Chapter 284: Missed the Forests for the Trees
"Harper, you..." Milo shook his head, aghast, his eyes darting between me, the pile of leaves that cushioned the wendigo’s dead body, and then at poor Atlas who was lying on the floor, looked over by the other two men with grim faces.
His mouth opened and closed wordlessly, like a gaping fish. I had never seen him speechless. I took a self-conscious look at myself, just in case the wendigo had torn off some clothing without my notice, but I was perfectly clothed, if not unkempt.
"I’m not blaming you," I said quickly, just in case Milo got upset. I’m sure he must have done his utmost best to arrive in time. "Better late than never, right? You’re just in time to help me get Atlas to the infirmary." I let out a weak laugh, and Milo’s face darkened.
"You’re the one that needs medical attention immediately!" He all but yelled out. "We’re going to have words about your actions later."
"What are you talking about? I didn’t do anything wrong and I’m perfectly fine," I said, shrugging my shoulders only to wince as I felt a sharp pain radiate through my body, like a hot lance. Ouch. I guess I wasn’t completely fine, but Milo didn’t need to have that disapproving look painted on his face.
"Beta Milo, we need to get Atlas to the infirmary. I suspect he has broken bones."
Milo cursed under his breath. "We’ll talk about your actions later. For now, let’s get him to safety."
He strode over to Atlas’s prone body and gently gathered him into his arms. His shoulders relaxed minutely when he caught sight of the slight rise and fall of Atlas’s tiny chest. Broken bones were terrible, but at least he was still breathing.
"Come on, we must hurry," Milo said, handing him over to me. I sucked in a deep breath, making sure to not jostle the poor boy further. "I’ll carry the both of us back. You two, guard our backs."
"Yes, Beta Milo!"
It was probably for the best that Milo was carrying us back. For all my earlier bravado, my legs were feeling increasingly shaky the longer I remained standing. I clambered up to Milo’s back after he had shifted and together all of us made it to the infirmary, a grand white building with a red cross at the top. Darach had helpfully pointed it out on our tour.
There were already fellow pack members waiting outside with a stretcher, along with Atlas’s frantic mother.
"They’re here! Oh, you did it― you brought him back―" The poor woman took one glance at Atlas in my arms and began to blubber uncontrollably. "My boy... is he..."
"He’s alive, but he needs medical attention immediately," I said since Milo was still in his wolf form and in no condition to reply in human words. I quickly handed Atlas over to the stretcher, and they wasted no time in bringing him inside, his mother hot on their heels.
Clambering off Milo with shaky legs, I could only sigh and sink into one of the chairs they had in the waiting room. The adrenaline was slowly fading, and with it came the realization that my thighs were aching.
Milo shifted back, and I handed him his clothes. Unfortunately, the look of intense disapproval was still on his face.
"Are you going to yell at me?" I asked, deciding to get the hard part out of the way.
"I should. I really should, but I’m trying to think of an appropriate way of scolding you for your reckless actions without your mates taking it as an insult," Milo confessed with surprising frankness. "I’ll need to tell Damon and Blaise about this."
I choked with wide eyes. God. I could think of nothing I wanted less. Once they found out about my actions, they would probably charge here first thing in the morning and salt the very earth Thunderstrike stood on.
Darach wouldn’t need to worry about ruling Thunderstrike once the twins arrived. There wouldn’t be enough for a pack to run once they were done with it.
"Must we? We don’t need to let them know about this. Wouldn’t telling them this count as giving away sensitive knowledge to another pack?" I tried to argue, clasping my hands pleadingly.
Milo was unmoved by my reasoning. He crossed his arms and stared back at me in disappointment, and eventually, I was the one who looked away first.
"Why did you do something so reckless?" Milo asked, but I knew better than to think that he wanted an actual reply. This was a prelude to his scolding, and true enough, Milo started an impressive tirade.
"While I understand that you might have nothing but the kindest of intentions, you must realize that what you did today could have jeopardized the fragile relationship Thunderstrike has with Fangborne," he continued. "It was with the Moon Goddess’s mercy that you came back unhurt. What if you had gotten gravely injured, or heaven forbid, killed in the line of duty?"
"But I wasn’t―" I began, but Milo wasn’t done.
"Damon and Blaise would have never forgiven any of us in Thunderstrike for letting this happen, and we will pay for it with our lives. You know better than anyone what your mates are capable of. They have razed packs for less."
He didn’t allow me a word and said, "Atlas’s life was important, but you nearly gave up the life of every other wolf for him. Even Kyle, from your own pack, would not be spared from their wrath."
After all, Damon and Blaise had already threatened castration for getting in my way. If I were dead...
"I didn’t..." I held my head in my hands. I didn’t think that far― I was only focused on saving Atlas that I missed the forests for the trees. How ironic, considering where this all happened.
"I know you didn’t mean to. That’s why I’m letting you know right now so that you don’t make mistakes like this in the future," Milo said firmly, but his voice was still very kind as he delivered more brutal truths.
"Your life is not your own― your every decision, your very well-being is a bridge between Thunderstrike and Fangborne. As a beta, other than helping Darach rule, my second biggest duty is to keep you safe from harm while you offer us help."
"If you die, everything we do will be for naught," Milo said with grim finality. "Do you understand, Harper?"
