Chapter 2 : A Battle of Will

Serena’s Pov

When I saw Edmund walk into my father's...our father's study, I felt the intensity of my anger rise to unimaginable levels. The Lancaster Company had been my life’s work, a legacy I was determined to uphold, and now it was threatened by the least deserving person imaginable.

Edmund stood beside me at the table, attempting to look authoritative. I remembered the way he fidgeted nervously during the negotiations earlier today; he was genuinely incompetent. I couldn't suppress a sneer as I watched him settle into the seat beside me. How could someone like him even consider himself fit to lead this company?

“This is ridiculous,” I muttered under my breath, catching my father's disapproving glance. But I didn’t care. This farce had gone on long enough.

“Serena, do you have something to add?” Edmund’s voice was stern. He was trying to put up a strong front.

“I do, actually,” I said, standing up. I turned to my father. “How can you possibly consider someone who lacks both the experience and the knowledge necessary to run the company? This is a multi-billion-dollar enterprise, not a playground for the inexperienced and ignorant.”

Edmund’s face turned an even deeper shade of red. “You think you’re so perfect, Serena? Always the golden child. But let’s not forget that you have your own flaws.” He was referring to the fact that I couldn't shift. Damn him straight to hell.

I stepped closer, my voice low but deadly serious. “At least I know what I’m doing. You, on the other hand, are a liability. You have no idea about the intricate workings of this company.”

Edmund stood up abruptly at that, attempting to clap back. I was ready for him.

“Enough!” The authoritative voice of Alpha Lancaster cut through the rising argument. The tension in the room was palpable. After a long pause, he continued. “Like it or not, the both of you are family now, and I will not have the two of you arguing like children.” Our father’s presence still commanded respect despite his declining health; his eyes were sharp, assessing us both.

“Father,” I began, trying to keep my tone respectful, “you can’t seriously be considering Edmund for this position. He’s not qualified.”

Alpha Lancaster held up a hand to silence me. “Serena, I’ve made my decision. Edmund may not have the experience, but he has something you lack. He has his wolf. He’s an alpha, and our company and our family need strong leadership, both in the boardroom and in the pack.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “So, you’re willing to throw away all my hard work, everything I’ve done for this company, just because Edmund can shift into a wolf?”

Alpha Lancaster’s gaze softened slightly, but his resolve remained firm. “It’s not just about the wolf, Serena. It’s about legacy. Tradition. The Lancaster name must be upheld, and the pack needs to see strength in their leader. You’re capable, but you don’t have what it takes to lead in this way.”

My heart sank. The injustice of it all was overwhelming. I had dedicated my life to this company, and now it was being handed over to someone who had done nothing to earn it other than be born male and could shift. I closed my eyes, keeping the tears at bay. I could feel both their eyes on me; they knew I wasn't going to take this well; they were waiting for a reaction, waiting for me to lash out. I wasn't going to give them the satisfaction.

Without another word, I turned on my heel and left the study. The walls of the mansion seemed to close in on me as I made my way to my car. Anger and frustration bubbled up inside me, threatening to spill over.

By the time I reached my car, my anger had reached a boiling point. I yanked the door open and slid into the driver’s seat, my hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly that my knuckles turned white. I started the engine with fierce determination, the roar of the car matching the fury inside me.

The drive to my private residence was a blur of dark thoughts and wild emotions. The city lights flashed by, an indifferent backdrop to my turmoil.

My mind kept replaying the scene in the study: Edmund's smug face, my father’s unwavering decision, the sheer unfairness of it all.

"How could he?" I muttered to myself, my voice trembling with a mix of anger and despair. "How could he choose Edmund over me?"

Every red light felt like a personal attack, every honking car a taunt. I pressed down harder on the accelerator, wanting to escape the oppressive weight of my father’s decision. The trees lining the streets seemed to whisper in the night, their leaves rustling judgments I couldn’t bear to hear.

I turned onto the secluded road that led to my private residence, the familiar path doing little to soothe my raging heart. The large, imposing gates swung open as I approached, and I drove through without slowing down.

A moment later, I was out of my car and fumbling for my house keys. When I finally managed to pull them out of my purse, They fell, and I cursed, kicking my front door in frustration. “Stupid key! Stupid Edmund! Stupid father! Stupid company! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!” I kicked the door continuously till I had burnt myself out. Why was this happening to me?

I finally entered my house. I slammed the door shut behind me and leaned against it, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath.

I needed to talk to Nathan to find a way to salvage this mess. I pulled out my phone and dialed his number, my hands shaking with barely contained fury. I put the phone to my ear and paced my living room as I waited for Nathan to pick up.

He finally did. Took him long enough.

“Nathan, it’s Serena. My father he... Edmund… My half-brother, the company...” It was so difficult to string words together, I was going through an avalanche of emotions.

“Whoa, slow down, Serena, start from the top; tell me everything that happened,” Nathan’s voice was calm, as always, but I could hear the concern underlying his words.

I recounted the events of the day, my voice shaking with anger. “My father has made his decision. Edmund is going to be the new CEO of the company.”

There was a brief silence on the other end of the line before Nathan spoke again.

"That's... a lot. Honestly, I don't know what's worse: losing the company or finding out that Edmund is your half-brother."

"They're both worse. Edmund is literally the worst candidate for the job. You saw the way he froze during the negotiations today. He's a total klutz."

"Yep, but why would your father pick Edmund of all people?"

“I know, right?” I could feel tears of frustration welling up. “He said something about tradition and how having an Alpha at the head of the company is the best. Basically, alpha status is more important than my experience and dedication.”

Nathan sighed. “Serena, you’ve always been the one keeping everything together. We both know that. Maybe we can find a way to convince your father to see reason.”

“How, Nathan? He’s made up his mind. And Edmund… he just stands there, smug and useless. It’s like he’s waiting for me to fail.”

"What if you told your father that Edmund tried to assault you today at the company? Surely, he'd change his mind about handing the company over to him."

It was a thoughtful idea, but that's not how I wanted back control of my company. If I was going to have to fight for it, then so be it.

"No, Nathan, my father cannot know about that; he'll only see me as weak if I crawl back to him now." I brushed the idea off.

“Okay, we'll try this instead,” Nathan said firmly. “You’ve built strong relationships within the company. The executives respect you, and they know what you’re capable of. If you can rally their support, maybe they can help you persuade your father to change his mind.”

I paused, considering his words. “You think that could work?”

“It’s worth a shot,” Nathan replied. “You’ve got nothing to lose by trying. Show your father that the company’s key players are behind you, not Edmund.”

“Thank you, Nathan. I’ll call them right away.”

I spent the next few hours on the phone, contacting each of the key executives. To my relief, most of them agreed that I was the most suitable candidate to be the new CEO. Their support was like a balm to my wounded pride.

“Serena, you’ve done an incredible job over the years,” said one of the executives, the CFO. “We trust your judgment and leadership. I’ll stand with you at the next board meeting.”

“Thank you. Your support means everything to me.”

By the time I hung up the phone, my spirits had lifted considerably. I wasn’t alone in this fight. Some people believed in me and recognized my hard work and dedication. It wasn’t over yet.

That night, I went to bed feeling a renewed sense of purpose. I was ready to take on whatever challenges lay ahead.

The following day, I woke up to a flurry of notifications on my phone. While still bleary-eyed and confused, I unlocked it, trying to make out the text on the screen. And my heart sank as I saw the headlines splashed across the most famous news website. There, in bold letters, was my name, linked to a scandalous rumor involving a married man. Below the headline was a photo of me, apparently naked in bed with this man. The image was a blatant fake, but it was too late to stop the damage. The news had already spread.

My phone rang, and I saw it was one of the executives I had spoken to the night before. “Sir, I can explain—”

“Serena, we’ve seen the news. This is a serious matter. We can’t afford to have our company’s reputation tarnished. I’m sorry, but we can no longer support you as the future CEO.”

“Please, listen to me. That photo is a fake. I’ve never done anything like this!”

But the executive had already hung up. One by one, the other executives called, each expressing their disappointment and withdrawing their support. My heart pounded in my chest as I realized how quickly everything was falling apart.

Just as I was about to call Nathan, my phone rang again. This time, it was my father.

“Serena, come home. Now.”

The gravity in his voice left no room for argument. I knew this wasn’t just about the company anymore.