LOGINTabitha watched the crushing disappointment flash across her face, the corner of her mouth twitching imperceptibly.After a beat, she spoke in a measured, casual tone. "But then again... I've been traveling the world for years. A while back, I got hurt while passing through a remote area and stumbled upon a custom scar-removal ointment. The results were honestly unreal.""Really?!" Rosemary snapped her head back around, a manic light reigniting in her dull eyes.Tabitha didn't rush to answer. She smoothly rolled up her left sleeve, exposing her inner wrist. Under the light, the skin looked smooth, porcelain, and completely flawless. "Look. I used to have a pretty nasty scar from a bullet wound right here."She lightly tapped a spot on her wrist. "Take a close look. Can you even tell it was there now?"Rosemary squinted, leaning in close. She had to strain her eyes under the light just to catch a glimpse of a faint, microscopic trace.The heart that had been dead for years instantly st
She knew that down in his core, Austin loved his mother.It was a love buried deep under layers of frozen hatred, like a seed locked beneath the permafrost—never quite able to break through the soil, yet never truly dying.As for Rosemary's clockwork routine, Tabitha had tracked it down to the exact minute. Every single evening, rain or shine, the older woman would walk alone to the coffee shop on the corner to buy two cups of Americano.One was for herself; the other was placed right across from her at the empty seat, as if someone who had walked out of her life a lifetime ago were still sitting right there.Making her "take a fall" was child's play.Back when Austin had used Joanna to pull his dirty tricks on her, he probably never imagined in his wildest dreams that the exact same tactics would one day bounce right back onto his own mother.Karma really was a mirror.The elevator made a steady, mechanical hum as it climbed. Tabitha followed Austin into the luxury apartment, which s
"My mom just took a fall in the snow. She has a heart condition, I need to get her to the hospital right now." Austin's voice shook with an anxiety he couldn't keep down."I'm a doctor. I'm coming with you." Tabitha stood up without a split second of hesitation, grabbing her coat to follow him out.Her movements were clean and decisive, striking every single vulnerable chord in Austin's chest—she was gentle, reliable, and completely defenseless.Meanwhile, on the other side of the restaurant.Cyrus was systematically cutting into his steak, his silver fork and knife gleaming like ice under the warm lighting.He suddenly broke the silence, his tone as casual as if he were checking the weather. "The perfume you women wear... what kind of scents do they usually come in?"Tamara's eyes lit up across the table. She assumed the usually detached Holmes heir was finally pulling his head out of his ass to buy her a gift.She immediately
Tabitha had no idea if he recognized her as Derek's ex-wife.Under her current identity, she had never officially crossed paths with Cyrus.Forcing her racing pulse under control, she tucked all her panic beneath a calm exterior, smoothly breaking eye contact to turn and walk away."Hold on."Cyrus's voice came from behind her—deep, steady, carrying the absolute, non-negotiable authority of a predator barking an order right before its prey bolts.The air in the hallway frozen solid the exact second those words left his mouth.Tabitha stopped dead in her tracks, took a deep breath, and slowly turned back around.By the time she faced Cyrus, she had buried every trace of panic deep in her eyes, replacing it with a poised, dignified expression. She spoke in her natural voice."Can I help you, sir?"Cyrus didn't answer right away.He walked toward her, his steps deliberate and slow. Every footprint hitting the m
Behind her, the faint rustle of fabric signaled that the pair had taken their seats.Tabitha didn't need to turn around to feel her spine instinctively lock up. The sheer weight of the gaze landing on the back of her neck carried a suffocating, physical pressure.It felt exactly like a loaded shotgun pressed against the back of her head, making her track every single breath just to keep her composure.Her Lycan instincts, hardwired to detect a high-tier predator, were flashing red at maximum capacity.Fortunately, Austin was a man of few words by nature. Thanks to his silence, Tabitha managed to fake a calm exterior, though her fingertips dug deep into the velvet cushion of her seat, leaving heavy creases."Mr. Holmes, how long are you planning to stay in Seattle this time?" the female voice behind her cooed, her tone soft and melodic.Cyrus's voice cut in, ice-cold and sharp as a frosted blade. "When enjoying a movement, keep your mouth shu
A thick layer of silver-white snow dusted her shoulders and hair. She stood with her head tilted back, her eyes clear and focused—so caught up in the view she didn't even notice him step up beside her."What are you looking at?"Tabitha gave a slight start, like a startled deer. When she turned around, a lingering brightness still shone in her eyes. "I just saw a little squirrel."Austin had never seen eyes that clean and transparent on any woman.It was as if two completely opposite souls lived inside her at the same time—one minute she was as pure as a defenseless young animal, and the next she was as seductive and deadly as a poisoned rose."So you've just been standing out here in the freezing snow this whole time?" he asked, a trace of helpless affection slipping into his voice before he could even catch himself.Tabitha's lips curved into a bright, easy smile. "Don't you think running into a little creature like that in a c
Derek's POV Priscilla, who had clearly forgotten who she was, still had these things engraved in her bones. "Priscilla, just consider this place as your own home. Please go inside first." Tabitha also came to this house for the first time and casually looked around. I pointed to t
Tabitha's POV The sky was dark and drizzly, with the cold wind making the candlelight flicker, and the white petals dancing in the breeze. I wiped the rain off my face and murmured, "Joanna, is that you?" Two drops of rain landed right under Joanna's eyes in the photo, making it look
Tabitha's POV Deep down, I was anything but calm or collected. All I felt was this endless madness and obsession. The Thunderflame Isles were known among werewolves as the Isles of Death. It was a secret training ground for special agents where most who got in didn't come out alive. T
Derek's POVWatching Tabitha cry in my arms, I felt sorry for her.I knew she was still weak and she was supposed to avoid violent mood swings. But she had so much pent-up negativity inside her.I feared that if she kept bottling it all up, something worse would happen. Thus, I fig







