Alpha Burke, this is Harper here," I cleared my throat and gathered my thoughts quickly, trying to portray a firm, confident tone when I wasn’t anything close to it. "While I’m personally honored by Darach’s request, after careful consideration, I still had to refuse him."
"I’m simply not the right person for the job," I continued, "I don’t have any experience running a pack, and more importantly, I don’t have a wolf either. It would be near suicidal to have a wolfless, untested alpha and beta leading a pack."
There was a hum from the other end of the call. Blaise gave me an encouraging nod, and I continued to explain.
"Truthfully, Milo is the only candidate that comes to mind. Your son is strong of body and skilled in mind, and his faith in the Moon Goddess is unshakeable. He has integrity and an impeccable character― in fact, he’s the only one I can trust not to stab Darach in the back the moment he turns around."
I might have been laying it on a little thick, but then again, I wasn’t saying anything that technically wasn’t true. I had only known Milo for a short time, but he had made an impression on me.
I had never met anyone like Milo before, who had Blaise’s observation and deductive skills, yet possessed the magnanimity and grace of a saintess. He was almost too good to be true, which made Dahlia rejecting him all the more incomprehensible.
Suddenly, I felt two identical swells of jealousy rising within me. I could only shoot the brothers an incredulous glance; surely there was a time and place for everything!
Blaise gave me a sheepish smile, seemingly aware that he was being utterly ridiculous but being unable to stop it, while Damon huffed, unrepentant about his childish jealousy. I shook my head in disappointment; bad enough that he was jealous of Elijah, but Milo too?
What nonsense.
Thankfully, we weren’t on a video call, so I could roll my eyes at the sheer ridiculousness of my fated mates. Darach caught sight of Damon’s reaction and scrunched his face up in disgust.
"You are very kind to say so. My son has always been my pride and joy," Alpha Burke said. I could sense that he was preening with pride at the other end of the line. "Which is why I am so loath to lose him to Thunderstrike. If I let him go now, who knows when will be the next time I see him again? What state would he be in?"
"I highly doubt anything terrible would happen to him," Damon said, barely restraining the urge to scoff. "Milo is very skilled."
"Can you fault a father for worrying about his son?" Alpha Burke lamented. "That bitch of an ex-mate is still residing in Thunderstrike, along with her cronies. Why would I want him to enter the lion’s den when Hornstead isn’t going to get anything out of it?"
I sighed, finally understanding the heart of the matter. Here it was. The crux of the issue. No matter what, Alpha Burke was also an alpha. He would not do something as significant as loaning out his only child to Thunderstrike without anything in return.
But this was not a matter I could interfere with. Instead, all eyes turned to Darach, who gulped at the sudden attention.
"Alpha Burke, kindly speak clearly. What do you wish to get out of this arrangement?" Darach asked, a frown on his face. "You know all too well the current state of affairs that plague me. If you’re hoping for monetary compensation for Milo’s efforts, I’m afraid I might have to disappoint you."
"Money is not a concern," Alpha Burke’s voice was cheerful. "I simply need you to ensure that your sister never approaches my son again. I don’t care if you have to run her over a cliff. She must never come within ten feet of him ever again."
Darach blinked in surprise. "That’s... difficult, but I shall try."
"Oh, and I suppose an exclusive trade deal between our packs wouldn’t be amiss," Alpha Burke added.
"Dad, are you extorting Darch in his time of need?" Milo’s voice echoed from further away, his tone disapproving. It sounded as though he had just entered the room. "You shouldn’t be doing that. The greatest gift you can receive is the valuable experience I will earn from such a role."
"Milo, I’m trying to negotiate! You should take notes― you can’t agree to something like this for nothing!" Alpha Burke protested.
I had the mental image that he was trying to shield his son from the contents of the email, only for MIlo to read it anyway.
"Dad, Darach is my friend," Milo said. "It is disgraceful to charge him when he has undergone so much turmoil in his personal life."
"Thanks, Milo," Darach said, and I watched him blink back tears that formed in his eyes. "You’re the best."
"Darach, I am honored that you chose me. I will make sure to execute my duties to the best of my abilities, and support you to the fullest," Milo said so sincerely, that I almost felt embarrassed.
It was as though he was reciting his wedding vows to Darach, and I was the accidental eavesdropper.
"And kindly ignore whatever my father said earlier," Milo added. "I’ll be here as soon as you need me."
"No! Don’t ignore my words! Remember Darach, keep that witch away from my son or there will be hell to pay!"
