Tabitha's POVI gradually got used to life without my memories of the past.There were times when I would feel empty and find myself staring blankly at a certain place for no reason.And I still couldn't get in touch with my wolf.But overall, I quite enjoyed my life thanks to Derek's pampering.Suddenly, I realized that there were only a few days left before I went abroad with him.
Tabitha's POVEver since I came around, Derek had always been super patient with me. But right now, he kept nudging me, saying, "That's someone else's tombstone. Don't waste our time here. Come on, let's go."I frowned at him and shot back, "Don't say that. It's disrespectful." As I spoke, I couldn't help stealing a couple more glances at that tombstone."It's weird," I said slowly. "I don't remember knowing anyone named Lillian at all, but I somehow feel that she must have something to do with our pack."
Tabitha's POVI had no idea what Derek was planning, just sitting here quietly, letting everyone slather my face with all sorts of makeup.Derek stood not far away, watching me intently.Every now and then, the stylists would compliment me. "Oh my! Ma'am, your skin is so delicate. You must have been well taken care of by Alpha Derek, right?"Another stylist added, "Not just her skin is perfect, okay? Just look at her face. Can you find any flaws in her features? I gotta tell
Tabitha's POVI couldn't get any information from Derek's tranquil eyes. But thinking of Ivonne's cocky attitude, I guessed this Kelsey might be hostile to me, too.Derek seemed worried I'd overthink things.He crouched down and held my hand in his palm. I could actually see the top of his head while sitting in a chair.He then lifted his head to look me in the eye, appearing serious and earnest. "Tabitha, I lived with my aunt, the so-called Mrs. Gutierrez, for some days whe
Tabitha's POVI did lose my memory, but I wasn't a fool. This hallway had been cleared in advance, so how could journalists just pop up out of nowhere?And how could that woman with exquisite makeup and proper attire just trip and fall like that by accident?Apparently, she had told them to wait here.This scheme seemed simple, but it was very effective.But I didn't get it. From what I'd hear
Kelsey's POVThe hand looked fair, but the palm was anything but pretty, showing signs of wear and tear that were hard to miss.People said that a woman's hands were like her second face.From this hand, I could tell that Derek didn't care that much about her. Those calluses indicated that she must've done her fair share of hard work.I extended my hand to her. Being pampered since childhood, I treated myself to full-body care every week. So my hands looked stunning.
Tabitha's POVThe atmosphere was a bit awkward. Kelsey took a deep breath and shot back, "You said you'd marry me, but all of a sudden, you married someone else. When did that even happen? Why didn't you tell me about it?"Her words left me bewildered. I turned my head to Derek, wanting an explanation.The tension in the air was almost palpable.Derek's gaze turned icy as he shot daggers at Kelsey. "Miss Arnold, we're neither friends nor relatives. Why would I have to tell y
Third person's POVAfter Derek finished speaking, he grabbed Tabitha's hand and strode off, leaving Kelsey fuming behind them.Kelsey thought to herself, 'This guy's even more clueless than he was as a kid. Like a stubborn old rock that wouldn't budge, totally unyielding.'Watching the scene of Derek and Tabitha leaving hand in hand, Kelsey was so furious that she gritted her teeth.Just then, a cold smirk crept onto her lips, making her look like a snake lurking in the shad
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