Derek's POV
The vote hadn't even started yet, but there was already a tense undercurrent between Zander and me.
The senior executives around us seemed to have made a pact, dividing into two groups and taking their respective sides.
Although Zander was a bastard, he had all of Ambrose's love.
After my father founded a new enterprise and joined a new pack, Zander was also a legitimate potential successor to the Alpha of the Black Thorn Pack.
Unfortunately, my grandfather, Alpha Elliott, did not acknowledge this grandson and even rejected his own son.
He even went so far as to erase Ambrose's name from the family tree.
Of course, the grudge between Zander and me was a matter of the Greenwood family, so naturally, others wouldn't want to get involved.
But now that it concerned the future of the Greenwood Group, these executives were starting to take sides.
As for this power struggle between the illegitimate and legitimate heirs, everyone else was keeping their distance, afraid that the fallout might also hit them.
I thought nobody expected that the public displays of affection would lead us to where we were today.
The high-and-mighty Greenwood Group was being squeezed from both inside and out. Maybe everyone was about to witness some history in the making.
This was a power struggle between the chief candidate and the strong contender. Everyone was wise enough to keep their mouths shut, not even daring to breathe too loudly.
I took the first move. My Alpha aura subtly emanated and I stared at Zander with burning eyes.
Zander appeared gentle, but his vibe was by no means diminished.
With a calm look in his eyes, he said, "Soon this will be my seat. I'm just getting a feel for it early. Derek, you don't have any objections, do you?"
"Either you leave on your own or I'll help you. Which one do you choose?" I signaled to Spike.
Spike, as my trusted right-hand man, instantly understood my intentions. He cracked his knuckles, his hand slightly shifting, with the sharp tips of his wolf claws faintly visible. Clearly, he was not someone to be messed with.
Zander, knowing when to yield, stood up and said, "Alright, there's no rush at this moment."
He sat down to my right, and I frowned slightly, really not wanting to be so close to him. I couldn't help but grumble to Leo in my mind, "Leo, this guy is really annoying. I wish I could kick him out right now."
Leo responded with a low roar, indicating agreement.
Others took their seats one after another. Zander was fiddling with a mineral water bottle in front of him, with a teasing glint in his eyes and a smirk on his face.
He lowered his voice and said, "Derek, the fact that I'm sitting here today means I've got your trump card figured out, but you might not know what I've got up my sleeve."
As soon as he said that, a flicker of unease passed through me. Could it be that things had changed?
Zander continued, "Your biggest trump card is the shares that Alpha Elliott left you. But, Derek, the foolish thing you did was to distribute those shares to others to maintain the superficial peace in the Greenwood Group. However, the ficklest thing in this world is human nature. Do you really think what you believe is the truth?"
"It seems like you were determined to win, huh?"
"Derek, remember the promise I made back when we were kids? I vowed to snatch everything that was yours. I've put in endless effort to make that happen. Why should you, someone who's not well-liked, be the one to inherit the Greenwood Group? It should be me. It's only fair. Alpha Elliott is stubborn. Since he won't give it, I will just take it myself. Do you think you have a 45% stake in your hands?"
My heart skipped a beat. This person was far more calculating than I had imagined.
"It seems like I guessed right. Since you know that I have been secretly acquiring shares of the Greenwood Group, do you think I wouldn't know that you know? The person you count on is none other than Alpha Elliott's confidant. Let me tell you. You have lost this game."
My gaze locked onto the face of one person, whose gaze was darting around and a flicker of shame appeared on his face. "I'm sorry, Alpha Derek. I-I have my reasons..."
"Hey, Derek, let me teach you a lesson about what it means to stop at nothing," Zander said, a self-satisfied smirk playing on his lips. It seemed like he had victory in the bag already.
"Let's get started."
The closed gate was pushed open at that moment, and Tabitha stood at the door, looking at me gently. "I didn't come late, did I?"