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
Third person's POVDerek's face contorted with pain as he continued, "After Tabitha faked her death, I suspected what had happened. I was torn at the time, wanting to bring her back, but I also understood that doing so would only repeat past mistakes. So, I protected her within my control and waited silently. Gloria, I swear, I won't hurt her again."A hint of pleading appeared on Derek's face as he went on, "I'm asking for your help not out of selfishness. Tabitha's illness isn't fully healed, her body hasn't recovered, and with two children in tow, she wouldn't be able to protect herself if danger arises."Gloria had never seen Derek so humble.She remembered how Derek had always approached her with a condescending attitude four years ago.Derek continued, "You are Tabitha's friend, and your starting point should be considering her safety, right? If I wanted to harm her, I could just bring her back directly, so why would I go through the trouble
Third person's POVThe two children were a blend of their parents. The girl resembled Derek, while the boy took after Tabitha, which was quite different from their brother, Kyrian.Derek thought to himself that if Kyrian knew he had two younger siblings, he would be thrilled.But when he considered his relationship with Tabitha, he sighed deeply, filled with regret for his past actions.At that moment, Alvin approached swiftly and reported, "Just received news from the island. Noah is taking Ayla away, and Lucian's direction also leads to the island. He plans to take Tabitha away."Derek, with his hands behind his back and a furrowed brow, spoke with a melancholic expression, "Lucian intends to take more than just Ayla—Tabitha as well. She has always sought opportunities to leave me, and this presents her with an excellent chance.""What should we do? Should we stop him now? Otherwise, with his capabilities, if he truly takes Tabitha a
Third person's POVPlans... Tabitha's original goal had been to find her two children and Jasper.The children were found, but Jasper was without a trace.However, she couldn't search aimlessly without a target.Thinking of Derek's anxious appearance last night, it was clear he still had feelings for her.Gloria's text warning Tabitha to be careful of Derek came to Tabitha's mind again.Tabitha felt she had overlooked some subtle details. What exactly had she missed?It seemed a key point was missing, and once found, it would connect all the events."I don't know. I just wanted to find the children, but I didn't expect to court death. And Derek's attitude towards me is ambiguous. Outside this cabin, I don't know what awaits me," Tabitha said, her face full of entanglement.Seeing her struggle, Lucian took a big gulp of mineral water and mustered the courage to say, "Have you severed ties with him?"Tabitha nodded,
Third person's POVDerek had painstakingly built up Tabitha's trust by posing as Wilmot.He knew that if she ever discovered his true identity, her anger would be immense, and the trust he had spent half a year constructing would crumble entirely.Derek continued, "Send someone to discreetly protect her without revealing themselves. Ayla is still on the island. Tabitha will go to see her."Rolf nodded in agreement, "Understood."Derek added with caution, "Remember, Lucian has a strong ability to detect surveillance, so do not get too close."Rolf responded, "Yes, Alpha Derek. We will handle it immediately."Turning to Alvin, Derek instructed, "Investigate the identities of those deceased men thoroughly."Derek pondered whether Tabitha's survival had been leaked, perhaps when she was seen on the boat.The assailants had been ruthless, and if not for Lucian's timely arrival, Tabitha could have been in grave danger. He had
Third person's POVForrest's voice was laced with worry, "Ms. Hartley, where are you now?"Tabitha had already settled her wages with Forrest before sending the children to the island. She couldn't fathom why he would contact her at this juncture.She couldn't help but feel puzzled.Tabitha inquired, "What's wrong?"Forrest replied, "Wilmot's had an accident. You need to come see him."Tabitha was still trying to make sense of Derek's appearance at the bar when she heard about Wilmot's predicament, and her heart immediately filled with worry.She quickly asked, "What happened to him?"Forrest explained, "Wilmot was already ill recently, and he drank a lot tonight. He's suffered from alcohol poisoning and has been taken to the hospital. He keeps asking to see you, Ms. Hartley. Where are you? Can you come to see him?"Tabitha thought to herself that even if she knew her current location, she couldn't just tell anyone.
Third person's POVTwo more gunshots rang out, the shooter's aim dead on as two more men fell to the ground.Tabitha saw a tall figure standing deep in the alley, shrouded in a cloak, making it impossible to discern who it was.Tabitha's mind raced with questions. Was he a friend or foe?The man removed his hat, revealing the distinctive totem mask beneath.Tabitha stared in disbelief and uttered, "Lucian, why are you here?""Long story. Come with me," Lucian said, grabbing Tabitha's hand and leading her away.They didn't get far before Tabitha glanced back to see Derek and Leopold rushing out of a bar together.Surprise washed over Tabitha. How could Derek be here?Her blood seemed to freeze. 'When did he return?'Lucian pulled Tabitha into a dilapidated black car that passed right in front of Derek.Leaning against the car window, Tabitha gazed at Derek, lost in thought.'If Leopold had arranged to
Third person's POVLeopold carefully compared the photos. Although the person in the photos was dressed differently and had a different appearance, the body shape and the action of holding things with the left hand were identical.Derek became alert, thinking to himself, "People like us are more sensitive than ordinary people. Such photos wouldn't catch the attention of most, but I've noticed something.""Where's the negative?" Derek asked."I'll have it sent over right away," Leopold replied."And Tabitha?" Derek inquired again."Don't worry, she followed me to the bar. She's in the lobby outside. I have my bodyguards keeping an eye on her," Leopold said.Tabitha had been following Leopold for several days, and Derek, concerned about his own people being exposed, asked Leopold's men to watch her.She maintained a simple daily routine without any issues.However, the photos now revealed to Derek that someone was tracking
The next day, Tabitha began to investigate Leopold's movements meticulously.For several days, she did not dare to slack off. Gloria, who had recently suffered a miscarriage, had been recuperating in Leopold's home, not venturing out.A tight-lipped woman handled the daily tasks of shopping, cooking, and cleaning.Despite Tabitha's attempts to get close to her, she couldn't extract any information.As a week passed, it had been half a month since Gloria's miscarriage, and by her nature, she should soon be able to go out.On the sixth day of tracking Leopold, he called Derek out for drinks.He rubbed his temple, looking troubled, "Your mate, doesn't she think she's disguising herself well?"With that, Leopold threw out a stack of photos, all of which were taken while Tabitha was following him.Tabitha's curious little head appeared adorable in the photos."Or do you think I'm so idle that I play house with her every day?"
Third person's POVAlpha Leopold took out a sapphire necklace from his pocket and placed it around Gloria's neck, his face instantly returning to that tender expression."Look, it suits you so well. Don't worry, whoever harmed our child will never see the sun again. Be good, take care of yourself, and don't think about anything else," he said.Gloria's face was devoid of any color, her back already soaked with cold sweat, chilling her. Cold sweat also beaded on her forehead, trickling down her cheeks.Her body trembled, filled with fear and despair, unsure of how to face this mad and cruel man.As a mother who had experienced the pain of losing a child twice, Tabitha was heartbroken and worried when she learned about what had happened to Gloria.Given Gloria's character, if her relationship with Leopold was normal, she would have informed Tabitha even if she had lost the child.Her silence largely indicated that her relationship with