Theo sat still, his gaze unwavering, watching both Kimberly and Lucian as they grew restless.
Their impatience was evident, but he remained quiet, his expression unreadable.
The weight of the mont pressed down on them, the air thick with unspoken questions.
Kimberly was the first to break the silence.
"Theo, what do you an with your statent?" she asked, her voice carrying a mix of curiosity and caution.
She knew Theo never spoke without purpose. If he had said sothing as serious as saving Lucian’s life, then it ant there was far more to the situation than they understood.
Theo finally shifted his posture, his eyes still locked onto Lucian. "Lucian, co have a seat here," he said, gesturing to the empty spot beside him.
Lucian hesitated for a brief mont before stepping forward.
His movents were slow, reluctant, but he eventually sat down. His displeasure was clear, anger, confusion, and disappointnt all simring within him.
He had lost, and now he was being asked to sit beside the very man who made that loss happen.
Theo leaned forward slightly, his tone calm but firm.
"I’m going to ask you a question, and I need you to be honest with . No hesitation. No deflection. Just the truth. Can you do that?"
Lucian exhaled sharply but nodded. "Yeah... okay."
Theo’s piercing eyes locked onto Lucian’s.
"What kind of alpha do you wish to be?"
Lucian blinked, caught off guard. Kimberly, too, was visibly surprised by the unexpected question.
Lucian frowned. "Does it matter anymore? I’ve already lost. There’s no point in talking about it." His voice carried the bitterness of defeat.
Theo’s lips curled into a faint smile, but it wasn’t one of amusent. It was knowing, almost testing.
He straightened up. "I’ll ask one more ti. And if you don’t answer, then we’re done here. What kind of alpha do you wish to be?"
There was sothing in Theo’s voice, an authority that left no room for indifference.
Lucian felt it like a force pressing down on him, demanding an answer.
He swallowed hard and sat up straighter. "I want to be different. I want to be like you," he admitted.
Theo raised an eyebrow. "Like ? And what exactly do you an by that?"
Lucian took a breath, gathering his thoughts.
"I want to lead, not rule. I want to be just. To be soone who sacrifices for his people, soone who makes things better for everyone, not just those in power.
That’s what I see in you."
Theo watched him closely, reading beyond his words. Then he spoke, his tone even and deliberate. "Can a dead alpha achieve that?"
Lucian stiffened. His brows furrowed. "I... I don’t understand what you an."
Theo leaned forward, his voice dropping slightly.
"When I excused myself to ’use the toilet’ during the vote counting, I saw sothing in the woods.
I saw n waiting, ard, hidden, ready. And among them..." He paused, letting the words sink in before delivering the final blow. "...was Derrick."
Kimberly sucked in a sharp breath, her eyes widening.
Lucian stared at Theo, his mind reeling. "Derrick... was there?" His voice was barely above a whisper.
Theo nodded. "I found it suspicious that everything was too calm. Derrick isn’t one to sit back and accept fate.
So I stepped away, pretending to take a call, and scanned the area.
What I found was exactly what I suspected, Derrick had n stationed, waiting. If you had won the vote, Lucian... you’d be dead by now."
The room fell into silence.
Lucian’s fingers dug into his thighs as his thoughts raced. *Dead? Derrick would have killed ? Just like that?*
Kimberly was the first to speak. "So... he was planning to take over by force if Lucian won?"
Theo nodded again. "It wasn’t just Lucian who was in danger.
If things had played out differently, there would have been bloodshed. A lot of it.
Your supporters would have fought back, but Derrick is ruthless. He wouldn’t have cared about casualties. I had to make a decision right there."
Lucian was still in shock. His whole body felt cold.
"But why? What does Derrick even want anymore?" His voice was strained, trying to make sense of it all.
Theo’s expression darkened. "Power. That’s all he’s ever wanted.
The version of Derrick you once knew is gone. The man that remains is soone who will stop at nothing.
He waited patiently for this mont, and now he’s ready to take back everything by any ans necessary.
If I had let you win today, you wouldn’t have lived to see tomorrow."
Lucian’s jaw clenched. Anger and frustration swirled inside him, but so did sothing else, fear.
Not for himself, but for everyone around him. He had been so focused on winning that he never considered the real danger lurking behind it all.
Theo continued, his voice steady. "Pack politics isn’t just about winning votes, Lucian.
It’s about knowing when to strike, when to hold back, and most importantly, when to survive.
The people who pledged loyalty to you today? Many of them would have switched sides the mont Derrick walked into that hall.
You’re not ready yet. That’s why I did what I did."
Lucian inhaled deeply, his hands still clenched. "Do I still have a chance?"
Theo smirked. "There’s always a chance. You just need to be patient. Watch, learn, and when the right ti cos... you’ll know exactly how to take what’s yours."
Lucian let those words sink in. He had lost the battle, but not the war.
He looked at Theo with new understanding. The anger was still there, but now, there was also determination.
Kimberly, who had been silent, finally spoke again.
"Lucian, your father had no one to protect him when he fell. That was his downfall. You have Theo looking out for you. Trust that."
Lucian took a deep breath, then stood. His eyes t Theo’s, and for the first ti since the voting, he bowed his head.
"Thank you. I won’t forget this."
Theo nodded but said nothing.
Lucian turned and walked out, leaving only Theo and Kimberly in the room.
Kimberly stepped closer to Theo. "So... what do we do about Derrick?"
Theo’s grip tightened around the glass of wine he had just picked up. His gaze was distant, his mind already calculating.
"Derrick is pretending to be patient, but his true nature won’t stay hidden for long.
He’s waiting for the right mont. For now, we wait too. We watch. And when he finally makes his move..."
Theo took a slow sip of the wine, his eyes glinting with sothing dangerous.
"...we’ll be ready."
But deep in his mind, one thought stood out above all else.
*Derrick... let’s see the version of the new you.*
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