Tabitha's POV
The speedboat was going fast. Sitting on the speedboat, I looked up at the receding shore.
I could no longer see Derek's expression clearly, yet somehow, I felt he was smiling.
The way he looked at me made me feel that he was a viper, and I was his prey.
The thought of that gave me goosebumps all over, and those days being controlled by his sick obsession came back to me.
His words kept haunting me. After the speedboat had gone a long way, I still felt deadly cold.
I sat motionless, feeling that my soul had been drained.
Lucian squatted in front of me and handed me a bottle of milk. I took it, and it was still warm. Guessed it was the temperature of his palm.
"I can take you back if you're scared," he said.
I took a sip. The sweet milk dispelled the gloominess overwhelming me.
"I don't wanna go back," I said, clutching the bottle. "He'll lock me up in the room forever."
Frowning, Lucian looked puzzled.
"He's already with someone else. Why is he still so possessive of you?"
"Possessive? Hatred is the word I'd use. He blamed my dad for the death of his childhood sweetheart. But he did this to my dad, you know?"
I was so sad that I felt suffocated. "I shouldn't have tried to get back at him through Kyrian. I didn't bear to hurt Kyrian at all, and I ended up suffering. I'm so useless."
I wanted to make Derek grieve every day for the rest of his life. But what did I do instead? I put myself in danger for Kyrian.
In the past few days, Kyrian even gained two pounds!
"I'm such a screwup who can never get anything done. Shit! I should have died with him. In that way, I wouldn't still be haunted by him even though I've already left."
Lucian reached out and stroked my head. There was pity in his eyes.
"You're a nice woman. You've done nothing wrong. It's the world that treats you so unfairly that should be put on trial."
He was so extremely indifferent, yet right now, his voice warmed my heart.
"Chill. He's not gonna find our island that easily. You see, there are hundreds of islands in this area. Even if he manages to find here, our people are very united. Hide, and I promise he'll never find you. Given time, of course, he'll no longer remember you."
Really?
Having escaped from Derek, I didn't find my peace.
Lucian drove the speedboat skillfully. We swam through the waves until reaching the shore of the island.
It was our sanctuary, a haven away from the hustle and bustle of the world.
The werewolves on the island had been waiting for long. Their figures were elongated by the moonlight, and I saw their eyes shining with anticipation.
We unloaded supplies from the speedboat, some carrying heavy bags, some carrying oil drums, and some carrying cardboard boxes full of medical supplies.
The supplies were distributed orderly, which demonstrated each werewolf's strength and efficiency.
The kids were particularly excited. They gathered around the supplies, sniffing the unfamiliar scent, their eyes sparkling with curiosity.
They scrambled to help, and even the heaviest package was easy peasy for them.
Noah and Aiden, two young werewolves, effortlessly lifted sacks of flour as if those were feathers.
Julia wasn't as swift as those young ones, but the satisfied smile on her face never ceased.
As night fell, we built a bonfire in a clearing on the island.
The firelight reflected on everyone's faces as the werewolves sat around the bonfire.
The aroma of grilled meat filled the air as some werewolves extended their sharp claws to flip the meat.
The mashed potatoes were slowly simmered in a large iron pot, tempting everyone.
I made a fresh green salad. I added olive oil and vinegar to it, and the taste was simple and natural.
After dinner, I went back to my cabin alone.
Lying in bed, I closed my eyes, trying to dispel Derek from my mind.
Soon, I had a dream.
In the dream, Derek was like a furious beast, his eyes filled with hostility.
He kept chasing me, leaving me nowhere to escape.
"Ah!"
I woke up in the middle of the night. Though I was already away from him, I was still haunted by nightmares one after another.
I dreamt that I was running non-stop, yet no matter how fast I was, I couldn't escape Derek's shadow whatsoever.
He followed me like a shadow and turned into a viper, entangling me, suffocating me.
Opening my eyes, I looked into the dark room. The sound of the waves crashing on the rocks filled the cabin.
I had already returned to the peaceful island. How come? How come I still had a hard time controlling the fear that Derek had brought to me?
He was no longer a threat, but I just couldn't sleep.
I wanted to stay on the island for two reasons. One, I wanted to cut Derek off, and two, I wanted to ruin the plan of the man behind it.
That person knew my every move like the palm of his hand. Even Derek had no idea I was hiding out here.
I'd endure for some time, and after that, the person would be less wary. Then I'd go back secretly and find out everything, catching him off guard.
Besides, staying here put me in a much better mood.
For now, I didn't wanna leave, whatever the reason was.
In the darkness, I stayed awake and saw the dawn finally. Then I walked out and wandered around on the island.
Everyone was nice to me. They warmly invited me to breakfast and thanked me for the supplies I had brought.
Noah was here earlier than me. He was sitting by the seaside, painting with the art supplies I had bought.
"Tabitha, how does it look?"