Tabitha tried to push him away. "Stop, I'm running out of time."Derek simply pinned her hands above her head. His eyes were as savage as a wolf's. "But I'm just exercising my rights."With that, he rolled up her soft, white knit sweater to her armpits. The mirror behind her felt cold, but Derek in front of her was far too hot.Before losing all control, Tabitha, her eyes smoldering, managed to utter one command, "Don't leave marks on my neck.""Fine," Derek answered hoarsely.When they were finished, Tabitha looked at the parts covered by her sweater. They were bruised purple and red."Derek, are you a dog?"Derek gave her a wronged look. "But you said it was okay."Tabitha scoffed. "Now I have to shower again.""You're late anyway. What's the rush? I'll help you."He was clearly doing this on purpose!Tabitha ended up delaying her departure by a full hour.As she was leaving, Derek, his eyes full of warmth, backed her against the car. "Tabitha, if I satisfy you, you won't want any o
He bent down and picked her up, carrying her steadily to the bed. He gently placed her on the soft mattress.This was the bed they used after they got married. The spot on the wall where their wedding photo used to hang still showed a few scissor marks.Now, those marks felt like proof of their sweet history.Their actions were more intense than when they first mated.Back then, Tabitha was just twenty. She would shyly pull away halfway through a kiss. Derek, afraid of scaring her, always held back, stopping before things went too far.But now was different. Her assertiveness made him lose control. Her fingers tugged at his shirt buttons. Her breath was scorching hot.Derek couldn't hold back anymore. He took control, deepening the kiss, pouring all the yearning of the past few years into this one night.The blizzard outside hammered against the glass with a sharp crackle, yet the room was as warm as spring.The vent blew hot a
Lucian looked down at the top of her head. Complex emotions stirred in his eyes. There was warmth, hesitation, and a heavy feeling Tabitha didn't understand.After a long silence, he softly hummed, "Yeah." His voice was lower than usual.Just then, the phone on the table buzzed.Tabitha picked it up. The screen showed a text from an unknown number. It included the address for "Oak Alley Coffee Bookstore" in Seattle.She knew the place well; it was where she first met Joanna.Her fingers quickly tapped "Got it" in reply. When she put the phone down, a sharp, cold smile touched her lips. "See? The fish took the bait.""Do you want me to get you a new identity?" Lucian sat up. His tone instantly turned serious; he was always afraid something would happen to her.Tabitha shook her head. Her finger slid across the bookstore name on the screen. Her eyes were determined. "No need. I'll end it where it started.""Be careful. He's not j
"Alright, keep an eye on her.""Yes, Alpha Derek.""What about the Rios family?""Bentley thought you were dead for sure. He was ecstatic. He's been busy this last month, trying to pull people over to his side."Derek lit a cigarette, his expression icy. "Good. Let's see who the traitors are. We can clean house all at once. There's no use keeping disloyal people around.""Understood."As soon as Derek returned, the atmosphere in Seattle changed again.He stood high in a skyscraper, hands clasped behind his back. His gaze was cold as he looked down at the traffic below. The heavy snow fell, unaware.The snow was beautiful. Beautiful enough to cover all the filth."It's time to end this."The thought that Tabitha was also in this bustling city added a touch of warmth to his heart."Tabitha, where are you?"He remembered his promise. He didn't actively try to track her down.The two parallel line
A single snowflake drifted down. Instinctively, she reached out. The flake quickly melted in her palm, a cool touch, just like the feeling in her heart.She took a deep breath of cold air. Her nose stung, but she forced herself not to dwell on anything.Seattle. She was back again.Looking at the familiar snowy scenery, Tabitha felt a mix of complex emotions.Winter in this city was still so cold. But this time, the person she used to be with was gone. It felt both solid and completely empty.Two people in puffer jackets passed by, whispering. "Look at that motorcade. Must be some rich guy or a politician, right? The display is so over the top."Tabitha heard them but didn't stop. She raised her hand and hailed a cab.Her fingers were still cool from catching the snowflake. As she opened the taxi door, she didn't even risk a side glance at the line of cars.It was only after Tabitha's taxi drove away that the distant Lincoln mo
Tabitha quickly changed in the airport's family restroom. She gripped the hem of her black coat, clenching it over and over.She had specifically chosen this style; it was the most inconspicuous.Once dressed, she pulled the wide-brimmed wool hat extremely low. A surgical mask covered most of her face. Even that small, tell-tale mole near her eye was hidden in shadow.Anyone who glanced at her would just see a typical traveler catching an early flight. No one would guess she was the person Derek was desperate to find.Outside the airport, people had already gathered. There was Derek's security team, media reporters who'd caught wind of the news, and a few business people looking for a partnership.Knowing he was returning, black Lincoln sedans lined half the street. Their headlights glared brightly in the morning fog.Derek stopped before he reached the exit. His knuckles were white where he gripped his suitcase handle. His gaze was glued to Tabitha; he couldn't tear his eyes away."T