Derek's POV
The first thing Tabitha did when she woke up was jerk back, clutching her belly with her left hand she was facing some kind of danger.Seeing her instinctively freak out around me, I felt my heart shattered into a million pieces."Relax, Tabitha. I just ... wanna feel the fetal movements."Tabitha, however, didn't buy it at all. With a fierce look on her face, she hissed like a mother hen protecting her chicks, "Get out of here!""Okay, okay! Just chill, Tabitha. I'll leave right away."Just when I turned around, I heard her wince behind me.I stopped in my tracks and turned around, only to see her brows knitted, pain etched all over her face.I immediately rushed over and asked, "What's wrong? Did the pups kick you again? Just now, I felt like they were moving very frequently.""Ouch..." Tabitha held her belly, looking pale as a ghost.I totally freaked out."Don't worry. I'm calling Dr. Evans right now to give youDerek's POVI walked to the courtyard and saw Alice Evans, the doctor, standing there, probably waiting for a hot minute. Noticing me, she walked up to me respectfully and whispered, "Alpha Derek, just now, I left something unsaid, worried that it might scare Tabitha. Can we talk about it now?""Follow me," I told her.Leo circled around in my mind, looking nervous.Once we were in a safe spot where Tabitha couldn't hear us, I spoke up again, "Is there something wrong with the pups?"I took out a cigarette but didn't light it, as the worry weighed me down."No, no, no, Alpha Derek, rest assured. The pups are safe for now. I just wanted to give you a heads-up. Tabitha has a history of hemorrhaging, and her endometrium is thin, so she's prone to miscarriage."Seeing that I remained silent, Alice continued, "Her emotional state is also an important factor. Alpha Derek, you must take good care of Tabitha and avoid upsetting her during her pregnancy. If
Tabitha's POVWhen I woke up the next morning, I learned that Derek had already left. I also noticed that there were more werewolf guards than before.Feeling like I needed to go check on Klein, I was about to have someone get the car ready.But Spike rushed over and stopped me. "Tabitha, Alpha Derek said you shouldn't leave the villa until you give birth.""But...""He's doing this for your safety. If you have any questions, just ask him."I thought back to last night when my pups were kicking like crazy—it freaked me out and made me think I was gonna lose them.Since Derek did this for my sake, I didn't argue about it. Cradling my baby bump, I headed back to my room.Just as I walked in, Derek's call came through. I picked it up, saying, "Hey.""Klein got the autopsy results. Early this morning, he took the remains back for a funeral. I had someone escort him all the way to the airport, so you don't have to worry about it. Before
Tabitha's POVSoon, the whole medical team came over."Tabitha, he needs emergency treatment immediately. Please make some room for us."Dumbfounded, I was led out by Joanna.Seeing me panicked, she anxiously said, "Tabitha, don't worry. I'm sure John will be fine. You have to take care. You're pregnant now."I was torn between the two: my babies and my father.The doctor had just warned me last night not to get too emotional, but I couldn't help but worry.I anxiously stared at the door, and after a while, the doctor came out wiping his sweat.I asked anxiously, "Is he okay?""Tabitha, don't worry. He's no longer in danger now."The nurse handed the moonstone necklace set back to me. "Tabitha, John only lives till now because of his willpower. You can't let him lose his faith. He's taut like a bowstring. Once he lost his faith, he would utterly break down.""I see. I will bear that in mind."After the medical team left, I
Tabitha's POVI turned my head towards her while having cream of mushroom soup. Once she hung up, I asked, "Is something wrong with your family?""My brother got hit by a car and broke his leg. Tabitha, I..."Before she could finish, I cut in, "I'll give you two days off. Go home and check on him. Family comes first.""Thank you, Tabitha, but you...""I have so many doctors, servants, and bodyguards here just to attend to me. You don't have to worry about me. How about this? I'll instruct the finance department to pay you this month's salary in advance.""Tabitha, that's really not necessary.""Just go, and I'll handle it for you. I'll get someone to drive you to the hospital." I waved and instructed Spike to take Joanna there, and I also gave a heads-up to the surgeon in advance.I had long noticed that Spike had a feeling for Joanna, but her mind was all on Austin.I wouldn't judge whether that guy was decent or not, but at least I knew
Tabitha's POV"Tabitha," Spike said, sounding pretty bummed out. "It's not that I couldn't win her heart over. It's that her eyes were only on that guy. How could she see anyone else?"That made sense to me. After all, when I was in love with Derek back then, I ignored everyone else, no matter what they did or said to me. Now, I didn't even remember what those people who confessed their love for me looked like."Don't be discouraged. Sooner or later, you'll find your mate.""Nah, I quit.""You guys are so stubborn." I rubbed my forehead."Tabitha, it looks like it's going to rain soon. Don't go out tonight, in case you slip and fall on the slippery path in the yard.""I see." I continued with my tea. The babies seemed quite active at the moment, so I planned to take a small walk in the room before I went to sleep.It poured heavily all night long, accompanied by the sound of thunder. I didn't sleep well the whole night.The next day, the
Spike's POVI put away my phone, wondering why Tabitha would suddenly ask that.Did she discover something?Feeling worried, I personally went to the surveillance room. The villa was located halfway up the mountain, and cameras were installed along the way.If there were any vehicles coming, they would be spotted at the foot of the mountain, and we would monitor them in real time.We were in a remote affluent neighborhood, so normally, people wouldn't come here. A few hikers might break in occasionally, yet they would be discouraged halfway through their trek.All along, only our own vehicles would come to deliver various supplies. We never saw any outsiders.I scanned the feeds for a while but didn't see anything off.When my gaze shifted downwards, however, I noticed that a few screens on the bottom row went all blank.These screens were connected with cameras installed on the steep cliff. Coupled with the rising water level and heavy r
Tabitha's POVI covered myself with a blanket, and the thunder outside was driving me nuts.I pressed my ears shut, desperate to fall asleep as soon as possible. However, the more I tried, the harder it got, and I always felt a chill down my back.Suddenly, Crystal woke up in my head, constantly reminding me, "Run, Tabitha! Get out of here!""What's going on?" I couldn't help but ask her.But she didn't give me a clear response.Run? But where could I go? And why should I run?I had already called Spike, and he told me everything was fine. Besides, there were so many people patrolling around the villa 24/7. If something was off, they'd catch it right away.Shaking my head, I figured I must have been overthinking, as I even started to hear things that weren't there.After tossing and turning for a while, I still couldn't fall asleep. So, I reached for the gun that Lucian had left me six months ago.This thing should keep me safe, righ
Tabitha's POVSomeone came charging at me. Even though he was wearing a waterproof suit and goggles, I could totally recognize him from just his jawline.It was Austin!I wanted to shout out and ask him what the hell he was doing and who he really was.But before I could say anything, he raised a gun and aimed it directly at me.No chit-chat, no warning—he was coming straight for me.At that moment, he seemed like a grim reaper crawling out from hell, totally different from the decent man Joanna had told me about.He was soaked by the heavy rain from head to toe, and rainwater dripped off his slick outfit, soaking into the wool carpet in the hallway.As he pulled the trigger, Joanna suddenly jumped in front of me.I heard a dull thud as the bullet hit flesh.Blood sprayed from Joanna's body like a horror movie scene. The next second, Joanna, who had been blocking in front of me, crumpled to the ground."Joanna!"But A
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