Chapter 59: Chapter 59: The Trail of Derek

Jasper’s POV

On the monitor, she was curled up on the ground, her shoulders hitching like a small animal drenched in the rain. I stared at the surveillance footage, my fingers digging deep into my palm. The pain was the only thing keeping me lucid.

Every word on that report—the Offspring Potential Assessment—was a lie.

The 99.9% genetic compatibility, the S-Class offspring—it was all a fabrication to deceive her.

I had never performed such a test, and I never would.

But I had to make her believe it.

She had to see that report. She had to believe that in my eyes, she was nothing more than a breeding tool—a vessel to be quantified, assessed, and exploited.

Only then would her heart break completely. Only then would she hate me. Only then would she leave Moon Hidden Villa.

Only then could I suppress the all-consuming urge to devour her and keep the seal within her from being disturbed.

I couldn’t let the seal turn her into a monster.

Even if she hated me to her very core.

“Jasper! What the hell are you playing at?!”

The door burst open, and Zoe stormed in. Her face was tear-streaked and her hair was a mess, as if she’d just fled a hurricane. She rushed up to me and grabbed my collar, her voice trembling. “Lila… She was acting like she’d lost her mind! Ranting about a ’breeding machine,’ about ’genetic matching’! What in God’s name did you do to her?!”

I lowered my eyes, avoiding her gaze. My voice was as cold as ice. “It’s nothing. She’s just being overly sensitive.”

“Bullshit!” she screamed. “You raised me! You watched me grow up! Tell me, what was that report?!”

I snapped my head up, my gaze as sharp as a blade. “You’d do well to control your curiosity. There are some things you don’t need to know.”

She flinched, stumbling back a step. But she quickly steadied herself. The anger in her eyes slowly faded, replaced by an almost tragic calm.

“Fine. Just fine.” She laughed, but the tears only streamed down her face faster. “Jasper, do you think you can hide things from me? Did you really think I believe I’m the Hale family’s little princess?”

My heart sank.

“What do you mean?” I narrowed my eyes, my tone hardening.

She wiped her face and looked me straight in the eye, enunciating every word. “I know. I’ve known for a long time. I’m not your biological daughter. They all say you were messing around with the local tribes in Africa, and I was the bastard child that came from it. But that’s not what really happened, is it?”

I stared at her, my gaze unwavering.

’That day in war-torn Africa… the bodies of a Wolf Clan tribe lay strewn about. A tiny Zoe stood amidst the pile of corpses, her face covered in blood. She was only three years old.’

’So, she knew all along.’

“You’ve known all along?” My voice was hoarse.

“Yes.” Her voice was soft. “I know all my people died that year. You arrived just in time to save me. You were afraid our enemies would hunt me down to eliminate any survivors, so you lied and told everyone I was your daughter.”

She looked at me, her eyes a mixture of pain, derision, and pity. “So, you don’t have to hide things from me. What’s really going on this time? What was Lila talking about, with genetic matching and a breeding assessment?”

I said nothing.

She laughed, a shrill, bitter sound. “How ironic. Lila is my only friend. I was the one who suggested she enter a contract marriage with you. I saw how terribly the Goodrich family was treating her, and it was a way to stop those old fossils in the clan from nagging you all the time. And now look what’s happened. I regret it so much!”

I closed my eyes, unwilling to listen to another word.

“She’s worse off now than she was with the Goodrich family!” Zoe pointed out the window. “She has no one and nowhere to go, and you’ve wounded her so deeply she may never recover!”

My throat tightened.

“I’ve already contacted Caleb,” I said in a low voice. “I told him to find an opportunity to take her away.”

“You contacted Caleb?” Zoe looked at me as if I’d told the joke of the century. “Since when are you so magnanimous?”

“I’m not being magnanimous.” I turned to face the darkness outside the window. “At least with Caleb, she’ll be safe for now.”

She stared at me for a long time. In the end, she said nothing and walked away.

The study fell silent once more.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

The urgent knocking broke my train of thought.

“Come in.”

The door opened, and a tall figure stepped inside. It was Riven, the captain of my guard, and my most trusted blade.

He wore all-black tactical gear and brought the night’s chill in with him. His face held a subtle, solemn expression.

“My King.” He walked to my desk, came to attention, and bowed.

“Did you find him?” I forced my eyes away from the monitor, my voice returning to its usual cold, hard tone.

“Yes.” Riven nodded, pulling a file from inside his jacket and placing it on the desk. “Our scouts at the border sent word back. We’ve finally located Derek.”

I shot bolt upright.

“Go on.”

“The town is called Black Water Town. It’s located at the border of three countries—a lawless territory,” Riven said, his voice low and steady. “Our people discovered that he has recently gotten close to a local drug lord known as ’El Jefe,’ who controls the entire drug supply chain in South America.”

My brow furrowed.

’Derek and a drug lord?’

’Something isn’t right.’

’Derek is the son of the Wolf Clan’s Great Elder. Even though he’s a traitor, his pride would never allow him to associate with humans—especially not low-life scum like a drug lord. Unless…’

“What’s the purpose of their association?” I asked.

“It’s unclear at present.” Riven shook his head. “But according to our informant, they seem to be making some kind of trade. Derek provides a certain ’item,’ and the drug lord provides funding and armed forces.”

My heart gave a sudden throb.

’Funding.’

’Armed forces.’

“Find out the exact details of their deal.” I stood and walked to the window, staring out into the heavy darkness. “And I want a complete file on that drug lord. Everything.”

“Yes, sir.” Riven answered, but he didn’t move.

“Is there something else?” I glanced back at him.

Riven hesitated for a moment before speaking. “My King, this drug lord… he is known to be exceptionally cruel. His forces are well-equipped, possessing even heavy weaponry. If we are to intervene, we must proceed with caution.”

I scoffed.

“Heavy weaponry?” I turned, my gaze icy as I looked at him. “Riven, don’t forget what we are.”

’We are Werewolves.’

’The apex predators of this continent.’

’Human firearms might wound us, but they can’t kill us.’

“Yes, My King.” Riven bowed his head. “I understand.”

“Make the arrangements.” I turned, grabbing my jacket from the back of the chair and striding toward the door. “I’m going myself.”

“My King!” Riven cried out in alarm. “It’s too dangerous! You cannot go!”

I stopped and looked back, my gaze sharp as a razor. “I am the King of the Werewolves. The greater the danger, the greater the need for my presence. And I will not let the cunning Derek escape again.”

Before I left, my eyes fell on the Offspring Potential Assessment report.

“One more thing. Arrange for a detail to protect Lila in secret,” I said in a low voice. “Don’t let her know. Don’t let any other clan members find out. Just make sure she is safe.”

“Yes, My King.” Riven accepted the order. “I will make the arrangements immediately.”

The night wind was biting, stinging my face like a thousand tiny blades.

I strode toward the helipad. A black helicopter was ready, its rotors churning the air into a massive, roaring gale.

“Destination: Black Water Town.”

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