C2

Derek Hale POV

"Look at this shiny pink stone, it is the big legendary moon gem of the Beacon Moon Territory," I say, opening the tiny box inside the silver box that moves up and down. "The Argent Silvermoon Pack does not even know I have enough resources on this card to buy their Silvermoon Alpha Holdings ten times over."

"Well, well, if it is not the weak little Derek!" Scott Hale says, stepping right in front of me with blue flowers in his hands. "You look like a sad lost pup today."

"Move out of my way, Scott, I do not want to talk to you."

"Look, everyone, Malia's little lapdog is barking at me! The Argent family finally threw you out of the pack house, didn't they?"

"I said move, Scott."

"This looks like a cheap piece of junk you found in the dirt! Malia of Silvermoon would never want this garbage from a nobody."

"Stop! Do not touch that!"

"Oops! Look at it roll on the floor!" Scott laughs, knocking the box right out of my hand. "Wait, is that the 7.5 million gem from the Moonstone Healing Labs? How did a poor young pack healer like you steal that?"

"Pick it up now, Scott, or you will be sorry."

"Grab him, bodyguards! He is a thief and a nobody who does not belong in our Beacon Moon City Core!"

"You think your guards can save you?" I yell, and I hit Scott right across his face with my hand.

"Ah! My tooth!" Scott screams, flying back into the wall and spitting bright red blood on the floor. "You hurt me!"

"Get him!" the two big guards shout, running at me with their big wolf claws out.

"Too slow," I say, and I hit them both in the nose with two fast punches until they fall asleep on the floor.

"You are a monster!" Scott cries, shaking on the ground like a scared pup.

"Derek! What did you do to Scott?" Elder Irene, Talia Argent, screams as she runs out of the Alpha Council Chamber with Malia. "Did you lose your mind?"

"He touched my things, Talia."

"You are just angry because Malia broke the eternal lunar bond, you crazy rogue! I will make you pay for hurting Scott!"

"Malia, do you really believe I just hit him for no reason?"

"My pack business is none of your concern, Derek, but you should not start fights in the Silvermoon Alpha Tower."

"Malia, your ex-mate is a psycho! He stole the 7.5 million legendary moon gem just to make you look at him again!" Scott yells, holding his big swollen face.

"What? Derek, did you really steal the King of Diamonds gem from the Lunar Healing Order?" Malia asks, and her face gets very dark and mad. "I always wanted that gem for our Moon Gala, but not like this!"

"He is a poor pack healer, Malia! How else could he get a royal pack treasure?" Talia barks. "I should have never given that box back to him!"

"Is that what you think of me, Malia? You think I am a thief?"

"Being a poor omega is not a crime, Derek, but stealing to look big just makes me hate you more!" Malia yells, pulling out her small talk-box.

"We are going to the Silver Fang Healing Center now," I tell my driver inside the big black territory runner.

"Ring! Ring!" my talk-box goes, and it is Malia calling me again.

"What do you want, Malia? We are done."

"Derek, listen to me right now! Turn your body in to the Alpha Elder before the guards catch you! That gem is worth 7.5 million pack resources!"

"I did not steal anything."

"Stop lying, Derek! Scott and all my pack helpers saw you with it! If you go to the cells now, Silvermoon Alpha Holdings can use our power to keep you from getting locked in a cage!"

"You trust Scott over me after three years in the same den?"

"The owner of that gem is a scary territory alpha, Derek! I cannot protect you if they track your scent!"

"I do not need your protection, Luna Queen Malia. Call the guards if you want, I am not scared of your rules."

"Derek, why are you being so" Malia starts to shout, but I shut the talk-box off.

"I cannot believe he just cut me off," Malia tells her mom, looking at her hands. "The old Derek never talked back to me like that."

"I told you he is just an ungrateful rogue, Malia," Scott says, smiling with his bloody mouth. "It is a good thing you dropped him before he dragged our whole pack down."

"Stop talking, Scott, it makes me mad," Malia says, turning her back. "Why are you even here at the Silvermoon Alpha Tower today?"

"Ouch, my face hurts," Scott groans. "Did you forget about the big moon feast tonight for the Moonborn Refuge? Every powerful alpha in the Crescent Ridge Territory wants that land, and we must win it!"

"You are right, we need to go to the Shadow Pack Stronghold now," Malia says.