Chapter 117 - IT'S HER I WANT, OR NOBODY ELSE

When Derek stepped out of his cousin's room and had shut the door behind him, he rested his back tiredly on it, heaving in deeply as he recounted the events of the day. They had bullied his mate, when they hadn't even known she was their Luna. What would happen then if they knew, his pack members and his father inclusive? He thought, and sighed; his mind crowded with a lot of thoughts and emotions. He felt sad, worried and angry at the same time.

There was the fact that for an unknown reason, the witches and some phanthom had seemed to have taken a sort of interest in his mate; something his mother and her friend were still trying to discern. Last, he had heard, his mother's friend had gone on a journey back to her homeland to inquire about his little mate and why her kind were so much interested in her. It still left him in bewilderment; the witches' fascination with a mere human. Or was it something else? Was it because she was his mate? Did his uncle hire them to kidnap her? He thought. 

"No, I don't think so." He muttered himself, remembering the episode that had transpired between him and the phanthom in the forest. It hadn't known that Emma was his mate. It couldn't have been hired by his uncle then. And then, there is the issue of her being bullied by his beta's twin. He had almost let Maru, his wolf, take control when he had seen her frail condition, but for his mother. He was happy now that she had intervened, if not.. well he refused to think of the repercussions now. 

"But can we work?" He thought, referring to the alliance between he and his little witch. The bullying incident had opened his eyes to the cons of fraternizing with his human mate.

"Yes. Stop doubting. It's her I want, or nobody else." Maru replied stubbornly, causing him to smile his amusement. His wolf was so protective of his little witch. He didn't know whether that was a good development. He had a feeling that it might land them in trouble very soon.

"What are you trying to say?" Maru asked, trying to get the clear message of his thought.

" Well, If father.." He was saying, when Maru interrupted him.

"Don't think of it." Maru stated, cutting him off, and letting him be finally.

"Wheew."  He breathed out, hoping that his mother's friend would be back before his birthday next week. He needed the know the standpoint of things.

"Where are you?" His father's voice through the mind link interrupted his thoughts, making him stand erect, from his reclining pose on the door in a jiffy.

"Almost there." He replied, before walking off hastily, almost running, in the direction of the main conference room.

On getting there, he took a deep breath, in and out, a bit nervous and curious about the reason why his father had summoned him. He wondered if his old man had already been briefed on what had happened earlier. 

No. He thought, shaking his head negatively. No one had seen the scene. The ones present, wouldn't have done reported. He knew that Claire and Clem had already gone into the forest, an hour ago, for their shifting process followed by their parents. So who could have reported? His mother couldn't have, neither will Shane do so. His gamma was actually nervous around his father, so he couldn't be the one. 

"It could just be some pack issues." Maru opined, tired of hearing the much thoughts going on in the head of its human version.

Derek shrugged, agreeing with his wolf. It could just be some pack issues. He thought, before tuning the knob, and opening the door.

"Good evening father." He greeted, bowing his head a bit, as he approached his father who was standing by the window pane, looking out from it, to the world outside the walls of the pack house.

When Alpha Peter heard his son's greetings, he turned slowly to glance at his son, before nodding slightly to acknowledge his greetings. He thought that his son looked more subdued, more humbled, unlike his former arrogant self. He wasn't sure what had happened; couldn't place his hand on it, but whatever it was, he was glad for it. The pack needed a wise humble leader, not an arrogant one.

"Take a seat." He finally said, walking towards his own seat which towered over the rest surrounding the large round wooden table.

Derek looked around the room for a while, before heeding to his father's command.  He sat down on one of the seats, which happened to be reserved for the beta of the pack. But his father overlooked it, saying nothing. After all, he must have thought that he would soon be the alpha of the pack.

"How is it going?" His father asked, staring at him keenly.

But he furrowed his eyebrows, as he pondered on his father's question. Why was the old man asking of this all of a sudden? He knew his father well enough. Something must have happened. But he decided to play along with him, to play it out until he got where they were headed to.

"Fine."  He replied, staring blankly at his father, his face rid of any emotions. He didn't want to let his father in on any of the recent happenings going on with his little witch.

"And how is your cousin? Is she behaving well?" His father asked further.

"Yes. She is." Derek replied honestly. His cousin had really turned a new leaf. He hoped it lasted, because he didn't want to imagine what he will do, if she betrays them again. He feared he might kill her off this time.

"That's good." Alpha Peter replied, humming intermittently as if he was pondering on something brewing in his mind. He knew that his niece was acting well enough. He had eyes following her around of course. But the person hadn't been able to give him a reasonable information on what had happened that night, when his brother had come, to exchange his pack warriors, that night when his niece had torn the treaty, which he cared less about. Well, time will reveal it all. He thought.

"What about your human friend? How is she?" He asked, staring keenly at his son to see his reaction to the question.

"Human friend?"  Derek asked, stopping himself from balking, but a second too late, as his father had caught onto his change in demeanor at the question.

"Yes. The human girl with red hair."  He stated.

"She is fine." Derek replied sharply, too sharply for an honest reply, and his father noticed.

"Is she your mate?" He asked, voicing out his deepest thought and concern.