Chapter 221 Losing To That Idiot
Third-person POV:
That was one thing Arabella liked about Elder John. Unlike many powerful people she’d met, he didn’t make ordinary werewolves beg for an appointment. He kept certain hours of the day open for anyone who needed advice, wanted to make a complaint, or had something important to bring before the council.
Arabella placed her file on his desk and managed a confident smile. “Sir, I wanted to discuss something with you.”
He finally looked up, and recognition appeared on his face. “Wait a minute. You’re the girl from the library, aren’t you?”
She nodded.
“The student who was researching pack hierarchy and succession laws?”
She couldn’t hold back the smile. “Yes, sir. That’s me.”
He studied her for a moment before a chuckle escaped his lips. “And you’re not a student, are you?”
Arabella closed her eyes briefly, embarrassed that he’d figured it out so easily, then laughed. “No, sir. I’m not.”
“I thought so.” He put down his pen. “Well, now that we’ve cleared that up, why don’t you tell me what brings you here?”
Arabella leaned forward slightly. “Blackthorn Pack has been without an Alpha or Beta for ten days.”
His smile disappeared. “Why? And why am I not informed?”
“I don’t know, sir.” She gave a small shrug. “They left after receiving… what they said was an invitation from the Lycan King. But nobody has heard from either of them since. Their families haven’t been able to contact them, and even their mind-links aren’t working.”
Elder John frowned. “That’s concerning. But shouldn’t this matter be brought to the council by their mates or children? Where are their families?”
“They’re still at Blackthorn, sir.”
“Then why are you here?”
Arabella straightened in her chair. “Because I’m Angela Westwood’s daughter.”
He went completely still. “Angela… Westwood?”
“Yes, sir. My mother.” She watched his reaction carefully. “Surely you haven’t forgotten her. She was Alpha Cedric Westwood’s daughter. She married Chris, who later became Alpha of Blackthorn. After their marriage ended, she became Beta Rick’s mate.”
Elder John slowly removed his glasses and placed them on the desk.
For a moment, he closed his eyes. Arabella couldn’t be certain, but there was something painful about his expression, as though hearing her mother’s name had brought back memories he’d rather not revisit.
“Angela,” he murmured. Arabella waited until he opened his eyes again.
“Sir, I’ve been looking into Blackthorn’s succession records, and I believe neither Chris nor Rick has a legitimate claim to the position they’re holding.”
He didn’t interrupt, so she opened her file and placed the first set of documents before him. “My grandfather, Alpha Cedric, named my mother as his heir. Chris was only a warrior when he married her. His position came through that marriage, not through his own bloodline.”
Elder John picked up the papers and began examining them.
“And Rick,” she continued, “was appointed Beta. He has no independent claim to the Alpha position either. He also betrayed his mate, openly maintained another relationship, and eventually replaced my mother with Vikki. Both men benefited from my mother’s position, yet neither treated her as someone who had any rights of her own.”
Elder John remained quiet for some time. Then he placed the documents down and looked at her.
“Do you know something, Arabella? I waited for your mother to come here… to approach me…”
She blinked. “You did?”
“Yes. After everything that happened, I expected Angela to approach the council and challenge what had been done to her. She had every right to raise the matter. I thought she would eventually come forward and claim what belonged to her.” He shook his head with a regretful sigh. “But she never did.”
Arabella looked down at her hands. How could she, Elder John?
They had spent years destroying my mother’s confidence. Chris had betrayed her, Rick had abused her, and everyone around her had made sure she felt powerless. By the time they were finished, she barely had the strength to defend herself, let alone stand before the council and fight two powerful men.
They hadn’t simply taken her position. They’d made sure she was too broken to ask for it back.
Arabella raised her head and looked at Elder John. “My mother couldn’t come, sir.” She pushed the file a little closer to him. “But I’m here now.”
***
Elder John spent the next several minutes going through the documents Arabella had brought. He examined the old succession records, compared a few dates, and occasionally returned to the first page to check something.
“Your grandfather’s original declaration is included here?” he asked.
“Yes, sir. Along with the records of Chris’s appointment and the documents confirming my mother’s identity.”
“And these copies have been verified?”
“They have, sir. You’ll find the verification details attached to each one.”
Elder John nodded and continued reading. At one point, he asked how she’d obtained a particular record, and Arabella explained the process without hesitation.
Finally, he closed the file and removed his glasses.
“Well, Arabella, I must say you’ve done your homework.” A small smile appeared on his face. “Your documentation is complete. In fact, it’s almost too perfect. You’ve even included records I wouldn’t have expected you to know existed.”
Arabella managed to return his smile, but she was holding her breath, waiting for him to continue.
Elder John placed his glasses on the desk and intertwined his fingers. “However, before I make any decision, there’s someone I need to speak with.”
“And who is it, sir?” She asked, although she already knew the answer.
“Dante. Alpha Chris’s son.” He leaned back in his chair. “As you may know, Dante handled the Alpha’s responsibilities for a short period. But after his wife became pregnant, Chris agreed to resume those duties until his grandson was born. Since Dante is the Alpha’s son and has already acted in that capacity, I need to give him the opportunity to accept responsibility for the pack before considering your claim.”
Arabella had known this was coming, but hearing Elder John say it aloud made her confidence waver.
What if Dante, for once in his life, decided to act responsibly and accepted the position? After everything she’d done to reach this point, the thought of losing to that idiot was almost insulting.