Tabitha's POV
Amidst the crowd, my eyes locked with Klein's.A whirlwind of complicated feelings rushed through me, finally settling on guilt.I had agreed to give him my kidney, and that day, he was all prepped and ready for surgery. But at the last minute, Derek swooped in and took me away.I didn't even get to say I was sorry before leaving.After I was brought back to Seattle, my number got changed, so I couldn't reach Klein, let alone apologize to him.I never expected to run into him here.Didn't he return to his home country? Why was he back in Seattle?Unlike me, who was feeling incredibly sorry, Klein seemed pretty chill.Instead of being upset, he just gave me a gentle smile and nodded as if to say hi.Ivonne, who had been cursing me the whole time, suddenly realized I wasn't even glancing her way.She grew even angrier, yelling to draw my attention, "Hey! Who the hell are you looking at? You're pregnant, OK? Stop flirTabitha's POVIvonne was slack-jawed.I had heard from Derek before that his youngest aunt wasn't a werewolf.Obviously, Ivonne wasn't either.That was probably why she and her mom weren't in the Black Thorn Pack.Like everyone else, she didn't know Derek and I used to be mates.Without knowing my background, she probably figured that I was just some ordinary girl who had climbed the social ladder through marriage.From her expression, I could tell that she didn't respect me.Derek glanced at the crowd and ordered coldly, "Alright, everyone, please return to your seat."Hearing that, the onlookers fled like roaches, not daring to stay for one more second.Once the door shut, Ivonne started complaining. The two slaps made her cheeks flush, but she still wasn't ready to back down."Derek, did you really marry her? What about Kelsey? She's been waiting for you for so long! Ever since she found out you were marrying Daphne, she's be
Tabitha's POVMy heart skipped a beat. What Ivonne had said was indeed a touchy subject for Derek.I remembered very well how hard I managed to keep my babies back then. If Derek went off the rails again, I wasn't sure if I would be able to handle it.Derek glared at Ivonne fiercely. "Shut up."She snorted, "You're gonna be tricked by her if you don't listen to me." Though saying so, she didn't dare to upset him again. After all, she was no fool.Just then, a new item popped up on the auction block—a rose diamond necklace.Designed by Niko, a famous contemporary jeweler, it was part of a collection with a rose theme.The big screen showcased every angle and detail of that necklace's sparkle. I had been dozing off, yet seeing that, my eyes were wide open.Derek rarely saw me interested in any jewelry, so he quickly asked, "You like it?"I covered his mouth, snapping, "Shut up and listen. I wanna know the details."Derek looked h
Tabitha's POV"Tabitha, where are you going?" Derek rushed after me.Ivonne snorted in her seat, "Is she crazy or what?"I sprinted in front of the room next to me, panting. "I wanna see Klein."Klein's assistant recognized me and opened the door.I dashed inside.Klein was lounging on a leather couch, looking all calm. Hearing the sound, he turned to face me."It's been a while, Tabitha. Hi."I no longer cared about courtesy, just asking bluntly, "Klein, is that necklace your sister's?""Yes. I heard something belonging to her was up for auction today, so I came here to see if I could find any trace of her. Even if I couldn't, I still hated to see her birthday gift end up in someone else's hands."Sure enough, my theory was right. The dead woman was Klein's sister, whom he had been searching for all this time.Seeing the worn-out look on Klein's face, I couldn't bring myself to break such brutal news to him no matter what.
Tabitha's POVKlein's hands started to tremble when he heard the words "a dead woman."His face was already pale, and right now, it was simply ashen."Are you sure?" he asked."Yes. The studs were big and beautiful, and the clothes she was wearing were from luxury brands. Oh, and she had this stunning collectible sapphire ring on her finger."Seeing Klein's expression getting worse by the second, I quickly tried to reassure him, "It wasn't necessarily your sister. Who knows? Maybe someone had her jewelry. It may not be as bad as you think."Klein was glued to his phone, ignoring me completely.I noticed his fingers were trembling uncontrollably as he swiped frantically on the screen until he finally stopped on a photo."Is this the ring you saw?"The picture showed the ring clearly—the sapphire was as clear as the sky, with exquisite craftsmanship and noble style."Yes. When I saw the corpse, it had already been soaked in the w
Derek's POV The helicopter landed on a wide platform, and the moment I stepped out of the cabin, a wave of heat swept in from all directions. I turned to Tabitha, saying, "It's hot outside. How about you just wait in the helicopter?" "No," she insisted, standing her ground. So I had no choice but to help her out. Klein had gathered a whole crew too. With a stern face, he asked, a hint of fear in his voice, "Tabitha, where did you see the body?" She pondered for a while before pointing to a rundown boat, replying, "There. That was where I saw the body at that time, but it's been half a year, perhaps..." Before she could finish her words, Klein rushed towards the boat, ignoring his assistant's worried shout behind him, "Mr. Hartley, slow down. You shouldn't be running that fast!" But Klein just ignored it. It was understandable, though. After all, he had been searching for his sister for so long, and now he finally got a lead, but it could be li
Tabitha's POVAlthough Klein's family was internationally renowned, being in a foreign land definitely put some limits on what he could do.It wasn't as easy for him to get things done here in Seattle for him as it was for Derek.After agreeing to his request, Derek pulled some strings and quickly got professionals to start the autopsy.Meanwhile, Klein was just stuck in one position, his gaze drifting off to who-knows-where.I set a glass of lemonade in front of him and gently advised, "Klein, the results will be out soon. Don't stress. It's probably not what we're thinking. Just drink some water."Klein, snapping back to reality, replied in a hoarse voice, "Can you tell me again about the details of when you saw her?"I then carefully recounted the process of how I escaped onto the boat.When I got to the part about being in that filthy water with the body and seeing a school of fish swimming out of its eyes, both Derek and Klein's faces wen
Tabitha's POVI recalled the first time I felt the fetal movement during my first pregnancy. Back then, I was over the moon, like a kid on Christmas morning, just itching to share that joy with Derek.That day, I sent him a ton of voice messages and videos, but he didn't respond at all.When he finally came home that night, I ran up to him with a big smile and said, "Derek, the baby kicked me today, really. Come feel it!"At that time, I was only three months along, so my belly wasn't really showing yet.Yet he just shot me a cold glance and walked away.It felt like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over me, drenching me to the skin and leaving me chilled to the bone.At that moment, I realized not everyone got as hyped as I did about this stuff.So as the baby grew bigger and the kicks became more pronounced, I never told Derek even once.He was either out early and came home late or away from home for a long time. It was like he di
Derek's POVAfter consulting Kamp, I learned that pregnant women were very emotionally unstable.I knew Tabitha held a grudge against me, so I'd been staying away from her for several months, just to give her some space to focus on her pregnancy.Today's news about the female corpse seemed to really get to her, and she couldn't stop crying.I wiped away her tears with a warm towel and gently comforted her, "She was just a stranger, not your relative or something. You don't need to be upset or guilty. If she knew what you'd done for her, she would definitely be grateful. It was you who helped her leave that place and reunite with her family."She sniffled and mumbled, "It's probably because we share the same last name. Knowing that she was Klein's sister, I feel like losing someone close to me."As she said this, she seemed to realize how silly she sounded and shook her head with a resigned look. "I'm just being too sensitive. Don't worry. I'll tak
Derek clung to Tabitha like a koala to a tree trunk, refusing to let go.His voice was urgent and filled with longing as he declared, "Tabitha, you have no idea how long I've been searching for you! Every day, every night, your image haunted my thoughts. I was such a fool. If I had known you would vanish completely, I never would have let you go."Tabitha's heart skipped a beat at his words.Recalling her departure, she realized how strange it had been—how smoothly she had left.Back then, Tabitha had barely left when someone came chasing after her. Had Derek known of her plan from the start?If he had wanted to stop her, he could have nipped her plan in the bud."Why did you let me go, then?" she asked.Derek, lost in the joy of their reunion, poured out his feelings unreservedly. "I've always felt guilty for the wrongs I did you. I wanted to make amends."Tabitha gazed into Derek's eyes, noticing the red marks on his face.Despite his usual handsomeness, these marks added an air of
Third person's POVThis was why Tabitha had chosen Alvin over Rolf.She adjusted her waterlogged mask, now nearly peeling off, and swiftly exited the scene.Rolf muttered behind her, "Alpha Derek, don't go around hugging people. What if she gets clingy? Tabitha's still out there—what if she sees this and makes you wait another decade?"Derek remained silent."But seriously," Rolf continued, "the doctor's build and height are identical to Tabitha's. Just the face is different."Derek seized on this. "What did you say?""I said she looks like Tabitha, except for the face. Alpha Derek, don't get carried away—it's not like Tabitha to pop up just because you're poisoned. You've looked for her for three and a half years with no luck."Derek rubbed his temples, chalking it up to longing-induced hallucinations.Tabitha retreated to her room, exhausted from the sleepless night of brewing and changing medicines.
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