Chapter 122 Smile

Chapter 122 Smile
POV Therak:

He’s committed to maintaining the image of a strong, capable man.

But I see through the façade.

You can’t change cold eyes filled with hatred and disgust for what I was when I was born—what failed to meet his expectations and boost his prestige.

He wanted a perfect Lykae he could mold and display.

He got a wild animal who will finally rip his head off today.

“You should’ve killed me when you had the chance,” he whispers so only I can hear, revealing his true face.

I respond with a smile, refusing to fall into his attempt to destabilize me.

Declan’s brow furrows for a moment, displeased.

“You know, I wish things had been different. That we could have resolved this as father and son,” he says louder, resuming his performance as the exemplary man.

I remain silent, focusing on Una, Begay, and Asher in my mind.

They’re the only ones who matter.

I’m here for them.

The murmuring dies down when Daiki—the oldest Asian elephant Lykae in the world, who has been on the Council for one hundred and thirty years—stands and strikes his staff against the floor.

The air in the room hums with expectation.

“The formal trial regarding leadership of the Moonclaw Ridge pack is hereby convened, due to the violation of the succession treaty by Therak Nunuk, former occupant of a seat on the High Council of the Lykae.” The tall man with light brown skin points to my seat, drawing everyone’s attention. “As is common knowledge, Council members cannot participate in trials, and therefore Mr. Nunuk no longer holds any official position within this circle.”

“Violation… He usurped the position,” Aldrick mutters loudly, and several others nod in agreement.

More than I expected.

My father’s smile widens, and my stomach twists.

“Silence!” Daiki rebukes him with a firm look, his power filling the room—greater than that of any other shifter I’ve ever encountered.

“The floor is now given to the claimant, Declan Nunuk of Moonclaw Ridge. He is the only one authorized to speak.”

My father straightens his posture, pulling his shoulders back and lifting his chin as he steps to the edge of the circle, as close to the Council members as possible.

His posture reflects calm. Trustworthiness.

“Brothers and sisters, shifters with whom I share the gift of the Moon Goddess, I have been absent from this Council for two decades—not by choice. I was kept here, in this very place, as a prisoner. Chained, wounded, and silenced.” He gestures broadly, encompassing the room. Then he points at me, placing the weight of thirty pairs of eyes on me. “My son, the man who should have inherited my strength and whom I raised and cared for with love despite his deficiency, chose to deceive and abduct me to ascend to the Alpha throne. A throne that was mine.” Declan strikes his chest, emphasizing the lie.

The way he pretends to be emotional is impressive.

Like a clown acting. Begay mocks in my mind, and I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing.

“He spread the lie that I was dead and, through that, quietly orchestrated his rise. Manipulated alliances, disrespected sacred traditions, and reshaped Moonclaw Ridge according to his distorted vision of power. He did not rise by merit—but through deception and betrayal.” He pauses dramatically. “Theft.”

Some members murmur, nodding as if confirming his story. Others look at me, waiting for a reaction.

But I don’t react.

Not yet.

“I have called you here not to seek revenge. I seek justice! I ask that this farce be undone and order restored.” Declan stomps his foot, increasing the intensity of his speech. “I only want what is rightfully mine: my pack, my title, and my seat on this Council.”

The murmurs grow louder.

Some members nod, won over by his theatrical words, while others frown, noticing the flaws in his argument. Especially Daiki, who had remained expressionless until now.

I suppress a smile and raise my hand, asking to speak. The elephant strikes his staff again, restoring silence.

“Therak. Do you have anything to declare in your defense?” he asks, purely as protocol.

“Yes.” My voice echoes through the basement, steady despite the hateful stares of my enemies. “For years, I fought to honor the legacy of Moonclaw Ridge. I made this territory one of the strongest and most respected in the world. I created space for alliances, protected those under my care, and established rules to prevent abuses like the ones I suffered during my childhood.”

I lock eyes with Declan as I roll up my sleeves, revealing some of the many scars I carry.

I display them proudly to every Alpha who looks at me with judgment or curiosity.

They don’t make me weak.

They prove I survived a monster.

“But you don’t want to hear that sad story, do you? You want to know if I tortured him. If I lied. If I stole.” I finally smile. “Well, then. I did.”

A wave of gasps and angry exclamations forces Daiki to strike his staff again, demanding order.

I wait until everyone sits before continuing.

“I lied. I tortured… However, I did not steal my position. The title of Alpha belongs to me by blood,” I make clear, stepping closer to my father. “I defeated you twenty years ago. I didn’t kill you—but I defeated you. We both know that. You wouldn’t have remained imprisoned here all this time if you weren’t weaker than me,” I whisper the last part, taking pleasure in recalling his failure to fight me. “The seat on the High Council, however, I earned. It does not pass from father to son or from Alpha to Alpha. It is the law of the wild: only the strongest rule.” I turn to the Council, emphasizing the truth my father tried to twist. “And I am one of the strongest.”

An Eastern Canadian Alpha scoffs, rolling his eyes as if I were a child speaking nonsense. I recognize him—he opposed my entry into the Council.

He once called me an irrational animal who learned to wear pants.

“You who look at me with arrogance should be careful, because I have a very good memory—and I’ve just decided I will no longer show mercy to my enemies…” I say slowly, savoring each shocked face.

“Is that a threat?” High Councilor Langston, a kangaroo from Papua New Guinea, jumps to his feet, his face flushed with anger.

“It’s information some of you would do well to reflect on…” I shrug calmly, glancing at those who celebrated my father.

“You should reflect on your own situation!” Aldrick shouts, rising as well.

Daiki releases a thunderous bellow when the sound of his staff fails to silence the outraged Alphas.

“I have reflected. And that’s exactly why I realized there’s a very obvious solution to my situation. An old law, in fact,” I say, circling my father, who begins pacing the edge of the circle, trying to avoid me.

“What are you talking about?” Kalil asks, crossing his arms, clearly entertained.