Tabitha's POVI was already seriously ill, and the bullet put me in a more severe condition. My high fever lasted the whole night.I felt like I was drowning in the vast ocean, struggling to stay afloat, mumbling to myself in a blur."Mom, I'm so cold. Please don't leave me."Don't leave me behind, my pup! Take me with you."It hurts like hell to live in this world."Ouch..."My wolf instinctively wanted to take over so as to alleviate my pain, but we were too weak that we could barely muster that strength.Sometimes, when I was conscious, I caught Jasper looking at me with red eyes, worry written all over his face."Tabitha, I'll keep you safe, I swear," he whispered, his voice filled with determination.After being in a coma for a whole day, I finally came around.My wrist had been bandaged, white gauze wrapping tight around it. Yet it couldn't prevent pain from the slightest movements.It wasn't a nightmare. Derek did shoot me."Tabitha, you woke up," exclaimed Jasper, with palpabl
Derek's POVAfter pausing for a while, I piped up again, "What did you say? Kidney transplant?"My voice echoed in the hospital corridor."Yeah, why would Ms. Hartley go through all these tests if she didn't wanna be his donor?" the nurse replied while watching me with confusion, as if not understanding my reaction."Alpha Derek, we've got excellent organ transplant doctors here, and it's tough to get a donor. So tell them to hurry..."Before she could even finish, I dashed out of the hospital.It finally dawned on me why Klein came to Tabitha's rescue—she'd agreed to be his donor if she was a match!Being a werewolf, I knew how crucial a healthy kidney was for us.Losing one wasn't fatal, but Tabitha would be less strong and healthy.She was so young. How could I bear to let her make such a sacrifice?"Alpha Derek, Tabitha's no longer in Seattle, and Klein's MIA too. We can't track them down for now," said Alvin. I furrowed my brows, feeling deeply worried."Alpha Derek, you should r
Tabitha's POVWatching people around me perish one by one filled me with an unprecedented fear.John was the last hope that kept me going.I had to do my best to keep him by my side.I wanted to clean Dad's body, but my injured hand rendered the simple wish almost impossible.I couldn't even handle a simple job like wringing out a towel.Jasper, seeing my embarrassment, considerately wrung the towel dry for me. Then he patiently soothed me, "Tabitha, don't worry. Derek avoided the vital areas. Maybe your hand will heal in time. You shouldn't give up hope."I scoffed, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. "So you're saying I should be thankful that he showed mercy?"I looked at my useless wrist and added in a cold voice, "My biggest regret is not being able to kill Elena. That damn psycho!"I realized that there was something wrong with Elena when I saw her reaction to pain. Even in extreme agony, she bit her lip hard, refusing to make a single sound."Tabitha, Elena is in poor health, and
Tabitha's POVKlein's reassurance gradually calmed my nerves. Time ticked by in my anticipation.When the OR door finally opened, I almost ran up to it."Jasper, how did it go?" I asked, feeling a mix of hope and jitters.Jasper took off his gloves and mask and let out a sigh of relief. "Tabitha, rest assured, the surgery was successful. John's gonna come around today." This news filled me with an indescribable sense of relief and gratitude.I had been living in constant fear, perhaps due to all those schemes and intrigues. Luckily, the Moon Goddess finally had my back this time.Dad, as if hearing my prayer, came to before long.The moment his eyes opened, I felt like I was in some wild dream.I stammered, my lips quivering, "D-dad, you finally came around."He looked at me with a gentle gaze, mumbling, "T-Tabby."Jasper explained, "John's brain nerves are damaged, so he'll experience temporary mobility difficulties and slurred speech. To fix them, he's gonna need a bunch of rehabili
Tabitha's POVI knew that Klein was unwilling to accept my kidney, but a twist of fate made our kidneys match.His advanced kidney failure left him with no choice but to rely on dialysis just to stay alive.As the family's heir, he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. So, despite his reluctance, he had to get that transplant done ASAP.Klein looked at me, a hint of empathy in his eyes. "Tabitha, if you wanna back out, I won't blame you. I can find another donor."I shook my head and replied firmly, "Klein, I've made up my mind."We weren't related by blood, but he helped me again and again. The only way I could repay him was to give him my kidney.My hands were already disabled, and I was suffering from a serious illness. I probably didn't have much time left.Being able to help Klein before my time ran out gave me a strange sense of comfort.I reassured him, "You don't have to worry about anything. I'm an adult, so I know what I
Derek's POVI led a group of elite shifters and landed on this deserted island.Blood was pumping through my veins like crazy, and I had only one thought in my mind: "I gotta find Tabitha and stop her from donating her kidney!"The island wasn't huge, and my crew had been through countless fights.Thus, before long, we tracked down the OR.I kicked the door open, and there was Tabitha with a fresh cut on her wrist. But fortunately, it wasn't too deep. So I wasn't so late after all.So I wasn't so late after all."How dare you!" I roared, my eyes ablaze with rage.Alvin and the other shifters charged into the room, their voices steady as rocks. "Drop the scalpel!"Tabitha glared at me, her eyes filled with hatred. "What the hell are you doing here?"I fumbled to stop her bleeding while answering, "To stop you from making a dumb mistake!"As her mate, I could feel her pain as if it was my own. So I grimaced, too.Soon, I care
Tabitha's POVWhen Derek and I were in a deadlock, a shifter wheeled Dad in.Seeing him lying there, I felt endless bitterness in my heart.He was my only family, always looking out for me like no one else.My poor old man didn't know that Derek was why he ended up this way.I forced myself to hide the pain, not wanting him to find out anything.Derek's big hand enveloped mine, his voice gentle yet making me feel nauseous. "John, I'm sorry for being such a jerk. I was so busy with work that I failed to take care of you and Tabitha."I felt the heat from his palm, but it didn't bring me any comfort.Sure enough, Derek caged me again.He brought me back to Rose Manor, the place where he planted a rose garden just to impress me.I hadn't been here in two years, and the garden had totally overgrown.All kinds of roses swayed in the evening breeze as if mocking my past ignorance.Derek piped up, "Tabitha, from now on, you and Jo
Derek's POVI wasn't putting on a show.I was going all out to help John get back on his feet because I sincerely felt guilty for what I'd done to John and Tabitha.I had never served anyone before in my life. But when it came to taking care of John, I spared no effort.While working from home, I'd thrown just about all my time into John's recovery process.Over the past week, I'd witnessed John go from barely being able to string a sentence together to being able to slowly but clearly express his thoughts.His cheeks were less pale, too.Right now, he held my hand and said with concern, "Derek, don't just focus on me. You should pay attention to Tabitha, too. Don't ignore her."I assured him, "John, don't worry. I'll spend equal time taking care of you two."Despite Tabitha scoffing at my promise, I was sticking to my guns.Every day, after finishing taking care of John, I headed back to my room to schedule some treatment for Tabith
Third person's POVIn such a short time, Kyrian had already figured out his place in Tabitha's heart. He knew exactly where her soft spots were and used his natural childlike tears as a "weapon" to try to keep her from leaving.Though this might not make Tabitha happy, she couldn't bring herself to refuse him.What parent could say no to a child crying for candy?Especially when that child was the one she owed so much to, the one she wanted to give the entire world to.But he didn't want the world. He just wanted Tabitha to stay."I..." Tabitha started to speak, but Kyrian cut her off."Mom, I love you so much, and you love me, and my siblings too. I already don't have a complete family. Do you want my siblings to grow up without a dad, only imagining what he looks like, envying other kids' happy families? Mom, haven't you heard? A happy, complete childhood can heal a person for life, but an incomplete one takes a lifetime to heal."
Third person's POV"Back then was back then. Now is now. But I promise you, no matter what happens, I'll always love you," Tabitha said softly, gently stroking Kyrian's head. Her hand brushed through his soft fur, the warmth of a mother's love flowing through her touch.Kyrian's voice was small, tinged with hope. "Mom, can you spare a little love for Dad? He's actually kind of pitiful."His eyes showed sympathy for Derek. In his heart, both his parents were his greatest loves, and he longed for a complete family."There are plenty of people in this world who love your dad. He doesn't need mine," Tabitha replied, her tone carrying a hint of stubbornness. Despite her lingering feelings for Derek, the pain of the past made it hard for her to forgive."But to Dad, you're like oxygen to a fish. A fish can't live without oxygen," Kyrian said, snuggling closer to Tabitha.He pressed his body against hers, as if clinging to her love would make it st
Third person's POVKyrian obediently climbed over and was immediately pulled into Tabitha's embrace.From here, they could see the beautiful scenery outside. Kyrian realized that the training grounds looked completely different from this angle—probably because his mother was by his side.Tabitha smiled softly, her voice warm. "I chose your name. You were born with all my love.""Mom, you must have loved Dad a lot back then," Kyrian said, looking up with curious eyes."Yes, very much," Tabitha admitted honestly. "No matter how I feel about your dad now, you are my precious child, born after seven months of carrying you. Your dad took you away, and I didn't even know you existed. That's why I missed so many years of your life. But you need to know, I thought about you every single day. There wasn't a moment when I didn't miss you or wonder about you. I love you more than anyone in the world."Kyrian's mood brightened, a happy smile sprea
Third person's POVKyrian watched nervously as Tabitha cleaned and dressed his wounds.He didn't dare breathe too loudly, his eyes glued to her every move. His gaze was filled with dependence and longing.Every now and then, he'd glance quickly at Derek, his eyes questioning, desperate for reassurance that this wasn't a dream."Dad, is Mom really back?" His voice trembled, carrying the fragility and hope unique to a child.Derek reached out and gently tapped his nose. "Silly boy, she's really here."Kyrian's tense body relaxed slightly, and a shy smile crept onto his face.When Tabitha applied the ointment a little too firmly, he winced but stayed silent.His hands gripped the hem of his shirt, his knuckles turning white from the pressure. He was afraid that if he cried out in pain, Tabitha might leave.In his heart, he thought, As long as Mom stays, this pain is nothing.Kyrian had always been well-behaved, but n
Third person's POVAzazel was furious.To be honest, he hadn't planned to take things this far with Kyrian.He showed Kyrian some respect, but deep down, he knew most of the children here were orphans with no one to rely on.He'd been provoking Kyrian because he refused to fall in line. After all this time, Kyrian still wouldn't listen to him.Azazel had wanted to teach him a lesson and assert his dominance in front of the others.But Kyrian was tougher than he'd expected. Instead of backing down, he even fought back with a fierce determination that burned in his eyes.What's wrong with him? Why won't he give up?"You're dead, brat," Azazel snarled, raising his fist to deliver a crushing blow to Kyrian's head."Stop!"Kyrian closed his eyes, bracing for the impact his small body couldn't possibly withstand. But the blow never came.A hand shot out, gripping Azazel's wrist.Everyone turned to see Tabitha, breathless from running.Thankfully, she'd made it in time.What she didn't know
Third person's POVKyrian had barely taken a few bites when a tall boy walked over and flipped his tray onto the floor, sneering, "Go on, eat that."Tabitha's fists clenched in anger. "How can they bully him like this? He's already struggling!"Derek held her back. "Tabitha, don't act rashly. This place isn't just about physical training for him."Tabitha frowned. "Then what else is he here for?"Derek explained, "For people like us, growing up means training alongside peers who'll become your most trusted allies—like Alvin and Rolf. These are the people who'd take a bullet for you on the battlefield. If Kyrian grows up sheltered, handed a team of strangers, do you think they'd truly respect or protect him? One wrong move, and he could end up dead."Tabitha's anger began to fade. "What are you saying?"Derek's tone grew serious. "He's not just training his body. He's learning to lead, to earn the loyalty of these kids. They'll b
Third person's POVThe car slowly emerged from the underground garage, breaking through the darkness into the open air.The streets were adorned with mistletoe trees, people bustling about in preparation for Christmas."It's been years since we celebrated together," Derek said suddenly, his voice tinged with nostalgia."Yeah." In those days when survival was all that mattered, Tabitha hadn't had the luxury of thinking about holidays."It's the last day of the year. Where are you taking me?" Tabitha glanced at Derek."You'll see."The car wound its way out of the city, into the countryside. Snowflakes danced in the air, painting the world in white.The road grew steeper, the landscape wilder. Soon, there were no buildings in sight—just endless trees and snow.Tabitha gripped the armrest as the car jolted over uneven terrain. After what felt like hours, they reached a remote valley deep in the mountains. Even their p
Third person's POVTabitha had been his most promising student. As a freshman, she'd become his assistant, shadowing him in clinics and even observing surgeries.He had placed his highest hopes in her, demanding perfection during her training.To him, Tabitha was a once-in-a-generation talent—he was merely her starting point, not her ceiling.Dr. Fairbanks had been both a mentor and father figure to her. And she had let him down."Is Dr. Fairbanks… doing alright?" Tabitha asked quietly.Alban's voice turned cold. "No. He says he once had a student who made him proud—until she threw away her future for a man."Tears welled up in Tabitha's eyes.She still remembered the day she submitted her withdrawal letter. Dr. Fairbanks rushed to the school, still wearing his surgical scrubs with a scalpel clutched in his hand.At first, he thought something catastrophic had happened—had her family gone bankrup
Third person's POVDerek released Tabitha. Over the past few days, he thought he had made himself clear, but Misha seemed to be someone who couldn't be driven away."Misha, I've already made it clear to you before. I don't feel that way about you. Stop doing these things. What you're doing won't move anyone. It will only move yourself."Misha wiped her tears, her face full of sorrow, "But, but I just wanted to be a little kinder to you.""Feelings need to be reciprocated by both parties. If only one side gives, isn't that unrequited love? I can't give you any response."Misha pointed at Tabitha's face, "What about her! She doesn't love you either. Aren't you also in unrequited love?""This is my freedom. Instead of focusing all your energy on me, you should go and find a life that belongs to you. I can't give you what you want. Bringing food like that is something a girlfriend should do."Derek's words were ruthless. Misha ran out cry