Chapter 3 I'm Here to Take Her Away

　　A tall man strode confidently into the room, his eyes scanning the crowd as he searched for his target. 　　He was Duke Marsh, a werewolf and one of the most feared and respected members of his pack. He had been ordered by his boss to take Elaine away, and he intended to do just that. 　　Dressed in a sleek gray suit, Duke cut a handsome and gentlemanly figure. His gaze locked onto Elaine, his brown eyes burning with intensity. 　　Teresa, unimpressed by Duke's interruption of her show, stepped forward and glared at him. "Who are you? This is no place for you!" she exclaimed, her finger pointing accusingly at Duke. 　　In a swift and brutal motion, Duke twisted Teresa's finger clean off with a sickening click, eliciting a piercing shriek from her. 　　"You bastard! How dare you!" William, incensed at the sight of his wife being humiliated, stormed forward, his fists clenched with rage, ready to pummel Duke. 　　But before he could strike, Duke spoke. "William Hart, correct?" 　　William paused for a moment, unsure of what this man before him desired. 　　"I am here to collect Miss Morgan on behalf of the president of the Holmes Group, Sherman Holmes," said Duke Marsh, introducing himself as the assistant to the powerful businessman. 　　As he spoke, he released Teresa, who was visibly in pain, and handed William a business card. 　　Sherman Holmes? 　　The mere mention of the name caused a shock to ripple through the room. 　　The Holmes Group was the wealthiest and most influential corporation in the country, with a reach that spanned all industries. 　　Its leader, Sherman Holmes, was a mysterious business genius who had built the company into an empire. 　　But it was not just his business acumen that made him feared and respected; the Holmes family was also the most powerful werewolf pack in legend. 　　As the Alpha of Bostabaca, Sherman was a ruthless ruler, known for his cruelty and ferocity. 　　It was said that countless enemies had fallen at his hands and that his reign was steeped in blood. 　　There was nothing that man would not do to ensure those around him followed his every command and to secure his dominance. 　　He had no mercy for the weak. 　　Even his wolf was said to be a monster, with eyes that glowed red in the shadows, stalking its victims before ripping them apart limb by limb. 　　"Why would Elaine be associated with such a powerful figure?" 　　William wondered in confusion, as Teresa stood beside him, too stunned to speak. 　　Elaine, too, was in shock, wondering when her father had become friends with someone as prominent as Sherman Holmes. 　　"Mr. Hart, may I take Miss Morgan away now?" Duke gave William a cold glance, his tone suggesting that it was not a request but an order. The chill in his voice caused William to break out in a cold sweat. 　　William wiped the sweat from his forehead, but before he could respond, Teresa interjected with a cold and hard voice, "No! You can't just take her away like this! She's not going anywhere with you!" 　　She was being selfish, not wanting to let Elaine go easily, despite Elaine now being under the protection of Sherman. 　　Duke scowled at her with annoyance, as if she were a pesky fly. He then turned his attention to Elaine. "It's time to go now!" And with that, he turned on his heel and headed towards the door. 　　Elaine remembered the location mentioned in the letter her parents had left and knew that Duke was taking her there. 　　Being ignored by them like this enflamed Teresa's anger. Losing her composure, Teresa screamed before William could stop her, "Stop them and tie them up, especially Elaine! I'll sell her to the black market to pay off the debts her parents owe me!" 　　Upon hearing her words, the bodyguards descended upon Elaine and Duke, their weapons at the ready. 　　Duke simply stood there, a small smile on his face as they closed in on him. 　　Suddenly, he let out a fierce growl, his eyes glowing with a deadly light. 　　With a ferocity that was both terrifying and awe-inspiring, Duke lunged forward, his claws flashing as he fought off the bodyguards. 　　Caught off guard by the sudden transformation, the bodyguards stumble backward, their weapons clattering to the ground. 　　They were no match for Duke and one by one, they fell to the ground, defeated. 　　In an instant, Teresa found herself held in a death grip, her throat being tightly constricted. 　　No one could see how Duke had suddenly appeared in front of Teresa, not even Elaine who was following closely behind him. 　　"I'm sorry, Mr. Marsh, please forgive my wife's ignorance this time!" William knelt down and pleaded for forgiveness, though he couldn't help but curse his wife's foolishness in his heart. 　　Elaine, recovering from the shock, looked at Teresa whose face was distorted due to lack of oxygen. 　　Thinking that she was Forrest's mother, Elaine couldn't help but also plead, "Mr. Marsh, please forgive Mrs. Hart this time." 　　Duke turned his head to look at Elaine, seemingly confused as to why this woman had treated Elaine so poorly before and yet still pleaded for her. 　　He looked at Elaine in silence for a moment, before throwing Teresa to the ground. 　　He took out a handkerchief from his pocket and carefully wiped his hands before tossing it to the ground, as if he had just touched something dirty. 　　With a swift turn, Duke left the scene, and Elaine hastened to follow him. 　　As they sat in the car, Elaine's mind raced with questions about the relationship between Duke and her parents, but one look at Duke's grave expression deterred her from asking. 　　So much had transpired throughout the day, leaving her emotionally wracked and uncertain of her future. 　　Gazing out the window, she reminisced about the happier times she had shared with her family, but her thoughts were interrupted by a wave of exhaustion. 　　Closing her eyes tightly, she tried in vain to hold back her tears. 　　From the moment she woke up to the moment she discovered the truth, Elaine's nerves had been stretched to their limit. 　　Now, the car was eerily quiet. As she succumbed to her fatigue, Elaine fell into a deep sleep. 　　Meanwhile, Duke navigated the car through a tunnel, and the scenery around them transformed dramatically, as if they had entered a different world. 　　The day had turned to night, and on either side of the road stretched an endless, dense forest. 　　A round, bright moon shone high in the sky, casting its velvety light over everything. 　　From time to time, the distant howls of wolves could be heard. 　　As Duke drove on, a strange red light flickered across his brown eyes. 　　The moonlight enveloped the vast forest, and behind the lush trees and thick branches, an ancient castle came into view. 　　Surrounded by thorns and roses, the castle's high gray walls were covered in dark green vines, giving off an eerie and slightly spooky atmosphere. 　　Duke parked the car in front of the castle and stepped out, opening the rear door. "Miss Morgan, we're here," he announced.