Chapter 102
Lucas POV
I sat in my study, nursing a glass of whisky as a storm brewed in my mind.
The revelation that Lily wasn’t Alpha Gregory’s biological daughter had changed everything. It explained so much—the coldness she had endured, the scorn from certain members of the pack, the maltreatment from both her father and her sister. It all made sense now.
I clenched my jaw, the glass trembling slightly in my grip.
No wonder he had been determined to drive her out of the pack in the middle of the night with nothing but an old rickety car. Alpha Gregory, the man who had raised her, who had pretended to be her father, had been behind it all.
My wolf snarled beneath my skin. How many times had Lily cried herself to sleep, believing she wasn’t good enough? How many times she had endured the pack’s whispers, the subtle jabs that she killed her mother and the not-so-subtle exclusion?
I set my glass down, leaning back in my chair as a grim determination settled over me. I had failed to protect Lily in the past, but I would not fail again. If Gregory thought he would harm her, he had another thing coming. I would ensure Lily’s safety, even if it meant dismantling the Alpha’s power piece by piece.
Sighing, I turned my attention to my computer screen, that glowed with financial records—pack accounts, personal investment, property holdings. Every piece of leverage I could find against Gregory’s inner circle. I have always been good at reading people, at finding their weaknesses. Now I would use that skill to protect Lily.
The only way I can do that is to become Alpha. Once I succeed in turning Alpha Gregory’s subordinate against him and the people, that would be the first step to my victory.
So far, I’ve been able to turn Beta Marcus to my side. All I did was to make a substantial investment in his struggling business ventures and a promise of a greater power under my leadership was all it took. The man’s loyalty had always been for sale; I just needed to outbid Gregory.
“The Alpha’s grip on the pack is weakening,” Beta Marcus had whispered to me during one of our private meetings downtown. “The pack feels it. They’re looking for a change p>
He had said that last part, staring at me pointedly as if to hint at the pack’s decision.
Convincing Delta Sarah, Alpha Gregory’s head of security and bosom friend, had been a hard nut to crack because at first, she never gave that opportunity, but when I discovered she was in a money situation, I stepped in.
Her son’s expensive private school tuition was suddenly paid for a year in advance by an anonymous donation that came with a carefully worded note about loyalty and rewards.
So far, I’ve been able to identify all of Alpha Gregory’s key supporters both in the Elder’s forum and amongst the leaders of the pack. If I can get all of them to my side, the rest would be easy.
Today, I was meeting with Lieutant Colton and was in charge of the warriors in the pack. All of them were loyal to him and once I can convince him, I would finally have the key people of the pack in my pocket.
I leaned at the edge of the training ground, watching him for a while before I walked up to him when I saw him taking a break.
“Colton,” I called out calmly.
He immediately turned, his eyes flashing with surprise. “What brings you here Lucas?” he responded with a smile.
“Nothing.” I flashed him a small smile. “It’s just that I’ve been watching you. You’re a man who knows how to survive p>
Colton tensed, his eyes darting around as if he was expecting someone to overhear. “What do you want, Lucas? What do you mean?” he asked warily.
I gave him another disarming smile. “I want to offer you an opportunity. A chance to step out of Alpha Gregory’s shadow and into a position where your skills are truly appreciated p>
His eyes narrowed suspiciously. “What kind of opportunity p>
“Loyalty,” I said in a compelling tone. “To me, Gregory’s reign is weakening, and when it crumbles, those who stand with me will find themselves in a position of strength. I can offer you protection, resources, and a place in the new order p>
Colton hesitated, staring at me for a while before he murmured quietly. “And if Alpha Gregory finds out p>
I stepped closer, holding his gaze. “Then we ensure he doesn’t. Trust me, Colton – aligning with me is the safest bet you’ll ever make p>
After a long pause, Colton nodded, the tension in his shoulders easing. “Fine. I’m in p>
Over the next few days, I began to approach others in Alpha Gregory’s circle offering them similar deals. Some were eager to switch sides, falling in love with my charisma and promises for a better future. Others were hesitant at first but I knew how to play on their fears and ambitions, convincing them one by one.
I was also planting seeds of doubts about Alpha Gregory’s leadership among the people and every other key member I meet. I would casually mention his increasing temper or his shortcomings, then let the rumors build.
I was also careful. Every move I made was calculated, Alpha Gregory was still the Alpha and if he gets wind of what I’m doing, it would be a treasonable offence and a direct confrontation would be suicide. But I wasn’t planning a fight – I was orchestrating a coup, and the foundation was already being laid.
As my influence began to grow in the pack, my thoughts always circled back to Lily. I couldn’t risk reaching out to her directly – as it would only put her in more danger and they would finally realize that I know she wasn’t schooling at Shadow Grey pack like Alpha Gregory and Vanessa wants everyone to belivev.
But I made sure to keep tables on her. Through carefully placed spies and informants, I ensured that she was safe and that no harm came her way.
I also took some steps to dismantle any lingering threats against her. Alpha Gregory’s enforcers, the ones who had likely carried out his orders to intimidate Lily, found themselves reassigned or quietly removed from their positions of power.
One of the positions was the person stationed as head of the intelligence unit. I discovered that Alpha Gregory had an informant in Royal Hunters who was giving him information regarding Lily.
And the last information he shared with Alpha Gregory was
Lily is about to become our Luna.
I was puzzled by the meaning, but eager to see what would happen next and what type of information would come next.