Fated To The Enemy

Revelations and Resolutions

Derek’s gaze remained fixed on the CCTV footage, his jaw tightening as he watched Lila’s escape play out frame by frame.

Her figure darted through the corridor. She had fought her way out with a ferocity he hadn’t seen before, even weakened by wolfsbane. It was rather impressive. She was gone, and he had no one to blame but himself for underestimating her.

His thoughts were interrupted by a sharp knock at the door. “Alpha Derek,” one of his warriors said, stepping inside with urgency. “Alpha Marcus of the Silver Star pack has arrived unannounced. He’s waiting in the private room.”

Derek’s pulse quickened, and not in a good way. Marcus had come without warning, and given the timing, it was unlikely to be a mere courtesy call.

Suppressing his rising anxiety, Derek made his way down the corridor toward the exclusive VIP section of Midnight Skies. The club’s pulsing music thudded through the walls, an unwelcome reminder of the chaos swirling around him.

Marcus sat in a leather chair, his broad frame stiff with tension. There was an air of expectancy around him, and his sharp eyes followed Derek’s every move as he entered. Derek met his gaze with a calm facade, though his mind raced to decipher what Marcus might know.

“Alpha Marcus,” he greeted, his voice even. “This is a surprise.”

Marcus didn’t waste any time with pleasantries. “I’m looking for Lila Swan,” he said bluntly, suspicion clear in his tone. “Have you seen her?”

Derek’s expression remained impassive, though his gut twisted. “I haven’t,” he answered with a casual shrug.

“Alpha Derek,” Marcus began without preamble, his voice low and pointed. “I have some information that may be of interest to you.”

Derek maintained a casual stance, folding his arms over his chest as if he were completely unbothered. “And what information would that be?”

Marcus’s lips curved into a small, humourless smile. “It seems that Lila and her friend Avery were seen here at Midnight Skies just a few nights ago,” he said. “Interesting, wouldn’t you say?”

Derek didn’t flinch. He c****d an eyebrow, his expression a mix of curiosity and disinterest. “Really? I had no clue they had been here. If they were, I don’t see how it concerns me.”

A flicker of suspicion crossed Marcus’s face, “I’d think it would concern you quite a bit, given the… history between your packs ” he replied, his tone laced with a challenge.

Derek shrugged, keeping his voice steady. “ Midnight Skies is a popular place for a night out. I don't concern myself with all the patrons who enter. That's my managers job."

The tension in the room grew thicker with every exchanged word, each man probing for weaknesses in the other. Marcus leaned forward, his eyes narrowing slightly. “And yet,” he continued, “you don’t seem the least bit concerned that Lila could be in danger."

He could sense that Marcus was baiting him, trying to read his reactions. Derek kept his features carefully composed, masking the fear and regret that stirred beneath the surface. “Danger?” he repeated, allowing a faint hint of scepticism to colour his tone. “What makes you think that?”

Marcus’s expression darkened, and the room seemed to close in around them. “There are things you don’t know about Lila’s past,” he said quietly, his voice almost a growl. “There are bigger things at play here beyond old pack disputes.”

Derek's eyes flickered with a hint of genuine curiosity. He couldn’t help but press for more. “What are you getting at, Marcus?” he asked, dropping the pretence. “If there’s something important I should know, now’s the time to say it.”

Marcus studied him for a long moment before he spoke again. “Lila’s true father was not Victor of the Swan Lake pack,” he revealed, his voice low and edged with gravity. “Her real father was Armand, the original Alpha of my pack, the Silver Star pack.”

“Armand?” Derek echoed, disbelief evident in his tone.

“Yes,” Marcus said with a solemn nod. “Armand left his role as Alpha, abandoning both his pack and his mate, Amelia, to take the vampire throne. The Lycan King arranged for Amelia’s marriage to Victor for protection, as she was pregnant at the time. Victor agreed to keep the truth hidden.”

The revelation hit Derek like a blow to the chest. His resentment toward Lila over the past few years now seemed trivial, based on ignorance rather than justified anger.

He felt a wave of shame for the way he had treated her, for the mistrust and hostility he had shown her because of his own wounds. “So, Lila has no idea?” he asked quietly, his voice laced with regret.

“No,” Marcus replied, shaking his head. “She doesn’t know about her true heritage, and now that Armand is aware of her existence, he’s set his sights on claiming her as his heir. He wants to draw her into his world and make her a vampire, fully and completely.”

The thought sent a chill through Derek. The possibility that Lila could be seduced into a life of darkness was too real to ignore. “And what do you expect me to do with this information?” he asked, his tone hardening.

Marcus nodded gravely. “That’s why I came to you,” he said. “Lila needs to be found, and she needs to be protected. We can not let Armand get to her first. He’s been eliminating werewolf packs globally, weakening our defences. If he turns Lila, it would be a devastating blow to us all.”

A tense silence fell between them, both men grappling with the gravity of the situation. Derek’s mind raced with images of Lila. Her fiery defiance, the pain in her eyes when he had last seen her, He clenched his fists, a new resolve settling within him.

Marcus hesitated before continuing, his voice carrying a hint of something uncharacteristically soft. “There’s a reason I was so intent on marrying Lila,” he admitted. “It wasn’t just to solidify a political alliance. It was also to protect her. Keeping her close was the only way I could ensure Armand wouldn’t get to her. I’ve known about his ambitions for a while, and I feared that once he discovered Lila’s true lineage, he’d do whatever it took to bring her into his fold.”

Derek’s jaw clenched as he absorbed Marcus’s words. The engagement that had seemed like another power play had, in reality, been an act of protection, albeit a misguided one.

The anger he had felt over the arranged marriage began to dissolve, replaced by a grudging understanding.

“So, marrying her was more about shielding her than politics,” Derek said, the realization dawning. “You thought you could keep her safe from him by having her under your care.”

Marcus nodded, his gaze never wavering from Derek’s. “I did what I thought was best,” he replied. “But I underestimated how much danger Armand truly poses. He’s already been eliminating werewolf packs, If he manages to turn Lila… she could become a powerful weapon against us with her lycan heritage. She carries an ancient power within her that is untapped right now.”

"Ancient Power?" Derek asked confusion etched all over his face.

"She inherited a unique ability to control the elements and the animals. She has not learnt to utilise the power but she will with time now she has her wolf. If Armand turns her she could become the most deadliest weapon against us."

The reality of Marcus's confession hung heavy in the air, both men now aware that their fates and the fate of their world, were intertwined with Lila’s.

A silence fell between them, filled with a mix of regret, fear, and determination.

Derek broke it with a quiet but firm declaration. “I’ll find her,” he said, resolve lacing his words. “And I’ll make sure she’s safe from Armand’s reach. Whatever it takes.”

A glint of approval flashed in Marcus’s eyes. “Good,” he said simply. “Because we may not have much time before Armand makes his next move. We’ll need to pool our resources and put aside any differences if we’re to succeed.”

Derek gave a curt nod. As much as he hated to admit it, they would have to work together. An alliance he never thought he’d make. “We start now.”

A glint of gratefulness flashed in Marcus’s eyes. "I'm glad we are on the same page here because this is about saving our entire race.”

The club’s music seemed distant now, a mere background noise to the storm brewing.

"Agreed. Derek said as he put his hand out to shake. Marcus firmly took his hand, a look of relief etched all over his face.

Lila was out there, alone and vulnerable. If Armand found her first, it would be catastrophic.