Chapter 18

Derek watched Hannah leave with Evan, his heart hollowed out, raw and aching. Brittany stood frozen, panic gripping her until she remembered to call for help. She rushed to Derek's side, hands trembling as she reached for his scalded skin.

But the moment she touched him, Derek hissed in pain, startling her. "Derek, I'm sorry… I didn't know it was you…" Her voice wavered, then hardened with jealousy. "But why'd you take the hit for that she-wolf? Wouldn't it be better if she just died?"

Her words burned hotter than the water, her envy consuming her reason, heedless of Derek's wounds. He couldn't take it anymore. Gritting his teeth through the agony, he growled, "Get out."

Brittany snapped back to reality, noticing the pus oozing from his burns. Before she could say more, Derek's eyes rolled back, and he passed out.

When he woke, his face was swathed in bandages, only his eyes and nostrils exposed. His face was ruined—permanently disfigured.

"Gone! It's all gone!" he screamed, voice cracking with despair. "Hannah loved this face! She'll never want me now! What's the point of my life?"

He went berserk, smashing everything in the hospital room, eyes wild with rage and desperation. His assistant approached cautiously, head bowed, holding out a contract. "Derek, Charles says he's cutting ties with you. You're no longer the Sullivan pack's heir. This contract severs your bond as father and son."

The assistant's voice grew quieter, bracing for Derek's wrath. Sure enough, Derek's eyes blazed. He tore the contract to pieces, roaring, "The Sullivan Business was my mother's creation! Who is he to strip me of my inheritance? Without me, who's left to take it?"

He shouted, he raged, he broke—this was the darkest moment of his life. But the assistant, matter-of-fact, delivered another blow. "Charles is grooming a new heir, a bastard pup he's been raising on the side. Same age as you."

The words hit like bombs, detonating in Derek's ears. He froze, stunned. Overnight, gray streaked his temples. Every shred of pride and confidence he'd clung to crumbled to dust.

The sweet lilt of Hannah's voice drifted through the hospital room door.

She was escorting Evan to handle his discharge papers, her delicate, birdlike demeanor a venom-tipped needle that pierced Derek's heart.

He could almost see the Hannah from years ago.

Her ponytail swung high, her face glowing with innocent joy, those big, watery Brittany-blue eyes sparkling as she called out to him, "Derek, I hope you're safe and sound for the rest of your life."

That was the look of someone cherished.

The same look Hannah now gave Evan.

Derek's heart sank, and he turned to his assistant. "Liquidate all my properties," he said. "Transfer the funds to Hannah's account."

In the past, every time he sent her money, it was to wound her pride.

Who could've guessed this time it was to set her free?

But the very next day, Derek saw the news—

Hannah had donated every cent he'd given her to the She-Wolves and Pups Protection Pack.

I stood in front of the cameras, my voice steady but my heart pounding. "She-wolf safety and pup protection need to be seen by the pack," I said, every word deliberate. "To every she-wolf and pup out there suffering, please, save yourselves from the fire."

The words hit the ground like a thunderclap, but they felt like they were meant for me. My eyes stung, tears threatening to spill. I was so damn grateful I'd made it through.

Stepping out of the interview room, I spotted Evan in the crowd instantly. His warm smile lit up the space as he walked toward me, draping his coat over my shoulders. His big, steady hand wrapped around mine. "Come on, let's grab some food," he said.

The car sped along, weaving through the pack until it pulled up at the old Lucian family estate. I blinked, confused. "Why are we…?"

Evan gave me that gentle, sheepish grin of his. "I know, I know. We've been together all this time, bound and all, and I still haven't brought you to meet my folks. Kinda embarrassing, right?"

He popped the trunk, pulling out armfuls of gift bags. "Don't worry, I've got everything covered for you."

"It's just dinner with them," he added, sensing my nerves. "No need to stress."

His words were like a lifeline, calming the storm in my chest. Evan's parents turned out to be warm, down-to-earth wolves—no trace of the high-and-mighty pack elite attitude I'd braced for. His mom, especially, was a gem. She grabbed my hand and chatted away about everyday stuff like we were old friends.

When it was time to go, she pulled me aside into the study. Her eyes were soft as she handed me a velvet box. "This bracelet belonged to Evan's grandma," she said, her voice thick with meaning. "She passed it to me, and now I'm passing it to you."

"Pup, you and Evan have been through so much," she said, her gaze brimming with compassion.

I sniffed, my eyes burning red. "Thank you," I managed, my voice barely holding together.

I could spot fake kindness a mile away, and this? This was real. It hit me hard, stirring up memories of my own mom. She used to be the same way—always ready to pile the world's treasures at my feet, no matter how strong or successful I was outside. She never stopped aching for the pain I'd carried.