Derek's POV
Tabitha insisted, so I did not refuse."It's a bit far away. You can take a rest first," I told her.Tabitha had a stern face and said, "No need. I'm not sleepy."Ten minutes later, she fell asleep and her head was banging against the car window.I felt helpless. I didn't think I was dangerous, but why did she sit against the window?I reached out my long arm and took her into my arms.Tabitha opened her eyes and glanced at me, wanting to struggle, but she couldn't resist the drowsiness and was asleep again.These days, she got drowsy easily and slept a lot.I quietly held her in my arms. So much had happened in the past two or three years, and I hadn't had a peaceful moment with Tabitha like this in a long time.I prayed time would slow down for us.The car went up the mountain, and it was dark outside. Tabitha slowly woke up from her sleep.As soon as she found herself leaning on my chest, Tabitha moved away.<Tabitha's POVWhat happened in the forest?Obviously, Elena didn't just decide to bail on a whim. Someone must have approached her.I was quite anxious, but I didn't dare to run out and chase after her. I was pregnant now, so it was safer for me to stay here.Did Derek get shot?Just as that thought crossed my mind, with a loud bang, a bullet zipped through the darkness, grazing past my cheek and embedding itself straight into the wardrobe behind me.Startled, I completely froze, not daring to move an inch.Just then, I saw a man on the hillside not far away. Since he wasn't using a sniper rifle, his range was limited, which gave me the chance to make out his silhouette pretty clearly.The man was tall and slender, with a mask on his face, revealing only his eyes.When his gaze met mine, I called out his name immediately. "Lucian?"He didn't reply, just giving me one last intense look before turning around and disappearing into the w
Tabitha's POVSo, Lucian was a mercenary?And what was the deal with all those weapons he was hiding on the island?After Alvin quickly recounted what I had experienced, Derek rushed over to me."Are you hurt?"I shook my head. "No, after I heard the bullet, I hid in another room. His goal was probably just to escort Elena out, so he didn't fire again.""Those people might have laid something here in the house. Once they set it off, we wouldn't even have the time to escape."It's no longer safe here. Alvin, relocate Tabitha ASAP.""It's all set, Alpha." Alvin then turned to me, "Let's go.""I...""I know what you wanna say, Tabitha. We'll talk later. For now, I can only tell you that these people have a complicated background. If they are really after you, it will be tricky," Derek said with a serious tone."But don't worry. At least, for now, you're safe. Their main goal is getting Elena out of here. In the next couple of days,
Tabitha's POVFor safety reasons, I took a helicopter back to the city.As soon as I got home, Dad rushed over, eager to know if Derek and I had patched things up."How did everything go with Derek today?"Faced with his concerned expression, I had no choice but to lie. "It was all good, Dad. Nothing to worry about. We spent the whole day together.""That's good to know. I was worried you still held a grudge against him. The twins are growing up day by day, and they can sense stuff too. Only when you stay relaxed and happy can they be healthy."With that, he smiled and took me to see his latest work, a beautiful handmade wooden bed."Check this out! I've been working on this crib for days, and finally, it's done."The crib had cute little animals carved into each corner, and they were polished smooth enough that even if the babies bit them, they wouldn't get hurt.There was even a bedbell hanging above it. The crib was so delicate, even c
Third person's POVAs Tabitha had expected, Daphne indeed couldn't sleep, not out of excitement, but out of anger.Just a short while ago, her people followed Derek's car to a villa, which wasn't the property of the Black Thorn Pack. Given the large number of werewolf guards outside, it was obvious that Tabitha was holed up in there.Daphne couldn't believe that on the eve of their wedding, her groom actually went to his ex-mate's place.Rage simmered inside her, almost driving her crazy.'Tabitha, don't blame me for this. You crossed the line first!' Daphne thought to herself.It seemed that nobody slept well tonight. Even though Tabitha didn't want Derek in her room, he stubbornly sat by her bedside all night long.The moonlight spilled over him like a soft glow, and in that dim light, Tabitha saw his bandaged hand. Yet she chose not to say a word about it.Eventually, drowsiness took over, and she drifted off to sleep.Derek lay down b
John's POVI quickly wiped the panic off my face, my brain racing as I tried to come up with an explanation."Just throwing some flower branches I've trimmed into the trash can."Having said that, I chucked a bunch of branches in, covering up the torn invitation perfectly."John, just let us handle the manual labor. You should rest well.""It's okay, moving around a bit will help me recover faster. Has Tabitha gotten up yet?""No, she's been sleeping a lot lately. Sometimes she doesn't wake up until eleven o'clock."Thus, I replied, "It's good to get some extra sleep. By the way, I just remembered today is the birthday of an old friend of mine. Can I borrow your phone to make a call?"Joanna, being as a kind-hearted girl as she was, handed it to me right away without thinking twice. "Here you go."I then dialed a number as I stepped aside.Seeing I was avoiding her, Joanna backed off a bit. She did nothing more than look up to check
John's POVA few years ago, when I found out that Derek wasn't planning to hold a wedding ceremony, I was livid.Tabitha was my only daughter. How could I let a man take her just like this?Yet Tabitha kept begging me, saying Derek was her mate and she trusted him wholeheartedly.As for the wedding thing, she didn't care about it. She told me that they didn't need such a superficial thing to prove their love for each other.Since I never got the love I wanted in my life, I sincerely hoped that Tabitha would get hers, so I didn't insist on it.However, I never imagined that my compromise was a huge mistake. Since there was no wedding, no one knew that Tabitha was Derek's mate.How ridiculous!Now that he was marrying another woman, he let the whole world know about it.I felt so bad for Tabitha. She gave up everything for that man, and what did she get in return? Betrayal!Even her hand was injured because of him!He asked me and
Tabitha's POVJoanna recounted what had happened this morning."Come to think of it, John looked like he was trying to stay calm. Before we talked, he seemed to be tearing something apart."With that, she tipped over the trash can that hadn't been cleaned out yet. And something bright red stood out like a sore thumb."What is this?" Joanna scrambled to piece that thing back together. "Oh no, it's the wedding invitation. John must have seen it. And he borrowed my phone before saying he was heading back to his room. Could it be that he was already in the hotel?"My heart sank. "When did it happen?""About half an hour ago.""Shit, get the car ready! I'm heading over there right now! I have to stop Dad!"He hadn't been in touch with the outside world for over two years, so he had no idea what had happened.If he found out about Holly's death and Derek's betrayal in his current state, there was no way he could handle it.I immediately tr
John's POVI paced around for a while but didn't see Derek anywhere. And there were no signs of Mark and Holly, either.As far as I knew, Daphne was Mark's only daughter. How could he not show up when she was getting married today?I spotted Alpha Justin, though. He looked like he'd aged ten years overnight, and there wasn't a hint of joy on his face. Everything felt off.After wandering around for a bit, I started feeling worn out. Just when I was about to find a spot to chill for a minute, I heard a woman's voice from the lounge area nearby."Daphne, do you think Tabitha will show up?"The mentioning of Tabitha's name caught my attention.I followed the direction of the voice, only to find a woman sitting in a wheelchair wearing her wedding dress. She looked just like the bride on the huge poster at the entrance.So this was the girl Derek was marrying?How come she would be in a wheelchair? Was she paralyzed?At first, I had prepa
Third person's POVDerek loosened his grip slightly, allowing her to breathe. "Sorry, I can't see. No idea what's going on," he muttered."You're in a tub. No dialysis here—just using heat to sweat out the wolfsbane. I was checking your condition," Tabitha explained, her tone flat.Derek realized his mistake. "Apologies.""Now that you're more lucid, let's do a quick check-up. How do you feel?""Body's burning. Blind as a bat. Hearing's there but muffled, ringing in the ears. Headache, chest tightness, shortness of breath, weak limbs...""Your entire body's under toxin attack. Recovery will take time. Don't stress. You're in good shape—should bounce back faster. Can you stand? Let me see your condition."The tub's dark liquid hid Derek's nudity, so Tabitha didn't push him to move.Derek suddenly realized something. "Wait, I'm naked?""Yep."Silence.His face twisted in discomfort."I'm a
Third person's POV"Are you serious?" Tabitha frowned. "This is life or death. Do you want him to die?""You don't get it," Alvin said quickly. "That woman isn't really Alpha Derek's fiancée. She made it up to convince Mrs. Atkinson to help. Derek's got someone else—someone he loves. If he finds out she fed him the medicine, he'll lose it.""So what? It's just medicine. I can't exactly summon his 'someone else' here," Tabitha muttered."Everything else is negotiable, but Alpha Derek's stubborn about this. He's loved Tabitha his whole life. He won't let another woman touch him intimately. I can't make that call for him. Any other ideas?"Tabitha froze. Tabitha? She hadn't heard that name in years."Since he loves Tabitha so much, where is she? Why isn't she here?""Tabitha left over three years ago. Derek's searched everywhere but couldn't find her. This time, he got distracted because someone hired a Tabitha look-alike. T
Third person's POVAlvin froze, panic rising. "Sorry, Alpha Derek's delirious," he blurted, terrified of offending Doctor Venessa."Get his clothes off and put him in the tub," Tabitha instructed, turning away to sort herbs."Fully?" Alvin asked, unsure."Fully," Tabitha confirmed, her voice flat.Alvin hesitated, then stripped Derek bare.Tabitha's mind flashed with memories of Derek's body—the same one she'd once known intimately.Compared to when she'd left, Derek's physique was more muscular.When she'd gripped his waist earlier, she'd distinctly felt the elasticity and definition of his muscles.Now, with his clothes removed, several new scars were visible across his chest.She'd watched him from afar over the years, always avoiding contact, always ensuring she remained invisible to him.Several times over the years, Derek had nearly crossed paths with Tabitha during missions. Each time, she deli
Third person's POVTabitha was used to Alvin calling her by name. Hearing him call her "doctor" made her wince."Use a different name," she said."May I know your name, Doctor?""Vanessa."Wait, what?Alvin nearly choked. "You're Vanessa? The all-around physician?"An "all-around physician" was a rarity—doctors usually specialized.But Vanessa wasn't just rare. She was legendary.Alvin had first heard her name last year when she became one of the few surgeons capable of performing interdental artificial cornea surgery.The procedure was so complex it required collaboration across dental, ophthalmological, and radiological fields.Yet Vanessa, a twenty-something newcomer, pulled it off.Media swarmed, patients flocked—but she vanished.Then came a high-risk heart surgery, again under her name.Another worldwide sensation.Reporters chased shadows. She remained elusive,
Third person's POVA cold female voice cut through the tension, "One more tear and you're out. You're deafening."Misha's open mouth froze mid-sob, the comical expression plastered on her face.She glanced around, finally noticing the unfamiliar woman in the room. "Who is she?" she demanded."This is the miracle doctor who can save Alpha Derek. Show some respect," Rolf warned, wary of Misha's infamous temper flaring up again.Despite her pride, Misha's love for Derek was genuine.She quickly composed herself. "Of course, Doctor. I entrust my Derek to you," she said, the possessive words slipping out before she could catch them.Rolf's eyebrow twitched. Since when was Derek "hers"?Alma appeared in the doorway. "You're back.""Yes," the woman replied, her tone neutral."Let me introduce everyone. These folks are here for treatment. The young man's poisoned—Nine-Heart Wolfsbane, nearly dead. The hysterical one
Third person's POVRolf's eyes were red and puffy from crying. "What's Alpha Derek trying to do?" he blubbered."Let him have this one last moment of freedom," Alvin said, holding Rolf back.The mountain wind chilled their tears, but Derek couldn't feel it anymore.His knees shook with every movement, each step draining what little strength he had left.Still, he didn't give up, gritting his teeth and forcing one foot in front of the other.The child stood bathed in sunlight—just a few steps away, and he could hold her.What should've been a quick stride took dozens of seconds, maybe longer.Hedwig stood with her back to him, pigeons swirling around her. A speckled one landed on her finger, cooing.Hedwig's eyes lit up—her mom was back!She spun around to see Derek lurching toward her, unsteady and lifeless yet driven by sheer will.He reached out, fingers trembling, when his body swayed dangero
Third person's POVWhy did it have to be Derek?Alvin's fists tightened as he stared at the horizon. Derek had lived with a clear conscience—except for Tabitha. He didn't deserve this end.But Alvin wasn't a healer. All he could do was watch as Derek's breaths grew shallower, his skin paler.The bell tinkled again—Hedwig had followed them here.When they finally stopped, Alvin eased Derek against a gnarled pine, its needles pricking Derek's back like needles of ice."This spot's good," Alvin said, voice cracking. "You'll see the sunrise."Derek nodded weakly. "Good."The mountain wind bit through Derek's coat, but it cleared his head a little."Alvin... my biggest regret was letting Daphne's demands tear Tabitha and me apart. If I hadn't blamed her for Silver Moon Pack's problems... none of this would've happened.""Alpha Derek, you had your reasons," Alvin said, though the words felt hollow."R
Third person's POVHedwig couldn't speak, but she was wise beyond her years—quiet, helpful, and already versed in basic healing.Derek wished he could play with her, but time was slipping through his fingers. After eating the fruit she'd given him, he picked up his pen again.All night, he didn't rest.He could feel the life Hedwig had breathed into him fading. His senses were dulling again.But the will was done. Now, he only wanted to write letters—to Tabitha, to his kids, Kyrian, Helios and Ayla.The poison was moving faster than it should've. Every letter cost him energy, accelerating the venom's grip.First, he wrote to Kyrian. "Be a good man. Lead the pack with your heart, not just your claws."Derek's chest ached. He'd failed Kyrian, leaving him to shoulder the pack's weight alone.But love? That never faded.Next, his mother.The letter was short—"Take care of Kyrian. If Tabitha ev
Third person's POVAt the mention of the word "will," Rolf's face, which had been tense for days, crumpled. His eyes instantly reddened."Alpha Derek, you don't need a will! You're gonna be fine, you hear me?!"But at this moment, Derek became calm. "I don't have much time left. It took me a lot of effort to get to this camp. Even if I leave, it would take a day. What's the point of leaving if she comes back right after I go? It's better to stay here. If she doesn't come back in the end, I at least need to settle things, I can't just die without any explanation.""Alpha Derek...""Alvin, go get it," Derek said.Alvin's eyes welled up. "Alright."Alban, with red eyes, said, "I'm sorry, kid. I couldn't help you this time.""Dr. Weaver, I'm already grateful to you. You're right, there are some things beyond our control. I guess this is just my fate."In just two days, Derek had gone from a healthy man to someone whose organ