Chapter 6: Conflicts

Derek's POV

Derek paced back and forth in his living room, his mind racing with thoughts of what to do next. Immediately after Darius left, he had sent spies out, and within an hour, they returned.

His spies had just delivered their reports, each one bringing new information that both confirmed his suspicions and added to his growing unease.

He believed Alpha Darius, his long-time rival, had faked his coma and was planning to take Serena, as his wife.

The thought made Derek's blood boil with anger. How could Darius return from the coma and attack him in such a way? When he was so bent on taking her.

The first spy, Jacob, cleared his throat nervously before speaking. "Alpha Derek, I have discovered that Alpha Darius is indeed awake, and he had chosen Serena as his wife. He would do anything for her."

Derek's jaw clenched at the news. "Thank you, Jacob. Keep me updated on any further developments." He dismissed the first spy and turned to the next one.

Emma, the second spy, shifted her weight from foot to foot as she spoke. "Alpha Derek, it seems that Serena may have her own motives in this situation. She might consider using Alpha Darius to exact revenge on you for past grievances."

Derek's heart sank at the thought of Serena turning against him. He had always thought his coup was strong enough to withstand any outside threats. "Thank you, Emma. I will have to speak with Serena and find out the truth of her intentions." He nodded to dismiss her and turned to the third spy.

Mark, the third spy, stepped forward and hesitated before speaking. "Alpha Derek, rumors are circulating that Alpha Darius still has full control over the Crimson Pack. It seems he is not as weak as we thought."

Derek cursed under his breath. If Darius still had control over his pack, then taking him down would be a much more difficult task. "Thank you, Mark. We will have to proceed with caution in dealing with Darius and his pack." He dismissed the third spy and turned to the fourth and final spy.

Sarah, the last spy, stood with a look of concern on her face. "Alpha Derek, I have heard conflicting reports about the situation. Some say that Darius is in full control, while others claim he is weak and vulnerable. It is hard to know what to believe."

Derek sighed and ran a hand through his hair, feeling the weight of the situation bearing down on him. "Thank you, Sarah. I will have to gather more information before we can make a plan of action." He dismissed the final spy and sank into his chair, contemplating his next move.

It was clear to Derek that he could no longer sit back and wait for Darius to make the first move. He needed to confront his rival head-on and protect both Serena and his pack from any potential harm. With a determined look in his eyes, Derek stood up and headed out of the office, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

After the spy had left, Derek called a council meeting and in the next hour, they gathered in the large hall beneath his house.

The air was tense as he took his seat at the head of the table, where the alphas traditionally sat. The council elders gathered around him, their faces etched with concern.

"Doom awaits us," Derek began, his voice low and grave. The elders exchanged worried glances, a sense of foreboding settling over the room.

"What is the matter, Alpha?" one of the council elders finally spoke up, breaking the heavy silence that had descended upon them.

"Darius is not in a coma. He is back on his feet. He has taken Serena as his wife," Derek revealed, his words weighted with disbelief and anger. The council elders gasped in shock, their expressions turning into ones of outrage and concern.

"Well, I thought Darius is as good as dead. He can't do anything to harm you," one of the council elders declared, trying to offer reassurance to Derek.

But Derek shook his head, a steely look in his eyes as he stood up from his seat. "I saw Darius. He came to my house when I took Serena from the hospital where he had left her. He threatened me and said I would die if I laid a finger on her again. You know what that means. A threat to me is a threat to me is a threat to us all.”

The council elders fell silent, the gravity of the situation sinking in.

“None of you has anything to say?” Derek asked in anger. “Y'all were there during the coup. You supported me when I brought the idea and we are together in this. If Serena and Darius team up, we all are down.”

After a moment, one of the elders known for his wise counsel spoke up. "Alpha, Darius wants an heir. That is why he has taken Serena as his wife. If she becomes pregnant, you can claim the child as yours. At least she was with you for a while. We can use this to our advantage, causing an uproar in his pack. And when the time is right, we will strike."

Derek's eyes lit up with a dangerous glint as he considered the elder's words. A smirk played at the corner of his lips. "That's a nice plan," he agreed, his mind already working out the details of their scheme. “Sit on that one. Let's see the possibility of the scheme.”

And so, the council of elders began to plot their next move, their minds focused on the opportunity that had presented itself in the form of Darius taking Serena as his wife.

They revealed to Derek that they would need to play their cards right, biding their time until the perfect moment to strike and take back the spot that Derek had maintained for a day, as the biggest alpha in town.

“Alpha, the chances are high that it would work. For an alpha like Darius who wants a hier, he'll give up everything to make it happen. Also, if we play our cards wrong, we might…”

“Hold!” Derek ordered. “We will tear them apart.”