Denderick’s POV
I walked through the towering gates of Alpha Rowan’s pack house. It was time. Another Council meeting, another round of whispered accusations and sideways glances, but this one felt different. This one held more than just the usual tension. I could feel it in the air, large like a storm waiting to break.
As I approached, the guards barely acknowledged me. They opened the doors without a word, ushering me through the halls with nothing but silent stares.
When we reached the meeting hall, I stopped just outside the door. I could hear the low murmur of voices inside, the sound of my fellow Alphas talking amongst themselves.
I already knew exactly what they were talking about. Alpha Marcus. His lies. His pathetic attempts to sway the Council before I had a chance to speak my truth.
I took a deep breath and opened the door.
The whispers stopped instantly.
All eyes turned toward me as I stepped inside. Alpha Rowan stood at the head of the table, his gray eyes flicking over me with a neutral expression, while the others-Alpha Harris, Alpha Kieran, Alpha Callum, Alpha Marcus, and six others-watched in silence. And in the center of the room, standing tall with an air of smugness, was Alpha Marcus.
I balled my fists at my sides but kept my face unreadable. Marcus had been busy, that much was clear. The way the others looked at me like they already knew something, told me that Marcus had wasted no time in spreading his lies. He would paint himself and his daughter as victims, and me as the villain, no doubt.
Alpha Rowan cleared his throat and motioned for me to take my seat at the table. “Alpha Denderick,” he said formally. “You’re just in time.”
I nodded once and sat down, keeping my eyes on Marcus. He didn’t even bother to hide the smug grin that tugged at his lips.
“Let’s get started,” Rowan continued, folding his hands in front of him. “The first matter on the agenda: the incident concerning Giselle, daughter of Alpha Marcus, and the allegations brought forward by Alpha Denderick.”
The entire room fell silent. I was annoyed but managed to keep my cool.
Alpha Harris was the first to speak. “These are serious accusations, Denderick,” he said. “You’ve claimed that Giselle not only sent a mercenary to kill Aria but that in doing so, she caused the death of her sister, Mia. Are we to believe that?”
I met Harris’s gaze steadily. “Yes. It’s the truth.”
Marcus scoffed loudly, drawing everyone’s attention to him. “The truth?” he spat. “The truth is, my daughter was doing what she thought was best for your pathetic self. Aria is a threat to you! Giselle only wanted to protect you, and you have twisted everything to his advantage.”
I felt my jaw tighten. “Protect me? By hiring a mercenary to murder Aria in cold blood? By having her sister killed in the process? Was she protecting me or protecting her position because Aria was threatening it?”
Marcus didn’t flinch. “Giselle had no intention of harming Mia. It was an accident. A tragic one, yes, but an accident nonetheless. You should understand and accept that!”
“You are really calling it an accident?” I said coldly. “You expect us to believe that hiring an assassin was an act of protection? That your daughter’s reckless attempt to kill an innocent woman wasn’t a direct attack on all of us?”
Alpha Kieran leaned forward, his sharp eyes narrowing. “We’ve heard both sides, Marcus. But this is a Council of Alphas. We deal in facts, not emotions.”
Alpha Callum, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up. “Giselle sent a killer, Marcus. That’s not something we can ignore. No matter her intentions, someone is dead because of her actions.”
Marcus’s eyes widened. I could see that he was surprised his lies were not working. His face twisted in anger, but I could see the desperation in his eyes. He knew he was losing control of the narrative.
“My daughter is not a murderer!” he insisted. “This is all part of Denderick’s plan to destroy my pack and claim it for himself.”
“I don’t need your stupid pack!” I leaned forward, my voice low but steady. “Your daughter ordered the death of an innocent woman, and you allowed it. The only reason you’re here now is because you’re scrambling to cover your tracks.”
Alpha Rowan, who had been watching quietly, finally spoke. “Enough,” he ordered. “We’ve heard all we need to hear. The facts are clear. Giselle’s actions cannot be excused, no matter the intentions behind them.”
Marcus’s face went pale.
Rowan continued, “As for you, Marcus-you are her father, her Alpha, and you’ve failed to control her actions. You’ve endangered the Council with your lies and manipulation.”
Marcus’s mouth opened, then closed, as though he wanted to protest but couldn’t find the words.
“The punishment is clear,” Rowan said coldly. “Giselle is to be banished from her pack, and you, Marcus, will lose your title as Alpha and be excommunicated as well. Your territory will be handed over to Alpha Denderick as compensation for the damages your family has caused.”
For a moment, the room was deathly silent.
Then Marcus collapsed to his knees.
“Please,” he begged, his voice thick with false humility. “Don’t do this. I beg you, don’t take my land. My pack… They need me!”
I stared at him in disgust. His begging was pathetic, a last-ditch effort to save his skin. There was no remorse in his eyes, no guilt for what he had done. Just self-preservation.
Alpha Harris shook his head, his face hard. “You brought this on yourself, Marcus.”
Marcus’s pleas grew louder, more desperate, but no one listened. The guards stepped forward, grabbing him by the arms to haul him out of the room.
As they dragged him toward the door, Marcus twisted his head to glare at me, his eyes burning with hatred. “You’ll regret this, Denderick,” he hissed. “I’ll make sure of it.”
I met his gaze coldly. “We’ll see.”
The doors slammed shut behind him, and a heavy silence settled over the room. The Council had made its decision. Marcus was finished, and Giselle would be brought to justice for her crimes.
But before I could take a breath, the doors opened once more.
And there he was.
Alpha Logan strode into the room, a smirk playing on his lips. He looked around the room, then fixed his gaze on me.
“Well,” he drawled, “seems I missed all the fun.”