"Shut up, Josephine!" I urged, grabbing her shoulders.
"Oh, no! Leah's going to kill me! Help me, Darren! Please..." Josephine didn't finish her sentence, because I bumped her head against the floor and knocked her off.
"What have you done?!" Darren rushed forward and held Josephine in his arms. "You almost killed her! Her head is bleeding!"
"She was too noisy and I'd wanted to do that for a really long time." I shrugged.
Darren was holding Josephine tightly, wiping the blood off her face with his sleeves. He looked anxious. That made me uncomfortable. I knew that Josephine was his mate. Still, I just couldn't bear the thought that Darren would risk his own life for someone so inferior as Josephine.
"Oh, come on, Darren. She'll be fine," I mumbled.
If there was one thing I had learned in my life, that would be bitches like Josephine never die.
Darren lifted his head to take a glance at me. There was a mixture of love and hatred in his eyes.
He had never looked at me like that before.
Where's the naughty boy who wanted to get me drunk and take me upstairs to fuck me? Where's that bad boy who took me for a ride on his motorbike? I thought to myself. My heart was throbbing.
I couldn't find any trace of the boy I loved on Darren's face.
Instead, I saw his resemblance to Lucas.
Five years ago, Lucas was holding Josephine in the exactly same way, looking at me indignantly.
I really should have banged that bitch's head on the ground a bit harder to crack it wide open, so she would never ever open her stupid doe eyes and manipulate with men in my life.
Darren took Josephine up in his arms and said, "Let's move before it's too late. I managed to secure a boat over there on the dock."
I crossed my arms and remained still.
Darren looked surprised and frowned, "What?!"
"Did you abandon me in that car with loads of dead fish to save Josephine's life on that day?" I asked in a cold voice.
The chilling sea wind was stroking my hair. I must have looked like a mad woman with my hair swirling in the wind like that.
"Seriously? You want to talk about it right now?!" Darren had an incredible look on his face. "The soldiers are coming. We're trapped with a mad boy king on this hostile island. The only thing that is bothering you is my whereabouts the other day?!"
"If you don't answer me, I will stay right here and let those soldiers capture me alive." I sat down on the ground, crossing my legs like a Turk.
Darren looked cross, but years of military service helped him to remain calm in a crisis like this.
He put Josephine on the ground and sat next to me. Having taken a long breath, he said, "I was with Josephine the other day. But I didn't abandon you for her. Leah, you have to understand. I am your Batair. It's the Moon Goddess's will. I will carry out my duty to do everything to ensure your safety and well-being. It was a tough decision that I made after evaluating the situation that day. I trusted Damian. He would drive you to safety. You're still alive, which proves that I've made the right decision."
"I don't care about Moon Goddess' will. I only care about what is on your mind. What's your own will?" I stared at Darren and frowned.
Darren hesitated. I saw the familiar passionate light flickering through his eyes, but after it was only a flash.
Then, he remained his composure and said in a detached, diplomatic voice, "Leah, at the moment when I decided to be your Batair, my whole life changed. I have sacrificed everything for you, but sometimes I feel it's not enough. I have only one life, Leah, and I'm using it to protect you. What else do you want from me?"
"I want you to tell me the truth. You're hiding something from me. I can't trust a person who doesn't tell me the truth and the whole truth!" I stood up and stomped my feet. I hated throwing a tantrum like this, but I really couldn't hold my anger anymore.
Darren stood up and took one step forward. He stood tall, with his heart pounding in his chest like a wild stallion.
His strikingly handsome features were accentuated by his sun-kissed blonde hair that cascaded effortlessly over his broad shoulders. Piercing blue eyes, like two sapphires shimmering in the moonlight, reflected a kaleidoscope of emotions within them.
When he looked into my eyes, I felt the whole world stopped turning. At that moment, even the sea held its breath in anticipation, aware of the turmoil swirling within the depths of his tortured soul.
"Leah... I..." Darren whispered, lowering his head toward me.
Before I could push him away, he held me in his arms.
I recognized that grip. It reminded me of what Lucas did when he was trying to stop me from running away from him.
When a man held a woman like that, he wouldn't let go of her for the world.
I lifted up my chin and closed my eyes, awaiting for being kissed by him.
I knew he wanted to kiss me. I knew it the first time I saw him next to the pool.
I knew it because it was exactly what I had been waiting for.
Tell me that you love me. Kiss me already. Hug me in your arms and do not hesitate. I silently enchanted these words in my mind.
"You're such a pathetic disgrace, Leah." I heard my wolf's voice in my mind. "You're still married to Lucas and now you're longing for another man's kiss? He's already mated. Do you really need another man to make your life more complicated? What about Finn? Have you already forgotten him? You're the daughter of the Lycan King, but that doesn't mean that you can treat men like disposable toys. You can't let these men blind your judgment. They're handsome and friendly, but they might kill you at any time they like."
Those words stabbed into my heart like sharp knives. My whole body was burning hot.
I opened my eyes and gripped my chest, trying to inhale more air.
"Are you OK, Leah? You look pale." Darren leaned forward and whispered in my ear.
"I'm fine," I mumbled and waved my hand to push him away. "Let's just go to the dock and get on the boat to get out of here. I..."
I stopped and bit my lips.
I can't stand one more minute being alone with you, Darren. I thought to myself.
This is too dangerous and wrong.