"Caden ... " I tightened my grip on his hand. "It's okay. I'm here. I'll protect you," Caden said softly, kissing my temple. The steadiness in his voice wrapped around me like a blanket. As long as he was by my side, I had nothing to fear. But Joel, standing nearby, looked increasingly uneasy. He glanced out the window, steadying himself as the ship rocked beneath our feet. Then he turned to me, his voice low but firm. "Rosaline, I'll protect you, too." I noticed his hands trembling in fear. Just being able to say that in a moment like this must've taken everything he had. I gave him a nod of gratitude. Crew members began handing out life jackets to every passenger. But instead of bringing reassurance, the gesture only heightened everyone's anxiety. "Let me out! I want to leave! I don't want to die here!" a female werewolf shrieked, shoving one of the crew members. "Someone protect me! Get me out of here!" The woman clutched the crew member's wrist so hard he winced in pain, but he forced himself to stay calm and said gently, "Ma'am, please, there's no need to panic. This is the safest place right now. Please, put your life jacket on first." "Stay here? You want me to just sit here and wait to die? Don't you have lifeboats on this ship? Get me off now!" she screamed, her hysteria beginning to sway the others around her. "B ... but ... " The crew member paled, at a loss for words. The woman wasn't done—she was getting more aggressive, even trying to force her way into the control room. The commotion grated on my nerves. I stepped forward, grabbed her by the collar, and hissed, "Shut up!" Startled, she flinched. But then, realizing I was also a female werewolf, she straightened up and tried to regain her confidence. "What do you think you're doing?" "If you don't shut it right now," I said coldly, "I won't mind shutting it for you." "Get lost! I'm not going to die here waiting! I want a lifeboat! I'm leaving!" she yelled. "Leave? Fine," I said flatly, letting her go. "If you want a lifeboat so badly, go ahead. Let's see which gets flipped first when the tornado hits—the cruise ship or your precious little boat. The door's right there. Be my guest." Her body trembled at that, and she opened her mouth as if she wanted to argue. I let out a dry laugh and grabbed her by the hair, dragging her toward the exit. She screamed in full-blown panic, her voice shrill and cracking. "What are you doing? Help! Somebody help me!" "You wanted to leave, didn't you?" I shoved her face against the glass, forcing her to look at the chaos outside—lightning tearing through the sky, rain pouring in sheets, the sea a churning monster. She went completely still, shaking from head to toe, utterly silent. I released her and swept my gaze over the others. "Anyone else want to leave?" No one said a word. The room, which had been buzzing with unrest, fell eerily quiet. "What, are we just supposed to sit here and die?" a male werewolf finally muttered. "You think yelling like this is going to save you?" I snapped. "If you've got the energy to shout, you'd be better off using it to figure out how to survive the tornado." I turned to one of the crew members. "What's the plan?" The man wiped the sweat from his forehead and replied, "We're steering the ship away from the storm's center as best we can. If anything goes wrong, we'll deploy the lifeboats immediately and get everyone off safely." That seemed to calm the crowd, at least a little. No one spoke after that, though the tension still lingered in the air. The tornado was merciless. The ship rocked violently, the metal groaning beneath the pressure. I clung to Caden tightly, my brows furrowed. Everyone was on edge, holding their breath through each sway of the vessel. No one knew how much time had passed before the rocking finally started to ease—just a little. Then, as if fate wasn't done toying with us, a crackling announcement came over the speakers. One of the cabins had sprung a leak. The fragile calm shattered in an instant. Panic spread like wildfire once more. The crew quickly instructed everyone to move to the deck—the lifeboats were being lowered into the sea. I wiped the rain from my face, lips pressed in a hard line. A sense of dread settled in my chest. "Rosaline ... Don't be scared." Joel's voice came from beside me. His face had gone completely pale, his eyes glued to the surging waves below.I glanced at him—and froze. The strap on his life jacket was torn. "Why is your life jacket broken?" I asked, my heart sinking. In seas like these, a working life jacket could mean the difference between life and death. "I ... I broke it by accident," Joel muttered, his brows scrunching together as he gripped the torn strap with trembling hands. "Joel, can you swim?" I asked, already suspecting the answer. He stiffened. "N ... No ... I can't." Just then, another life jacket was thrust in front of him. Joel looked up, surprised, and found himself face-to-face with Caden, who wore a cold expression. "Put it on," Caden said.