Third person's POV
Tabitha's voice wasn't loud, but each word hit home, leaving Derek speechless.
Yes, he had hurt her so deeply. How could she possibly consider getting back together with him?
He was being utterly unrealistic.
Seeing Derek's silence, Tabitha's face flickered with discomfort as she said, "I'm sorry, I lost my composure just now."
"No, people like your ex-husband, I think he couldn't make up for the pain he caused you even if he died a hundred times," Derek replied.
"I just hope we never meet again in this life, as if we had never known each other," Tabitha added.
Derek recomposed himself and asked, "I understand. So we need to sneak back to Seattle without him finding out, right?"
"Yes, that's why I followed the captain to smuggle myself back before, and encountering pirates was just an unfortunate event. Now that this route is gone, we have to think of another way," Tabitha explained.
"Don't worry, I'll
Third person's POVDerek believed that this method would be more in line with Wilmot's identity, not arousing Tabitha's suspicions."Is that safe?" she asked."I've already arranged it with my friend. As long as we stay in our room and don't provoke anyone, there won't be any issues. We're not involved in any activities on that ship. We're just hitching a ride."Tabitha was reluctant to take such a ship, fearing potential danger, but it was one of the few ways back."Alright," she agreed."Rest assured. I will protect you both."Tabitha nodded, her trust in him deepening.Spending the last three days on the island, Derek prepared a wig and mask for Tabitha."Ms. Hartley, most people on this ship are not good folks. Ordinary people like us might arouse suspicion. We need to disguise ourselves as a married couple. As for Ayla, we'll have to make do."Derek paused, then continued, "On such a ship, there wouldn't be o
Third person's POVThe man's mouth was stuffed with a smelly sock, his facial muscles twisted with sheer terror.Beads of sweat rolled from his forehead, and his eyes were filled with fear and unease.He thought to himself, he had just come aboard for some excitement, attracted by the woman's figure which suited his taste, and made a suggestion casually. He never expected such fierce treatment.On this ship, who was truly innocent and clean?This guy was pretending to be a gentleman, which was utterly laughable.As Derek pulled out the sock from the man's mouth, he immediately tearfully pleaded, "I was just joking with you. Look at you, getting so excited. If you don't want to play, we don't have to. Please, spare me!"A strong sense of disgust welled up in Derek, his eyes filled with cold mockery."Ha," he sneered, swiftly removing the man's mask. "I'll play with you properly."In Derek's view, masks were like the fig l
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."
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 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 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 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 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 POVTabitha closed her eyes and took a deep breath, as if trying to calm her emotions. After a while, she opened her eyes again and asked, "Were you also involved that night on the boat?""Yes," Derek replied without hesitation."Is Wilmot your man?" Tabitha's voice carried a hint of doubt.Derek paused for a moment, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes, before slowly answering, "Yes, I was just too worried about you, so I had him go to protect you.""Then do you know what we..." Tabitha's words were cut short as Derek suddenly slammed on the brakes, bringing the car to a stop on the side of the road.He turned to look at Tabitha, his eyes filled with sincerity and urgency, and said, "Tabitha, I am very clear about what happened that night. He was there to help you."Tabitha did not believe Derek's words. Her eyes were filled with anger and disappointment as she shouted, "Wilmot disappeared as soon as he came back. Forrest told me last night that he was dying. Was that y
Third person's POVDerek never expected that as soon as Tabitha returned, he would receive a call from Gloria.On the other end of the line, Gloria's voice came through, "Tabitha wants to see you."Hearing this, Derek's heart sank, and he sighed, thinking to himself, 'I knew it. I couldn't hide it from her.'On an evening with snowflakes drifting down, the sky was shrouded in gloom, and the snow fell gently, covering the entire world in a silver-white veil.Tabitha wrapped her coat tightly and saw Derek again.Since her staged death, Tabitha had only seen Derek through news reports.Now, as she approached him, she was surprised to find that he had become much thinner, his figure appearing particularly frail.Derek was dressed in a black coat, leaning quietly against the car. In just a minute, snowflakes began to fall on his head, accumulating a thin layer of white snow.Tabitha took a deep breath, calming her emotions, and then walked towards Derek.Looking at Derek, her eyes carried
Third person's POVGloria held Helios on her lap, skillfully peeling a grape and feeding it to him, her experience with children evident."Feeling better now that it's out," she said, watching the child play quietly nearby.Tabitha casually inquired, "Why did you hold back on the day we met, only to tell me today?"Gloria had her excuse ready, responding, "You had just returned to the States, and I didn't know your situation. I was afraid it would cause you trouble."Tabitha peeled a few more grapes before setting them aside when Helios indicated he'd had enough.She then looked at Gloria and said slowly, "You weren't afraid of causing me trouble. You were afraid I would leave, weren't you?"Gloria was taken aback, about to argue, but Tabitha saw through her, "Every time you lie, you subconsciously avert your gaze, fearing I'll see through you."Gloria, in a fit of exasperation, covered her face with a blanket, "You two are tru
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