A Pestering Beta

Chapter 4

Earl stared at Gregg, eyes widened. "How could you suggest that?"

"Sometimes I can't help but wonder if you are the same person I know. Why do you look like you have seen a ghost? I mean, what's so wrong with what I just said?" Gregg folded his arms.

"Since we have the cure at our disposal, enough of it at that, don't you think the best thing we could do is to give it to her first before talking about what we want? I'm sure she would be glad to help." Earl said.

Gregg laughed and placed one hand on his friend's shoulders, "You think so?" He asked again.

"It's what anyone would do, one good turn deserves another." Earl replied, folding his hands across his chest in a more relaxed posture now.

Gregg laughed again, "You think she would willingly leave her own pack and bring her army of soldiers to fight Lambert and his Rogues for your little favor? Think again, Earl."

Now, Earl was not very convinced he was right, "Well, if she has a good heart…"

"By God, Earl! She's a woman, and it is in their nature to be scared. I have no problem with her being the Alpha of her pack but those army of hers are better off being controlled by you, for your betterment and her own. This is the best way it should be."

"But it's almost like giving her one hand and taking her entire body!" Earl exclaimed.

Gregg shrugged, "Once she is at ease, there is a probability that she would not allow us near her again, especially after she hears our proposal- that is if we wait until her problem is solved." He paused and looked at his friend's worried face, then he pinhed him joking, "Besides there's no harm in taking her body for her own and your own pleasure. Have you seen this woman? Damn! She's so hot!"

Earl's features relaxed now and he even smiled. "You seem to know more than I do, Beta. But there will be no pleasure for anybody, it's just a Pact for purpose and after we achieve the goal, it's done."

Gregg scoffed. "Maybe I am that other part of your brain that should have been there, but got sent as your best friend instead." He said jokingly.

"Don't flatter yourself, I would have preferred to have all that to myself without you here with your crazy ideas."

"Or maybe your mate has it. You never can tell." Gregg added the last part with a wink.

"Save me that mate gist, go and do something with your life." Earl waved his hands in the air.

_________

Earl spent the next few hours in his library, it was where he preferred working in, sometimes he didn't work, just spent the time there thinking. Because of the quietness and the serenity of the room and right now he had a lot to think about.

He had been doing a lot of thinking lately and it was not helping him to know that if things went wrong with the proposal he was to make for the Lady, he might be getting married real soon to a total stranger. But what if she didn't even agree to any of the pact?

The door burst open and Gregg strolled in freely, his hands in his pocket. "Lady Laurel will be here soon, you need to get ready for her. Remember?" He said, taking a seat opposite him.

"So fast?"

"The earlier the better, so they say."

Earl scoffed, "When she comes, let me know. I'll be here."

Gregg eyed him from head to toe and stood up, "Just curious, what are you going to wear?"

Earl raised his eyebrows, "Is there a special occasion?"

"Of course there is! We are almost celebrating your marriage!"

"If that was a joke, I don't find it humorous, you might as well try again."

"First impressions matter." Gregg said matter of factly, looking around the room as if he had not said anything.

"Listen Gregg, I am not ready for this sort of thing you are suggesting, and you know it. All that matters to me is the safety of the Pack, a woman is not going to do me any good, suggesting that I marry is the worst solution you can come up with." He strode out of the room and Gregg followed.

"I know how you feel. I know how much this Pack matters to you, you are not going to start telling me that..."

Before he could finish talking Earl put his palm on his mouth to make him quiet. "Someone is coming," he said, alarmed. He glanced at the door.

Just then, a maid came knocking on the door, Gregg motioned for her to come in and Earl clenched his fists.

"My Lord, Lady Laura Kris is waiting outside." The girl said, with a bow.

Earl had forbidden anyone from coming into his room, and no one dared to. He looked at Gregg to let him know he had just broken a rule but Gregg shrugged and gave his usual grin. Earl eyed him and motioned for the girl to leave the room.

"Meet me outside" Earl made to leave but Gregg pulled him back.

"Not like this. I told you to look your best, I wouldn't talk to you if I was a girl, let alone agree to marry you." Before he could protest, he was shoved into the bathroom.

He frowned,"Why are you not talking about the first part of the pact? I meant that part where she steps down as the Alpha and makes me the Alpha while she rules as my beta?"

Again, Gregg laughed, "Would you do that if you were her? Give up your birthright? You know that is next to impossible, we know she is desperate right now and we have to use that to our advantage."

"So why is it in the contract in the first place if you know it's almost impossible?"

"See this as a plan B, something to fall back on. Trust me, I have a lot of experience when it comes to women and this one will be tough to break. Besides this is the best way to achieve this, picture this, if you force her to give you her pack, her subjects will see you as the devil, but if you both get married, they will respect you as their Alpha and she your Luna. Two powerful Packs coming together to fight off a common enemy."

That made sense, "So in essence, marrying her is the plan A and becoming her Alpha becomes the plan B, huh?"

"You are getting it now."

Earl was still in doubt as he went into the bathroom, it made sense but she might not see it like that and what if she hates him for the rest of his life because of this? After taking his bath, he came into the room wearing a simple shirt with the few buttons above the neck region undone. He was about putting on simple sandals when he felt Gregg behind him.

His friend was already shaking his head in disapproval, "Bad expression of our Pack. What do you want her to tell her people when she gets back home? That the New Knight Pack is filled with perverts?" Gregg gave him a disapproving look.

"What is more important? Finding the solution to what is almost wiping out her Pack or taking in my appearance?" Earl folded his arms.

"Whatever it is that is more important to her, I will prefer you give us a good reputation, not the other way round" Gregg persisted, holding Earl firmly, he walked him to his wardrobe.

"This will be perfect" he held out a tailored robe with velvet pleatings of gold and green at the edge and matching trousers to his face, an approving smile on his face.

"I told you I hate that cloth, it's the most ridiculous thing I've seen in a while, all that glitters for a man? No way." Earl turned from him.

"I am not letting you leave this room dressed like a pauper. You must look good. No female wants to get stuck with a boring old and ugly man." Gregg said stubbornly.

Earl glared at him,"Are you saying I'm ugly? Nevermind, do you remember she is waiting for us?"

"It is definitely worth the wait. You know we really need her, if she sees how handsome you are, she would be forced to accept anything you offer her."

Gregg tossed the clothes at Earl who shrugged and started taking off the ones he was wearing, already tired of his friend. When he finished putting on the cloth, he turned to let Earl access him, he was almost angry when he saw Gregg shake his head thoughtfully in what appeared to be disapproval.

"What now? You picked this clown costume yourself!" Earl exclaimed in renewed annoyance.

"I was simply going to say it's great, but not perfect." Gregg said, walking around Earl in a circle.

"What is it this time?" He asked impatiently.

"The key to a woman's heart… It is missing. Come on man, this is not a funeral, at least not yet. Give me that cute smile and your face is white, we need something to make you look very cute." Gregg held his cheek childishly.

"Now I am really convinced that something is wrong with you, when did you become a woman who suddenly cares about how I look?" Earl said, pushing Gregg away from him.

"You are too old fashioned for a young man, if this all goes to shit then it's on you." Before Earl could respond, Gregg rang and maids flooded into the room.

"Make sure The Alpha is without blemish, he will be meeting his future Luna today." He told them

Earl sank back in a seat out of anger, there was no escaping this man, he thought.