Derek's POV The moon's round orb shone high in the sky, casting its velvety light on the Black Thorn Pack's turf. It was bedtime, but I couldn't sleep, my mind in turmoil. As long as I closed my eyes, Tabitha's face would haunt me. Her stubborn look, the agony in her eyes... Every detail was etched in my mind. I gotta admit, restoring her rights as Luna was quite a relief, even if it was just to chill Leo out. After staying up all night, I got up early the next morning, spending the whole day dealing with pack biz. Hopefully, it'd distract myself from all the mess inside my head. My phone kept ringing, but the sight of Daphne's name killed my urge to pick up. After a while, I heard a knock at the door. "Come in," I grunted, rubbing at my forehead. Then the door swung open and in walked Daphne. Not expecting her presence, I asked with a frown, "What are you doing here?" She walked over, grumbling, "I rang you up a few times, but you didn't answer. Got a bit worri
Tabitha's POV The guy's kiss on the back of my hand gave me goosebumps. Then I realized, even though I had given up on Derek, I still couldn't stand other guys getting close to me. Having no vibes to chill at the club, I left with Gloria. We came on foot, so we decided to walk back, too. The cool night breeze was like a balm for all the drama. Suddenly, my phone rang. It was Alvin. "Good evening, Luna Tabitha. Alpha Derek asked me to inform you that the reject ceremony's set for tomorrow morning at the Council of Elders," came Alvin's apologetic voice. The news took me by surprise. But soon, I figured out why. Since I felt pain due to Derek's intimacy with Daphne, he must've felt the same when that guy kissed my hand just now. As someone with a big ego, he surely couldn't stand it. With a wry smile, I paused my tracks a sec before answering, "Got it. Thanks." "What's wrong?" Gloria asked with concern when she saw me hang up the phone. I shook my head and smile
Tabitha's POV Right now, the big deal for me was to chase down the beef between my dad and Elena before my health further deteriorated. I gotta arrange everything first. So, I took a cab back to the Alpha Villa of the Black Thorn Pack, the place that belonged to me and Derek. Derek decked out everything in the house, so moving house just meant grabbing a few key bits of mine. The only thing I couldn't let go of was the nursery that I personally designed. I didn't want Daphne's baby to move in there when she became Luna. So I took down all the decorations. It took only a few hours to erase what took sleepless nights to build. Standing at the doorway of the villa, I recalled how thrilled I was first coming up here. How naïve. Back then, I never saw it coming that one day Derek and I would end up like this. Snapping back to reality, I decided to call someone to pick me up. Alvin and Rolf followed Derek to 32 Seaside Avenue, so they weren't available. The other member
Derek's POV Kyrian's disappearance almost drove me insane, so I had to tell Tabitha to put off the rejection ceremony. Watching her lose control in anger, I had to release the Alpha aura to calm her down. Holding her, I suddenly realized she'd lost a lot of weight. What had I done to the mate I used to love wholeheartedly? Was this really what I wanted? But then, the image of Elena's cold, lifeless body popped up in my mind. My guilt immediately vanished, and I resolutely pushed Tabitha away. Hearing her talk about splitting up, all disappointed, Leo wailed with pain inside me again. But Kyrian's missing got me too wrapped up to dwell on that agony. After Tabitha disappeared from my sight, I headed toward the car, instructing, "Alvin, let's go!" Going a few miles, I finally couldn't put up with Alvin's slow driving, so I told Rolf to take his place. Finally, we arrived at 32 Seaside Avenue after half an hour. I barged in, and before I could say anything, Daphne rush
Derek's POV "Alpha Derek, are we going back to the Council of Elders?" asked Rolf after we left 32 Seaside Avenue. I glanced back and said, "Nah, we're heading back to the pack." With that, I got in the car. Before closing the car door, I heard Rolf muttering, "Aren't they supposed to hold the feet; rejection ceremony today? We didn't waste a lot of time here. Maybe we'll be able to catch up with Tabitha..." To my surprise, postponing the rejection ceremony was a relief to me. But I was too cowardly to think why. "Where's Tabitha?" I asked. Alvin immediately replied, "She should be with Gloria now." It made sense since Gloria was her bestie. To keep tabs on all of Tabitha's moves, I had Alvin follow Gloria on social media. Alvin fished out his phone while speaking and scrolled to Gloria's latest I*******m post, where I spotted Tabitha beside her straight away. The two seemed to be celebrating something, as Gloria captioned it with "A new beginning." My grip on the
Tabitha's POV I hung up the phone and took a taxi to the hospital where Orson was. Sitting in the backseat, I watched as the view outside the window raced past me. For the first time in ages, I was craving to stay alive. Not just for Dad but for the Silver Moon Pack too. Just as I was lost in thought, my phone rang. It was Alvin. "What's up, Alvin?" I asked calmly. "Luna, Alpha Derek wants you to come back to the pack immediately," Alvin said respectfully. "I can't. Got something to do." "But..." He paused for a second. "Alpha Derek needs you back for the rejection ceremony." "He can leave me at will but I gotta go when he needs me? What am I, his pet?" I cut him off. "Tell him that I'll come back after I'm done here. Leave me alone before that." Then I hung up before Alvin could say anything in reply. A few hours ago, I would've returned to Black Thorn Pack in a heartbeat. But now, I had more important things to do. "Orson, I need your help." Orson sat down
Tabitha's POV To my surprise, the person I missed the most till this point was still Derek. Memories came flooding back, overwhelming me. I recalled us running together in the moonlight after we shifted. Back then, we had just confirmed we were each other's mates, all thrilled. Even after all this time, his face that night was etched in my mind. And after he marked me, he was so gentle and considerate, taking care of me like no one else. Our love used to be the envy of all. And we had thought it would last forever. But now, he was with someone else, even having a kid of their own. I had to remind myself again and again of his betrayal and ruthlessness, trying my best to forget about the good old days. In intense pain, I gritted my teeth and told myself that I gotta hang tough. There were truths not yet dug up, so I couldn't just die. The cold moonlight shone on my wound, the skin beneath my fur warming up. As time passed, the pain turned numb. By dawn, I shifted b
Tabitha's POV Stunned, I asked, "What are you talking about?" Derek's face twisted with madness. "I used to think divorce would be the best punishment for you, but I've changed my mind," he hissed, his voice icy and piercing. Had it been half a month back, I'd have been over the moon if Derek refused to divorce me. Yet now, I had already learned the truth, so it only disgusted me even more. "Let go! Derek, I want a divorce. Now!" I yelled. He lifted me up easily, ignoring my request. "Let me down, Derek. Have you lost your damn mind?!" I roared at him, hoping to bring him to his senses. But he remained unmoved. Being weak, I couldn't resist him at all. A deep sense of despair overwhelmed me. He put me in the back seat of his car, and I asked with difficulty, "Derek, what the heck do you want?" "I want you to pay for what John did! So no way am I letting you date another guy at will," Derek hissed with an evil grin. His cruel words shattered my heart into a million p
Third person's POVForrest's account seemed flawless at first glance, but Tabitha's heart was filled with doubts.This was not a small sum. It was three hundred million dollars, not three thousand or thirty thousand.Moreover, before the auction, no one could predict the final price, so the amount Wilmot would need to borrow would certainly far exceed three hundred million.Orson, though well-off, could hardly come up with hundreds of millions in liquid funds.Besides, she and he were merely friends, not lovers.And how could he have access to mercenaries?It wasn't that Orson couldn't do these things, but everything seemed unlikely for him.Yet, aside from Orson, who else could have lent a helping hand?It couldn't be Derek... As soon as she thought of him, Tabitha shook her head.Derek was supposedly still in Africa. He couldn't have rushed over so quickly.Even if it were him, he would have taken her awa
Third person's POVTabitha wasn't sure how long she had been asleep, but she gradually woke from her slumber in a daze.She moved her fingers, and the numbness and weakness spread throughout her body as if every muscle was silently protesting the previous ordeal.Before even opening her eyes, her body felt as if it was being pricked by fine needles, with waves of soreness following one after another.However, a strange coolness emanated from a certain part of her body, which instantly brought her back to her senses.She slowly lifted the covers and, upon seeing the unfamiliar yet soft and comfortable pajamas, was taken aback before a blush crept onto her cheeks.She subconsciously clenched her legs, her mind involuntarily recalling the previous ambiguous scenes, thinking to herself, "He was so meticulous..."The bed was filled with a faint scent, a mix of some cleaning products and a masculine aroma, suggesting that the man had meticu
Third person's POVAfter the mercenaries had plundered the ship's wealth, they swaggered away without a care.As dawn approached, Tabitha, still in the throes of sleep, was quietly transferred amidst the chaos.Derek, freshly groomed and composed, gently opened the door to a burst of invigorating sea breeze, the wind's caress gradually dispersing the gloom that had long lingered in his heart.The entire ship, except for the level they occupied, was in disarray. Ninety percent of the passengers had already disembarked, and the remaining ten percent were their own people. Over a hundred enforcers, tightly bound with ropes, huddled on the ground in disarray.Matilda, released from her restraints by Alvin, rushed downstairs with urgency. The restaurant, dance floor, luxury boutiques, and entertainment venues were all reduced to chaotic ruins.Stumbling and falling into the wreckage, Matilda's tears flowed as she lamented, "It's gone. Everything
Third person's POVThe soft sunlight gently bathed the vast ocean, the sea shimmering with a dreamlike radiance.The large ship, after a night of turmoil, finally regained its calm, drifting effortlessly on the sea like a light leaf.For the guests on board, the previous night had been nothing short of a catastrophic disaster.All the ship's infrastructure had been subjected to large-scale, wanton destruction.ATMs were brutally pried open, the casino left in disarray, and all cash looted clean.Items that couldn't be taken were either smashed to pieces or utterly ruined.Wealthy merchants stood naked and disgraced, gamblers with bloodshot eyes, having lost everything, huddled helplessly in corners, too afraid to make a sound.In such a critical moment, they knew that preserving their lives was a stroke of luck amidst misfortune. Wealth was but an external possession.Matilda was forcibly dragged to a high place by Alvin
Third person's POVOn a distant rooftop, a man stood quietly, witnessing the chaos unfold from afar.When Manager Dalton, filled with fear and trepidation, called to inform him about the helicopters, he was initially delighted, thinking he had finally caught Derek off guard."Let them cause a ruckus. The more, the better," he instructed.Dalton couldn't help but wonder if his boss had lost his mind, questioning the logic behind such an order.In his view, if a single ship could bring down Derek, it would be a bargain.However, when he realized the arriving forces were private mercenaries, the man's face turned pale instantly.Derek hadn't used his men.This realization meant he couldn't link the events on the ship to Derek."Stop them, quickly!" the man shouted in a panic."It's too late, boss, they... ah!!" The call was cut off abruptly.Furious, the man hastily switched on the surveillance system, only to
Third person's POVThe one who kicked the door in was none other than Forrest.Gone was the simple and honest demeanor he displayed in front of Tabitha and Ayla; even the mask on his face had changed to one featuring a fierce demon totem.Standing there with the sea breeze at his back, he exuded a strong and imposing presence."Bingo, you got it. We're here for you," Forrest declared loudly.Matilda roared in anger, "Who are you? Do you know where you are? How dare you act so recklessly on this ship?"As she spoke, Matilda quickly pressed the alarm button. All the enforcers, upon hearing the alarm, rushed out with their weapons at the ready.Matilda seemed not to fully grasp the gravity of the situation, still snarling viciously, "Do you know what happened to the last person who acted out on this ship? They were minced and fed to the fish."At that moment, the personnel from the helicopters descended onto various decks in an or
Third person's POV"Don't bite. It hurts," the words echoed in Tabitha's mind, bringing back a memory from the past.When she first started her relationship with Derek, she had no sex experience.At that time, she found it extremely embarrassing to make any noise during their moments of intimacy, so she would always tightly bite her lips, refusing to let out a sound.It was on an unforgettable day when the man gently turned her chin, whispering these words into her ear.Tabitha vividly remembered that night as one filled with passion and madness.At this moment, she was completely unaware of how enticing she appeared.Her eyes covered with a silver scarf, the man slowly lifted her chin, forcing her to raise her head, revealing her long, swan-like neck.Her once neat dress slipped from her shoulders, exposing arms as white as snow and sexy, charming collarbones, with fine glitter on her skin twinkling a mysterious light in the d
Derek's POVI held her quietly, without any intention of pressuring her.I knew she was in immense pain and turmoil, and all I wanted was to help her escape this predicament."Ms. Hartley, we can discuss everything else later. The most pressing matter at hand is to resolve your current difficult situation. I understand you are an innocent woman, unwilling to submit easily to others. Still, the circumstances leave us with no other options," I took a deep breath and continued, "I can promise you solemnly that I will not disclose a word of what happens tonight to anyone. After tonight, everything will return to how it was, as if nothing had happened. If you don't have special feelings for me, I can... find someone else for you, like Forrest or..."Before I could finish, she reached out and gently covered my mouth with her hand, her eyes slightly reproachful. At that moment, my heart fluttered with a hint of panic."If there really is no other choice,
Third person's POVAs Tabitha spoke, her face flushed a deep red.Had it not been for the immense willpower forged through her chemotherapy, she would have lost control long ago.Derek gazed at her, a mix of shyness and allure, and despite knowing the drugs were to blame, his heart still raced uncontrollably."Alright, I'll turn away and not look at you," Derek slowly turned his head towards the window.In the pitch-black darkness, the sea appeared particularly gloomy and oppressive.The approaching roar of helicopter blades grew louder in the sky, signaling that the true revelry of the night was about to begin.About ten minutes later, Derek suddenly heard a soft moan from behind him.He quickly turned to see Tabitha, her face rosy and flushed, not only her hair and body drenched, but her eyes as well, as if misted over with steam, glistening and red-rimmed at the corners, exuding an irresistible, fatal sex appeal."Are