Chapter 52 052
DERRICK
I walked into my room with heavy steps, rage simmering beneath my skin like molten lava threatening to erupt. Every muscle in my body felt tight, coiled with tension that I was desperately trying to suppress. I knew better than to lose control right now. Any sudden emotional outburst, any reckless display of anger, might create the perfect opening for him to rise. And I refused to let that happen. Not now. Not when everything already felt like it was slipping through my fingers.
I inhaled deeply, clenching my fists at my sides as I fought to steady the storm inside me.
“How could those men be so bold as to think of attacking my pack?” I seethed under my breath, pacing the length of the room.
“Do I look like a joke to them?” The insult burned more than the attack itself. They had dared to challenge my authority, dared to test my strength, and that was something I could not ignore. Without hesitation, I mind-linked Scott and ordered him to meet me in my study immediately.
Scott arrived promptly, as he always did, his composure seemingly intact as he began briefing me on the aftermath of the attack. I listened carefully, my jaw tightening with every detail he provided.
The rogues had known too much... too many specifics about our defensive formations, too many calculated moves that suggested prior knowledge. By the time he finished, my suspicions had hardened into certainty.
“The fact that they knew so much about our military defense proves that we have a spy in our midst,” I said coldly, my voice devoid of warmth.
“Scott, see to it.” He nodded without hesitation, but as he did, something about him caught my attention. There was a shift in his demeanor, subtle yet undeniable, as if he were carrying something unspoken.
I rose from my seat slowly, narrowing my eyes as I approached him. At first, I thought I was imagining it, but then my senses sharpened. A scent lingered on him... faint, yet distinct. My nose flared instinctively as I tried to identify it. It was familiar, undeniably so, but I could not immediately place it.
What I knew for certain was that it did not belong to him. It was not something I had ever associated with my Beta before.
“What is going on with you?” I asked, my tone deceptively calm.
“What is that smell?” Scott stiffened, jerking back as though I had just exposed a carefully hidden secret. His reaction confirmed my suspicion more than the scent itself ever could. Interesting. Very interesting. It seemed my loyal Beta had been busy.
“Are you moving on already?” I asked casually, folding my arms across my chest.
“It’s been a long time since she left. I wouldn’t mind if you were. But with who?” Scott shook his head quickly, though his expression betrayed a flicker of uncertainty.
“It’s nothing like that,” he said, avoiding direct eye contact. “But if you ask me, I’d say you shouldn’t worry about it because it’s not going to happen.”
I let out a low chuckle at his response, amused by his contradiction.
“What exactly do you mean by that?” I pressed. “Are you saying you’re not moving on? Or that you can’t move on? Or that you dare not move on?”
He looked momentarily confused, as though he hadn’t fully examined his own feelings enough to answer clearly.
“A man like me isn’t capable of keeping those feelings,” he admitted after a pause. “I don’t even know when someone is tired of me or no longer interested. I don’t catch hints. So I don’t think I have the right to move on.” His voice carried a heaviness that I rarely heard from him. I sighed quietly, recognizing the weight of guilt he still carried.
Every man had his own pain. Scott’s pain was self-inflicted, rooted in regret and doubt. Mine was different. I did not blame myself. I blamed another.
“You don’t have to punish yourself forever,” I said, my tone softening despite myself. “I’m sure your mate wouldn’t want that. You were betrayed. Why should you be the one serving the sentence?” He nodded slowly, though I wasn’t sure if my words truly reached him.
“Thanks for that, Derrick,” he replied, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. “But don’t do it again. It doesn’t suit you. Acting serious and supportive like that... it puts fear in my heart.”
I barked out a short laugh despite the tension lingering in the room. Scott used to be full of life, reckless and vibrant.
After her betrayal, something inside him dimmed. He learned to laugh again, but never quite the same way.
“What? Are you afraid I’m about to leave you?” I teased lightly. He shook his head, already stepping toward the door.
“No,” he called over his shoulder. “I’m just scared you might be going mad!” With that, he dashed out of the room, leaving me staring after him in mild disbelief.
“What is wrong with that man?” I muttered to myself before a faint smile curved my lips. That was Scott... loyal, unpredictable, painfully honest.
“I just hope you make the right decision,” I murmured quietly. “Don’t end up like me. I don’t want you to be miserable.” My gaze drifted toward the window, where moonlight poured into the room in soft silver streaks. I envied the moon. It knew when it was meant to shine, when it was meant to fade. Its existence followed a rhythm. Mine did not. My body belonged to me, yet it felt like borrowed territory.
Every day, I sensed my control thinning, as if the line between us was slowly eroding. Would there come a day when I no longer had the right to call this body mine?
Morning arrived without mercy. I had not slept a single wink. Instead, I spent the entire night drafting new defensive strategies, mapping out improved patrol rotations, and recalculating our weaknesses. The fact that the rogues had managed to penetrate our borders unsettled me deeply. It was not just an attack... it was a warning. And I would not allow it to happen again.
“Clark, where are you?” I mind-linked him sharply. He responded almost immediately, informing me that he was already at the training grounds pushing the men harder than usual. A flicker of approval passed through me. Competence was a rare comfort these days.
“I’ll come see for myself,” I muttered, rising from my chair. As I strode toward the training grounds, the early morning air felt crisp against my skin, but it did nothing to cool the heat simmering within me.
The men were already sparring intensely when I arrived, their movements sharp and disciplined. At the sight of me, they paused and bowed respectfully, but my attention was elsewhere.
A strange sensation crept along my spine, as though someone’s presence was tugging at my instincts. I shook my head lightly, dismissing the thought.
“There’s no way she would be... ” I began, but the words died in my throat.
My gaze locked onto a sight that sent a violent surge of fury through me. Lyka was on the training ground, locked in a heated spar with a man.
Their bodies moved in close proximity, grappling, twisting, their hands gripping each other in what was clearly an intense match. But all I could see was him touching her.
My heart slammed painfully against my ribs, and something primal roared to life inside me. I tried to contain it. I truly did. But the image burned into my mind, igniting a possessive fire I could not extinguish.
Before I realized it, a thunderous roar ripped from my throat, echoing across the entire training field.
“What is going on here?!” My voice carried enough authority to silence everyone instantly. The men froze, their eyes widening in shock as they turned toward me. But I did not care about their reactions. My gaze remained locked on the man standing too close to my mate.
What exactly did he think he was doing? The darkness in my eyes deepened, my wolf stirring violently beneath my skin, ready to claim… ready to destroy.