Chapter 41 FORTY-ONE
Cecil sat on the couch, scrolling absentmindedly through the photo album. Her eyes lingered on each picture, though her mind was elsewhere. When Arthur walked into the living room, he immediately noticed the distant look on her face. Concerned, he sat down beside her.
"What’s on your mind, hon?" he asked gently. Cecil hesitated for a moment before speaking, her fingers still resting on the edge of a photograph.
"Do you think it’s because of me?" she whispered. She finally looked at him, her eyes clouded with worry. "Do you think Derrick’s back for revenge?" she added.
"Why do you think so?" Arthur asked.
"Because of the attacks. I heard Carter say the pack was attacked by rogues multiple times," Cecil said, turning to her husband. "Is he back, Arthur?" she added.
"Even if he's back, I won't let him have his way. Raven and I will protect everyone," Arthur replied, squeezing her hand reassuringly.
"But..."
"Don't worry too much, Cecil," Arthur said firmly. "Even if it costs me my life, I won’t let anything happen to you or our son," he added.
"You can’t die," she said, frowning, her voice filled with worry. Arthur chuckled softly.
"I’m not planning on it. Let’s focus on Raven and his girlfriend for now. It’s been a week since we last heard from him," he replied. Cecil sighed deeply.
"I miss Brienne. She’s such a kind woman. I really want her to end up with our son," she said.
"Me too, hon," Arthur agreed.
"I hope she forgives him. I’ve never seen Raven like this before. He was truly in love with Brienne," she murmured, her voice tinged with hope.
"I hope so too, hon," Arthur said, his voice warm with agreement as they leaned closer, flipping through the photo album together, sharing quiet memories.
Meanwhile, in a dimly lit office, the door creaked open, and a man stepped inside. His posture was stiff, his expression wary as he greeted the older man seated behind a large desk.
"Alpha Derrick," he said, his tone steady but with a hint of unease.
Derrick slowly turned his swivel chair around to face him, his sharp eyes narrowing and his eyebrows lifting in quiet curiosity.
"What are you doing here, Jao?" Derrick asked, clasping his hands together, his voice cold and calculating.
"We've managed to bring your son back, Alpha Derrick," Jao replied with a slight bow.
"Good. That idiot still has his uses. Bring him to me," Derrick ordered, his tone sharp and unyielding. Jao nodded and quickly left the office.
Derrick's eyes shifted to a photograph on the desk, its edges marked by a knife stab. He smirked darkly, his fingers tracing the image.
"Cecil..." he muttered under his breath, his voice laced with malice.
Suddenly, the door burst open. A young man in his early thirties strode in, his confidence filling the room. Without waiting for an invitation, he threw himself onto the couch, casually crossing his legs as a devilish grin spread across his face.
"Nice to see you again, father. How long has it been?" he asked, his tone dripping with mockery.
"It's been five years," Derrick replied, his eyes narrowing. "And you look terrible, son," he added. The young man chuckled bitterly.
"Yeah, well, I’ve been through worse. I thought you’d come for me sooner, but you took your sweet time," he said, his voice growing sharper with each word, his teeth gritted in frustration. Derrick’s expression hardened.
"Don’t you dare blame me for your failures! I gave you five years—five damn years—to do as you pleased, but you left a trail like an amateur. This mess is on you!" he snapped, his voice like a whip. "Because of your incompetence, I had to burn through my resources to drag you out of that filthy prison!" he added.
"Thanks, Dad. That’s just fcking great," Jasper said sarcastically, leaning back on the couch. "How did you even get that medicine? I really did die for a few minutes there," he added, feeling amazed.
"It was a trial medicine made by a... friend," Derrick replied casually, crossing his legs and leaning back in his chair as though the matter were insignificant. Jasper's eyes widened in disbelief.
"You made me drink a trial medicine? What if it killed me for real?!" he shouted, his voice rising with anger.
"Oh, stop whining, Jasper. You’re alive, aren’t you? Don’t act like a damn baby," Derrick retorted with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Being a werewolf gave you the edge to survive. In fact, you made it a success," he added as if it was just a small thing.
Jasper’s face twisted in frustration, but he bit his lip, muttering something under his breath.
"I'm going to get revenge," Jasper finally said, his voice low and filled with venom. "That bastard—he's the one who set me up and reported to the police. I know it," he said. Derrick’s eyes narrowed, his interest piqued.
"And that btch, I will make sure to give her a good beating. I wasted fcking two years with that woman," Jasper added.
"Who are you talking about?" he asked, his tone calm but dangerous.
"Raven. Raven Wolfgang and my ex-girlfriend, Brienne McMillan," Jasper spat, the names practically a curse on his tongue.
At the mention of the surname, Derrick’s expression darkened. His hand instinctively moved to his side, where an old wound seemed to burn at the memory. Wolfgang. A name he hated more than any other. His jaw tightened, and his eyes filled with cold fury.
"You’re in luck, son. I’ll help you get your revenge," Derrick said, a wicked grin spreading across his face. His eyes flicked to an old photograph on his desk, a shadow of hatred passing over them. "The Wolfgang's owe me a debt—one they’ll pay in blood," he added. Jasper leaned forward, his curiosity piqued.
"What did they do to you?" he asked. Derrick’s expression hardened.
"That’s not your concern. Just know you have my full support," he replied firmly, shutting down the question. "In fact, I’ve already started. I’ve been sending rogues to attack their pack," he added. Jasper’s brows shot up.
"He’s a werewolf?" he asked. Derrick nodded his head.
"Not just any werewolf—he’s the current Alpha of the Crescent Stone Pack," he replied. A slow, cruel grin spread across Jasper’s face.
"Good. Now that I know he’s one of us, I won’t hold back. That bastard ruined everything for me, and I’ll make him pay," he said, his voice low and filled with venom. His eyes darkened, brimming with a dangerous determination.