Reclaimed By The Alpha King
Chapter 109

Chapter 109: Chapter 109

Derrick straightened, his alpha authority kicking in. "Who are you? And why am I here?"

The other man stepped forward. "Questions will be answered inside. But first, you must wear this."

He held up a black blindfold.

Derrick’s eyes narrowed. "I don’t think so. I didn’t come here to play games."

The first man’s voice hardened. "If you want answers, you’ll follow our rules. Or you can leave, but you’ll never know the truth."

Derrick’s jaw tightened. Every instinct screamed at him to leave, to fight, to do anything but put his trust in masked strangers.

Yet, the tantalizing promise of answers kept him rooted to the spot.

*"What truth? What could possibly be worth this risk?"*

Reluctantly, he nodded. "Fine. But if this is a trap, you’ll regret it."

The second man chuckled darkly. "Noted. Put it on."

Derrick took the blindfold and tied it securely around his eyes. The moment the darkness enveloped him, his other senses sharpened.

He could hear the faint rustling of leaves, the soft crunch of boots on gravel as the men began to lead him forward.

They walked for what felt like an eternity, Derrick’s tension growing with each step. The air around him was cool, filled with the faint scent of damp earth and pine.

Finally, they stopped.

"You can take it off now," one of the men said.

Derrick hesitated before pulling off the blindfold. He blinked as his eyes adjusted to the dim light.

They were in a small underground chamber, dimly lit by flickering torches mounted on the walls. The air was thick with an unplaceable tension.

In the center of the room stood a wooden table, and seated at it was a figure cloaked in shadow.

The person leaned forward slightly, revealing piercing gray eyes that seemed to see through him.

"Alpha Derrick," the figure said, their voice a deep, almost melodic baritone. "Welcome."

Derrick stepped forward, his fists clenched. "Enough of the theatrics. Tell me who you are and why you brought me here."

The figure gestured to a chair across from them. "Sit. We have much to discuss, and little time."

Derrick’s patience was wearing thin, but he complied, sitting down across from the stranger. "Talk," he demanded.

The figure folded their hands together, their gaze steady. "What do you know about Kimberly?"

Derrick frowned. "Enough to know she’s a problem. She’s a threat to my pack and my authority."

The figure tilted their head slightly, a small smile playing on their lips. "Is that what you truly believe? Or is that what Mona has convinced you to believe?"

The mention of Mona made Derrick’s heart skip a beat. "What are you implying?"

"I’m implying," the figure said slowly, "that Kimberly’s presence threatens more than just your rule. It threatens the secrets Mona has been so carefully hiding."

Derrick’s breath hitched. "Secrets? What secrets?"

The figure leaned closer. "Kimberly is no ordinary girl. She is tied to something far greater than you, Mona, or even this pack.

But you’ve been blinded by lies, manipulated into seeing her as a danger rather than what she truly is—a key."

"A key to what?" Derrick pressed, his voice rising.

The figure didn’t answer immediately. Instead, they slid a small, weathered book across the table toward him.

The cover was blank, but the edges of the pages were frayed and stained.

"What is this?" Derrick asked, eyeing it warily.

"Answers," the figure replied. "But only if you’re willing to see the truth."

Derrick hesitated before reaching for the book. As his fingers brushed the cover, the figure spoke again, their tone darker.

"Be careful, Alpha. Once you open that book, there’s no turning back. The truths within it will change everything you think you know."

Derrick’s hand hovered over the book, his mind a storm of conflicting emotions. Finally, he clenched his jaw and pulled his hand back.

"I’ll decide what to do later," he said firmly. "But you still haven’t told me who you are."

The figure smiled faintly. "You’ll learn soon enough. For now, take the book and leave.

But remember—time is not on your side. The storm is closer than you think."

Derrick stood, clutching the book tightly. He turned to leave, but something about the figure’s words lingered in his mind.

As he walked back up the path, the blindfold tucked in his pocket, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was standing on the edge of a precipice.

The storm was indeed coming. And for the first time, Derrick wasn’t sure if he was ready to face it.

★★★

Mohandria, Lisa, and Kaitlyn sat huddled in the small room they often used to talk in private.

The air was tense, filled with unspoken worry that none of them could ignore. Kimberly had been distant lately, and her pain was palpable.

Mohandria spoke first, her voice heavy with frustration.

"We’ll be the worst friends ever if we just sit here doing nothing while Kimberly suffers silently." She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees.

Kaitlyn nodded, her expression a mix of guilt and concern. "I know, Mohandria, but... I feel so helpless. She doesn’t talk to us about what’s wrong, and we don’t even know how to approach her."

Lisa, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, finally spoke. Her tone was calm but deliberate. "I don’t think trying to understand her pain is the solution."

Both Mohandria and Kaitlyn turned to her, surprised.

"What do you mean by that?" Mohandria asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"We’ve been focusing on trying to figure out what’s wrong with Kimberly," Lisa explained, her eyes steady.

"But maybe that’s not what she needs. Maybe what she needs is for us to show her that we’re here for her no matter what. To prove that she’s not alone in this."

Kaitlyn tilted her head, her curiosity piqued. "But how do we show that? She barely talks to us about anything serious. It’s like she’s carrying the weight of the world by herself."

Lisa’s lips curled into a determined smile. "We don’t need to pry into her thoughts or feelings. She’s like family to us, right? So we stand with her, fight with her, even if we don’t fully understand the battle."

Mohandria nodded slowly, her eyes lighting up with newfound resolve.

"You’re right. Kimberly’s family to us. She doesn’t need us to solve her problems; she just needs to know she’s not alone. That no matter what happens, we’ll have her back."

"But what if she pushes us away again?" Kaitlyn asked, her voice trembling slightly.

"Then we push right back," Mohandria said firmly. "Kimberly can be as stubborn as she wants, but we’re not giving up on her."

As they talked, none of them noticed a shadowy figure lurking just outside the partially open window.

Mona’s servant, a wiry woman with sharp features and a knack for stealth, listened intently to their conversation.

Her eyes narrowed as she caught every word, and when it seemed the girls had finished talking, she slipped away quietly into the shadows.

Unaware that they had been overheard, the three friends continued to plan their next steps.

"I say we start by spending more time with her," Lisa suggested. "No pressure, no questions—just show her we’re here."

Mohandria added, "And if we see anyone trying to mess with her, we step in. Together."

Kaitlyn smiled nervously. "I hope this works. Kimberly means so much to me—to all of us. I can’t stand seeing her like this."

"We’ll make it work," Mohandria said, placing a reassuring hand on Kaitlyn’s shoulder.

Meanwhile, Mona’s servant darted through the pack grounds, her heart racing as she made her way to the pack house.

She knew Mona would want to hear this immediately.

Mona sat on a plush chair in the grand living room, sipping wine and staring into the fire that crackled in the hearth.

The servant entered cautiously, bowing her head as she approached.

Mona didn’t look up but spoke sharply. "I hope you’re here with something useful."

The servant swallowed nervously. "I bring news, ma’am. Or perhaps... a warning."

Mona finally turned her gaze to the servant, her eyes cold and calculating. "A warning? Speak quickly, unless you want to regret wasting my time."

The servant nodded quickly, her voice trembling. "Kimberly’s friends... Mohandria, Lisa, and Kaitlyn... they’re planning to stand by her.

They said they’ll fight with her and for her, no matter what."

For a moment, there was silence. Then Mona burst into laughter, a cold, mocking sound that echoed through the room.

The servant flinched, unsure how to interpret her reaction.

"Those little girls think they can stand against me?" Mona said, setting her wine glass down with a sharp clink.

She stood, her movements graceful but menacing. "They’re nothing but pests, buzzing around a fire they don’t understand.

Do they think their loyalty will save Kimberly from what’s coming?"

The servant hesitated before responding. "They seem very determined, ma’am. Perhaps..."

Mona cut her off with a wave of her hand. "Determination is worthless without power. And those three have none."

"But ma’am," the servant ventured cautiously, "should we... do something about them? They might become a nuisance."

Mona smirked, her lips curling into a venomous grin. "Oh, don’t worry. I have everything under control.

Their days are numbered, just like Kimberly’s. Let them play their little games. It’ll only make their downfall more satisfying."

The servant bowed her head, murmuring, "Yes, ma’am," before retreating from the room.

As the door closed behind her, Mona was left alone. She stared into the fire, her expression thoughtful.

Despite her bravado, a small flicker of doubt crept into her mind.

*What if they manage to disrupt my plans? What if Kimberly proves to be more resilient than I anticipated?*

She pushed the thoughts away, shaking her head. "No," she muttered to herself.

"Everything is falling into place. No one—not her friends, not Kimberly, not even Derrick—can stop me now."

Yet, as the flames danced in the hearth, casting flickering shadows across the room, Mona couldn’t shake the unsettling feeling that something was slipping out of her control...