Derek fell to the ground, feeling his own tears begin to flow. Twenty eight hours?
He was about asking his mother about Jack’s final input when Anthony stalked into the room.
“Derek, what are you doing sitting on the ground?” Anthony asked, disappointment flashing across his eyes in a nanosecond. Although Peter wasn’t his biological father, he had always seen the Alpha as the father he never had. And even though his heart broke at the frail sight of the man who had trained him since he was young and had impacted in him most of the things that he knew now, he still wasn’t happy with Derek’s misconduct. The elders of the council wouldn’t be happy seeing his brother on the floor wailing like a woman. Yes, his father was unwell. But Derek should be looking for solutions, not wailing like the Luna. He had come here to see him and talk about what they could do to save the situation, he too, not ready to lose their father, but Derek had fallen his hands(a phrase to mean that he had disappointed him).
Derek looked up immediately at Anthony’s voice. Quickly, he stood up from the ground, and sniffed, somehow aware that his brother wasn’t happy with his sitting on the floor act. He took in his lips in, looking like one guilty as charged at a supreme high court.
Melvina didn’t even turn at the sound of Anthony’s quite loud voice. Her whole focus was on her mate, Peter.
“Follow me.” Anthony said, before turning on his heel and walking away from the room.
Derek obediently strolled after him, his mind reeling with all manner of thoughts, Emma slightly forgotten.
Anthony led them both into another room, an empty room, a visitor’s room actually.
“Take a seat. And stop looking like Father is dead already.” Anthony gave a sharp rebuke, seeing the so sullen look on Derek’s face.
Derek nodded as a robot before dropping mechanically on the bed. An action which irked on Anthony’s nerves. He wanted his brother back. For a second, he thought that the necklace which Derek was wearing was perhaps having an adverse effect on Derek, but his wolf told him otherwise. Derek was a bit beaten down. In a twinkle of an eye, he had lost his mate, had gotten his back saddled with the pack, and now his father was at the brink of death.
Anthony sighed, deliberating on this. His wolf was right. His younger brother was just eighteen, quite young for this. But he would help him out. That would be a good way to reward the family that had taken him in like a son since the death of his parents seven years ago. He would stand by his brother, and in any case kill for him, and if worse came to worse, die for him. After all, he hadn’t found his mate yet. There was really nothing to lose.
“Derek…” Anthony started in a more gentler voice, squatting in front of Derek.
“You will be fine. All will be well. But for now, you have tighten the rein of your emotions which are all over the place. An over emotional Alpha isn’t good for the pack at the moment, isn’t good for your parents either. It is true that the pack doctor had mentioned that the poison used hadn’t any origin whatsoever, but shouldn’t we try and search out answers on our own? Shouldn’t we leave the wailing and weeping to your mother and sister now?” He asked, placing his hand on Derek’s laps. The latter had his head resting on his pals, face down, besieged with varying conflicting thoughts and emotions.
After Anthony’s question, Derek lifted up his head, his eyes stark with fury and resolution.
“Where is Esther?” He asked, peering down at Anthony who immediately stood up, pleased with the turn out of events. Now, his brother was talking.
“I haven’t seen since morning. I actually haven’t spoken with her last night. We should ask Maya and Ava.” Anthony replied, his eyebrows furrowed as he stood at an attention. He was still annoyed over the possibly that Esther might be a spy, a betrayer. He had come to like her, even though she wasn’t his mate. She was witty and funny, and quite shy. He had found her interesting and attractive. When Derek had told him earlier this morning to play around with her to get information which might be useful to the pack, he had been a bit sad about it, knowing that Esther trusted him to him to an extent, or so he had thought. He wasn’t sure of most things now. The previous Beta, Clem’s father, was acting weird. His best friend’s cousin, or is it brother? He wasn’t even sure again. But the new guy was also acting suspicious. He had decided to let Derek know, but seeing the current matter on ground, he knew it would be later. For now, they had to find Esther.
“Let’s check for around the pack. If we can’t find her, we will have to go to her house. I think there are magic books there. Who knows? We might find something that will cure father.” Derek mentioned, and Anthony nodded, leading the way out of the room.
But as they got to the passageway, they met Agrip coming towards them, in his hand was a walking stick. They furrowed their eyebrows, wondering when the old man needed a third leg to walk. Agrip was one of the oldest men in the pack, yes, but he was one of the strongest elders, and he looked younger than his age. With all his study, he never even had cause to use spectacles, so why the stick? Did he have an accident? But before they both could open their mouth to ask him these questions going on in their minds, the old man raised up his stick at them, signaling them to shut up and to stop walking.