Tabitha's POV 200,000 dollars was a small fortune. Now that I had it, I didn't have to worry about Dad's medical bills for quite some time. According to the werewolf's agreement, after Derek rejected me, he would have to pay me alimony, which could be used to repay the money. After paying the bills, I finally felt relieved. Stepping outta the hospital, I barely took two steps before my world started spinning. It seemed that there had been too much to take in on a single night. And the running just now drained my last bit of energy. After taking two wobbly steps, I blacked out. When I woke up again, I found myself in a ward. I was put on a drip, the cold liquid slowly seeping into my blue veins. And my wound had also been bandaged. The clock showed that it was already the next afternoon. Before I could say anything, Orson's gentle voice sounded. "As soon as I got here this morning, someone told me you fainted at the entrance last night. If I had known this, I wouldn'
Derek's POV The moon's round orb shone high in the sky, casting its velvety light on the Black Thorn Pack's turf. It was bedtime, but I couldn't sleep, my mind in turmoil. As long as I closed my eyes, Tabitha's face would haunt me. Her stubborn look, the agony in her eyes... Every detail was etched in my mind. I gotta admit, restoring her rights as Luna was quite a relief, even if it was just to chill Leo out. After staying up all night, I got up early the next morning, spending the whole day dealing with pack biz. Hopefully, it'd distract myself from all the mess inside my head. My phone kept ringing, but the sight of Daphne's name killed my urge to pick up. After a while, I heard a knock at the door. "Come in," I grunted, rubbing at my forehead. Then the door swung open and in walked Daphne. Not expecting her presence, I asked with a frown, "What are you doing here?" She walked over, grumbling, "I rang you up a few times, but you didn't answer. Got a bit worri
Tabitha's POV The guy's kiss on the back of my hand gave me goosebumps. Then I realized, even though I had given up on Derek, I still couldn't stand other guys getting close to me. Having no vibes to chill at the club, I left with Gloria. We came on foot, so we decided to walk back, too. The cool night breeze was like a balm for all the drama. Suddenly, my phone rang. It was Alvin. "Good evening, Luna Tabitha. Alpha Derek asked me to inform you that the reject ceremony's set for tomorrow morning at the Council of Elders," came Alvin's apologetic voice. The news took me by surprise. But soon, I figured out why. Since I felt pain due to Derek's intimacy with Daphne, he must've felt the same when that guy kissed my hand just now. As someone with a big ego, he surely couldn't stand it. With a wry smile, I paused my tracks a sec before answering, "Got it. Thanks." "What's wrong?" Gloria asked with concern when she saw me hang up the phone. I shook my head and smile
Tabitha's POV Right now, the big deal for me was to chase down the beef between my dad and Elena before my health further deteriorated. I gotta arrange everything first. So, I took a cab back to the Alpha Villa of the Black Thorn Pack, the place that belonged to me and Derek. Derek decked out everything in the house, so moving house just meant grabbing a few key bits of mine. The only thing I couldn't let go of was the nursery that I personally designed. I didn't want Daphne's baby to move in there when she became Luna. So I took down all the decorations. It took only a few hours to erase what took sleepless nights to build. Standing at the doorway of the villa, I recalled how thrilled I was first coming up here. How naïve. Back then, I never saw it coming that one day Derek and I would end up like this. Snapping back to reality, I decided to call someone to pick me up. Alvin and Rolf followed Derek to 32 Seaside Avenue, so they weren't available. The other member
Derek's POV Kyrian's disappearance almost drove me insane, so I had to tell Tabitha to put off the rejection ceremony. Watching her lose control in anger, I had to release the Alpha aura to calm her down. Holding her, I suddenly realized she'd lost a lot of weight. What had I done to the mate I used to love wholeheartedly? Was this really what I wanted? But then, the image of Elena's cold, lifeless body popped up in my mind. My guilt immediately vanished, and I resolutely pushed Tabitha away. Hearing her talk about splitting up, all disappointed, Leo wailed with pain inside me again. But Kyrian's missing got me too wrapped up to dwell on that agony. After Tabitha disappeared from my sight, I headed toward the car, instructing, "Alvin, let's go!" Going a few miles, I finally couldn't put up with Alvin's slow driving, so I told Rolf to take his place. Finally, we arrived at 32 Seaside Avenue after half an hour. I barged in, and before I could say anything, Daphne rush
Derek's POV "Alpha Derek, are we going back to the Council of Elders?" asked Rolf after we left 32 Seaside Avenue. I glanced back and said, "Nah, we're heading back to the pack." With that, I got in the car. Before closing the car door, I heard Rolf muttering, "Aren't they supposed to hold the feet; rejection ceremony today? We didn't waste a lot of time here. Maybe we'll be able to catch up with Tabitha..." To my surprise, postponing the rejection ceremony was a relief to me. But I was too cowardly to think why. "Where's Tabitha?" I asked. Alvin immediately replied, "She should be with Gloria now." It made sense since Gloria was her bestie. To keep tabs on all of Tabitha's moves, I had Alvin follow Gloria on social media. Alvin fished out his phone while speaking and scrolled to Gloria's latest I*******m post, where I spotted Tabitha beside her straight away. The two seemed to be celebrating something, as Gloria captioned it with "A new beginning." My grip on the
Tabitha's POV I hung up the phone and took a taxi to the hospital where Orson was. Sitting in the backseat, I watched as the view outside the window raced past me. For the first time in ages, I was craving to stay alive. Not just for Dad but for the Silver Moon Pack too. Just as I was lost in thought, my phone rang. It was Alvin. "What's up, Alvin?" I asked calmly. "Luna, Alpha Derek wants you to come back to the pack immediately," Alvin said respectfully. "I can't. Got something to do." "But..." He paused for a second. "Alpha Derek needs you back for the rejection ceremony." "He can leave me at will but I gotta go when he needs me? What am I, his pet?" I cut him off. "Tell him that I'll come back after I'm done here. Leave me alone before that." Then I hung up before Alvin could say anything in reply. A few hours ago, I would've returned to Black Thorn Pack in a heartbeat. But now, I had more important things to do. "Orson, I need your help." Orson sat down
Tabitha's POV To my surprise, the person I missed the most till this point was still Derek. Memories came flooding back, overwhelming me. I recalled us running together in the moonlight after we shifted. Back then, we had just confirmed we were each other's mates, all thrilled. Even after all this time, his face that night was etched in my mind. And after he marked me, he was so gentle and considerate, taking care of me like no one else. Our love used to be the envy of all. And we had thought it would last forever. But now, he was with someone else, even having a kid of their own. I had to remind myself again and again of his betrayal and ruthlessness, trying my best to forget about the good old days. In intense pain, I gritted my teeth and told myself that I gotta hang tough. There were truths not yet dug up, so I couldn't just die. The cold moonlight shone on my wound, the skin beneath my fur warming up. As time passed, the pain turned numb. By dawn, I shifted b
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
Third person's POVIn this vast world, if Tabitha and Gloria were hiding in some remote and desolate place, living anonymously, even someone as capable as Derek or Leopold could not find them easily.The two exceptionally skilled men were at a loss in their search for them.Tabitha's adoptive parents had long passed away, and she had few attachments left in this world.As for Derek, he was the last bond she severed.Since then, she had lived like a free bird, soaring through the expansive skies without restraint.Derek could only face this loneliness alone, year after year.One year, two years, three years...Tabitha remained a thorn in Derek's heart, impossible to remove or forget. Each time he thought of her, a dull ache pierced his heart.Over these three years, Derek's position had become increasingly secure.The plan he had meticulously crafted for a decade was finally reaching its fruition.Without Ta
Third person's POV"Jasper, how is it?" Tabitha stood up abruptly.Jasper's expression was grave. "Tabitha, the results aren't good. You need to terminate the pregnancy immediately."Tabitha stared at the tumor data on the report and staggered back a step.She had almost forgotten about the lesion inside her body over the past year, until the cold numbers brought reality crashing back."Could there be a mistake?" Her voice trembled."Why would I lie to you?" Jasper suddenly became agitated. "I traveled far and wide to find herbs for a cure, all of this was for you!"Tabitha hastily apologized, "I'm sorry, I just... I'll accept the treatment."At Jasper's urging, Tabitha was wheeled into the gynecology clinic.When the doctor signaled for her to undress in English, a sudden cramp hit her lower abdomen.She lied about needing the restroom and stumbled out of the clinic.As she passed through the corridor, fam