They Called Me Useless Until I Unleashed My Wolf

Chapter 2

I got exactly what I wanted, and it happened a hell of a lot sooner than expected.

Under relentless pressure from the pack Elders, my father called an emergency council meeting to strip me of my title.

I sat at the long mahogany table, my expression a blank mask, completely unfazed by the heavy, judgmental glares pinned on me.

My father's face was grim, carrying the weight of the entire territory.

"Clara, since you are on the cusp of twenty and have yet to awaken your wolf, the council has officially decided to revoke your status as Alpha Heir. The title will pass to George. Do you have any objections?"

I opened my mouth, ready to tell them I was more than happy to sign it away.

But before a single word could cross my lips, my eyes drifted to my mother sitting beside him.

Her eyes were bloodshot, her hands visibly trembling.

Even though I had spent years playing the pack's resident failure, I was still her firstborn.

No matter how many times I let her down, she never stopped believing in me.

A sudden pang of hesitation hit me, rattling my lazy resolve.

I was actually debating whether I should just drop the act and let my wolf roar when the heavy oak doors burst open.

A pack warrior stumbled into the hall, breathless and terrified.

"Alpha Jason! The Stoneshire Alpha has arrived at the southern border with a battalion of warriors! They're demanding a challenge from our strongest fighter!"

The room went dead silent.

Color drained from the Elders' faces.

The Stoneshire pack bordered our Riverbend territory.

They were twice our size, with a military force three times stronger than ours.

They had always been a thorn in my father's side, constantly testing our borders.

To maintain a fragile peace, my father had repeatedly been forced to appease them with our own resources.

But no one expected them to launch a blatant, full-scale provocation like this.

The tension in the hall was suffocating.

I let out a quiet, internal sigh.

Looks like my days of peacefully playing the underdog are officially over.

Whatever.

There are always foolish flies determined to buzz around a sleeping lion until it wakes up.

The Stoneshire forces were holding a terrifyingly tight line at our border.

My father rushed to the front lines with every able-bodied fighter we had.

My siblings followed close behind, and my father dragged me along for the ride—likely to keep an eye on his "useless" heir.

Leading the opposing army was Alpha Dylan of Stoneshire, backed by a massive, imposing wall of elite warriors.

The moment they saw us arrive, they halted their advance, looking like predators cornering prey.

Alpha Dylan, built like a brick wall and radiating dominant aura, let out a dismissive sneer.

"If you don't want my wolves tearing through Riverbend territory, you'll hand over another thirty percent of your resources. Do that, and we'll march right back."

The moment the extortion left his mouth, Beta Joe lost his temper. "Don't push your luck, Dylan! We just yielded ten percent to you last month, and now you want thirty? You're crossing a damn line!"

Alpha Dylan spared him a sideways glance, completely unfazed by the outburst. "If you disagree, I'll simply order an invasion. But remember—once the survival of your entire pack is on the line, it's going to cost you a hell of a lot more than just thirty percent."

Beta Joe trembled with pure rage. But under the crushing weight of reality, he had no choice but to swallow his anger.