Chapter 4

Two hours later, I sat in the outpost's reception area, clutching a glass of water, my knuckles white. The guard tried to reassure me. "Emma, please don't worry. The Alpha and Luna have been notified. They are on their way to SilverMark Pack now." Just then, an SUV emblazoned with the Shadowhowl Pack crest screeched to a halt outside. Derek stormed out, slamming the door, his face thunderous. Behind him was Arthur, the Beta who'd saved his life. Bringing up the rear was Arthur's wife, Amanda, cradling a bundle with exaggerated care. "Emma? What are you doing here?" Derek's surprise seemed genuine. Of course it was. According to his plan, he should have been at the border right now, watching Arthur's family disappear from SilverMark territory forever to start their new life. I watched the hypocrite coldly, leaning close to whisper a bombshell in his ear: "Because I was the one who had them intercepted." Derek stepped closer, his imposing frame casting a deep shadow over me. He lowered his voice, each word gritted out between his teeth. "Do you have any idea what you've done? Accusing Amanda of stealing Shadowhowl secrets? You can't just throw around charges like that!" To intercept them quickly, I'd had no choice but to tell the SilverMark border guards a lie, using the Shadowhowl diplomatic guards stationed here. It was the only way. If I'd said the Alpha had taken the child, the guards were Derek's men. If I'd said hunters had snatched the baby, I didn't even know what my child looked like. So I gambled. I accused them of smuggling tribal secrets. I won. Derek wouldn't dare orchestrate something so blatant; he couldn't have pre-arranged things with all the border guards. Besides, SilverMark was far weaker than Shadowhowl then; his power wasn't absolute. The charge was serious enough to halt them. How dare he question me? I just wanted my child back! Splash— I flung the remaining water in my glass directly into his face. Tears blurred my vision, but I could still see the droplets tracing the hard line of his jaw. "Then tell me what I should have done?" My voice shook with fury. "I had just given birth, and you stole my child! You conspired with the clinic's witch doctor and nurses to lie to me, telling me he was dead! You want to repay a debt? You want to remain faithful to friends? So you use my child as payment?" "Did you ever ask me? Just because you made a three-minute contribution of sperm?" The last sentence I practically screamed, the words echoing in the hall. People nearby immediately busied themselves, too embarrassed to look up. Derek's face was a mask of fury, the cold rage radiating from him making even the nearest guard take an involuntary step back. I felt his anger crackle in the air, but I didn't flinch, meeting his blade-sharp gaze head-on. He roughly yanked me into a corner, hissing, "Emma, have you lost your mind? Saying things like that here?" When I remained silent, he rubbed his temples, his tone softening artificially. "Listen, Emma, he’s my child too. Making this decision hurts me as well." "But Arthur lost his fertility saving me. When Amanda heard the news... she miscarried from the shock. If not for Arthur, I wouldn't even be standing here." "We must honor our debts. Giving them the child... letting Arthur experience fatherhood... it's the only real compensation I can offer." He always had such noble reasons! I wiped my tears with my sleeve, struggling to steady my voice. "Right. Your Beta suffers. Your Beta's Mate suffers. Only I have it easy. Only I should be understanding of everyone!" "Derek, I've been married to you for five years. I've helped you manage this entire pack. I convinced my parents to use Shadowhowl resources to support you. I thought I was doing enough. And you? You conspired with witch doctors and nurses to lie about our child's death, just so you could use my child to ease your guilt!" "Derek, are you even human?" He frowned, his expression stern. "Emma, a life debt outweighs everything. I must repay it. If you want children, we can have more." I shoved his hand away. "You're a man. You'll never understand carrying a child for ten moons. That child is just a bargaining chip to you. To me, he's flesh of my flesh, blood of my blood." "I will not let you take my child!" "No one will!" Protectively cradling my abdomen, I pushed past Derek and walked straight up to Amanda. The newborn's skin was red and wrinkled, not particularly beautiful, yet tears spilled from my eyes—this was my first glimpse of my child in two lifetimes. "Amanda, that is my child. Please give him back to me." I held out my arms. But Amanda shrank behind Arthur, clutching the bundle tighter, her expression turning unnervingly possessive. "This is my child! No one can take him!" Derek stepped between us. "Emma, enough! There is no child of yours here! You can't take back a gift once given!" In his eyes, my child was just an object to be traded? Crack! My palm connected sharply with his cheek. As he stared in stunned disbelief, I spat coldly, "Who do you think you are? The child Amanda holds is mine!" Finally, Arthur seemed to grasp the situation. He looked at Derek, bewildered. "Alpha, you said Luna agreed to this? But... it doesn't seem that way at all..."