Derek's POV
I walked off the helicopter with Kyrian in one arm.
I felt how excited he was while standing on the island.
He waved his hands and shouted, "Mommy! Mommy!"
I sneered, "Seems we're at the right place."
Everyone was on high alert. After all, we knew they were armed. No one dared to underestimate such a threat.
Rolf was no longer at ease. He gave rapid instructions into the intercom.
Soon, several speedboats appeared on the sea, surrounding the island from all sides.
More and more werewolves landed on the island.
Finding Tabitha's whereabouts was just a matter of time.
Kyrian struggled excitedly in my arms, wanting to get down. I put him down only after making sure there was no danger nearby.
"Good boy, go find her."
Tabitha, there was nowhere to run.
Kyrian was like a well-trained military dog, very familiar with the environment on the island.
Rolf shouted non-stop, "Kyrian, slow down, or you may fall!" Kyrian ran forward quickly, his hips wriggling. He fell occasionally, but he was soon up and started to run again.
When Kyrian saw a dog running by, he mumbled, "Doggy! Doggy!" Seeing that, I winked at Alvin, who quickly followed the dog to a family.
An old woman was sweeping up the debris on the ground.
Leo told me in my mind that she was a werewolf as well as a rogue.
Alvin took out a photo of Tabitha and politely asked, "Excuse me, Ma'am. Have you ever seen this woman?"
She shook her head and spoke a language that Alvin couldn't understand.
Kyrian hurried to the door and ran straight towards the old woman.
He shouted, "Julia..."
The old woman, Julia, was still trying to explain something while I had already gone up to her.
I slightly released my Alpha's aura, and she started trembling uncontrollably.
Her wolf was very weak.
I said in a deep voice, "Ma'am, I didn't mean to intrude. I'm simply here to get my wife back. I hope you cooperate with me, or..." I continued word by word, "I don't know what I would do to you."
The strong pressure carried by my Alpha's lineage made Julia utterly uneasy. Her forehead immediately broke out in a cold sweat.
Yet she still waved her hand, claiming that she had never seen Tabitha here.
I always managed to see through people with just one glance.
Kyrian was familiar with the island. Instead of looking at the house next to him, he followed the dog straight here.
I pushed open the wooden door and found a room with simple furnishings, all made of wood.
There was a small bed and a drawing board beside it.
It was a cherry tree under the moonlight, and the island seemed particularly tranquil.
It was painted by someone very skilled. I could tell at once that it was Tabitha.
At this very moment, I was ecstatic. Finally, I found her.
There was a thick stack of paintings next to it, and I checked them one by one at ease.
In the sunset, the fishing men went back, their women and kids smiling heartily.
There were teenagers making grasshoppers and painting in the morning sun, and there was a man with a metal mask leaning against a cherry tree.
Perhaps it was just one of her paintings, and there was nothing special about it.
However, my gut told me it was the man who had taken her away.
I exuded a chilling coldness all over as I walked to Julia with the painting. I said, my voice cruel, "Ma'am, tell me. Where is she?"
Tabitha's POV
Watching Derek walk into Julia's house, I felt a rush.
I wanted to rush back and stop the disaster that was gonna happen.
Suddenly, someone grabbed my wrist tightly.
I turned around and saw Lucian. Before I knew it, he had already come back to me.
Panicking, I whispered, "He's here!"
"I know. Calm down." Lucian's voice was calm and resolute. He stroked my head, comforting me, "I'll take you away. Come with me."
Flustered as I was, I knew I had to listen to him.
I quickly followed him and took a shortcut off the island, where a speedboat was waiting. If I set foot on that speedboat, I might be free.
But... Could I really be free?
I glanced back. Someone had picked up my trail and reported it to Derek first thing.
Derek's angry voice came out of the loudspeaker. "Tabitha, if you run away, I'll burn the island!"
My nightmare for days came true. His voice kept haunting me everywhere, and I had no way out.
I finally collapsed. I said, my voice trembling, "I've gotta go back."
Lucian said seriously, "If you go now, you may still get to live."
"Yeah? At what cost? The lives of those people? The island doesn't exist on any map, and the inhabitants here don't have any identification information to begin with. See those speedboats? As long as he claims the people here are vicious rogues, they can attack you however they want. He doesn't have to take any responsibility at all."
Frowning, Lucian asked, "Who is he exactly?"
"I don't know."
The only thing I knew was that Derek was more than Black Thorn Pack's Alpha.
During the years we were married, he would occasionally go away on "business" for a period of time, sometimes for a few days and sometimes for a month, during which time he was never heard from.
He had more than one wound. There were knife wounds and gunshot wounds.
He never said, and I never asked.
I never gave a damn about who Derek was.
Yet I knew. Once I left, those on the island would be in deep trouble.
While I was hesitating, Derek had already walked to me.
"Tabitha, I said it already. You won't get away." His voice was nothing but resolute and decisive.