Chapter 5

Stella writhed weakly, struggling in vain as Banker William ripped away her clothes, one piece at a time. Her eyes widened in horror, tears streaming down her lashes in a silent, desperate flow. It was a tragic, hopeless sight. Could it really be happening? Was she going to be violated by this disgusting, overweight man...? No... she didn’t want this... The weight of Banker William’s body pressed closer, his greasy, fleshy muscles sending waves of revulsion through Stella. She almost wished for death, her eyes closing in agony and despair. Bang! The door to the hotel room was suddenly kicked open with violent force. A tall, familiar figure—bloodied and fierce—stormed into the room. Stella snapped her eyes open, locking her gaze onto him. In her dull, lifeless eyes, a flicker of light appeared. Eric... Eric rushed forward, his foot coming down hard to kick the fat man off her, sending him sprawling to the floor. "Eric..." Stella cried his name through her sobs. Eric’s pupils flinched. He hurriedly pulled the disheveled Stella into his arms, pressing her close to his chest. "I’m sorry. I came too late..." Stella clung to his shirt, her body shaking with silent sobs, unable to speak through her tears. His arrival was more than she had dared to hope for. Before he came, she hadn’t allowed herself to expect it—after all, this man hated her so deeply. She had thought that even if she died in front of him, he wouldn’t spare her a second glance. But he came. He came. Stella buried herself deeper into Eric’s embrace, like a frightened creature, desperately seeking warmth and safety. Eric’s heart ached, and he tightened his hold around her waist, resting his chin on her head, repeatedly whispering apologies to himself. He had promised to protect her for life, but he had failed her. "Who the hell are you? Do you know who I am?" A sharp, venomous voice interrupted their rare moment of tenderness. Stella flinched, her shoulders trembling, burying her face in Eric’s chest. Eric quickly patted her back to comfort her, his eyes narrowing. He shot a vicious, cold glare at Banker William. His gaze alone sent a chill down the man’s spine, making his heart skip a beat. "I’m Eric’s wife. And you dare to touch me?" His voice was calm but laced with icy threat. The words "Eric" hit Banker William like a thousand-pound weight. His face drained of color. His heart dropped into his stomach. Two blood-red words flashed in his mind: It’s over. The entire pack knew the power of Eric’s Tribe—just a flick of a finger could crush someone into oblivion. They were an unstoppable force. "I... I..." Banker William stuttered, scrambling for an excuse. "I heard you’d already broken the mark with her. If that’s true, I wouldn’t have dared to touch your woman..." Eric’s brow furrowed slightly, his tone growing colder. "Who told you I’ve broken the mark with her?" Banker William’s heart skipped a beat. Had Thorne, that wretched woman, lied to him? "Alpha Eric, I was wrong!" Banker William, realizing the severity of the situation, dropped to his knees, kowtowing repeatedly in fear. "I didn’t know the mark wasn’t broken yet—it was all a misunderstanding! Please, a misunderstanding!" Eric’s face remained cold, his eyes unblinking. Without a word, he gently lifted Stella in his arms. His tall, imposing figure stood out against the backdrop, his pristine white shirt and suit stained with fresh crimson blood. He looked like a demon from hell, his presence sharp and menacing. He looked down at the kneeling man, his words as cutting as blades. "There are no misunderstandings here. You hurt my people. Now, you will pay the price." With that, he turned on his heel and strode out of the room. Left behind in the room, Banker William lay on the ground, weak, wailing, and crying. He howled for a while, unable to swallow his anger, too afraid to confront Eric. So, he redirected all his fury toward Thorne. Immediately, he pulled out his phone and ordered his subordinates to deal with that bastard Thorne. He didn’t even bother packing his luggage. Panicked, he rushed to the airport, wanting to escape as quickly as possible to avoid being torn apart by Eric. However, as soon as he reached the entrance to the airport highway, a strange car blocked his way. The doors opened, and two burly men stepped out. Without saying a word, they threw a sack over his head and dragged him away like a lifeless animal. Meanwhile, Stella leaned against Eric, inhaling his familiar, comforting scent. Her senses, already dulled by the drug, grew heavier and heavier, and she soon drifted off to sleep. In her dreams, Stella felt an unbearable heat coursing through her body. A large hand was rubbing her sensitive area, the palm completely covering her delicate clitoris. Two fingers slid inside her, teasing the slippery flesh as they moved in and out. Stella felt a warmth in her lower abdomen, a mix of pleasure and discomfort, with a lingering sensation of desire and itchiness. She found herself silently begging for more. Boldly, Stella arched her back, pushing her hips up, allowing the fingers inside her to move more freely, pleasuring her without restraint. She moaned softly, feeling the heat building inside her, as the hands removed her underwear and lifted her leg, spreading it wide in a shameless position as they continued their manipulations. Her body shuddered, and her fluids sprayed out in a torrent. After a moment of intense satisfaction, Stella succumbed to exhaustion and drifted into a deep sleep. Eric watched her with soft eyes, though his own arm, injured in the car accident, was still bleeding heavily. Despite the severity of his injuries, he seemed oblivious, moving with surprising gentleness as he carefully placed Stella in the car the driver had hastily prepared. He whispered, "Take her to the hospital." The driver, seeing Eric’s blood-soaked body, didn’t dare waste any time. He drove at full speed, rushing them both to the hospital. “Alpha, we’ve arrived,” the driver reported, only to be shocked to see Eric unconscious in the backseat from blood loss. The driver nearly panicked, rushing out of the car and urgently calling for doctors, who quickly whisked them both into emergency care. The night slowly gave way to the first light of dawn. Stella slowly opened her eyes, waking from the disorienting dream. As she scanned the unfamiliar hospital room, the memories of the previous night flooded back. Her face, which had just regained some color, turned pale again. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around herself. She looked around, hoping to find that reassuring presence, but there was no sign of Eric. Eric... was gone. Biting her lip, Stella made up her mind to find him. She opened the hospital room door, and the secretary, carrying a thermos, gave her a polite smile. "Miss Stella, you're awake." Stella nodded quietly, hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Um... where’s Eric?" The secretary answered, "Alpha is in the room next door. He’s had surgery, but he hasn't woken up yet." "Surgery?" Stella gasped, her heart suddenly racing. "What happened to him?" The secretary, unaware of the events of the previous night, simply explained, "Alpha was in a car accident. He got injured by glass in his arm. There were two deep cuts, and he needed over twenty stitches..." A car accident? Stella’s mind went blank for a moment before realization hit her. She suddenly remembered that when Eric had come to save her last night, he’d been covered in blood. But in her panic and confusion, she had overlooked it. So, he had been fighting through the pain of his injuries just to save her. Her heart ached, a mixture of warmth and pain flooding her chest. Her eyes reddened as she hurriedly made her way toward his room. If Eric had endured his injuries to save her, it meant he still cared about her deeply. All the misunderstandings and grievances from the past didn’t matter anymore. Right now, all Stella wanted was to be with Eric, to walk through life together. With a heart full of emotion, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears, she rushed toward Eric’s room. But as she opened the door, her gaze froze as she stepped inside.