Chapter 2

• The warrior from the Nocturne tribe roughly searched through my and my mother's coats.
• And the man in front of me, from his scent and the respectful attitude of the surrounding warriors, I immediately realized that he was the Alpha of the Nocturne tribe, Kade Desmond.
• The opponent that made my father grit his teeth.
• My father once commented on him: "That cunning fox always thinks ten steps ahead of you."
• Whether it was the hidden struggles in trade or the real battles on the battlefield,
• Under his leadership, no matter how other tribes resisted, the Nocturne tribe always stood firm, ranking first among the four tribes in the southern region.
• I remember on the map in my father's study, all the territories bordering Nocturne were marked in red, indicating the boundaries that were difficult to approach.
• While other warriors were busy, Kade stood leisurely under the umbrella, using his reddish-brown eyes to size me up.
• Surprisingly, he looked very young, probably only twenty-five or twenty-six.
• The lightning danced on Kade's face, outlining breathtaking contours. Beneath his high brow, his reddish-brown eyes sparkled with a dangerous and captivating light.
• His jawline was as sharp as a knife, and when he leaned forward slightly, the muscles of his combat suit tightened, every fold hinting at the wild power contained in his body.
• But I had no interest in admiring his appearance,
• My heart was pounding violently in my chest, a chilling sensation spreading from my spine to my whole body.
• At that moment, I finally understood the true meaning behind my father's 'merciful decision.'
• He wasn't giving us a chance to live at all. He must have reached a deal with the people of the Nocturne tribe in advance, using our lives to appease their anger over losing the silver mine.
• What a perfect plan, getting rid of us while pleasing the enemy!
• When those warriors finished searching my mother and turned to me, Kade suddenly raised his hand to stop his subordinates, "I'll search her."
• I stood frozen in place, feeling Kade's warmth through the damp clothes.
• His touch was deliberate and slow, starting from my pockets, moving along my waistline, and finally stopping at my back...
• Every movement made me tremble involuntarily, both out of fear and the almost humiliating intimacy.
• "Isabella Engel's daughter?" His warm breath sprayed on my skin, and I saw the playful gleam in his eyes. "You don't really... look like your mother."
• His words felt like a slap in the face.
• Not like my mother? Did that mean I looked like that scumbag father?
• This realization made my blood boil instantly, fear replaced by anger.
• Time passed in silence.
• His search lasted for a long minute, and before it ended, his nose sniffed back and forth on my neck.
• Finally, he let out a disappointed sigh.
• "What a shame," he said softly.
• "What a shame for what?" Despite my trembling teeth, I couldn't help but ask.
• His rough fingertips brushed my cheek, almost tenderly. "What a shame for such a beautiful life to wither away tonight."
• The silver pistol gleamed in the lightning, and I knew that the special bullets could instantly end a werewolf's life.
• Was this the end? To be hunted like prey and die without dignity?
• My vision blurred, my body weakly slumped to the ground.
• But in that split second before he pulled the trigger, my body reacted before my brain—
• I lunged forward and tightly hugged his thigh.
• I looked up at his rain-soaked face. "Please, spare me and my mother! Whatever you want, we can give it to you!"
• His body visibly stiffened, and I could feel the muscles in his thigh tense up.
• In the sound of rain, a long silence fell between us.
• Finally, he slowly crouched down, meeting my gaze with his dangerous reddish-brown eyes.
• "You've got guts," his voice low and dangerous. "Dare to say you can give me anything? Look at you now, like two stray dogs kicked out of the house, not a single silver coin on you. What do you have to negotiate with me?"
• I swallowed hard, but my gaze didn't waver. "Don't you just want to take back the silver mine? As long as you spare us and help us, I can not only help you get the silver mine back, but also offer up the entire wealth of the Grey Hollow tribe!"
• Kade looked down at me, a hint of amusement in his smile. "Is that so? Then tell me, how do you plan to fulfill these promises?"
• I forced myself to look into his eyes. "The silver mine is currently under Benson's control—he was my mother's former deputy and Lela's own brother."
• When I mentioned the traitor, my voice involuntarily tightened, "No one knows Benson's defense better than my mother. Once she wakes up, reclaiming the silver mine is not a problem at all."
• I could feel the soldiers around me exchanging glances, but Kade's expression remained unreadable.
• Taking a deep breath, I continued, "As for my father's property... I have been assisting him in managing tribal affairs for years. I know where he has hidden most of his wealth."
• I was lying. Over the years, my father had never valued me, and I had no knowledge of his secrets.
• But... I had no choice.
• A bolt of lightning tore through the night sky, illuminating Kade's thoughtful face.
• "As long as you save my mother, I am willing to give all of this to you." My voice was unusually clear amidst the thunder.
• In the curtain of rain, our eyes met. Kade's gaze was sharp, as if he could see through my soul.
• Time seemed to stand still, with only the sound of raindrops hitting the ground reminding us of the passage of time.
• Finally, he slowly reached out his hand, "Deal."
• My fingers trembled as they touched his palm, and he pulled me up with a firm grip.
• In that moment, I could almost hear my own heart beating violently, drowning out the sound of thunder.
• Years later, when Kade and I had shaken hands countless times, intertwined our fingers sweetly, or gripped each other's wrists in anger, what I remembered most clearly was this rainy night and the first time he reached out his hand to me.