Chapter 112 112

Chapter 112 112
DERRICK

I stood frozen for a moment, staring at the lifeless body on the floor as murmurs rippled through the gathered crowd. The entire scene felt unreal... like something twisted had slipped into my pack while my back was turned. My mind worked rapidly, trying to piece together what had just happened, but nothing fit. Nothing made sense.
“What is going on, Alpha? What did she do to her?” someone from the crowd called out, their voice edged with suspicion.
The question alone was enough to make my jaw tighten.
I felt Lyka stiffen in my arms, her body going rigid against mine, and I knew instantly that those words had struck her harder than any blade could. She was shaken... terrified, even... and yet the accusation in the air made it worse. Far worse.
“What do you mean? I didn’t even do anything to... ” Lyka started, her voice trembling with both anger and disbelief.
I didn’t let her finish.
They didn’t deserve an explanation.
“What exactly are you asking?” I cut in sharply, my voice cold and commanding as I turned my gaze toward the speaker. “I don’t think she owes any of you an explanation. Someone tried to kill her. Did you expect her to just stand there and let it happen?”
Silence fell immediately.
I could feel the shift in the atmosphere... the weight of my authority pressing down on them... but even then, I knew whispers would follow. They always did.
Lyka lifted her head slightly, her eyes searching mine, uncertain and fragile in a way I wasn’t used to seeing. I offered her a small, reassuring smile, one meant only for her.
She needed to feel safe.
She needed to know I was on her side.
Always.
“But Alpha… killing her seems a bit... ” another voice began from the crowd, hesitant but bold enough to continue.
I shut them down with a single glare.
The words died in their throat.
“Guards,” I ordered, my tone final. “Clear this area. Now.”
No one argued.
Within seconds, the crowd began to disperse, though I could still hear faint whispers trailing behind them. Gossip. Doubt. Fear. I didn’t have the patience for any of it.
“I think there is something... ” Scott started, stepping closer, his brows furrowed in concern.
“Not now,” I cut him off without even looking at him. “You can see this isn’t the time.”
He hesitated for a second, then nodded and stepped back, understanding my decision even if he didn’t agree with it.
Without another word, I lifted Lyka slightly closer to me and guided her away from the scene. I could feel eyes on us as we walked through the halls... curious, judgmental, suspicious... but I ignored them all.
They didn’t matter.
Only she did.
When we finally reached my room, I closed the door behind us, shutting out the noise, the whispers, and the tension that lingered outside. The silence inside felt heavy but necessary.
“Are you okay?” I asked softly, guiding her to sit on the couch.
She let out a hollow laugh, one devoid of any real amusement.
“I am not okay,” she replied, her voice strained. “Do you think I could be okay after all that?”
I exhaled slowly, rubbing the back of my neck.
“I know you’re upset,” I said carefully, keeping my tone steady. “But don’t you think you should tell me exactly what happened?”
“Not yet,” she said immediately, shaking her head. “I need to go back out there and clear this misunderstanding first.”
I frowned.
“I understand that, but you need to calm down first. Let me handle it... ”
She scoffed, cutting me off.
“Calm down?” she repeated incredulously. “You think I should calm down? These people think I killed someone! That girl attacked me, Derrick. She came at me like she had lost her mind, and now she’s dead... and somehow I’m the villain?”
Her voice rose with every word, frustration and disbelief spilling over.
“I didn’t kill her,” she continued, her eyes blazing. “Yes, I defended myself. Yes, I fought back. But me killing her? That’s not possible!”
I watched her carefully, taking in every detail... her trembling hands, the tension in her shoulders, the fire in her eyes. Anyone in her position would react like this. Anyone would feel cornered, misunderstood.
“I know,” I said quietly. “But you need to calm down first. You’re hurt, and you’re not thinking clearly.”
She shook her head stubbornly.
“No, I can’t calm down,” she insisted. “I need to fix this. I need to make them understand what really happened.”
Frustration flickered inside me.
“Are you even listening to yourself?” I snapped before I could stop myself. “Do you really think you’ll get to the bottom of this by running around in this state? Did you think... ”
I stopped abruptly.
The words hung in the air, unfinished.
That wasn’t like me.
I blinked, momentarily thrown off by my own reaction. I didn’t lose control like that. Even when I was angry... truly angry... I kept it contained, controlled, precise.
So why now?
Why did it feel like something inside me was pushing, urging, amplifying every emotion?
“I…” I trailed off, frowning slightly.
Before I could make sense of it, I felt Lyka’s arms wrap around me from behind. The sudden contact caught me off guard, her warmth grounding me instantly.
“What do you think I should do, then?” she asked softly, her earlier anger melting into something quieter, more vulnerable.
I glanced down at her hands around my waist, then turned to face her.
The shift in her demeanor surprised me.
Just moments ago, she had been furious, ready to storm out and confront the entire pack. Now, she looked calmer… almost fragile.
“Alright,” I said, softening my tone. “Let’s start with something simple. Tell me everything that happened before she attacked you. Every detail. We’ll figure it out from there.”
She nodded slowly.
Our eyes locked, and for a moment, everything else faded away. The tension, the chaos, the unanswered questions... they all blurred into the background.
“You’re going to listen,” she said, narrowing her eyes slightly.
“And stare at you,” I replied with a faint smile.
She rolled her eyes, but a small smile tugged at her lips.
“This is going to be weird,” she muttered.
“Probably,” I agreed.
She took a breath and began. She told me about leaving her room, about the strange feeling in the hallway, about the girl appearing out of nowhere. About the way she spoke… the way she moved.
And most importantly...
“The order is to kill Lyka,” I repeated quietly after she finished.
Lyka nodded.
“Yes,” she said. “She didn’t sound normal. She didn’t even react like a normal person. It was like… like she wasn’t in control of herself. Like she was under a spell.”
I leaned back slightly, my expression darkening as I processed her words.
A spell.. Control. A puppet.
It aligned too well with what I had seen.
“I had the same thought,” I admitted. “The way she moved… it wasn’t natural.”
Lyka studied my face carefully.
“So you think someone did that to her?” she asked.
“Yes,” I said without hesitation.
Her brows furrowed.
“Morgan?” she guessed immediately.
“No.”
The word left my mouth before I could stop it.
Her eyes widened in shock.
“What do you mean no?” she demanded, stepping away from me. “You don’t think it’s her? You’re so quick to dismiss it... even when I’m the one who was attacked?”
I clenched my jaw.
This was exactly what I wanted to avoid.
If I explained my reasoning, it would sound like I was defending Morgan... and that was the last thing I wanted right now.
“Lyka... ”
“Why?” she pressed. “Why are you so sure it’s not her?”
I exhaled slowly, trying to keep my composure.
“Let me handle this,” I said instead.
She let out a frustrated hiss.
“I can’t,” she snapped. “Can I even trust you right now?”
That question hit harder than anything else.
I stepped closer and took her hands in mine, holding them firmly.
“Lyka,” I said, my voice steady but firm. “You trust me more than I trust myself. You know that. And because of that, I’m asking you to trust me again now.”
She stared at me for a long moment, searching my face for something... truth, reassurance, anything she could hold on to.
Then, slowly, her expression softened.
“Then I’ll trust you,” she said quietly. “Alpha Derrick.”
She reached up, cupping my face gently.
And despite everything... the chaos, the danger, the growing storm around us... I smiled.