---- The surgery failed. She was an Omega without a wolf. Her body couldn't handle it. She died on that table. Ethan blamed my family. Said it was our fault. Said we killed her. And then he made us pay. I sold everything to keep my parents alive. Sold all the baby things too. Only that doll remained-my one connection to the pups I never got to hold. Now, even that was gone, all because of Ethan. So what right did he have to look heartbroken? I said nothing more. I left without looking back. The rain poured harder. I curled up ona park bench, phone trembling in my palm. ---- Acall came through from the hospital. "Miss Joy, your medical bills are too far overdue. If it continues, we'll have to stop treatment. And... your father just had another emergency. Without the rare suppressant, he won't last the month." Thad no options left. Only one person could help me find that rare suppressant. I forced my shaking hands to dial Jason's number. "T need a soul suppressant. Please." His voice was amused. "Joy, finally coming around? Come with me to the high seas. A few days, that's all I ask." Just hearing "high seas'' made my body go cold. But I thought of my father. My mother. Even Kevin. And in the end, I said yes. ---- "Okay." In the days that followed, Ethan never saw me again at the underground club. Suspicious, he wandered into a casino-and found Kevin. He grabbed him by the collar, slammed him into a wall. "Where's your sister? Hiding from me?" Kevin sneered. "She went to Jason. That freak. She's probably on her knees for him right now. She'll do anything for money. She's the shame of the Wilson bloodline." Ethan heard gamblers nearby murmuring. "She went offshore with Jason? Is she insane? Nobody comes back from those trips. Jason's ship is lawless. Girls either end up dead or... shark food. " ---- Ethan's face turned pale as death. He seized the gambler. "What did you just say?" The man looked terrified, instantly realizing Ethan wasn't someone to mess with. He spilled everything. "Jason's pack, the Nightclaw pack, owns the ship. No one dares interfere. Once he's had his fun, they say he either kills the girls himself or tosses them. overboard. Nobody comes back." Before he could finish, Ethan was already gone. He charged into the storm, rain pounding down like bullets. Drenched to the bone, he pulled out his phone with shaking fingers. "Intercept that ship. Now. I dare anyone to touch my Luna!"