Ditched Cheating Alpha, I Led My Daughter to Life's Peak novel Chapter 206

"Thank you!" The guy pounds his fist against the table. "Someone understands."

Aiden and the woman from before give him a dirty look. He looks at them innocently.

"Let's say we fund another one of his imaginary gas projects," Aiden says to me. "Where do you want us to take the money from?"

Uh oh. It's another one of Mr. Olcan's situations all over again, and sure enough, the man is watching me like a hawk to hear what I say. I shake my head, paralyzed by the fear of another bad answer. "Never mind."

Mr. Olcan looks disappointed.

Aiden just nods, prepared to speak again, but the woman from before says, "I'd actually like to hear what the luna thinks."

What? My eyes bulge out. I look at her then at Aiden, but I already know he's not gonna help me out. I look at Onai.

He shakes his head. "I don't have the slightest idea. Not my division." He looks at Ethel.

Ethel looks at Aiden, then he gives me a sympathetic look. "Not my call," he says, leaving me to the mercy of these people's wrath. Mr. Olcan isn't any help either. Teachers love to see students fail at real-life application.

Fine. This lady wants to hear what I really think? I'll tell her. "There's no reason to cut this man's budget in half."

"There's no reason to not cut his budget in half," I tell Ethel, trying to get the plans from him. "In fact, his budget should be cut altogether."

The women around me cheer, yelling out their own suggestions.

"Cut the hospital pizza room too," the education lady says. "It's a glorified man cave."

"Add the money to the daycare. We're understaffed," a woman in a pencil-skirt suggests.

I nod, more than happy to do as they say. I have a lot of ideas myself, starting with the lunch food.

Ethel looks to the other men for help, but they're being held off by some ladies. Originally we were outnumbered, but we decided to call for backup. The next step is permanently electing them into office, but that's an issue for another day.

"I really don't think I'm supposed to give it you," Ethel says uneasily. His eyes dart between me and the binder.

I cross my arms. "Why not? I'm your luna, aren't I?"

The women voice their agreement.

He clears his throat. "Of course, Luna," he says. "It's just-"

"So hand it over." I hold my hand out.

He turns to Aiden and mouths, "Help me."

"Don't let her intimate you," Aiden growls.

Onai seems to muddle it over a while. Eventually he nods his head. "I don't wanna pick sides, but you've seen those kids. If you take away the pizza room, we'll lose the will to watch them."

It's a sad loss for the cause. I nod to Mrs. Barbara and turn away. I can't bear to watch. As the women push him away with the rest of the men, I hold my heart. I'll never forget you Onai. The men on the other hand welcome him with open arms. Aiden pats his shoulder like, "Good man."

I dry my tears and turn to Ethel.

He flinches.

I hope he doesn't make me have to lose any more soldiers today. "Ethel," I say.

He holds onto the binder tighter. "Yes?"

I try the diplomatic approach. "Isn't there anything else you'd like to use the budget for? Anything you think would actually help the pack more than a pizza room?"

Ethel rubs his chin. "Well now that you mention it..."

A man from the crowd gives him a dirty look. "Don't you dare, Beta Ethel."

Ethel keeps talking. "You see? People don't usually ask me what I think. I'm usually just compromising what they want, you know? How's that fair?"

I shake my head, disgusted. "Don't you think it's time to change that?"