Tabitha's POV
Lost in my thoughts, I was startled by the sudden interruption.
So I jumped off the swing.
I straightened up and looked at the man in front of me warily. My brows furrowed and said, "Stay away from me."
Instead of keeping his distance, the man took steps closer to me with casual scrutiny on his face. "Having a beautiful mate like you, Derek is truly lucky. If it were me, I wouldn't hesitate to cherish you. I wouldn't betray you and make you sad."
My brows furrowed even more, "What are you talking about?"
I'd heard from Jenny that Zander had been looking for opportunities to cause trouble for Andrea and me.
We had been staying indoors, and now he finally had his chance.
He approached me with a smug expression.
"Tabitha, why pretend? Everyone knows that Derek broke off your mating bond to marry Daphne. I understand that women often hope that men will return to the family and let bygones be bygones. You must feel quite bitter. How can Derek father a child with someone else and still pretend to love you?"
Every word Zander spoke felt like a stab to my heart.
In the werewolf world, the breaking of a mating bond is a serious matter.
My mind was reeling, unsure of what was happening.
I even wondered if Zander knew about my memory loss and was taking advantage of Derek's absence to weave his lies.
Despite knowing his ill intentions, his words still caused me pain.
"Shut up!"
"Tabitha, there's no need to get angry. Let me tell you the truth. Derek is never coming back. Otherwise, why hasn't there been any news of him for so many days? Think about your current situation. How long do you think Andrea can protect you?"
Zander continued in a condescending tone, "Indeed, her family is powerful. But don't forget that she was exiled over twenty years ago. She's no longer a member of her family. Soon, she won't have a place in the Black Thorn Pack. We will sweep her out. When that time comes, she won't be able to take care of herself, let alone you, an orphan."
The word "orphan" was incredibly jarring to me. I clenched my fists involuntarily.
"Tabitha, I heard you don't have any family left in Seattle, right? Let me offer you a path. Derek is dead, but you're so young and beautiful. Why not be with me? I promise to keep you safe. How about that?"
As he spoke, his hand reached out toward my face.
I reflexively grabbed his wrist. There was a crisp "snap." Zander glared at me in anger.
"Are you crazy? You dare to hurt me?"
I looked at the dislocated wrist I had just caused. Everything I had done was purely instinctive.
Why did I have such skills?
Just like in the mall when someone threw sulfuric acid, I dodged instinctively before I could think.
I coldly released his wrist, "Shut your mouth. If you dare to act out again, I'll dislocate your jaw too!"
With that, I turned and left, not wanting any further contact with him.
I wasn't blind to the more malicious glint in Zander's eyes in the darkness.
It's just that my stomach was very uncomfortable, so I didn't want to continue this entanglement.
Who's Daphne?
Derek's affairs? Did they break their mating bond?
How could that be? I've seen our wedding photos with my own eyes. Derek's deep affection for me is evident in every gesture. How could he cheat?
Even thinking this way, I still took out my phone and typed "Daphne Derek" into the search bar.