Chapter 274: Control
Guess I had celebrated too soon. Beside me, Kyle tensed as though he was ready to spring in front of me to take a killing blow.
Practically everyone had their attention turned to her; some of the Thunderstrike wolves wore expressions of relief, others had respect glimmering in their eyes, and there was a final group that looked downright sad. Whatever feelings they had for Dahlia Elrod were evidently much more positive than for us, that it was a miracle Darach hadn’t been overthrown yet.
"News certainly spreads fast," Darach muttered under his breath, only loud enough for me to hear. "I don’t see them being so enthusiastic when I proposed suggestions for training reform."
"Well, gossip is usually more exciting," I muttered back with a regretful sigh. There went my dreams of a peaceful dinner.
"Dahlia," Darach said in a louder voice, addressing his sister. "What on earth are you wearing? I mentioned that there would be important guests tonight, didn’t I?"
"What? Can I not walk around in whatever clothes I want now, even in my own home?" Dahlia demanded, storming straight to our table. "As for our guests, I would argue against how welcome they are."
Milo’s grip on his fork tightened, a fact that wasn’t missed by Dahlia, who hastily took a step back. She kept her gaze fixated on our table, but at least with Milo’s stern gaze — surprisingly — keeping her in check, she didn’t advance any further.
With a sigh, Darach wiped his mouth clean with a napkin before deciding to engage his sister. "If you’re not planning on at least making yourself look presentable, I would rather you not show up at all. You can look homeless all you want with dinner sent to your room. Or if you’d prefer, the kitchen is always open for supper."
"While you lot sit here and make merry? I don’t think so," Dahlia spat out, crossing her arms over her chest. "You’re a spineless disgrace, Darach. There’s no loyal bone in your body. After what this woman did to Thunderstrike, after what she did to me, you’re still selecting her as your charlie? What a fucking joke!"
"Watch your tongue," Milo said with a low growl.
Instantly, the entire hall fell silent. Everyone had food halfway sent to their mouths or stopped chewing entirely, afraid to even breathe. Milo slowly scanned through the crowd, his glares scalding enough to burn those who dared to meet his gaze alive.
"Harper is now the charlie of Thunderstrike whether you like it or not. You, on the other hand, are only staying here alongside your father because of your brother’s grace. Learn to count your blessings and remember your place."
Dahlia, though evidently frightened by Milo’s threatening tone, merely squinted her eyes. Her lips were wobbly even as she spoke, giving away the instinctive, bodily reaction of a mere pack member submitting to a wolf of higher authority. No matter how haughty she was, no matter her birth origins, her current place still stood― she was no longer the alpha’s daughter and no longer the heir.
In comparison to Milo, who wasn’t even an official member of Thunderstrike but had been elected by the Alpha to become the beta, Dahlia Elrod had no power of any sort.
"Is this your new woman?" she asked, her voice trembling as she sneered scathingly at me. "Was seducing both the Alpha and Beta of Fangborne not enough, that she had to sink her claws into yet another?"
The silence in the room was deafening, a heavy blanket of shock settling over the gathered company. It was as if the air itself had been sucked out, leaving nothing but a vacuum of stunned disbelief. Every breath seemed to hang in suspension, hesitant to be the one to make the first sound. Even a pin drop could be heard in this palpitating stillness.
No one had forgotten Dahlia Elrod’s disastrous wedding event. It was supposed to be the wedding of the century. Thorton Elrod had spared no effort in ensuring his daughter received the best. Yet, the very people who schemed for its downfall were almost all present here, victorious, while Dahlia was left with nothing.
If she was anyone else, perhaps I would’ve even felt pity for her.
However, my sympathy wouldn’t be missed; there were plenty of other people who thought that Dahlia Elrod had been wronged and could do no wrong herself. Whispers began to rise, rippling through the crowd. However, another glaring shot from Milo and they quickly quietened down.
"Not every male and female relationship needs a romantic or sexual intonation," Milo calmly replied, though everyone could hear the poison in his voice. "Besides, what’s it got to do with you? You’re not my mate, my family, or even a friend. What gives you the right to comment on my private life, or even challenge the authority of your alpha when selecting members of the court?"
The legs of the chair screeched against the floor as Milo pushed it back, standing to his feet. His eyes cooly scanned through the crowd, and I watched as members of the pack visibly cowered from his gaze.
"We will only say it once," he said. "Alpha Darach had selected Harper Gray as the charlie of the pack for his reasons. What those reasons are, it’s not in your place to question. If you wish to have that position yourself, then earn it for yourself by proving your capabilities and your loyalty. Otherwise―"
A sneer curled his lips. Kyle and I watched with bated breaths, our food relatively untouched as our attention was captured entirely by Milo’s gravitating tone.
"―learn to keep your mouth shut," he said lowly, his voice resonating throughout the dining hall.
Frantic nods rippled through the crowd. The difference between Milo’s words and Darach’s words were jarring― they didn’t seem to care at all what their alpha had to say, and yet, Milo could easily command them without a thought.
Even Dahlia, who was filled with resolve and resentment, quickly fled. She took a deep breath and shot me the nastiest, stinkiest glare she could muster, before escaping the hall. Her footsteps could be heard even with human ears, echoing down the corridor until it disappeared with the slam of a door.
"Well..." Darach smiled awkwardly, gesturing to the food. "Let’s eat, shall we? The food is starting to get cold."
I shared a glance with Kyle, surprised to see that he was already watching me. When our eyes met, I instantly knew that we had the same thought in our minds― Darach might be the alpha of the pack, but he had no control of Thunderstrike at all, and that would eventually prove dangerous.
