*NEW* Chapter XXXVII

Derek's POV

The council had failed us. Failed the world. Failed her.

I stood before them, my patience fraying with every second. They had gathered in haste, some still groggy from sleep, others fully aware of what had just transpired. None of them had the courage to meet my eyes.

"You let this happen," I said, my voice deceptively calm. "You let a witch manipulate you, let a false alpha steal what was never his to take. Tell me—what exactly is your purpose if not to protect the balance?"

A murmur spread through the room, but no one dared to challenge me. The weight of my fury was a living thing, pressing down on all of them.

"This isn't just about my mate," I continued, stepping forward. "This is about the future of our kind. You once put your faith in a prophecy, in the rise of a great king. Yet the moment another false leader rose, you abandoned it. You let fear dictate your actions."

One of the elders, a man with thinning silver hair, finally spoke. "Derek, you don't understand—"

"No, you don't understand!" I snapped, cutting him off. "Fate didn't place Lydia in my hands by accident. She is meant to be here. She was always meant to be under the protection of a true king. And you let her be taken."

Silence.

Then, a voice—steady, filled with conviction. "You are right."

I turned to see a woman step forward, her presence commanding despite her modest stature. Mbalika—the surviving witch from the ambush.

She had been injured, but her spirit remained unbroken. She walked with purpose, addressing the council as if she had the authority they lacked. "The magic inside Lydia was never meant to be used by anyone but the one who was destined to protect it. A powerful wolf king. That is the truth of the prophecy."

Another murmur. Doubt. Uncertainty. Cowards.

"If you doubt my words, then look at him." She turned to me, her gaze piercing. "His strength, his wolf returning to him, his rise to power—this is not coincidence. This is the natural order rebalancing itself. Derek is not a false king. He did not seize power by force. Fate placed it in his hands. And if you turn away from him now, then you are turning away from destiny itself."

I looked at the elders. Let them challenge that. Let them try to deny the truth when it stood before them, breathing, commanding, reigning.

Finally, another elder spoke, his voice measured but resigned. "What do you ask of us, Alpha?"

I met his gaze with unwavering resolve. "I ask nothing. I command that you stand aside. I will not wait for permission to act. Lars and Arabella have sealed their fates. And I will burn their world to the ground to bring Lydia back."

Not a single elder opposed me.

The war council convened immediately after. My warriors—my true pack—stood ready, awaiting my command. Caleb and Vanessa flanked me, their loyalty unwavering. Fabian stood silent but present. He had no words to offer, only the readiness to fight.

"We move before dawn," I declared. "Lars has no right to the power he seeks. Arabella will regret the day she thought she could take what is mine."

Fabian finally spoke, his voice low. "They will have numbers."

"They can have all the numbers they want." My wolf stirred beneath my skin, restless, eager for war. "I only need one."

A beat of silence. Then, Caleb smirked. "Damn right."

When we reached Lars' stronghold, the air was thick with tension. The compound was heavily fortified, wolves stationed along every perimeter. They were expecting us.

Good.

I walked forward alone, unarmed, my stance deceptively relaxed. The guards stiffened, unsure whether to attack or wait for orders. I let them feel the weight of my presence. Let them see what was coming for them.

Then Lars stepped out, flanked by his warriors. His arrogance was painted across his face, but I saw something else beneath it. Uncertainty.

He hadn't expected me to come like this.

"Derek," he greeted, voice smug. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

I ignored his attempt at mockery. "You took what is mine. I am here to take her back."

Lars chuckled. "She left on her own. Perhaps she realized that a true alpha—"

I moved before he could finish, closing the distance between us in a blink. My hand wrapped around his throat, lifting him off the ground as a snarl ripped from my chest.

"Say her name again," I growled. "And I will tear out your throat before your pack's eyes."

Chaos erupted. Wolves moved, but my pack was faster. Fabian and Caleb took their positions, weapons drawn. No one would stop me.

Lars clawed at my grip, his arrogance replaced with panic. He had underestimated me.

"You're a fool," I told him, my voice dangerously low. "You let a witch lead you into war. You have failed this world once again. You thought you could steal from me? Take what was never yours?" I squeezed tighter. "That was your final mistake."

A sudden pulse of energy shot through the air.

Arabella.

She stood at the entrance, eyes blazing with dark power. "Enough!" she shouted. "You think you can take her from me? You think you can fight fate?"

I dropped Lars unceremoniously, letting him crumble to the ground, gasping for air. My attention was solely on Arabella now.

"I don't need to fight fate," I told her. "I am fate."

Her expression twisted in rage, and then she attacked.

Dark energy crackled toward me, but I was ready. My wolf surged forward, the power within me something beyond even my understanding. The moment her magic touched me, it shattered.

Arabella's eyes widened in horror. "No... that's impossible..."

I lunged.

The battle for Lydia had begun.