Chapter 64 064
LYKA
I stared at the stamp in my hand, my brows knitting together as I examined the intricate design carved into its surface. A wolf-shaped golden signature sat proudly in the center of the seal, elegant and unmistakable. The symbol represented authority… Alpha authority.
But the moment I compared it in my mind with the one that had been pressed onto the letter the crippled man had given me earlier, I knew something was wrong.
They were not the same.
The difference was subtle, almost too subtle for someone careless to notice, but I wasn’t careless. The curve of the wolf’s head was slightly sharper on this one, the engraving deeper, more defined.
The stamp used on the letter had been slightly duller.
What could be wrong? Had I really been tricked all along?
The thought sent a surge of irritation through me, and my nose flared with growing rage as the possibility rooted itself firmly in my mind.
‘I never trusted that man. I knew he was up to something,’ my wolf, Elysia, purred darkly in the back of my mind.
Her voice was low and satisfied, like a predator that had just confirmed its suspicions.
My stomach twisted tightly in anger.
If that man truly lied to me and manipulated me like some fool…
I was going to rip his neck out.
“Since you don’t have anything you want to tell me, then I think I am going to take my leave now,” I said finally, turning around toward the door.
My head was spinning too much to stay here any longer.
Right now, my thoughts were tangled in confusion, anger, and suspicion, and I needed space to piece everything together. If I stayed any longer, I might end up making another mistake.
What if I had been barking up the wrong tree this entire time?
What if my anger had made me accuse the wrong person?
If that was the case… I would regret it deeply.
“What? You’re leaving?” Derrick asked behind me.
I simply nodded my head.
“But I’m not done talking to you,” he added firmly.
My eyes blinked furiously in disbelief.
Seriously?
This man had the audacity to stop me now after nearly choking me to death just moments ago.
‘Aww, my mate is so cool!’ Elysia purred dreamily inside my mind.
I scoffed internally.
I couldn’t believe my wolf still had the nerve to act all mushy about him.
“Yes, I think it’s better that I leave instead of staying here long enough to see my own head rolling on the floor. I don’t think it would be wise for me to stay,” I replied dryly.
Scott, who had been standing beside Derrick the entire time, stiffened as if trying to suppress a laugh.
A small snort escaped Derrick as well.
“But I called you here, and I’m not done yet,” he emphasized again.
A long sigh slipped out of my mouth.
Was he seriously going to be this stubborn?
How could he demand that I stay after what had just happened?
“I didn’t know you called me here just to choke me to death,” I shot back. “So forgive me if I’m not eager to stay on standby!”
Scott finally lost his composure and burst into loud laughter.
“Dareen! Did you want to get your head ripped off that badly?” Derrick roared, shooting him a dangerous glare.
Scott immediately straightened.
“No, Alpha. Don’t mind me. I was just clearing my throat,” he said quickly, trying to recover his composure.
I rolled my eyes.
I wasn’t about to get caught up in their banter.
I was done here.
More importantly, I needed to confirm something. If Derrick truly wasn’t behind that letter… then why would that crippled man lie to me in the first place?
“Take care of yourself, Alpha. We wouldn’t want you going around and...”
I suddenly stopped mid-sentence.
Something flashed across Derrick’s eyes.
Hurt.
It was there for only a brief moment, but I saw it clearly.
And it confused me.
Why did he look like that?
“You can go. I won’t stop you,” he said quietly.
A small smile formed on my lips.
“Good,” I replied before walking out of the room.
The moment the door closed behind me, a long breath escaped my chest.
I had barely taken a few steps down the hallway when Derrick’s voice drifted faintly through the door.
“Did you see that earlier, Scott? I almost killed her too.”
My steps halted instantly.
What?
His voice was quieter now, almost like he was deliberately trying to keep it from reaching me.
Unfortunately for him, I was a wolf.
My hearing was far sharper than that of any human.
“I can read most of the letter now,” he continued. “And I can feel my body not belonging to me more and more each day.”
My brows furrowed deeply.
What did he mean by that?
What was he talking about?
His body didn’t belong to him?
The more I thought about his words, the more curious I became.
Something was clearly wrong with him.
But who was I supposed to ask about it?
Scott?
Zuri?
Or Derrick himself?
My mind spun with questions.
Eventually, I shook my head and continued walking.
Right now, I had more urgent matters to deal with.
When I finally reached my room, I was surprised to find Amanda sitting right outside my door.
She looked unusually quiet, almost solemn.
“What are you doing here, Amanda?” I asked.
She immediately stood up and dusted off her clothes.
“Can you please rethink whatever you’re trying to do? I mean, we are...”
“You were right, Amanda,” I interrupted her.
She blinked in confusion.
“There was really something suspicious about that man’s words,” I continued with a sigh.
She had been the only one who stayed level-headed when we discovered the letter.
And now it seemed she had been right all along.
Maybe I wasn’t even fit to be guarding the pack if I could be fooled so easily.
“What do you mean?” Amanda asked cautiously. “Is something wrong?”
“And there’s something else,” I added, turning fully to face her.
Amanda frowned slightly, clearly waiting for me to continue.
“The stamp on the letter is different from Derrick’s office stamp,” I explained.
Amanda’s eyes widened instantly.
She understood exactly what I meant.
We both stepped into my room, closing the door behind us, and began discussing the possibility that the crippled man had deliberately tricked us.
“I knew that man was up to something,” Amanda muttered.
I nodded.
“That’s why I think I need to ask Derrick about the truth myself. I need to know everything that happened,” I said firmly.
Amanda didn’t argue.
Instead, she simply nodded in agreement.
I was going to find out the truth.
No matter what it took.
The cheerful chirping of birds outside my window woke me the next morning.
After getting dressed, I stepped outside my room with the letter clutched tightly in my hand.
Today, I was going to confront Derrick directly.
The letter would be my leverage.
“Good morning, Alpha,” I greeted as I stepped into his office.
But the moment I walked in, I sensed something was wrong.
The room was tense.
The air felt heavy and uncomfortable.
‘What is going on here? Why does the mood feel so foul?’ Elysia muttered inside my mind.
Her question was answered almost immediately.
My gaze shifted across the room and landed on Zuri.
She was glaring fiercely at a tall, elegant woman standing nearby.
But what surprised me even more was the way the woman was staring at Derrick.
Her eyes were locked onto him with unsettling intensity.
Why was she looking at him like that?
“Why are you glaring like that, Zuri?” the woman said calmly. “Stop it. It doesn’t suit you.”
Her tone carried a strange composure that irritated me instantly.
Can someone please tell me what was going on here?
“Who do we have here?” the woman suddenly asked.
That was when I realized something shocking.
None of them had even noticed my presence.
What happened to their wolf senses?
I glared at the woman who was now smiling at me politely before shifting my gaze toward Derrick.
And he was just standing there… watching her.
Not saying a word.
Not stopping her.
What exactly was going on here?
“Who are you?” I asked bluntly.
The woman’s smile widened.
“Nice to meet you,” she said sweetly. “My name is Amaris… and I am Derrick’s betrothed.”
She extended her hand toward me politely.
But I simply stared at her with a blank expression.
What?
His betrothed?
Was this some kind of joke?