Third person's POV
Having seen Derek's body countless times before, Tabitha steeled herself and swiftly untied the sash of his bathrobe, letting it slip off.
His broad back, scarred from rescuing her years ago, was laid bare.
She remembered the gruesome scene of that day all too well.
Time, she mused, was truly a terrifying force.
With a clean towel, she gently dabbed at the water droplets on his face and body. Derek stood docile, like a compliant dog, allowing her every action.
Such a sight was rare—Derek, the man of unyielding pride, had always insisted on self-sufficiency.
To be honest, in the early days of their relationship, Derek had hidden his true self.
Despite their closeness, she felt a distance, only catching fleeting glimpses of the real him during intimate moments.
Now, however, he laid bare his heart and soul before her, only to be met with her indifference.
In the past few days, with no one to
Third person's POVTabitha tossed and turned, haunted by the harrowing image of Derek ensnared by snakes.Anyone else would have been petrified, but Derek had endured it all—blind and at the mercy of unseen horrors.Fear of the unknown often surpasses the fear of what we can see.She sat up and saw Derek's massive frame curled into a shivering ball. "Is he... trembling?" she wondered.An odd sense of protectiveness welled up in her, akin to the feeling of a loyal dog being abandoned.Derek was poisoned, blind, and alone—his only anchor was her."Hey, you..."Derek's back was to her, his shoulders quivering. "Tabitha, I'm sorry for disturbing you. You don't have to mind me. Sleep well," he muttered, his voice trembling."You're being deliberately difficult," she said, exasperated. "Lack of rest won't aid your recovery."Tabitha said, "What do you want exactly?"Derek's muffled voice came through,
Third person's POVHaving seen Derek's body countless times before, Tabitha steeled herself and swiftly untied the sash of his bathrobe, letting it slip off.His broad back, scarred from rescuing her years ago, was laid bare.She remembered the gruesome scene of that day all too well.Time, she mused, was truly a terrifying force.With a clean towel, she gently dabbed at the water droplets on his face and body. Derek stood docile, like a compliant dog, allowing her every action.Such a sight was rare—Derek, the man of unyielding pride, had always insisted on self-sufficiency.To be honest, in the early days of their relationship, Derek had hidden his true self.Despite their closeness, she felt a distance, only catching fleeting glimpses of the real him during intimate moments.Now, however, he laid bare his heart and soul before her, only to be met with her indifference.In the past few days, with no one to
Third person's POVAfter visiting the snake pit, Derek had cleaned himself up, and now Tabitha needed to freshen up too.She secured her hair with a hairpin and, knowing Derek couldn't see her, walked into the spring pool without any reservations.The water temperature was just right, and soaking in it was extremely comfortable. With Derek out of harm's way, she finally relaxed and dozed off at the edge of the pool.People tend to unwind significantly after a crisis.Derek, not hearing her return, called out softly, "Tabitha, Tabitha..." When there was no response, he grew anxious.He moved swiftly toward the pool, like a blind man crossing a river, calling out her name repeatedly.He missed a step, and water splashed onto Tabitha's face."Is there an ambush?" Tabitha glanced around warily, only to see Derek sprawled in the water, looking flustered.She had intended to tease him, but seeing his helpless state—blind
Third person's POV"Simple doctor-patient relationship," Tabitha said coldly, dismissing their history with a wave of her hand."As for tonight, I apologize for my brother's behavior. Since you're unharmed, consider it even—a life for a life.""Does Jasper mean more to you than I do?" Derek blurted out.Tabitha regarded him sharply. "You knew it was Jasper?"If he'd guessed earlier, he would have known who she was. Why pretend not to recognize her?Perhaps Jasper had set a trap, and Derek had seen through it.Tabitha sensed this and quickly denied it, "No, he called you 'madam.' Lucian wouldn't use that term. You're recovering well, so your illness must be gone. Most importantly, only that guy could pull this off."But Tabitha wasn't convinced. Suspicion gnawed at her."You orchestrated this, didn't you? You knew who I was from the start. That's why you let Alvin and the others leave."Derek was inwardly hor
Third person's POVDerek asked cautiously, his voice barely above a whisper, as if fearing Tabitha would vanish like a dream if he spoke too loud.Tabitha punched his chest. "You idiot, do you have any idea where we are?"Derek snapped out of his shock and grasped her hand. "Tabitha, there are snakes here. You need to leave, now."Spike, though puzzled by Derek's cry of "Tabitha," interjected helpfully, "Alpha Derek, the snakes are gone. You're safe now."Under the moonlight, Hedwig rode a fawn, her bamboo flute in hand. Like a woodland fairy, she played a melodious tune.Witnessing Tabitha and Derek's tearful reunion, she felt a warmth in her small heart.Tabitha had never truly let go of Derek.Jasper, however, chose not to bear witness to their love. He left without looking back.Though Derek had been slapped, he laughed and held Tabitha tightly."Tabitha, I've really found you. You've been here all along."
Third person's POVOnly now did Tabitha realize that the cold-hearted man had never changed.Aboard the ship years ago, he had feigned innocence, drinking the medicine to appear kind and selfless. Later, he had tried to force her into an abortion. Despite his life-saving grace, she had chosen to forget all he had done.He had never changed—he cared only for himself, indifferent to the lives of others.To achieve his goals, he would stop at nothing. In essence, he was no different from Elena.Tabitha's heart ached as she watched Derek, now surrounded by snakes, leap into the pit.Derek.The man she had loved, hated, and strived to save was now meeting his end in the snake pit under the bright moonlight.In mere minutes, a living person would be reduced to bones by the swarm."Alpha Derek!" Spike, too, was stunned by the sight.His leg injury had slowed him down, and he had never witnessed such a scene—s