Tabitha's POV"I used to feel the same way. My dad was getting much better and I even thought about taking him home. How could his condition suddenly get critical? And Vilda got killed soon after I visited her. It can't be a coincidence," I replied.With a sigh, I went on, "But then, I feel like I shouldn't deny reality just because I couldn't accept it. I had asked Beta Gary about what had happened the day my dad fell back into a coma. He told me that no one else had visited Dad. Maybe the Silver Moon Pack's incident was the trigger. As for what happened to Vilda, it was probably Daphne's doing. You know, to force Derek to reject me sooner. Now that she got what she wanted, I guess she won't stir up trouble again."Gloria knitted her brow, saying, "I doubt it, Tabitha. Sometimes, what seems like an accident in every way might end up being a scheme. You never know."I hesitated as I looked into the distance."If that really is the case, the mastermind is way too cunning. It's gonna ta
Derek's POVHonestly, I didn't expect Tabitha would be here. Today, she was in a black dress. It would look plain on an average girl, but with Tabitha's curvy body, she looked stunning in it.She slightly tilted her head, revealing her fair, delicate neck, which added to her charm.I couldn't feel any connection between us anymore; nor could I tune into her feelings.I thought it would be like the end of all relationships, and one day she would be a total stranger to me.However, when Alpha Obadiah grabbed her wrist, I realized that I wasn't as composed as I thought. Instinctively, I fixed my gaze on Alpha Obadiah's hand.When he looked over, I immediately turned my head, nodding to those who greeted me.Soon, Alpha Obadiah walked towards me, saying, "I thought you would send someone on your behalf. Oh, by the way, let me introduce you. This is Tabitha, the daughter of the Silver Moon Pack's Alpha."Alpha Obadiah looked at Tabitha and said, "This is Alpha Derek of the Black Thorn Pack,
Derek's POVAs Gloria's sarcastic gaze swept across my face, I couldn't help clenching my fists under the table.To me, the Guaiacwood Pack was just a second-rate pack. If it wasn't for her being Tabitha's friend, no way I'd let her throw this shade in my face.Snapping back to reality, I felt Daphne looking my way.Leo grumbled discontentedly in my mind, and I knew what it meant.He always thought that Daphne was dumb.Well, I couldn't speak up at that moment, so I had to watch Daphne walk right into Gloria's verbal trap."I wasn't angry. I just don't think it's good to talk behind others' backs," explained Daphne."I was simply telling the truth, no judgment. Why do you seem so angry when I talk about it? Could it be that you're..." Gloria fired back, ignoring Daphne's glare."Miss Bennett, seems like we're veering way off the main script of our gathering today," I said coldly."I'm sorry, Alpha Derek, I thought your future Luna would enjoy discussing such topics." Gloria sounded se
Derek's POVInstead of returning to the Black Thorn Pack, I came to one of the hotels that I owned.There was a private suite for me.Sitting on the sofa in the middle of the room, I lit a cigarette.I didn't turn any lights, and only moonlight shone through the French windows.It was dark and quiet. The torment and the pain were eating me up.My craving for Tabitha and my need to claim her didn't reduce after the rejection. It only grew stronger.As I was lost in thought, the door opened, and Alvin brought Tabitha in."Leave us," I said to him.Alvin hesitated, fixing his gaze on me. But he was my Beta, and he gotta obey my orders. So despite his disapproval of my behavior, he had to leave as I said.When the door closed, I got up from the sofa and walked towards Tabitha. She instinctively took a few steps back."You scared of me?" My voice was cold and indifferent. I walked briskly towards her, lifting her chin with my finger. "Where did you and Orson go? What did you do?"Tabitha p
Derek's POVI dropped my gaze to Gloria, my wolf eyeing her through me.As Alpha of one of the oldest packs, I got that natural press vibe on regular werewolves.Gloria's eyes deepened, and I could feel her wolf getting all on edge."What are you talking about? Where's Tabitha? Ain't that my line?" I shot back."I can feel Tabitha's scent's gone from here," Gloria said anxiously."Yeah, I saw her. But she's already left," I calmly replied.'Gotcha. Tabitha's right here on the top floor!' I smirked inwardly."Alright, I gotta keep searching for Tabitha. Bye," Gloria blurted out before spinning around.Seeing her all anxious, I asked, "Why the rush? Let's talk."Gloria cracked an awkward smile. "Well, maybe next time."With that, she ran in the opposite direction. But she was on my turf, and no way she was getting outta here without my permission. So Alvin stopped her immediately. Gloria almost crashed into him out of panic. As I
Derek's POVWhat the hell? Tabitha collapsed right in front of me.Never in my life had I felt so terrified.In my memory, Tabitha'd always been a strong werewolf. She'd got Alpha blood, killer combat skills, and a sharp brain.That was why I was stoked about her being my Luna.I thought getting drenched would give her a little sniffle at worst. I never imagined that she would pass out.Noticing my tie hanging around her body, I immediately released her. Then her limp body fell, her cold, cutting words echoing.How could she hurt herself this badly just trying to break free from a tie? She used to whine for hours over a tiny needle prick.I scooped her up, fixing my gaze on her face. She looked as white as a sheet. With long hair stuck to her cheeks, she was like a lifeless doll, fragile and delicate.Panic seized me. I couldn't help wondering, 'What the hell happened?'She used to be tough enough for winter swims. How could a bit of
Derek's POVThinking back, Tabitha was always bundled up in thick down jackets, a far cry from her vanity of only wearing wool coats back in the day.So she wasn't putting on an act.She really was sick.I wrapped her up tight, not letting a bit of wind sneak in.Tabitha's cheeks were burning up, looking all pitiful yet cute.What had she been through exactly? How come she got so weak?Holding her, I realized she was way lighter than before. I couldn't help tightening my embrace.Finally, the car arrived at the pack hospital. Kamp came over with the blood test report, saying, "Alpha Derek, I heard about what had happened from Alvin. Luna's critical. We gotta put her on a drip."I held Tabitha the whole time, and she seemed delirious from fever, mumbling non-stop.She instinctively covered her belly with one hand and reached out into the void with another. "Save me. Save our child," she exclaimed.Her right hand still got the IV
Tabitha's POVI felt I had sunk into a deep ocean, my mind bobbing in and out of the water.This surreal feeling got me confused. I didn't even know if I was in a dream or reality.I lost the remote to my own body—caught up in the chilly seawater one sec, the next basking in some cozy sunbeams.Amidst this chaos, I caught sight of a blurry figure. It was my wolf, Crystal, treading all slow and heavy like she was trying to lead me somewhere.Sensing her weariness and pain, I was devastated.I wanted to catch up, to comfort her a bit, but no matter how hard I tried, I could only stagger on, my legs feeling like lead."Crystal," I called out in my heart.But she didn't even turn her head.Just as I was about to drop to my knees in this never-ending dream, a soft glow lit up before me.Then, a beautiful lady in a white dress walked out.She looked so kind, her eyes brimming with empathy and wisdom.Though I had never seen her, I knew she was the Moon Goddess, the guardian of werewolves.S
It wasn't until the bamboo flute's melody faded completely that Misha collapsed to the ground like a puppet whose strings had been cut.She felt as though she'd lost half her life force, every ounce of strength drained from her body.Initially planning to leave the next day, Misha fell ill that very night.Delirious and raving, she was swallowed by confusion.Back at their quarters, Rolf returned with a face flushed with excitement, eager to recount yesterday's events to Alvin in vivid detail.Gesturing wildly, he said, "You should've seen it—spectacular! Those snakes came pouring in from every direction, like something out of a horror movie. It gave me the creeps just watching."Alvin listened, his brow furrowing with each passing word.Recalling Alma's parting words— "See that you behave" —a nagging sense of unease settled in his stomach. Misha's illness felt anything but coincidental."What're you thinking?" Rolf asked, noti
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