Man, this made me think of those web novels where the 'antagonist' starts as this runt drake getting bullied by his own flight. There's this one, can't recall the exact title, where the main character is basically this drake prince exiled after his wings get clipped. The whole arc is him clawing his way back, not through brute force initially, but by outsmarting the bigger, arrogant alphas. He uses human tactics, lays traps, turns their pride against them.
What I loved was that his 'rise' felt earned. He wasn't just handed power; he was constantly surviving on wit and sheer spite. By the time he returns to challenge for the peak, he's forged a different kind of authority—one that's colder and more calculating than the traditional fire-breathing tyrant. The story really sells that an alpha isn't just the strongest, but the one who can force the entire hierarchy to bend to his will.