Third person's POV
The little girl had already choked on several mouthfuls of seawater. In extreme fear, her body trembled uncontrollably.
"Don't be afraid. Mommy's here to save you," Tabitha tried to soothe the child.
She was so young. There was chaos and noise on the ship, with the pirate ship closing in and the captain directing the crew to fire water cannons in retaliation.
The child's life hung by a thread. In her madness from fear, she struggled wildly.
Tabitha had exhausted all her strength just to keep them afloat. Ayla's constant struggle made it even harder for Tabitha, with her physical strength rapidly dwindling.
The waves were rough, and she had swallowed several mouthfuls of seawater. Despite this, Tabitha still desperately held Ayla, fearing Ayla would choke on the water.
But she felt her strength being drained. Her body grew weaker and weaker.
Tabitha was worried that they would die.
Tabitha cursed her la
Third person's POVWilmot had barely brought her ashore. Tabitha was wrapped in a large towel and her soaked clothes still clinging to her when she urgently inquired about Ayla's whereabouts.Her lips were purple from the cold, and her pale face looked pitiful."We're safe now. The little one has been taken to the warship where a doctor is examining her. You should change your clothes first to avoid catching a cold," Wilmot advised."No, I want to see her first."Tabitha insisted, hastily stepping down from the bed and running outside barefoot.In the corridor, she saw men dressed in uniform and armed with weapons. An overwhelming sense of pressure enveloped her.It dawned on Tabitha that she was no longer on the ship she had been traveling on but on a formidable warship.The moment she stepped out of the room, all eyes turned to her.Tabitha's movements froze, her face flushed with embarrassment. In the tense and oppres
Third person's POVWilmot replied calmly, "When we were rescued, I told him.""That's correct, it was this... sir who mentioned it. I'll leave now."For some reason, Tabitha felt as if the doctor was fleeing, quickly exiting the room.Wilmot said peacefully, "Change your clothes first, and I'll bring you some hot drinks.""Okay."Now, only Tabitha and Ayla remained in the room. Tabitha carefully undressed Ayla.Ayla's height was comparable to that of her peers, with no signs of being born prematurely.Her skin was fair and tender. Aside from a few small wounds on her hands, it was evident that Lucian had taken good care of them.Tabitha wrapped Ayla in a large men's shirt and then began to change her own clothes.She was given a shirt of the same size, which hung long on her, covering her thighs.Tabitha quickly put on the men's pants as well. Although they were loose, it was better than nothing.A f
Third person's POVHe stood in front of the mirror. His fingers gently pinched the thin edge of the facial prosthetic, slowly peeling it off.As the prosthetic came off, a pair of chiseled features gradually revealed themselves.They were a cold, stern gaze, a high-bridged nose, and sharply defined lips that exuded a unique charm.His skin, already fair, was nearly translucent from lack of sunlight, appearing even paler under the lights.His shirt collar was slightly open, hinting at his collarbones.He stared silently at his reflection, like a vampire emerging from a medieval castle.He was elegant and noble, yet distant and aloof.With a light step, he moved into the steamy, hot shower area.Fine droplets from the showerhead rained down on him.After a moment, black liquid flowed slowly down his skin, snaking across the white floor like a mysterious ink snake.He closed his eyes, allowing the water to was
Third person's POVBy the time Derek rushed back to the warship, Tabitha was already delirious from the fever, her body scorching yet muttering that she was cold.The military doctor, his face tense, reported, "Sir, I've administered medication to Ms. Hartley. But given her unique condition, it's dangerous if the fever persists."Fortunately, the warship was well-equipped with medical resources. Derek stayed by her side, waiting for the fever to subside on its own.The sky was still dark, the grayness outside matched only by the roaring of the sea, clearly audible.Derek lay down next to Tabitha. His eyes were filled with heartache as he looked at her.Although they had been in close proximity, he had to pretend to be someone else, not even daring to look at her directly, which had raised her suspicions more than once.His strong mental resilience allowed him to deceive Tabitha.Gently, he reached out to touch Tabitha's tranqui
Third person's POVJust then, a soft "knock knock" sounded on the door, like a basin of cold water dumped over Derek.He quickly disengaged from Tabitha. What was he doing? Taking advantage of her sleep to do such a thing.If Tabitha were to wake up at this moment, he wouldn't be able to explain himself.Derek strode to the door, a hint of tension on his face, "What's up?"Rolf rubbed his eyes. Was it his illusion? Did Derek's face seem flushed?"Uh... the doctor asked me to bring this fever reducer. It's time for Tabitha to take it.""Alright." Derek took it silently, "Any news of Lucian?""The sea is rough at night, and the drones can't be controlled. We haven't found his whereabouts yet, but don't worry. He can't get far with Kyrian.""Understood, inform me the moment there's any news.""Got it."Derek closed the door again and walked back to Tabitha's side. She still showed no signs of waking up. He pla
Third person's POVLittle Ayla found the complex emotions of adults hard to comprehend, her eyes filled with confusion and curiosity.Derek's emotions were like a raging storm within him."Sweetheart, you must have suffered a lot over the years, haven't you?" he asked.Suffer?Ayla didn't know what suffering meant. All she knew was that being with Helios and Lucian was happiness."By the way, are you hungry?" Derek quickly ordered various delicious foods and drinks to be brought over.Being a child, her eyes lit up at the sight of the spread.However, just as she was about to dig in, her excitement dimmed, and she softly said, "Helios."Derek gently stroked Ayla's head, "Don't worry. I've sent people to pick up Helios. You'll be reunited with him soon. Eat up, there will be food for Helios, too."It was evident that the child was very hungry, but she ate slowly, with an innate elegance in her demeanor.Alth
Third person's POVTabitha's face turned anxious as she quickly grasped Derek's sleeve, asking, "What do you mean? He was taken away? Where to?""Ms. Hartley, please calm down. Let me explain slowly."He pulled out the surveillance footage, "Look, this man took him away. But from the video, it seems like Helios went willingly. I think he knows this man."Under Derek's soothing words, Tabitha gradually quieted down and watched the video over and over again.Although the background was chaotic, Helios seemed to go voluntarily, indeed. The person who took him away was Lucian.Knowing that Lucian had taken Helios, Tabitha felt a bit more relieved.After all, in such a chaotic situation, Lucian wouldn't have known she was on the ship. If he jumped down to save Ayla, both children might have been in danger.He must have seen someone else had already gone to save Ayla. Since he had snuck onto the ship, the consequences would have been
Third person's POVThe bond of natural kinship was something that could not be severed, no matter that Ayla had never met Tabitha before.Lucian had shown Ayla pictures of Tabitha.She was a woman with a warm smile and hair, unlike the emaciated and haggard figure she was now.Yet, Ayla recognized her as her mother at first glance.Tabitha's reaction mirrored Derek's, holding Ayla tightly as tears streamed down her face.These were tears of joy from their reunion. Holding her child brought back the memories of the hardships she endured the day she gave birth to them.She had thought she would never see her children again, and now here they were, grown so big and soft. How could she not be moved?Ayla found it increasingly strange that the handsome man who held her a few days ago cried a lot, and now her mother was crying too.She didn't understand.Gently, she wiped away Tabitha's tears and blew on her eyes, sayin
Third person's POVDerek's rationality teetered on the brink of collapse, nearly losing control again and again.His eyes, now bloodshot, struggled against the overwhelming discomfort within him as he spoke with difficulty, "It's not necessary.""Your current state, stimulated by the drug, could lead to more serious issues if not alleviated. My advice is to find a woman. It's the most direct and effective solution without side effects," the doctor insisted.Derek's crimson eyes fixed on the doctor, his thin lips bitten to the point of bleeding, as a deep, husky voice forced its way out of his throat, "I said it's not necessary! Just give me the medication."The doctor sighed in resignation, thinking to himself that he had encountered another stubborn one, unwilling to listen to reason."Alright, but I won't be responsible for any side effects. And given your condition, one dose definitely won't be enough. You'll need two."Derek gritt
Third person's POVTabitha couldn't discern his facial expression, but she could palpably sense his physical distress. "Then you..." she began."I'll find a way to handle it myself," he responded.With that, further lingering seemed like an implicit invitation to something more.Like a nimble fish, Tabitha swiftly retreated back into her room and swiftly locked the door.Worried that he might lose control under the influence of the drug and become dangerously irrational, she moved the desk and chair from the room to brace against the door.Exhausted from her efforts, she slumped down onto the carpet.Her fingers gently touched her lips where he had kissed her.Honestly, she was too shocked at the time to have any particular feelings.It was the first time a man other than her husband had kissed her, and the sensation was both unfamiliar and strange.Oddly, when his hands touched her body, she didn't feel a strong
Third person's POVSuch a tall and strong man, yet at this moment, he behaved like a petulant puppy, causing Tabitha's body to tremble slightly.She was well aware of the vast difference in strength between them.In this situation, it was crucial not to provoke him excessively. Otherwise, should Wilmot be enraged, his intense possessiveness could erupt, and the situation would be truly irretrievable.Tabitha took a deep breath and, seizing the moment while he still retained a shred of rationality, began to reason with him patiently, "Wilmot, I am willing to help you with other matters, but I truly cannot do this.""Cannot? Is it because you still think of him?"Derek was on the brink of losing his sanity, enduring the surging desires within, seeking to probe the deepest thoughts of Tabitha's heart through this opportunity.Her reluctance to let others approach—did it mean she still harbored love for him?Tabitha frowned t
Third person's POVThe woman must have feared Derek would not comply, so she increased the dosage of the drug.Derek had thought that if he just endured it, the effects would pass.But as time went on, the drug's effects became more intense, and his body felt increasingly strong, as if his brain was floating, losing all sense of balance.His wolf was also affected by the drug.He became manic and irrational.His hot breath sprayed on Tabitha's ear, causing her body to tremble involuntarily, and this sensitive touch left her at a loss.Her expression was stern, and she firmly refused, "No, I... uh..."Tabitha's eyes widened in shock as Wilmot's lips suddenly pressed down on hers without warning.Her heart pounded wildly in her chest.Although she had only loved Derek, and they had rejected each other, she was now free, and even if something happened with someone else, it wouldn't be illegal.But she had no i
Third person's POVUsing his height advantage, Derek reached out and covered the wall switch with his hand, preventing Tabitha from turning on the light.He really didn't want her to see him in such an embarrassed state."Tabitha, trust me, I'm fine. Go be with Ayla," he said, trying to reassure her.The more he tried to hide the truth, the more concerned Tabitha became.She was certain he was hurt and just trying to protect her from worrying.With Derek blocking her from turning on the light, Tabitha reached out to touch him, wanting to find out where he was injured.Derek, already on edge, felt like he was about to lose control."Don't touch me," he managed to suppress his voice."Then tell me what's wrong with you," Tabitha insisted."I'm fine," he repeated.But Tabitha didn't believe him. The amount of sweat on his body indicated a serious injury. Otherwise, he wouldn't be in such pain.But where
Third person's POVDerek swiftly glanced behind him, only to realize that Rolf and Alvin had vanished without a trace.He had been able to drink without a care in the world because he knew they were there, watching his back.But now, at this critical moment, they had inexplicably disappeared, leaving Derek to fall into the trap this woman had so meticulously laid.The woman before him, confident in her enchanting beauty and alluring figure, was certain that all men would be bewitched by her charm and lose their reason to her allure.However, when Derek turned to look at her, she found no trace of desire in his deep-set eyes.There was only boundless authority and piercing coldness washing over her like a tidal wave.Though Derek sat there calmly, with her standing tall and elegantly, the difference in their auras was like a vast chasm separating heaven and hell.Derek resembled a mighty wolf king sitting majestically on his thr
Third person's POVRolf stared at Derek's back, a wave of concern rising in his heart.He was well aware of Derek's past, how Derek had promised Randall to make Daphne the mate of the Black Thorn, yet his heart and soul never strayed from his true love—Tabitha.In the world of werewolves, emotional fidelity is of utmost importance, and Derek's commitment was like an ancient vow, etched in his heart.Unlike himself, Rolf, though without a mate, would occasionally indulge his primal desires at specific gatherings of the werewolf community as a subordinate of an Alpha.However, Derek had poured all his emotions into Tabitha alone.Rolf pondered that if they never reconciled, Derek's inner world would likely plunge into endless loneliness and darkness, like a werewolf bereft of the moonlight, wandering alone in the dark, silently enduring the torment of unrequited love."Alvin, look at Alpha Derek lately, he's always gloomy. This ca
Third person's POVRolf was as excited as a hungry man seeing food, clamoring, "Alpha Derek, just look at these. They're incredibly cool for close combat.""Alpha Derek, I want this one and that one," he added, pointing at various items.Alvin shook his head at Rolf with a sense of helplessness.Derek picked up a compact ladies' pistol, and the shopkeeper enthusiastically described it, "You have a great taste. This is the latest model with minimal recoil, perfect for ladies.""I'll take this one and this," Derek said.Then, he pointed to a small, portable dagger that was ideal for concealment.After browsing for a while, he headed towards the medicinal area.The place was bustling with people, each acting as if they were in a second-hand store.In the United States, many drugs are regulated, but on this ship, there were no constraints—only transactions driven by money and desire.As long as you had enough mo
Third person's POVDerek reached out and gently patted Ayla on the head.Over time, Ayla had grown increasingly close to him, their relationship indistinguishable from that of a father and daughter, except for the absence of the word "Dad.""Here's a freshly baked cake. Enjoy," he said.Tabitha shook her head with a hint of helplessness. "Don't spoil her too much. Too many sweets can lead to cavities.""It's just a small piece," Derek replied, his tender demeanor a stark contrast to how he treated strangers.Tabitha was puzzled, wondering if she was mistaken, feeling that Wilmot seemed different from when they first met.But upon reflection, it made sense. Who would reveal their true self without reservation upon first meeting?"Have all the arrangements outside been taken care of?" she asked."Yes, everything is handled," Derek responded.He added, "By the way, here's the layout of the cruise ship. Take a look."