Untamable

Chapter 10 Strategist

Edward’s POV

"You're such an impulsive fool, Edward," Noah scolds me as soon as the party wraps up. He waves his arms like an overenthusiastic conductor at a disaster symphony.

I flinch, half-expecting him to throw something, but honestly, he's not wrong.

He storms around the study, looking visibly annoyed."Challenging Henry to a duel? Seriously? That's the dumbest idea since someone decided to put pineapple on pizza. Do you actually think you can beat him? Has all that noble blood muddled your common sense?”

"I know, I know I messed up, okay? I was just desperate—I mean, I was clinging to any straw that looked like a lifeline," I confess. “My mind went completely blank when Father declared it would be settled if no one objected. Honestly, I didn’t even know what I was going to say when I blurted out 'I object!' It was pure instinct.”

“I get it,”Noah nods. “You tried to be brave, but what followed just turned up the heat.””

I give him a look of sheepish gratitude. "Thanks for pulling me out of the fire. At least Father agreed to your plan, and now I have a fair shot at competing with Henry."

"Fair?" Noah snorts. "The real battle is just beginning, Mr. Sunshine," he says ominously. "Father’s got his heart set on crowning Henry, and he’s going to pull more strings than a two-bit puppet show to make that happen."

"What do you mean?" I ask, furrowing my brow.

"If I were you, I'd start making friends and winning people over before Father starts rolling out his royal decrees," Noah advises, his face puckered like he just bit into a lemon. "Taking on rogues isn’t child play, Edward. You’re going to need real soldiers, not ones made out of paper mâché and flimsy enough to blow away in a breeze. Where are you planning to find them?"

"Wouldn't Father assign the soldiers evenly between Henry and me?" I ask, furrowing my brow. "I mean, if it’s a competition, he’d have to keep it fair, right?"

"Father doesn't give a s**t about fairness. All he’s focused on is getting Henry onto that throne," Noah says, staring at me with bewilderment, like I've just sprouted another head. "Even if he wants it to look even, it's only going to be skin-deep. Do you really think he'll give you soldiers as good as Henry’s? Sure, on paper it might look fair, but the quality? I bet you he'll hand you the ones who are old, sick, or practically falling apart."

I stare at him, eyes widening. "Maybe you're the one who should be leading the charge against the rogues," I mutter. "Your brain seems sharper than mine."

"Drop the 'seem,' it's a well-established fact that I’m smarter than you," Noah declares, chest puffed out like a peacock with something to prove.

"Okay," I admit, my pride taking a backseat to reality.

"But I’m not physically up for it," Noah softens his voice. "I’m not suited to lead troops on the front lines. I could come up with a brilliant plan and then trip over a stone and kill myself. That’d be idiotic."

Too true—I can’t help but chuckle at the image he paints, of him tripping over his own feet.

"So," Noah says,"I'd much rather be in a command role. I'll weave the strategies, and you get to play hero. How's that suits your fancy?"

"Sounds perfect," I agree, a grin spreading across my face. "You’re signing up for team me against Henry, then?"

"Yep," Noah nods.

"Why?" I ask, intrigued. "Isn’t Henry the odds-on favorite? What's in it for you?"

"Ah, finally a spark of wisdom, Edward," Noah replies, looking pleased. "First, my Mum has this soft spot for you. Apparently, cold-blooded Henry doesn’t want to save Aunt Margaret. Personally, I'm indifferent, but I do want to make my Mum happy," Noah shrugs like it’s all in a day’s work. "And then there’s the thing with Henry being too sure of himself. He sees me as an inexperienced teenager and would brush me off like a lint rather than take my words seriously. Plus, helping a hot favorite doesn’t show off my brilliance, but turning an underdog like you into a champion? Now, that's something history would remember. They might even etch my name into legends."

I gaze at him with admiration, a tad envious of his clear sense of self and ambition. While he has charted a course throughout his life with the precision of a seasoned captain, I only just realized yesterday that I should probably have a goal.

"I'm incredibly grateful you decided to be on my team," I say with genuine appreciation. "So, who should we make allies with? Strategist?"

"I like that title," Noah grins, springing up with the enthusiasm of a kid let loose in a candy store, and starts pulling seven books off the shelf. His eyes light up as if his fingers touch the books. "Let’s give these books a role—Father’s guards, General George’s army, and the five packs. Now, which of these do you think might throw us a lifeline, or at least keep us afloat?"

I stare at the books, feeling like they're puzzles I just can’t figure out. "I don’t know," I admit.

"Then let’s flip the script. Who’s going to roll out the red carpet for Henry?"

"Father and General George," I reply.

"Exactly," Noah says, theatrically sliding two books across from me. "Now let’s dish on the rest. The Red Moon Pack’s Alpha Cain is practically Father’s golden retriever, so he’ll back Henry all the way." Another book lands on the table like it's making a statement.

"Given how The Blue Moon Pack and The Red Moon Pack get along like cats and dogs, The Blue Moon Pack might actually end up being our ally. Chalk up a point for Edward." Noah tosses a book my way, and I catch it mid-air.

I can’t help but marvel at Noah’s impressive recall. It’s downright shocking, to be honest. How can he remember all the packs, the people, and their standpoints so effortlessly? I only mentioned it once at the party.

"Knowledge is power, Edward," Noah chuckles, seeing the astonishment written all over my face. He continues without missing a beat, "Now, Alpha Robin of The Silver Moon Pack is such a nice guy—too nice, really. He would probably avoid taking sides because he doesn’t like dirtying his boots. He’s more into checking his crop yield and wondering if his daughter’s cooked up any new mischief," Noah adds, rubbing his chin. "So, here’s my advice: propose to Dorothy. Win the she-wolf over, and Alpha Robin and his men are practically gift-wrapped for you."

"You can’t be serious," I say, my eyes widening to the size of saucers.

"No joke," Noah shrugs, a mischievous grin playing on his lips. "That’s exactly what Henry did. Why else do you think he has rushed to propose to Lady Augusta, who’s barely seventeen?"

"I thought he was into her temperament,"I muse.

"What temperament?" Noah scoffs with a laugh that's as dry as dust. "Come on, she's General George’s daughter, a wild warrior with a sword as sharp as her tongue—not what Henry's into. He prefers the kind that comes with a mute button," Noah says, shaking his head like he’s wondering how I missed something so obvious.

"You’ve got a point," I admit. "But Dorothy’s just fifteen."

"Ah, a prime age, wouldn’t you say? She-wolves older than fifteen might have wised up and stopped dreaming of marrying a prince," Noah quips, raising an eyebrow.

"Still, she’s too much for my patience levels to handle. I’m not ready for that kind of roller coaster," I retort.

"Excuses, all of them just excuses," Noah snorts, eyeing me like he's trying to see if there’s a real brain in there. "Come on, you can be patient when you want to. The real issue is you can’t stomach marrying a girl for politics and breaking her heart."

"Exactly, Dorothy will get her dreams trampled when she realizes the prince doesn’t marry her for love, but to make use of her," I sigh. "That’s hardly fair to her."

"You've got a heart of gold, Edward," Noah says, his expression a mix of admiration and ‘get-with-the-program’ pity. "Noble virtues are fantastic for bedtime stories, but in real-life competition, it’s a whole different game," he murmurs. "If we can’t sweep her off her feet with romance, maybe we should find her a loving stepmother instead."

"I don’t think that would work," I grimace. "Alpha Robin’s been down that road multiple times, and Dorothy’s turned each new stepmom attempt into a theatrical horror show."

"Well, you can’t really blame her. Accepting a new stepmom might feel like she’s betraying her own mother," Noah reasons.

"So, what do we do?" I ask, feeling the frustration build.

"I’m convinced Dorothy's just craving some love.”Noah says thoughtfully. “She might be acting out just to wave a flag and grab her dad's attention. If we can't provide the motherly love she craves but stubbornly denies, maybe we can introduce her to a friend," Noah suggests, nodding toward Anna, who's happily dusting away the shelves.

"You’re suggesting..."

"My gut says they'd get along well. They're both as straightforward as it gets."

"It’s worth a try," I say, feeling a glimmer of hope.

"We’ll let The Silver Moon Pack stay on the fence for now," Noah says, placing the corresponding book in the middle. "Now, The Shadow Moon Pack’s Luna Nora is a smart cookie, but getting her support won't be easy."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Like you said, she’s got this knack for picking up outcast she-wolves and training them into assassins. Her pack’s beefed up over the years, but she keeps things low-key……That means she might not show much interest in royal rumblings. Without a carrot to dangle, she’ll likely stay neutral," Noah explains, placing another book in the center.

"So, out of seven groups, I’m left with just one potential ally?" I say, eyeing the table while trying to mask the disappointment creeping into my voice.

"Sorry, but that’s the lay of the land," Noah says, giving me a sympathetic look. "But don’t worry, nothing’s set in stone. With some crafty moves, we can tip the scales."

"Got any brilliant schemes up your sleeve?" I ask earnestly,

""How about sabotaging Augusta and Henry’s engagement and pulling General George over to our side," Noah suggests, giving me a sly wink. "You’ve noticed she’s not exactly fond of Henry, right?"

"Do I seriously have to use romance to win against Henry?" I grumble, imagining myself as Cupid with a bow and arrow, neither of which I’ve ever used effectively.

"Got any better ideas?" Noah asks, one eyebrow raised like he's daring me to come up with something.

"Not really," I admit, feeling frustration bubble up like a pot about to boil over.

"How about penning a heartfelt letter to General George, letting him know you’re interested in marrying his daughter? I’m sure that’ll get him thinking," Noah suggests with a knowing grin.

"And why would he even consider that?" I ask skeptically, already doubting the plan.

"Because the General is absolutely wrapped around his daughter’s finger," Noah explains. "Did you see his face when Lady Augusta slipped off her engagement ring? He practically beamed with pride. It’s like she’s got him convinced that she’s not exactly fond of Henry, and that he should maybe switch allegiances too, which is great news for us."

"So what? Lady Augusta might not be into me either," I counter, mentally reviewing whether I need to step up my charm game.

"It’s not about Lady Augusta getting starry-eyed over you. It’s about handing her a ticket off the Henry express. You give her a way out, and I’d bet she’ll grab it faster than a cat after a laser pointer," Noah says confidently.

"Alright, you’ve convinced me," I sigh, throwing my hands up in surrender. "Let’s go with your plan. What’s the worst that could happen?"