Chapter 4

　　Tabitha's POV 　　Derek walked into the room. 　　He released the Alpha power on me, and I immediately felt suffocating as if an invisible wall was pressing against me. 　　I lifted my head defiantly, only to see him looking at Daphne with gentle eyes. "Are you OK?" he asked her. 　　Daphne glanced my way, smirking with victory written all over her face. 　　I clenched my fists in fury. 　　Daphne leaned closer to Derek with a smile and said, "Derek, thank God you're here. When I walked past the Financial Office, I heard someone arguing, so I came in to see what was going on. I didn't expect to come across Tabitha trying to take money." 　　"Miss Sutton, do you hear yourself? You're nothing but a mistress. Do you really think you're Black Thorn Pack's Luna?" I sneered. 　　"You tryna take money?" Derek turned his head and asked me slowly. 　　"No!" I said, biting my lip. 　　"Tabitha's lying," Tiffany chimed in. "A minute ago, she ordered me to withdraw money for her, and I said no. Then she tried to force me." 　　"I'm your Luna. Can't I even take 20,000 dollars?" 　　Every member of the Black Thorn Pack knew that Derek favored Daphne, and no one saw me as their Luna anymore. 　　I looked up and met Derek's cold and indifferent gaze. The black suit accentuated his figure, making him look sharp and stylish. 　　It reminded me of the first time we met. He was wearing a handsome and warm smile, something I had never seen later on. 　　Right now, his poker face showed no emotion at all. "That's right. You can't," he replied, fixing his cold gaze on me. 　　Holding back tears, I bit my lip to stop myself from crying. "I'm still the Luna." 　　Derek smiled sarcastically, "Seems to me that you're no different from a thief. Call yourself a competent Luna." 　　Never in my mind was stealing on the books. I just wanted to save Dad. I planned to give it back once I got the divorce settlement. 　　I was about to answer when my abdominal wound pained me. 　　Derek and Daphne stood next to each other, appearing like each other's fated mates. 　　Suddenly, I found it unnecessary to explain. He was in love with someone else. However hard I tried to defend myself, he wouldn't buy it. 　　I stepped back, swallowing my pain. 　　I didn't want to show weakness in front of Derek. Though I was in so much pain that I felt like fainting, I still managed to walk steadily. 　　As I passed Derek, I said, "As long as you haven't rejected me, I'm still the Luna. If you don't wanna see me again, come with me to the Council of Elders now." 　　Cold sweat beaded on my forehead, so I quickened my pace, wanting to leave. 　　Derek suddenly grabbed my arm, asking in a low voice, "What's wrong?" 　　I shook off his hand. "None of your business." 　　Without a backward glance, I straightened my back and disappeared from his sight. 　　After leaving Black Thorn Pack, I sat by the curb and rested for a while. 　　When the pain dimmed, I looked up at the sky. 　　"Crystal, what should I do?" I couldn't help but call out to my wolf in my mind. 　　Crystal had been sleeping all along, so I never expected to get a response from her. When her faint voice sounded in my head, I almost yelled in surprise. 　　"Tabitha, go to your mom." 　　"Is that the only way?" I wondered. She was the last person I wanted to see. 　　"If you wanna save John, it's your last shot. After all, she's your family." 　　After answering me, Crystal fell asleep again. 　　After making up my mind, I took a cab to the villa area where the humans lived. 　　Judging from the fancy villa, I guessed my mom had been doing well these years. 　　Soon, the door was opened. 　　Holly Sutton, my so-called mother, showed up, whose face I found somewhat familiar. She looked at me in surprise and gasped, "Tabitha?" 　　She left when I was a child. 　　She claimed that she had met her fated mate, so she rejected Dad despite my pleas and left with that werewolf. 　　I heard that the werewolf left his pack, too. So both of them became rogues. 　　They could only live among humans to this day. No pack would take them. 　　Holly betrayed Dad, and I had sworn that I would never see her again. Yet to save Dad, I had to seek her help now. 　　Holly led me into her luxurious home and had me sit on the sofa. 　　"I heard that there was an attack on the Silver Moon Pack. Is that why you're here? You may stay with me for the time being," she offered. 　　"So you knew? Then do you know that Dad's injured? He's still in a coma," I asked. 　　There was only surprise on her face, no guilt. 　　I went on, "He's the reason I'm here. I need money for his medical bills. Can you help? I promise I'll pay you back."