Derek's POV
After hanging up the phone, I looked at the pile of new evidence in front of me.During the time Tabitha was not in Seattle, I devoted all my time to finding out everything about Poison and Wolf Shadow and digging into some old stuff.I tracked down the pack where Ethan used to be and found a photo of a child from some nearby werewolves. The kid looked very much like Vilda and a bit like Ethan.Though I couldn't find the kid, his existence said it all.All that talk about Vilda being pregnant with John's kid and being pushed into a corner proved to be nothing but a big, fat lie.Someone spread the rumors on purpose to tarnish John's reputation.And the person even pinned John's worsening condition on me.Whoever was behind all this had the whole thing planned out from the get-go.But it seemed like this person wasn't trying to hurt me. Instead, the person wanted to drive a wedge between me and Tabitha.To make me reject hDerek's POVI pinched the bridge of my nose, lowered my head, and said in a low voice, "I never wanna hurt her again, neither physically nor mentally.""But finally, you've got a chance to cut things off with Miss Sutton. I'm afraid there will never be such a good reason again," suggested Alvin.In others' eyes, it seemed obvious what I should do, as Mark's offer would only do me good. But I didn't say yes.On the contrary, I turned him down at the risk of offending him."It's never the Amber's Eye Pack that forces me to be together with Daphne."It's my promise to Randall. I promised him I'd take care of Daphne for him.""Alpha Derek...""Enough. I want you to do something for me. Tabitha can't wait to be back, and I don't have time to deal with them slowly."Alvin gave a reluctant nod. "Yes, Alpha Derek."I looked out the window at the pitch-black night, thinking, 'Tabitha, I'd make things right for you and get back what was yours.
Tabitha's POVSitting in the helicopter, I heard nothing except for the rotor roar outside the window. The cabin was dead quiet.Perhaps feeling uneasy because of the silence, Mark finally spoke up, "I don't get it. Blood ritual is one of the traditions of us werewolves. We have strong self-healing abilities, so losing a bit of blood isn't a big deal."Besides, Holly is your mom. Is giving her a hand that difficult for you?"Hearing his words, I couldn't help but sneer.Crystal growled in my mind, "They've hurt us!""Yes. I won't forget that," I replied inwardly, kinda reminding myself too.Then I turned and looked at Mark, scoffing, "Will you be this forgiving towards a werewolf who wants you dead?"Mark froze.I continued, "The second Holly chose to save Daphne instead of me, she's no longer my mom. As I said, I owe her nothing now."Mark opened his mouth as if trying to say something.But I turned away, ignoring him completel
Tabitha's POV"Isn't it obvious? A woman like you doesn't deserve his love at all. I want you to see with your own eyes how he pushes you from heaven straight to hell.""To frame me, you went as far as killing Elena?! She didn't do anything wrong. Who gave you the right to end her life?!" I spat, fuming.The woman's eyes flickered.Although Crystal had been put to sleep, I could feel her wolf getting restless."You're so noisy. You know what? I changed my mind," she snorted.She put away the blade and took out another syringe she had prepared."Look, this is a newly developed poison. Just one milliliter, and you'll bite the dust. Don't worry. It won't hurt much. In less than 30 seconds, you'll kiss the world goodbye for good."You ought to feel lucky. You're the first ever werewolf who has the privilege to test this wolfsbane potion," she said, looking down at me.Wolfsbane potion? It reminded me of the wolfsbane smeared on my abdominal w
Derek's POVI was now in a forested suburb of Seattle.This place was once set for development, but after the locals moved out, nothing ever got built.Over time, it just turned into a ghost town—totally abandoned.In the pouring rain, I saw some old rundown buildings and a couple of crows standing on old power poles.I didn't come here for travel, obviously. I was leading the shifters of my pack and the mercenary squad I sponsored to the den of Poison and Wolf Shadow.Gunfire was blasting away, totally wrecking the peace in these woods.Unbeknownst to them, we had this base surrounded.In the quiet forest, flames were flickering everywhere.The shifters of the Black Thorn Pack had been through the Gamma's hardcore training. On the contrary, while those rogues from Poison and Wolf Shadow were shifters as well, they were mainly engaged in research.They had little experience in combat.Soon, they scattered and fled.Th
Derek's POVI was already soaked by the heavy rain, but Rolf still held the umbrella over my head."Alpha Derek, it's raining hard. Besides, Tabitha is with Mr. Sutton. Shall we go back?"I lowered my head and slowly said, "Dig up the coffin."Rolf replied out of habit, "OK."He was stunned for a whole five seconds before he realized what he had heard. "What?"With a loud sound, the thunder rumbled through the sky as the lightning shone on everything. I grabbed the edge of the tombstone as I exerted more strength, saying word by word, "I said, dig up the coffin."Rolf stuttered."A-Alpha Derek, really? It's in the middle of the night. It's a bit ... inappropriate, don't you think?"I didn't bother to explain to him. Rolf was never as clever as Alvin."Get someone to dig the grave and open the coffin. Now!" I ordered with authority."Got it." Rolf jumped into action immediately.I wasn't gonna wait and do nothing. When my me
Derek's POV Alvin obviously didn't believe it. "No way! We've run a test. How could that be?" "This time, the tissue was extracted from the bone of the body. You saw the results yourself. They're not related at all. The report back then was tampered with." Alvin was shocked. "If she's not Elena, who is she?" "We haven't seen Elena in years. We decided it was Elena just because of her face as well as the DNA report." Rolf thought for a while and added, "Maybe she didn't look like Elena at all. She went through plastic surgery to change her looks just to fool us." I sat aside, listening to their conversation while saying nothing. Rolf glanced at me. After a moment of hesitation, he said, "So, we've got good news and bad news. The good news is that Elena isn't dead. She's been taking care of Alpha Derek all these years disguised as a janitor. "The bad news is that Alpha Derek thought she was dead and has taken it out on the Silver Moon Pack and Tabitha." My mind was in turmoil.
Tabitha's POV"Mark, you look serious. It ... didn't work?"He sighed and then handed me the paper bag. "See for yourself."I didn't know what he meant. Something told me it wasn't just about the effect of the potion.Did he know my wound wouldn't heal?Even so, he didn't have to look so stern.Puzzled, I slowly opened the paper bag. There were two reports inside, and the first was the results of the treatment.Sure enough, the potion made from my blood did not work.That made sense.After all, that treatment method was very ancient and lacked practice.I already knew the result from the look on Mark's face.Then I picked up the second report, which was a DNA test report.I frowned, not knowing why he would conduct this test.But as my eyes slid down the page and spotted my name and Holly's name, I was dumbfounded.The results showed that we weren't a match!I was so caught up in Elena's stuff that I never ev
Tabitha's POVI looked up and glanced at Mark, who had pulled a long face and said nothing.Then I shifted my gaze to Holly. She was still immersed in her own memories without noticing our expressions."I've never paid attention to your performance in school, and I've never cared about what you liked. I was away for years, and I've never called you. Not even once. I left you behind while you were so little. I bet you hate me, right?""I..." I sniffed, hesitating whether to tell her the truth.Mark sighed, "Holly, calm down. What I'm about to say is very important."I wiped away my tears and reached out to dry Holly's face.Holly blinked in confusion. "What is it exactly?"Mark said concisely, "The bad news is that the potion made with Tabitha's blood didn't work.""I see. I was prepared for that," she replied, not looking fazed.Mark continued, "And the good news is, Tabitha isn't your daughter. Your biological daughter is out there
It wasn't until the bamboo flute's melody faded completely that Misha collapsed to the ground like a puppet whose strings had been cut.She felt as though she'd lost half her life force, every ounce of strength drained from her body.Initially planning to leave the next day, Misha fell ill that very night.Delirious and raving, she was swallowed by confusion.Back at their quarters, Rolf returned with a face flushed with excitement, eager to recount yesterday's events to Alvin in vivid detail.Gesturing wildly, he said, "You should've seen it—spectacular! Those snakes came pouring in from every direction, like something out of a horror movie. It gave me the creeps just watching."Alvin listened, his brow furrowing with each passing word.Recalling Alma's parting words— "See that you behave" —a nagging sense of unease settled in his stomach. Misha's illness felt anything but coincidental."What're you thinking?" Rolf asked, noti
Rolf was so focused on escaping that he barely had time to marvel at the spectacle unfolding before him."If this isn't a nightmare, I don't know what is", he thought, sprinting for his life.He knew if he fell, he'd be bitten to death by the venomous snakes.Never in his life had Rolf run so fast. He sprinted in the direction of the sound, desperation lending him strength.Up ahead, perched in a peach tree like a guardian angel, sat Hedwig.Her tiny fingers danced over a bamboo flute, its melody ringing in the charged air.To Rolf and Misha, however, the "ding-dong" notes felt like a death knell tolling ever closer.Snakes swarmed from all directions like a rising tide. Rolf knew if this kept up, they'd both end up as snake fodder.Panic clawed at his throat. Without a word to Misha, he unceremoniously dumped her onto the ground.Misha was still disoriented when she was roughly thrown to the ground. Before she could rea
"Agreed," Alvin replied. The memory of Hedwig's earlier glare at Misha sent a shiver down his spine.He had a foreboding that Misha might already be in Hedwig's crosshairs.Given that this was Hedwig's home turf, Alvin worried their group might not stand a chance in a confrontation.This added a layer of anxiety to an already tense situation.Meanwhile, Tabitha remained fast asleep, a serene smile playing on her lips.After a short play with the fawn, a pigeon flew in from outside the cave and landed on Hedwig's shoulder, cooing softly. Hedwig paused at the sound, glancing at Tabitha still lost in slumber.With a moment of hesitation, she quietly rose and tiptoed away, not wanting to disturb Tabitha's rest.Misha, who had always sailed through life with ease, had encountered her greatest challenge in the form of unrequited love.Ever since Derek had rescued her, she had vowed to marry him when she grew up.Throughout her
Hedwig nodded understandingly, her face lighting up with innocent joy.She carefully lowered herself onto the lawn and gently pressed a sweet kiss to Tabitha's cheek, her movements as delicate as a butterfly's wings.Her movements were incredibly gentle, for fear of disturbing Tabitha.Then, she sat quietly by the pool, watching butterflies dance around them—a scene so serene it could have been plucked from a masterpiece painting.Tabitha's exhaustion overwhelmed her, her eyelids growing heavier by the second until she drifted into a deep sleep by the pool's edge.Her long, silk-like hair cascaded down, and without her mask, her porcelain skin glowed.Compared to before, she seemed even more beautiful now, like a sleeping fairy, radiating an enchanting charm.Hedwig stayed by her side without disturbing Tabitha, quietly gathering herbs nearby with focused and skillful movements.The forest creatures adored her—a faw
Misha watched Tabitha and Alma walk away, her anger flaring up again.She glared at the back of Tabitha's head and instinctively touched her red cheek.Growing up, she had never been treated like this. The humiliation filled her heart with resentment."Once Derek's poison is neutralized, I'll make them pay", she vowed silently.Alban, seeing the hatred in Misha's eyes, felt a chill.He knew Misha's background—her family's influence was no secret. He'd brought her here out of concern for Derek's blood type.Having watched Misha and Derek grow up, he was well aware of their temperaments.Given Misha's current state, he feared she would cause more trouble.So, he tried to persuade her again, "Look, things are under control here. It's not proper for a young lady like you to stay. I'll have someone escort you out.""I'm not leaving, Dr. Weaver. I'm staying to take care of Derek!" Misha said stubbornly, turning her head
Misha's eyes welled up the moment she saw Derek awake. She lunged toward him, crying, "I've been so worried!"Derek sidestepped her embrace instinctively and said coolly, "I'm fine. I've delayed you long enough. I need to stay for treatment; you should head back."Misha's jaw dropped in shock.Misha had traveled so far and gone through so much, only to hear Derek tell her to leave as soon as he woke up."I need to care for you—your eyesight's impaired. I've already taken leave," she pleaded."You'll be fine. Rolf and Alvin are here. It's not convenient for you, a young woman, to stay," Derek insisted.Misha stamped her foot in frustration. "What's inconvenient about it? You're not married, and neither am I. Remember when we were on missions together? We took care of each other then, didn't we?"Alma happened to pass by and overhear the conversation, finally realizing that Misha had been the one making advances all along.
Derek jolted awake after an hour of sleep.In a daze, sensing someone beside him, he instinctively pulled them into his arms, exclaiming, "Tabitha, you came for me."Alvin sighed, "Alpha Derek, it's me."Derek fumbled blindly in the air, urgency lacing his voice, "Where's Tabitha? Where did she go?""You were dreaming again," Alvin explained patiently."A dream?" Derek frowned, confusion washing over him.But why did the dream feel so real? So real that he could almost feel the give of Tabitha's skin, recall the touch of her body, and even remember the warmth of her flesh. Her voice still seemed to linger in his ears."Tabitha's probably miles away. She couldn't be here," Alvin added.Derek's heart sank, the joy from moments ago replaced by emptiness. It felt as though he'd found his most precious treasure, only to realize it was just a dream.He bowed his head, a bitter smile tugging at his lips. "Right, how could I rea
At Derek's words, Tabitha was suddenly reminded of his words from years ago, when he had said the person in his dreams was her.She couldn't help but wonder what exactly this scoundrel had done to her in his dreams."Tabitha, hold me," Derek pleaded like a petulant child.Tabitha recalled the early days of their marriage. Back then, Derek was reticent and self-absorbed in bed, rarely showing any emotion or expressing his feelings.She often doubted whether he even liked her, if not for the fact that his actions left her bedridden the next day.Derek had locked all his emotions in an airtight box, allowing no one to peek inside.But over the years, their dynamics had done a complete turnaround.Now, Tabitha buried her feelings deep within, becoming cold and distant, while Derek had transformed into someone unrecognizably vulnerable and open.At this moment, Derek was like an overly affectionate, enthusiastic dog, intimately fami
Tabitha was deeply focused on listening to Derek's heartbeat. Irritated by his question, she simply hushed him with a "Shh" and said, "Don't talk." Her attention was entirely on his heart rate. She had no intention of being distracted by others.After finishing with his heartbeat, Tabitha gently pried open Derek's eyelids for a closer look.His pupils were dull and lifeless, making it impossible to assess the internal damage with the naked eye.It seemed that only after administering the antidote and conducting a professional examination outside could they determine the extent of the eye damage.Tabitha silently resolved that if they could just detoxify him, there would be hope for the gradual recovery of his other organs.At Tabitha's "Shh," Derek obediently fell silent.Despite feeling as though he were in a dream, he cherished this fleeting moment, thinking that even an extra minute with Tabitha would give him more memories to hold onto i