Tabitha's POV
I picked up dead branches and dried firewood quickly. Suddenly, I felt a churn in my stomach."What's wrong?" Lucian, who was gutting the fish, strode toward me.He squatted on the ground and looked at me.I retched a bit was all. Stroking my stomach, I said awkwardly, "Nothing. I'm just feeling a bit uncomfortable.""Does it hurt a lot?"A drop of water fell on my cheek. I looked up into Lucian's concerned eyes beneath the mask.Water droplets kept dripping down along his hair ends.Only then did I suddenly realize that I was almost entirely held in his arms.I felt myself surrounded by the heat of his body mixed with steam, and somehow, things got weird.Even though we didn't touch physically, being so close to him made me a bit uneasy.Seemed he realized the same thing. He stepped away at once.After that, I said, "No. I'm just feeling a bit nauseous."On this small island, words traveled quickly.Derek's POV I walked off the helicopter with Kyrian in one arm. I felt how excited he was while standing on the island. He waved his hands and shouted, "Mommy! Mommy!" I sneered, "Seems we're at the right place." Everyone was on high alert. After all, we knew they were armed. No one dared to underestimate such a threat. Rolf was no longer at ease. He gave rapid instructions into the intercom. Soon, several speedboats appeared on the sea, surrounding the island from all sides. More and more werewolves landed on the island. Finding Tabitha's whereabouts was just a matter of time. Kyrian struggled excitedly in my arms, wanting to get down. I put him down only after making sure there was no danger nearby. "Good boy, go find her." Tabitha, there was nowhere to run. Kyrian was like a well-trained military dog, very familiar with the environment on the island. Rolf shouted non-stop, "Kyrian, slow down, or y
Tabitha's POV I looked up at Derek. The sun shone on him but failed to touch the cold abyss in his eyes. His pupils flickered with anger, mockery, and contempt. "Derek, what the hell do you want from me? I don't even deserve to have my own life?!" My voice was filled with despair. We had already performed the rejection ceremony, yet his possessiveness somehow grew stronger because of it. Derek's gaze fell on Lucian's large hand gripping my wrist. Lucian noticed his gaze and imperceptibly stood in front of me. Their gazes confronted each other in the air, that of Lucian's firm and unyielding. "The mate bond between you is broken. She won't leave with you." His actions and words added fuel to the fire. Derek's eyes became unfathomable. Clearly, he was displeased. The surrounding air became tense as the aura belonging to the Alpha swept over. I knew Derek's wolf was angry. The sea breeze blew rampantly, stirring my slight
Tabitha's POV I knew it was impossible to escape my doom today. Fuck it. Guessed I no longer had to be cautious anymore. All the inhibitions I had been building up burst out right at this moment. "I hate you, Derek!" I almost shouted at the top of my lungs, expressing how dissatisfied I was with him. "I hate you for being condescending, and I hate you for being so moody. You were the one who betrayed me! Then why are you haunting me right now? Why can't you just leave me alone? You said my dad should atone for his sins. In case you haven't noticed, Silver Moon Pack is almost on the verge of disbanding, my dad has fallen critically ill more than once, and I've sacrificed my marriage and my kid. Tell me, is that still not enough for you? OK then! Take my life away if you want!" Derek's gaze grew colder and colder as I spoke. To be honest, I was very nervous, and my heart was beating rapidly in my excited state. "You drove me away when you felt like i
Tabitha's POV Everything happened in the blink of an eye. I stood in situ, facing the brown wolf that was about to pounce on me. His claws were sharp and gleaming with cold light. Time seemed to freeze at this moment, and I could see the horror in his eyes clearly. In this tense confrontation, I met his eyes, and all of a sudden, I knew. He was Aiden. He must have jumped out in a rush, and now, he couldn't control his movements in time. Just as Aiden was about to pounce at me, I saw Derek again. Derek held me close and protected me with his body. And that left his back fully exposed to Aiden's claws. Aiden's claws left several blood marks on Derek's back. In the next second, Aiden quickly leaped away so as not to cause further harm and landed on the ground. Alvin and Rolf quickly surrounded him. Rolf commanded, his voice carrying authority and control, "Shift! Now!" Aiden's body began to change visibly. His body gradua
Tabitha's POV I looked at Noah in surprise. I never expected him to make such a speech. "You cannot hide it if you truly love one. If you don’t love Tabitha, you wouldn't go out of your way to come here for her; neither would you see Lucian as an enemy. Even I as a kidnapper know that if you love someone, you should give her all your affection; if not, you don’t get to hurt her. When you hurt her, don't you feel hurt yourself?" Derek put Kyrian down and walked towards Noah. As he approached, Noah did not take a step back. My heart jumped faster as I felt nervous for Noah. Derek was tall and slender, standing half a head taller than the skinny Noah. The overwhelming aura of Alpha loomed over young Noah. "Want me to be at your call?" Derek sneered coldly. The next second, his gun was aimed at Noah's head. "I can spare him if you insist, but you’ll have to die on his behalf." "Sure! Go ahead and kill me." Noah agreed readily. There
Derek's POV On the helicopter, I tried to talk with Tabitha. But she was very careful with her words now, afraid of offending me. Realizing this, I leaned towards her. But she looked at me with alerted vigilance. After the helicopter landed, I took her off the plane hand in hand. Through peripheral vision, I saw her legs trembling. She was like a stray dog in the wild, particular wary of humans after experiencing their abuse. Whenever I looked at her, I would see fear in her eyes. Just like now, I didn't do anything. But her body shuddered when I simply gave her a glance. Although she was back now, she became even more sensitive and timid than before. She checked my expression carefully and no longer spoke out her ideas freely. I was annoyed by all of this. As soon as we arrived home, Chloe had taken Kyrian away to play. Tabitha followed me upstairs. As soon as she stepped into the bedroom, the door was closed behind h
Tabitha's POV I widened my eyes. I had imagined numerous scenarios about what Derek would do to me after he found me. It was just... I had never thought about what was going on now. He was like a traveler in the desert, longing for water. And finally, he found a pool of clear spring water. He kissed me carefully. My heart was pounding. Her long eyelashes trembled lightly in the sunlight, hiding the expression in his eyes/ I couldn’t read his mind at the moment. He was showing me the long-lost tenderness again. I was about to immerse myself in his tenderness. Then he suddenly muttered "mate". Crystal responded excitedly in my mind. I then realized that we were each other's second chance mate. Derek sniffed my neck. His breathed heavily around my neck. His sharp fangs lightly grazed my skin, causing a shiver through me. Crystal was longing for him. I realized that he was about to mark me. Bu
Tabitha's POVAlpha Obadiah's voice came through the receiver."Tabitha, finally. How are you? You OK?" he asked, his tone filled with concern.Leaning against the wall, I said softly, "Yes. Thanks, Alpha Obadiah."He seemed to sigh softly and then continued, not that anxious anymore, "Glad to hear that. Alpha Derek reached out to me after you disappeared, wanting me to help find you, but then he suddenly stopped me from getting involved. Seems he's found you."Then he paused for a moment before asking cautiously, "He didn't give you a hard time, did he?"Upon hearing his words, I immediately thought of that beautiful island.Swallowing the bitterness, I said, "No.""Oh, about that Ethan you asked me to look into? I've got some leads." Obadiah's voice became serious again.I focused at once. "He was the one who showed up at the werewolf hospital, wasn't he?""Yes. Witnesses confirmed that he was at the hospital. But what's weird is t
Third person's POVHedwig couldn't speak, but she was wise beyond her years—quiet, helpful, and already versed in basic healing.Derek wished he could play with her, but time was slipping through his fingers. After eating the fruit she'd given him, he picked up his pen again.All night, he didn't rest.He could feel the life Hedwig had breathed into him fading. His senses were dulling again.But the will was done. Now, he only wanted to write letters—to Tabitha, to his kids, Kyrian, Helios and Ayla.The poison was moving faster than it should've. Every letter cost him energy, accelerating the venom's grip.First, he wrote to Kyrian. "Be a good man. Lead the pack with your heart, not just your claws."Derek's chest ached. He'd failed Kyrian, leaving him to shoulder the pack's weight alone.But love? That never faded.Next, his mother.The letter was short—"Take care of Kyrian. If Tabitha ev
Third person's POVAt the mention of the word "will," Rolf's face, which had been tense for days, crumpled. His eyes instantly reddened."Alpha Derek, you don't need a will! You're gonna be fine, you hear me?!"But at this moment, Derek became calm. "I don't have much time left. It took me a lot of effort to get to this camp. Even if I leave, it would take a day. What's the point of leaving if she comes back right after I go? It's better to stay here. If she doesn't come back in the end, I at least need to settle things, I can't just die without any explanation.""Alpha Derek...""Alvin, go get it," Derek said.Alvin's eyes welled up. "Alright."Alban, with red eyes, said, "I'm sorry, kid. I couldn't help you this time.""Dr. Weaver, I'm already grateful to you. You're right, there are some things beyond our control. I guess this is just my fate."In just two days, Derek had gone from a healthy man to someone whose organ
Third person's POVAlma felt a bit awkward. "I'm not sure about that."After all, Hedwig was Derek's spitting image, but she wasn't certain about Hedwig's father."Regardless, he already has other women by his side. He might have forgotten your mother and could build a future with someone else. Even so, do you still want to save him?"Hedwig pursed her lips and didn't respond. Alma stroked her hair, "Poor child, you should know how hard your mother worked to escape him. If he discovers you two are still alive, he'll imprison her again. Do you want that?"Hedwig shook her head gently."Then pretend you don't know him. Your mother and the others aren't in the village. Whether he survives is up to luck," Alma sighed, "Your mother suffered too much. She was barely alive when she gave birth to you. Cherish the life you have now."Hedwig nodded.Strangely, after Derek drank Hedwig's blood, about half an hour later, his vision and hea
Third person's POVThe door swung open.Misha stared at Alma with wide eyes, thinking her sincerity had finally moved her.But the next moment, Alma unhesitatingly lifted a basin of water and splashed it over her, drenching her from head to toe. "Stop making a fuss here! Don't try to coerce me with such theatrics. Whether you stay or do something more extreme, it has nothing to do with me. If you're looking for trouble, take it elsewhere, not here!"Misha stood there, stunned. How could Mrs. Atkinson act so unreasonably?"Why are you staring at me like that? Do you think this is a soap opera?" Alma sneered, "Now leave before you soil my place."As she spoke, she shielded Hedwig's eyes, "Don't look, or it might ruin your mood."Misha returned, drenched and furious, cursing under her breath, "Why is this old woman so difficult? She didn't have to help, but did she have to throw urine at me?"Rolf pinched his nose and stepped back
Third person's POV"Alban, I didn't expect forty years to fly by like that. You're still the same as ever. I did say you wouldn't grow taller, didn't I?"Alma remarked with a smile. Alban's face flushed at her words.It had been decades since he was brought here by his mentor after being poisoned.Back then, he was just a teenager, and Alma, in her early forties, was in her prime, looking much younger than her age.Known for her straightforward nature, she had teased him about his height after treating him. Alban had dutifully drunk milk and played basketball in an effort to grow taller, but his height eventually plateaued at around 5'7", making him appear shorter than his younger counterparts like Alvin."Mrs. Atkinson, you're still the same as ever. It's wonderful to see you again. Could you please help my friend? He's been poisoned with the Nine-Heart Wolfsbane," Alban pleaded.Alma sighed, "You've put me in a difficult spot. The N
Third person's POVIn the misty forest, a massive snake carrying a little girl emerged slowly.A beam of sunlight pierced through the dense canopy overhead, landing squarely on the girl.Her skin was as fair as snow, and her delicate features were strikingly beautiful.Most notably, she had a pair of emerald-green eyes, deep-set and chiseled.Clad in rustic, colorful attire, she was barefoot, with ankle bells woven from threads of five colors, adorned with tiny jingling pendants.This girl was exquisitely beautiful, her features complemented by an aura of ancient mystery.Perched high on the scarlet snake, she lacked the innocence typical of her age, instead bearing a demeanor of superiority, as regal as the Muse herself.The beam of light falling on her shoulder only enhanced her divine presence, making her seem like a saintess from a novel.The girl regarded the group with caution, her gaze inquiring why they had intru
Third person's POVTears streamed down Misha's face as she said, "You're still thinking about her even like this."Alvin turned to Alban and asked, "Dr. Weaver, what do we do now that Alpha Derek is in this state?""Have they identified the specific toxins yet?""Here it is, here it is!" Kamp approached with the freshly analyzed results."Dr. Weaver, can we save Alpha Derek once we know the components?""No, I can't save him. We need to go to Venomhollow," Alban instructed urgently."What kind of place is that?""It's an ancient village on the edge of the primeval forest. Most of the villagers deal with poisons, much like those special groups in the U.S. studying mysterious biological toxins. To save Derek, we need to find them. Perhaps they have a cure."Misha, realizing how severe Derek's poisoning was, asked, "And what about me, Dr. Weaver?""You're coming too. If we need a blood transfusion, we'll still rely o
Third person's POVThe figure was slender, clad in a black tight-fitting combat uniform, with distinct body curves—she was a woman!"Who are you?" Golden Shark asked in horror, hastily pulling out his pistol from his pants.Sweat poured from him as the woman approached from the firelight, her face obscured.As he drew his gun, a loud "bang" echoed—a gunshot shattered his hand, sending his weapon clattering to the ground.Seizing the moment, the driver fired back.A silver flash zipped through the air, and the driver clutched his chest in agony, a dagger protruding from it.He crumpled to the ground, blood gushing from his mouth.Golden Shark, a man of many dangers, was unnerved by today's bizarre events.As he tried to flee with his broken hand, another "bang" rang out, a bullet shattering his knee.Every time he moved, bullets found their mark. Within seconds, he was hit five or six times, collapsing
Third person's POVDerek's camouflage uniform was splattered with blood, most of it not his own, with only a minor wound on his arm.He seemed impervious to the pain.For three years, he had heard nothing of Tabitha and had transformed into a cold and bloodthirsty individual."Golden Shark got away? No problem. I've destroyed all his bases. Now he's just a rat scurrying around—where else can he run?" Derek said with a cruel smile."Alpha Derek, your arm is hurt," Rolf reminded."It's nothing," Derek glanced at the small wound, recalling how it had been slashed by a woman who bore a resemblance to Tabitha.Distracted during the firefight, he had stared into her eyes a moment too long.The sharp pain in his arm had struck like a venomous snake bite.The woman was killed on the spot, and he left without a flicker of emotion.For someone accustomed to danger, injuries were commonplace, and he paid the minor woun