Erika's POV
As I was on the edge of despair, someone caught me in his arms. It was Derek and he swam with one arm while holding me with another arm. I couldn’t help trembling because of the coldness and all I wanted now was to be brought to the land, though it was Derek who did so.
Finally, we both lay on the land. I was panting and trembling while he stared at me.
Before I knew it, he took off his shirt and pressed me in his arms. Naked and cold, I was in desperate need for warmth. I curled up in a ball and leaned against his chest. He put my hair aside and my neck was exposed. His breath was accelerating.
Was he going to... No!
I struggled to free myself from him. But he fixed my hands above my head and stared at me fixedly.
His eyes turned from brown to dark and his canny could be seen. No, no, no. His wolf was in full control.
He was going to mark me.
As I struggled, the pressure on my hands increased. My hands began to hurt.
I saw his lips getting closer to my neck but there was nothing I could do.
"Seriously? Am I going to be marked on the first night after knowing who my mate is?" I wondered as I looked at the moon.
The next second, he sank his teeth into my neck. I was painful and dopey at the same time. Then I passed out.
I woke up naked in a strange room. It was three thirty in the morning.
I glanced around. It was a deluxe and well-decorated room. Derek was sleeping beside me. It must be his bedroom.
As I turned my head, my neck hurt. The memory of what happened last night flooded back to me.
Last night, I was so close to freedom but the fucking lake stopped me.
And how dare he mark me against my will?
He had no right to do so even though he was my mate!
I trembled uncontrobally just thinking about it.
I glared at Derek in hatred. The hardships that I had gone through the last few days were all his fault.
Derek was snoring lightly and seemed sound asleep, knowing nothing about my hatred toward him.
Wait, he was sound asleep. A good chance to kill him and escape!
I clenched my fists and summoned a dagger.
But was I really going to do it? Somehow I hesitated.
I stared at the dagger and wondered, staring at the "E" on the blade.
"Do it, Erika! Be brave!" I thought.
"Calm down, Erika! He's your mate!" My wolf tried to stop me.
"Go back to sleep!" I shouted at her.
I looked at Derek, held the dagger tight, and threw it at his chest where the heartbeat could be sounded.
But I didn’t hear the familiar sound of a knife piercing through the skin. Instead, I felt a strong resistance. Derek caught the blade of my knife with two fingers. His eyes were open and he looked at me coldly. When did he wake up?
I knew I would be in big trouble if I didn’t kill him right now. So I used both hands and pressed the knife. But it just couldn’t move the slightest. Derek got rid of my knife easily. He sat up from the bed, and pinned me down.
"Are you crazy? Stop throwing knives at your mate!" He growled as he slapped me in the face.
I fell on the bed and my head was spinning.
He got out of the bed and stormed out of the bedroom. This time, he must be so angry with me.
Derek's POV
I slammed the door and went downstairs. I went straight to my private workout room and began to throw punches at the sandbag like mad. I was so angry that I needed a vent.
Working out at three in the morning. Yes, I was crazy.
Thanks to years of training to be an Alpha, I still stayed alert even when I was asleep at night.
I knew that she didn't want me as her mate. She wanted to escape from me and my pack. She wouldn't give up if she didn't try it. So I allowed it. I didn't even punish her for escaping!
it was the Moon Goddess' arrangement to make me her mate. How could she try to kill me when I was asleep?
Did I scare her by marking her last night?
I did use violence on her. I was her mate and it was my right to mark her whenever I wanted.
Fine, I might scare her a little bit. Still, that was not a good reason to kill one's mate.
She had been trying to kill me ever since she knew that I was her mate. What a firecracker!
An hour later, I stood in front of the window and looked outside. It was almost dawn.
I had completely calmed down. I was exhausted with sweat all over my body.
I wasn't angry at her anymore. She was just overreacting.
But I still didn't want to see her for now. She might not want to see me, either.
I thought for a minute and sent a message to my pack leaders.
"Carl, Gerald. You two go to the pack house and accompany Luna this morning. You are her personal guard for the whole day. Watch out and be very careful. She is very smart. She is a good fighter. She will take every opportunity to escape."