Erika's POV
That was ... unexpected.
He apologized to me.
I didn't know how to react because I was also violent on him.
Before I mind-linked him anything, he pulled me
He bought some other dresses for me and some necklaces to match the dresses. Now I understood that he tried to make up for me in this way.
After shopping, he took me for lunch.
"I’m happy that the Moon Goddess made us mates so that I could take good care of you. Honestly, I enjoy it," Derek said as he cut the steak and fed me.
We were in a fancy hotel with someone playing violin behind us. It seemed quite weird because most of the time we were together, we were either fighting or keeping silent. Now I realized that he was taking me out on a date.
Soon a waiter came up with a bottle of red wine.
He poured a glass of wine for himself and began to drink.
I want a cup of wine. I mind-linked him.
"No, you can’t." he rejected flatly.
Why? Was he so dominant that he wouldn’t even allow me to drink alcohol?
"Because of your injuries."
They don’t matter. Come on, I don’t think injuries will stop you from drinking wine. I argued through mind-link.
"I don’t get injured." He shrugged.
His words made me feel humiliated. But soon I realized he was not telling the truth. Injuries were inevitable. I glared at him and protested.
He sighed. "Fine. Honestly, I applied ointment on your wounds when you were asleep and you’d better not drink alcohol."
What? I looked at him in doubt.
"Don’t you believe it? That’s true! Don’t you feel much better?" He argued with a much louder voice.
Yes, I do feel better. Thank you. I mind-linked him.
That was quite surprising. He cared about me more than I thought. Derek could be a good mate, but he was not the right one for me.
"So, tell me about yourself." He changed the topic immediately.
What do you want to know about me?
"Everything, your age, your family, your scar, and your fighting skills." He shrugged.
I’m eighteen years old. Well, long story short. My parents died very early and I was technically an orphan. My father was a Gamma. When I was thirteen years old, I sneaked out of the pack one day. I was kidnapped by rogues and almost died. Charles saved me. When I woke up again, I couldn’t speak anymore and the scar on my face was left at that time. I also got scars all over my body. I fought, got injured, recovered, and had scars. That was my life. As for my fighting skills, that’s quite obvious. I would’ve been dead for a long time if I was not good at fighting.
I didn't tell him the whole truth. I deliberately left out the fact that I couldn't speak because they poisoned me with a large amount of wolfsbane. They wanted to kill me, but I was immune to most poisons and only became mute.
After I was finished, it was all silent except for the sound of the violin. I looked at Derek and noticed sympathy in his eyes.
"Poor girl, you don’t need to fight anymore. I’ll protect you from any harm. After all, I’m six years older than you."
I looked at him gratefully while I didn’t feel grateful at all. He just couldn’t understand it, I wouldn’t be me if I couldn’t fight anymore.
After lunch, he carried me out of the restaurant.
Suddenly, his phone rang. He put me in the back seat of his car and then walked away to answer the phone with his back to the car.
Now I was alone in his car which was unlocked. It was a good chance to escape. I put one hand on the handle of the door, thinking about it. It was a big mall. But he could block all the entrances if he found that I was gone. I knew he could do it because the staff in this mall all knew him.
Calm down, Erika. It might be a test. I had escaped two times without a plan and I couldn’t take another risk. Although I always regarded him as over-confident, one thing I needed to admit was that I also underestimated him at the same time.
I removed my hand from the handle and got rid of the thought of escaping. Then I stared at the handle and wiped it with one of my sleeves. This time, I would be super cautious.
After about five minutes, he went back with his phone in his pocket.
We passed the training ground again when we came back. But the warriors weren’t training. Instead, there seemed to be a commotion with many warriors crowding together.
What is it? I mind-linked Derek.
"I don’t know." He got off the car and opened the door for me, He bent over and wanted to carry me.
I won’t go out if you insist on holding me. I mind-linked him. I averted my gaze and pursed my lips, while my heart was in my throat. I was not sure if he would agree.
"OK. Walk out by yourself." He sighed. But he insisted on holding my hands. I could tell that he was in a really good mood.
Thank you. I mind-linked him with a faint smile on my face.
The instant I walked out, he put one arm around my shoulder. Honestly, I didn’t like it. His arm was heavy and it made me uncomfortable. But I had learned to conceal my emotions and get my way with a joke or a smile.
"What’s going on?" Derek asked with a serious tone. Once the men on the training ground spotted Derek, they bared their necks in submission, which I hadn’t seen in my former pack. Charles was indeed a weak one compared with Derek.
"Alpha Derek, a girl disguised as a boy just took the training. Considering that fighting with men might hurt her, we suggest she quit the training. But she insists on training and asks to be regarded as a boy, which is not in line with our tradition. So we asked her to leave the place." A man who seemed to be the Gamma answered.
By holding her by her legs and arms? I questioned him through mind-link. What I just saw astonished me. A young girl was caught by four warriors. They heaved her in the air by seizing her arms and legs. Her hair was a mess and there were tears on her face. She kept struggling but was no match for four warriors.