Tabitha's POV
I opened my mouth, and at that moment, I had the urge to let everything out.The thought flashed through my mind, and soon I remembered Derek's contemptuous face.He had mocked me countless times in the past, playing tricks and manipulating me. If I spoke up now, he might just dismiss it and think I was just exonerating my father.Moreover, before I could uncover the truth, revealing my suspicions too soon could tip them off and make things worse.So I swallowed my words again.Regardless of any mastermind, the relationship between me and Derek wouldn't be affected. His infidelity was a fact.I remained calm and responded with a muffled sound.With his answer, all the things became even clearer to me.I tightened my grip on his clothes, determined to uncover the truth. It became my only purpose for enduring."I knew it," I muttered."There's no need to dwell on things that have already passed, let's go to sleep," hTabitha's POVUpon hearing Noah's words, I followed his gaze and looked over.When I saw the painting hanging on the wall, I was stunned.Noah's excited voice still echoed in my ears: "Tabitha, do you know who painted this? The painter must have a broad vision and a beautiful mind."I looked at the painting, which presented a profound forest night scene with a full moon hanging in the night sky.The silver moonlight poured down, penetrating through layers of overlapping leaves, bringing a touch of mysterious brightness to the dark forest.In the forest, some wolves could be faintly seen, as if they were telling ancient legends.In one corner of the picture, there was a stone altar, adorned with delicate patterns, seemingly related to the legend of the Moon Goddess.Several wolves quietly guarded around the altar.Their postures were solemn and dignified as if they were performing some kind of sacred ritual.The eyes of the wolves in
Tabitha's POVDerek's voice was filled with uncontrollable anger. "Even if I married her, it wouldn't affect your position at all."His words seemed like a kind of charity.I laughed with undisguised contempt, "She has already obtained the position of Luna of the Black Thorn Pack. What else can I offer?"Without waiting for Derek's reply, I reached out and straightened his collar. I didn't want to argue too much about this topic.After all, in the end, I would have to spend more effort to please."Alright, go with your fiancée. I know my current status and I won't put you in a difficult position."After saying that, I took a step back and said, "Thank you for not holding any grudges against Aiden and others."Derek opened his mouth, but no words came out.I turned around and left, leaving no chance for him to speak.I found Aiden and Noah. They were attentively appreciating a painting in another exhibition area of the art gall
Tabitha's POVI asked Lucian to pass a message to Aiden and Noah who were watching the band performance.Then I followed Lucian and sneaked out through the back door. And I changed my outfit on purpose.I was amazed at how skilled Lucian was in disguise. He easily changed my facial features by putting something on my face.He applied another layer of dark powder and instantly I aged over ten years.Lucian's face also became that of a middle-aged man, and nobody could tell what he originally looked like.Lucian and I arrived at Bruto Street in the southern district, where many homeless rogues were lurking.These werewolves did not belong to a wolf pack, their lives were marginalized.Sometimes, in order to survive, they would even dare to attack humans, making the security situation here always far from optimistic.Lucian and I came here, hoping to gather information about Vilda from these marginalized werewolves.We cautiously walked
Derek's POVTabitha looked at me in surprise, clearly not expecting me to come pick her up.I scanned her face for a hint of happiness but found zilch.She was all tense after getting into the car, which took me by surprise. I tried to break the silence, asking, "Did you have fun?""It was alright. There is a resident underground band and both Aiden and Noah like it," she replied, her tone calm and her face devoid of much expression.I averted my gaze from her face.I thought that having Tabitha hang out with the two kids would bring back her old bubbly self.However, what was gone wasn't just the vibe between us but Tabitha herself.Back in the day, she'd be all over me, chatting non-stop.But now, she sat upright, her fingers gripping the armrest, her eyes fixed on the window.Talking to her was like pulling teeth. The silence felt like a chasm between us.The atmosphere was suffocating, the tension in the car almost tangible.
Derek's POVI'd faced all sorts of threats, so a sudden noise surely didn't faze me.But Holly and Daphne were startled.Mark, being the son of the Amber's Eye Pack's Alpha, couldn't help but unleash his Alpha aura in a fit of rage.Holly quickly grabbed his arm, trying to smooth things over with a smile. "Calm down. Who do you think you're talking to? He's not some guard from your pack you could randomly scold."After saying that, she said to me apologetically, "Derek, please don't take it to heart. It's just he used to be a Gamma in his pack."Daphne chimed in, "Dad, Derek's Alpha of the Black Thorn Pack. So he might have some business to handle. Show some understanding."Mark glared at me, his face sullen.He used to be friendly to me, but ever since I mobilized a bunch of people to search for Tabitha and Kyrian when they went missing, he'd grown colder.He piped up, cutting to the chase, "Kyrian and Reid are one year old now. But you
Tabitha's POVI used to think that I had lost my feelings for Derek, but the fact proved me wrong.I'd been madly in love with him for so many years, so a few months wouldn't be enough for me to get over him.I curled up in bed, with images of Derek and Daphne constantly playing in my mind.The heart-wrenching feeling kept me up all night.In the early morning, looking at the cold, empty bed beside me, I couldn't help but scoff at myself.Suddenly, the phone on the bedside table rang, shattering the silence.I reached out to answer it, and Holly's voice came through, a barely noticeable tremble in her tone, "Tabitha, good morning. Are you up?""It's not morning yet," I replied coldly."Oh, dear, I forgot. I must have woken you up, sorry," she quickly changed her tone, trying to hide her embarrassment. "But I've prepared your favorite breakfast. Wanna come over and try it? I got a big surprise for you, by the way."Upon hearing her wo
Tabitha's POV"Tabitha, you are always so stubborn. Can't you grow up a bit?" Holly asked me.Her face was tense, disappointment written all over it.She kept scolding, her tone full of dissatisfaction, "You two had gone through the rejection ceremony already. Now that he's with Daphne, you need to face reality. Stop clinging to the past."I felt a twinge of pain in my abdomen, my temples throbbing.I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Had she ever considered me as her daughter?!Forcing myself to calm down, I looked Holly straight in the eye, asking word by word, "So in your eyes, it's me who's incessantly pestering Derek? Everything's my fault?"She answered without hesitation, "Isn't it? I heard you two are still living together. Tabitha, you're no longer his mate. This isn't right. Show some respect to Daphne."I felt a deep pain as if ants were gnawing at my insides.Holding back my tears, I managed to put on a smile, saying, "So t
Tabitha's POVI took a deep breath, swallowing the blood that surged up my throat again."Mrs. Sutton, from now on, we're done. Just take me as a stranger when you meet me again," I announced word by word.After I finished speaking, Holly slapped me across the face."Tabitha, listen to yourself! Where have all your manners gone?" she shouted.Clutching her chest, she glared at me. "How did you become like this?"Mark hurried over to support her, siding with her without hesitation."Tabitha, she's doing all this for your own good. Don't you know she has a heart problem? How could you anger her like that? Come and apologize to her now."Daphne walked over and held Holly's arm too. "Ms. Hartley, I know you blame me for taking Derek away, but you shouldn't have upset your mother like this! Mom, are you okay?"I was the one who got smacked. How could they accuseme now?!Holly's slap was so strong that it disheveled my hair.Blood dri
Rolf was so focused on escaping that he barely had time to marvel at the spectacle unfolding before him."If this isn't a nightmare, I don't know what is", he thought, sprinting for his life.He knew if he fell, he'd be bitten to death by the venomous snakes.Never in his life had Rolf run so fast. He sprinted in the direction of the sound, desperation lending him strength.Up ahead, perched in a peach tree like a guardian angel, sat Hedwig.Her tiny fingers danced over a bamboo flute, its melody ringing in the charged air.To Rolf and Misha, however, the "ding-dong" notes felt like a death knell tolling ever closer.Snakes swarmed from all directions like a rising tide. Rolf knew if this kept up, they'd both end up as snake fodder.Panic clawed at his throat. Without a word to Misha, he unceremoniously dumped her onto the ground.Misha was still disoriented when she was roughly thrown to the ground. Before she could rea
"Agreed," Alvin replied. The memory of Hedwig's earlier glare at Misha sent a shiver down his spine.He had a foreboding that Misha might already be in Hedwig's crosshairs.Given that this was Hedwig's home turf, Alvin worried their group might not stand a chance in a confrontation.This added a layer of anxiety to an already tense situation.Meanwhile, Tabitha remained fast asleep, a serene smile playing on her lips.After a short play with the fawn, a pigeon flew in from outside the cave and landed on Hedwig's shoulder, cooing softly. Hedwig paused at the sound, glancing at Tabitha still lost in slumber.With a moment of hesitation, she quietly rose and tiptoed away, not wanting to disturb Tabitha's rest.Misha, who had always sailed through life with ease, had encountered her greatest challenge in the form of unrequited love.Ever since Derek had rescued her, she had vowed to marry him when she grew up.Throughout her
Hedwig nodded understandingly, her face lighting up with innocent joy.She carefully lowered herself onto the lawn and gently pressed a sweet kiss to Tabitha's cheek, her movements as delicate as a butterfly's wings.Her movements were incredibly gentle, for fear of disturbing Tabitha.Then, she sat quietly by the pool, watching butterflies dance around them—a scene so serene it could have been plucked from a masterpiece painting.Tabitha's exhaustion overwhelmed her, her eyelids growing heavier by the second until she drifted into a deep sleep by the pool's edge.Her long, silk-like hair cascaded down, and without her mask, her porcelain skin glowed.Compared to before, she seemed even more beautiful now, like a sleeping fairy, radiating an enchanting charm.Hedwig stayed by her side without disturbing Tabitha, quietly gathering herbs nearby with focused and skillful movements.The forest creatures adored her—a faw
Misha watched Tabitha and Alma walk away, her anger flaring up again.She glared at the back of Tabitha's head and instinctively touched her red cheek.Growing up, she had never been treated like this. The humiliation filled her heart with resentment."Once Derek's poison is neutralized, I'll make them pay", she vowed silently.Alban, seeing the hatred in Misha's eyes, felt a chill.He knew Misha's background—her family's influence was no secret. He'd brought her here out of concern for Derek's blood type.Having watched Misha and Derek grow up, he was well aware of their temperaments.Given Misha's current state, he feared she would cause more trouble.So, he tried to persuade her again, "Look, things are under control here. It's not proper for a young lady like you to stay. I'll have someone escort you out.""I'm not leaving, Dr. Weaver. I'm staying to take care of Derek!" Misha said stubbornly, turning her head
Misha's eyes welled up the moment she saw Derek awake. She lunged toward him, crying, "I've been so worried!"Derek sidestepped her embrace instinctively and said coolly, "I'm fine. I've delayed you long enough. I need to stay for treatment; you should head back."Misha's jaw dropped in shock.Misha had traveled so far and gone through so much, only to hear Derek tell her to leave as soon as he woke up."I need to care for you—your eyesight's impaired. I've already taken leave," she pleaded."You'll be fine. Rolf and Alvin are here. It's not convenient for you, a young woman, to stay," Derek insisted.Misha stamped her foot in frustration. "What's inconvenient about it? You're not married, and neither am I. Remember when we were on missions together? We took care of each other then, didn't we?"Alma happened to pass by and overhear the conversation, finally realizing that Misha had been the one making advances all along.
Derek jolted awake after an hour of sleep.In a daze, sensing someone beside him, he instinctively pulled them into his arms, exclaiming, "Tabitha, you came for me."Alvin sighed, "Alpha Derek, it's me."Derek fumbled blindly in the air, urgency lacing his voice, "Where's Tabitha? Where did she go?""You were dreaming again," Alvin explained patiently."A dream?" Derek frowned, confusion washing over him.But why did the dream feel so real? So real that he could almost feel the give of Tabitha's skin, recall the touch of her body, and even remember the warmth of her flesh. Her voice still seemed to linger in his ears."Tabitha's probably miles away. She couldn't be here," Alvin added.Derek's heart sank, the joy from moments ago replaced by emptiness. It felt as though he'd found his most precious treasure, only to realize it was just a dream.He bowed his head, a bitter smile tugging at his lips. "Right, how could I rea
At Derek's words, Tabitha was suddenly reminded of his words from years ago, when he had said the person in his dreams was her.She couldn't help but wonder what exactly this scoundrel had done to her in his dreams."Tabitha, hold me," Derek pleaded like a petulant child.Tabitha recalled the early days of their marriage. Back then, Derek was reticent and self-absorbed in bed, rarely showing any emotion or expressing his feelings.She often doubted whether he even liked her, if not for the fact that his actions left her bedridden the next day.Derek had locked all his emotions in an airtight box, allowing no one to peek inside.But over the years, their dynamics had done a complete turnaround.Now, Tabitha buried her feelings deep within, becoming cold and distant, while Derek had transformed into someone unrecognizably vulnerable and open.At this moment, Derek was like an overly affectionate, enthusiastic dog, intimately fami
Tabitha was deeply focused on listening to Derek's heartbeat. Irritated by his question, she simply hushed him with a "Shh" and said, "Don't talk." Her attention was entirely on his heart rate. She had no intention of being distracted by others.After finishing with his heartbeat, Tabitha gently pried open Derek's eyelids for a closer look.His pupils were dull and lifeless, making it impossible to assess the internal damage with the naked eye.It seemed that only after administering the antidote and conducting a professional examination outside could they determine the extent of the eye damage.Tabitha silently resolved that if they could just detoxify him, there would be hope for the gradual recovery of his other organs.At Tabitha's "Shh," Derek obediently fell silent.Despite feeling as though he were in a dream, he cherished this fleeting moment, thinking that even an extra minute with Tabitha would give him more memories to hold onto i
Derek clung to Tabitha like a koala to a tree trunk, refusing to let go.His voice was urgent and filled with longing as he declared, "Tabitha, you have no idea how long I've been searching for you! Every day, every night, your image haunted my thoughts. I was such a fool. If I had known you would vanish completely, I never would have let you go."Tabitha's heart skipped a beat at his words.Recalling her departure, she realized how strange it had been—how smoothly she had left.Back then, Tabitha had barely left when someone came chasing after her. Had Derek known of her plan from the start?If he had wanted to stop her, he could have nipped her plan in the bud."Why did you let me go, then?" she asked.Derek, lost in the joy of their reunion, poured out his feelings unreservedly. "I've always felt guilty for the wrongs I did you. I wanted to make amends."Tabitha gazed into Derek's eyes, noticing the red marks on his face.Despite his usual handsomeness, these marks added an air of