Derek's POVIn the Black Thorn Pack's packhouse, I swept the pile of files in front of me to the floor once again.I propped my hands on the desk, finding it hard to control my temper."Why the hell haven't you found Tabitha yet?""Alpha Derek, calm down. That area is almost drained of water. If Tabitha was really dead, we'd have found her body by now. Chances are, she's hiding out there somewhere."Of course, I knew she was hiding. But I would never hurt her. She might not trust anyone else, but really? She didn't trust me either?If she wasn't dead, why didn't she come to me?Frustrated, I had to shift my attention to the investigation to distract myself.According to what I had found these days, obviously, someone had been framing John.The pile of files in front of me was the result of a more thorough investigation, and they unveiled many problems.The earlier reports suggested John had some sketchy relationships with the she-wol
Derek's POV"Alpha Derek, cheer up. Tabitha may be hiding for now, but she can't do it forever. I've got all the exits covered tight, and there's no way she's slipping out of Seattle. I'm sure we'll find her soon."I stroked my chest, trying to chase away this gnawing fear that I was about to lose her for good.After getting everything set up, I took sleeping pills, the only way for me to get some sleep.In my dream, I once again saw Tabitha standing at the beach.She was wearing a beautiful dress, staring at me coldly."You murderer! If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have lost my baby, and my dad wouldn't have been in a coma. You're gonna pay for what you did!""Tabitha, please hear me out.""Jerk, the biggest mistake I've ever made is marrying you."With that, she took a sharp knife and shoved it into my chest. The blood gushed out, staining the sand.Yet, the smile on her face remained stunning."You deserve it. You owe me yo
Derek's POVPerhaps the implication of my words moved Gloria.She pondered for a while before finally answering, "Actually, I haven't seen her. All I know is that she came to see me.""If you didn't see her, how do you know she came?" I asked, puzzled.She took out a crumpled-up note from her wallet and handed it to me, saying, "You recognize the handwriting, right?"Taking it over, I saw only two words: "Take care."My heart sank immediately.Sure enough, Tabitha was about to leave. The note was her saying goodbye to Gloria!I pulled out a business card and stood up, telling her, "If she ever comes to you, call me at once."Then I gestured at Alvin, who came to pay the bill right away.I hurried out of the restaurant, looking up at the gloomy sky.Seattle wasn't exactly big, but I couldn't find the person I was dying to see whatsoever.Rolf, standing next to me, cautiously asked, "Alpha Derek, what's our next move?""
Tabitha's POVHaving packed the luggage, Jasper and I left the house.Standing at the border of the Dawn Vanguard Pack, I stared off into the distance—the direction of the Silver Moon Pack."Wanna go and say goodbye?""Nah, it's too risky."If I returned to my pack, Derek would definitely find out.I slowly withdrew my gaze and murmured my farewell before getting into the car.When the car slowly drove into the street, I looked out at the familiar views, my mind in turmoil.Just as we turned a corner, however, I caught a glimpse of Carson, a friend of Derek's.It just so happened that he was looking in my direction, too. I immediately ducked my head down into the car, avoiding his gaze.'He didn't see me. He didn't see me,' I prayed inwardly, my heart racing.After the car drove away, I stole a glance at him through the rearview mirror.He was still walking in the same direction, his pace steady. Guessed my prayer wor
Tabitha's POVI had put on heavy makeup. Right now, my skin was darkened, and there were a few speckles on my face.Even those who knew me well might not recognize me at first glance.I slowly pulled down the blanket, revealing my disguised face. "How may I help? Sorry. I'm a bit seasick.""We are going after some smugglers. So we'll need you to answer some questions. It'll be quick."The woman took out her notepad, starting grilling me, "What's your name? What do you do for a living? Where are you heading? And how many people are on board?"I told her the answers I had rehearsed with Jasper, keeping my cool."OK. Thanks for your time," she said.Just as she was about to leave, she took a tablet out of her pocket. "I've got some anti-seasick meds right here. They work great.""Thanks." I reached out to take it.Noticing her intense gaze at my wrist, I panicked immediately.I didn't put makeup on my wrist!!!Fortunately, it
Tabitha's POVWhile I was pleading with Derek, Rolf and the other shifters started boarding this ship one by one."So, you're the one who snatched our Luna, huh? You've got some nerve!" Rolf snarled as he inched closer to Jasper, his eyes turning golden.'Damn it, he's gonna shift right here!' I cursed inwardly.Just then, I broke free from Derek's embrace and threw my arms up to protect Jasper."Don't hurt him. It was my idea."Alvin spoke up, his face deadpan, "Tabitha, Alpha Derek's been searching for you day and night without getting a wink of sleep, and here you are defending another guy. Don't you think you're being too cruel?"Cruel? Compared to what he'd done to me, I was not the least cruel!"I was the one begging Jasper to take me away. Just come at me. Leave him alone!"Jasper chuckled, "Tabitha, no matter what you said, it wouldn't change anything. I've seen this coming when I made the plan."Hearing his words, I felt eve
Derek's POVTabitha was right. I did plan to do so.I could no longer bear the pain of losing her once again. I just wanted her to stay by my side forever so that I could see her anytime I wanted."Tabitha, I've tried to let you go, to let you live a free life. As long as you stayed in Seattle as promised, everything would've been fine. But you went back on your word."I paused, my face screwed up in agony. "I've tried to control my possessiveness, seriously."My restraint, however, just pushed her further away instead of helping her drop her fear for me.During the days when she went missing, I lived like a zombie—totally drained and lifeless.If I experienced it ever again, I would become a lunatic, I swore.Thus, I decided that I'd rather she hate me than not be able to see her at all.While I was lost in thought, Tabitha's question snapped me out of it. "How did we even get to this point..."I put on a wry smile.Came
Tabitha's POVDerek said, "I see. I won't hurt him, I promise. And I'll have my men looking for John. I'm sure he's fine for now. Don't worry."I nodded, and he gently stroked my cheek."Tabitha, believe it or not, I never wanted us to end up like this. From now on, I won't hurt you ever again, I swear," he promised in a gentle voice.I scoffed and changed the topic. "If it wasn't my dad who killed Elena, what would you do?"He scowled as soon as he heard it."Tabitha, even if there's someone messing with my investigation, it doesn't make John innocent. I've kept the evidence in my safe. If you still have doubts, you can check it when we get back."I fell silent, disappointment written all over my face.Yet, he just ignored it and continued, "No matter how it shakes out, I'll handle this thing fair and square."With that, he stepped out of the cabin.Hearing the door click shut, I finally let my guard down.As I unclenched my fi
Third person's POVAt this moment, Gloria finally understood the difficult situation Tabitha had faced before—the helplessness and confusion, as if she were trapped in a dark abyss, unable to find even a glimmer of hope.What puzzled her was that Alpha Leopold must have known about Tabitha's return to the States. Given his relationship with Derek, he couldn't possibly not inform him.If Derek had learned that Tabitha was alive, it should have been a momentous occasion for him. How could he allow Tabitha to drift alone outside?Could it be that he had truly come to terms with it and decided to let go completely?However, Gloria preferred to believe in the saying, "A leopard can't change its spots."She felt that even if Derek seemed inactive now, it was highly likely that he was secretly plotting a larger scheme, merely the calm before the storm.After hanging up the phone, Tabitha's eyes flashed with
Third person's POV"Julia, I need your help," Tabitha said, her eyes filled with sincerity and anticipation."It's my pleasure. Our little island owes its good life to you. Anything I can do, I'm at your service, no matter what," Julia stopped what she was doing, turned to Tabitha, and looked at her with determination.Her heart was full of gratitude towards Tabitha and she was willing to do anything for her.Tabitha instructed Julia, and then settled down on the island with Ayla.She chose to stay here, firstly, because it was safer, and she could avoid exposure for the time being.She was hiding from an enemy who wanted to kill her as much as Derek did.Secondly, the facilities on the island were now quite complete, and living here was not a problem at all.Every day, Noah would accompany Ayla to play around, and Ayla also loved this beautiful and fun-filled island.Tabitha often s
Third person's POV"Alpha Derek has put in a lot of effort. Now, the people on the island can continue their traditional way of life, fishing if they wish. If not, Alpha Derek has also provided a variety of job opportunities, and everyone feels life has become much better than before," Noah said as he walked with Tabitha, introducing the changes on the island.As soon as Tabitha set foot on the island, several women warmly surrounded her, asking about her well-being and offering Ayla candies, expressing their gratitude to Tabitha.They said that without her, they wouldn't have been able to enjoy the good life they had now.The small bungalow where Tabitha used to live, which was originally the largest building on the island, had been renovated to look like a charming guesthouse.An infinity pool had even been built on the rooftop, offering a breathtaking view of the ocean that was captivating."Aiden and I always
Third person's POV"Yes, Aiden is Aiden Greenwood, and I'm Noah Greenwood. Tabitha, don't you think it sounds great?"Noah's eyes sparkled with anticipation. He seemed to care deeply about Tabitha's opinion on the names.A ripple stirred in Tabitha's heart. She nodded and said, "Yes, it sounds nice. How have you been these years?""Great. Alpha Derek knew I liked to draw, so he specially hired a famous teacher to guide me and arranged this school for me. Now I've caught up with the normal students' progress and even got a guaranteed admission spot with a full scholarship."Noah's face was beaming with pride and gratitude, his eyes filled with dreams for the future.Tabitha raised her hand, intending to pat the teenager's hair as she used to, but found she needed to lift her hand a bit to reach. She smiled and said, "I always knew you were amazing. How about Aiden? How is he?""He never had an interest in wr
Third person's POVTabitha returned to her room and saw that Ayla had already fallen asleep. She picked up a warm towel and gently wiped Ayla's face and hands, her eyes filled with affection and tenderness.As she turned to leave, she glanced out the window and saw a figure standing under the streetlight—it was Wilmot.He stood there motionless, like a statue, gazing directly in her direction with a look of desolation and deep affection in his eyes.Tabitha's heart stirred slightly, and she thought to herself, why was he putting himself through this?Lovesickness had always been the most tormenting, the relentless pursuit of something unattainable only leading to heartache and exhaustion.Tabitha only took a quiet look before closing the curtains.She reminded herself that since she couldn't respond to him, she shouldn't leave any hope, not allowing him to fall deeper into this unrequited affection.
Third person's POVDeep within her heart, she knew that if it weren't for Wilmot's relentless efforts to gather the funds and ransom her from that terrifying predicament, she would have been ruined, cast into an endless abyss of darkness from which she would never emerge."I failed to protect you, Ms. Hartley," Derek's voice was deep and hoarse, tinged with self-reproach.He had been standing there for some time, a thick layer of snow accumulating on his shoulders and hair, making him appear somewhat weary and forlorn.Tabitha walked slowly towards him, each step light and deliberate.Derek watched her approaching figure with an inexplicable sense of unease.His heart was in turmoil, wrestling with uncertainty over whether Tabitha had guessed his true identity and how she might react if she knew everything.Would she be angry and accusatory, or would she leave resolutely, or do something else he c
Third person's POVTabitha closed the car door and through the rearview mirror, she saw Gloria standing quietly by the roadside, her gaze following the car with a complex array of emotions—reluctance, helplessness, and something else that Tabitha couldn't quite put her finger on.Seeing Gloria like that caused a pang of pain in Tabitha's heart.She suddenly understood the look of heartache and helplessness that Gloria had given her when she was going through her own emotional turmoil.'The world of adults is like that. When misfortune strikes, they often have to keep it hidden inside, unable to express their emotions as freely as children, who can cry or laugh at will.''As an onlooker, even if one's heart aches, there's nothing that can be done but to watch, which is both helpless and heart-wrenching.'It wasn't until the car had driven so far away that Gloria was out of sight that Tabitha withdrew her gaze.
Third person's POVThey shared a laugh, and for a moment, it seemed as if time had reversed, bringing them back to the carefree and beautiful days of the past.However, deep down, they both knew that the past was gone and could never be returned to.Tabitha frowned, puzzled. "You always liked iced coffee, right? Why are you drinking hot tea now?"Gloria scratched her head, a bit embarrassed."Well, I was a bit too indulgent in my early years, always drinking iced coffee even in the dead of winter. The pain during my periods was unbearable. Now that I'm older, I've come to understand the importance of health. Look, I carry a thermos with me whenever I go out.""You should have done that long ago. I told you not to drink so much. As they say, people can't teach people. Experience teaches them in one go," Tabitha shook her head helplessly, speaking with a heavy heart.Gloria subconsciously touched her lower ab
Third person's POV Hearing Tabitha talking about him, Gloria was struck by the realization of how much time had passed since her last relationship. She paused for a moment, then feigned nonchalance, saying, "Why would I miss him? Wouldn't it be better to have money to support ten or eight muscular hunks? Why bother remembering his little love affairs? I'm a clear winner in life now. Women, we should focus on our careers, not fall into the trap of love." As she spoke, she exaggeratedly waved her arms, trying to make her words more convincing. Tabitha, hearing Gloria's words, couldn't help but smile, "Stop humiliating me, please." Upon reuniting with Tabitha, Gloria noticed a significant change in her. She had become much more cheerful and even joked with her from time to time. Gloria reached out and affectionately patted Tabitha's head. With a relieved smile on her face, she said, "My Tabitha has finally emerged from the shadows of that relationship. I'm so happy for you." "Yes