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 slightTabitha'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
Derek's POVAs the wheels whirled through the night, I drove away from Black Thorn Pack and headed for 32 Seaside Avenue.Leo was not at all quiet. He roared with discontent in my mind."Why did we leave her?" he asked. There was an obvious complaint in his tone."She needed time," I said, trying my best to sound calm."Time? We almost finished marking her!" he retorted. "She's the mate we chose. We can't leave her alone there!"I tightly gripped the steering wheel and didn't respond.I knew Leo was right.When Daphne called, I didn't wanna go.But she threatened me that if I didn't come to see her, she'd ask the Amber's Eye Pack's Alpha to talk to me.I didn't give a damn about Daphne, but the Amber's Eye Pack was one powerful pack.Mark had already left the Amber's Eye Pack because of Holly.But I knew the Amber's Eye Pack's Alpha never really gave up on Mark. After all, Mark was his son.So, I had to say yes to Daph
Derek's POVI came back after dealing with Daphne, thinking Tabitha would be waiting for me in the living room.It was always like this. No matter how late I came home, I could always see her in the living room, sleeping on the sofa.She always kept a light on for me.But today was an exception. When I pushed open the front door, the room was dark, and Tabitha wasn't on the sofa.In the past, Tabitha would have met me by this time, grumbling and helping me with my clothes.She would nag and nag non-stop, but I liked her like this the most.Yet now, though the room was filled with warm air, I still felt cold.As I pushed open the door, through the light outside the bedroom, I could vaguely see a lump on the bed.Tabitha had already slept.I walked to the bedside and gently lay down beside her.Her unique scent lingered on the tip of my nose.I couldn't help but reach out and hold her in my arms.When I heard her wake up
Third person's POVForrest's account seemed flawless at first glance, but Tabitha's heart was filled with doubts.This was not a small sum. It was three hundred million dollars, not three thousand or thirty thousand.Moreover, before the auction, no one could predict the final price, so the amount Wilmot would need to borrow would certainly far exceed three hundred million.Orson, though well-off, could hardly come up with hundreds of millions in liquid funds.Besides, she and he were merely friends, not lovers.And how could he have access to mercenaries?It wasn't that Orson couldn't do these things, but everything seemed unlikely for him.Yet, aside from Orson, who else could have lent a helping hand?It couldn't be Derek... As soon as she thought of him, Tabitha shook her head.Derek was supposedly still in Africa. He couldn't have rushed over so quickly.Even if it were him, he would have taken her awa
Third person's POVTabitha wasn't sure how long she had been asleep, but she gradually woke from her slumber in a daze.She moved her fingers, and the numbness and weakness spread throughout her body as if every muscle was silently protesting the previous ordeal.Before even opening her eyes, her body felt as if it was being pricked by fine needles, with waves of soreness following one after another.However, a strange coolness emanated from a certain part of her body, which instantly brought her back to her senses.She slowly lifted the covers and, upon seeing the unfamiliar yet soft and comfortable pajamas, was taken aback before a blush crept onto her cheeks.She subconsciously clenched her legs, her mind involuntarily recalling the previous ambiguous scenes, thinking to herself, "He was so meticulous..."The bed was filled with a faint scent, a mix of some cleaning products and a masculine aroma, suggesting that the man had meticu
Third person's POVAfter the mercenaries had plundered the ship's wealth, they swaggered away without a care.As dawn approached, Tabitha, still in the throes of sleep, was quietly transferred amidst the chaos.Derek, freshly groomed and composed, gently opened the door to a burst of invigorating sea breeze, the wind's caress gradually dispersing the gloom that had long lingered in his heart.The entire ship, except for the level they occupied, was in disarray. Ninety percent of the passengers had already disembarked, and the remaining ten percent were their own people. Over a hundred enforcers, tightly bound with ropes, huddled on the ground in disarray.Matilda, released from her restraints by Alvin, rushed downstairs with urgency. The restaurant, dance floor, luxury boutiques, and entertainment venues were all reduced to chaotic ruins.Stumbling and falling into the wreckage, Matilda's tears flowed as she lamented, "It's gone. Everything
Third person's POVThe soft sunlight gently bathed the vast ocean, the sea shimmering with a dreamlike radiance.The large ship, after a night of turmoil, finally regained its calm, drifting effortlessly on the sea like a light leaf.For the guests on board, the previous night had been nothing short of a catastrophic disaster.All the ship's infrastructure had been subjected to large-scale, wanton destruction.ATMs were brutally pried open, the casino left in disarray, and all cash looted clean.Items that couldn't be taken were either smashed to pieces or utterly ruined.Wealthy merchants stood naked and disgraced, gamblers with bloodshot eyes, having lost everything, huddled helplessly in corners, too afraid to make a sound.In such a critical moment, they knew that preserving their lives was a stroke of luck amidst misfortune. Wealth was but an external possession.Matilda was forcibly dragged to a high place by Alvin
Third person's POVOn a distant rooftop, a man stood quietly, witnessing the chaos unfold from afar.When Manager Dalton, filled with fear and trepidation, called to inform him about the helicopters, he was initially delighted, thinking he had finally caught Derek off guard."Let them cause a ruckus. The more, the better," he instructed.Dalton couldn't help but wonder if his boss had lost his mind, questioning the logic behind such an order.In his view, if a single ship could bring down Derek, it would be a bargain.However, when he realized the arriving forces were private mercenaries, the man's face turned pale instantly.Derek hadn't used his men.This realization meant he couldn't link the events on the ship to Derek."Stop them, quickly!" the man shouted in a panic."It's too late, boss, they... ah!!" The call was cut off abruptly.Furious, the man hastily switched on the surveillance system, only to
Third person's POVThe one who kicked the door in was none other than Forrest.Gone was the simple and honest demeanor he displayed in front of Tabitha and Ayla; even the mask on his face had changed to one featuring a fierce demon totem.Standing there with the sea breeze at his back, he exuded a strong and imposing presence."Bingo, you got it. We're here for you," Forrest declared loudly.Matilda roared in anger, "Who are you? Do you know where you are? How dare you act so recklessly on this ship?"As she spoke, Matilda quickly pressed the alarm button. All the enforcers, upon hearing the alarm, rushed out with their weapons at the ready.Matilda seemed not to fully grasp the gravity of the situation, still snarling viciously, "Do you know what happened to the last person who acted out on this ship? They were minced and fed to the fish."At that moment, the personnel from the helicopters descended onto various decks in an or
Third person's POV"Don't bite. It hurts," the words echoed in Tabitha's mind, bringing back a memory from the past.When she first started her relationship with Derek, she had no sex experience.At that time, she found it extremely embarrassing to make any noise during their moments of intimacy, so she would always tightly bite her lips, refusing to let out a sound.It was on an unforgettable day when the man gently turned her chin, whispering these words into her ear.Tabitha vividly remembered that night as one filled with passion and madness.At this moment, she was completely unaware of how enticing she appeared.Her eyes covered with a silver scarf, the man slowly lifted her chin, forcing her to raise her head, revealing her long, swan-like neck.Her once neat dress slipped from her shoulders, exposing arms as white as snow and sexy, charming collarbones, with fine glitter on her skin twinkling a mysterious light in the d
Derek's POVI held her quietly, without any intention of pressuring her.I knew she was in immense pain and turmoil, and all I wanted was to help her escape this predicament."Ms. Hartley, we can discuss everything else later. The most pressing matter at hand is to resolve your current difficult situation. I understand you are an innocent woman, unwilling to submit easily to others. Still, the circumstances leave us with no other options," I took a deep breath and continued, "I can promise you solemnly that I will not disclose a word of what happens tonight to anyone. After tonight, everything will return to how it was, as if nothing had happened. If you don't have special feelings for me, I can... find someone else for you, like Forrest or..."Before I could finish, she reached out and gently covered my mouth with her hand, her eyes slightly reproachful. At that moment, my heart fluttered with a hint of panic."If there really is no other choice,
Third person's POVAs Tabitha spoke, her face flushed a deep red.Had it not been for the immense willpower forged through her chemotherapy, she would have lost control long ago.Derek gazed at her, a mix of shyness and allure, and despite knowing the drugs were to blame, his heart still raced uncontrollably."Alright, I'll turn away and not look at you," Derek slowly turned his head towards the window.In the pitch-black darkness, the sea appeared particularly gloomy and oppressive.The approaching roar of helicopter blades grew louder in the sky, signaling that the true revelry of the night was about to begin.About ten minutes later, Derek suddenly heard a soft moan from behind him.He quickly turned to see Tabitha, her face rosy and flushed, not only her hair and body drenched, but her eyes as well, as if misted over with steam, glistening and red-rimmed at the corners, exuding an irresistible, fatal sex appeal."Are