Derek's POV
I walked off the helicopter with Kyrian in one arm. I felt how excited he was while standing on the island. He waved his hands and shouted, "Mommy! Mommy!" I sneered, "Seems we're at the right place." Everyone was on high alert. After all, we knew they were armed. No one dared to underestimate such a threat. Rolf was no longer at ease. He gave rapid instructions into the intercom. Soon, several speedboats appeared on the sea, surrounding the island from all sides. More and more werewolves landed on the island. Finding Tabitha's whereabouts was just a matter of time. Kyrian struggled excitedly in my arms, wanting to get down. I put him down only after making sure there was no danger nearby. "Good boy, go find her." Tabitha, there was nowhere to run. Kyrian was like a well-trained military dog, very familiar with the environment on the island. Rolf shouted non-stop, "Kyrian, slow down, or yTabitha's POV I looked up at Derek. The sun shone on him but failed to touch the cold abyss in his eyes. His pupils flickered with anger, mockery, and contempt. "Derek, what the hell do you want from me? I don't even deserve to have my own life?!" My voice was filled with despair. We had already performed the rejection ceremony, yet his possessiveness somehow grew stronger because of it. Derek's gaze fell on Lucian's large hand gripping my wrist. Lucian noticed his gaze and imperceptibly stood in front of me. Their gazes confronted each other in the air, that of Lucian's firm and unyielding. "The mate bond between you is broken. She won't leave with you." His actions and words added fuel to the fire. Derek's eyes became unfathomable. Clearly, he was displeased. The surrounding air became tense as the aura belonging to the Alpha swept over. I knew Derek's wolf was angry. The sea breeze blew rampantly, stirring my slight
Tabitha's POV I knew it was impossible to escape my doom today. Fuck it. Guessed I no longer had to be cautious anymore. All the inhibitions I had been building up burst out right at this moment. "I hate you, Derek!" I almost shouted at the top of my lungs, expressing how dissatisfied I was with him. "I hate you for being condescending, and I hate you for being so moody. You were the one who betrayed me! Then why are you haunting me right now? Why can't you just leave me alone? You said my dad should atone for his sins. In case you haven't noticed, Silver Moon Pack is almost on the verge of disbanding, my dad has fallen critically ill more than once, and I've sacrificed my marriage and my kid. Tell me, is that still not enough for you? OK then! Take my life away if you want!" Derek's gaze grew colder and colder as I spoke. To be honest, I was very nervous, and my heart was beating rapidly in my excited state. "You drove me away when you felt like i
Tabitha's POV Everything happened in the blink of an eye. I stood in situ, facing the brown wolf that was about to pounce on me. His claws were sharp and gleaming with cold light. Time seemed to freeze at this moment, and I could see the horror in his eyes clearly. In this tense confrontation, I met his eyes, and all of a sudden, I knew. He was Aiden. He must have jumped out in a rush, and now, he couldn't control his movements in time. Just as Aiden was about to pounce at me, I saw Derek again. Derek held me close and protected me with his body. And that left his back fully exposed to Aiden's claws. Aiden's claws left several blood marks on Derek's back. In the next second, Aiden quickly leaped away so as not to cause further harm and landed on the ground. Alvin and Rolf quickly surrounded him. Rolf commanded, his voice carrying authority and control, "Shift! Now!" Aiden's body began to change visibly. His body gradua
Tabitha's POV I looked at Noah in surprise. I never expected him to make such a speech. "You cannot hide it if you truly love one. If you don’t love Tabitha, you wouldn't go out of your way to come here for her; neither would you see Lucian as an enemy. Even I as a kidnapper know that if you love someone, you should give her all your affection; if not, you don’t get to hurt her. When you hurt her, don't you feel hurt yourself?" Derek put Kyrian down and walked towards Noah. As he approached, Noah did not take a step back. My heart jumped faster as I felt nervous for Noah. Derek was tall and slender, standing half a head taller than the skinny Noah. The overwhelming aura of Alpha loomed over young Noah. "Want me to be at your call?" Derek sneered coldly. The next second, his gun was aimed at Noah's head. "I can spare him if you insist, but you’ll have to die on his behalf." "Sure! Go ahead and kill me." Noah agreed readily. There
Derek's POV On the helicopter, I tried to talk with Tabitha. But she was very careful with her words now, afraid of offending me. Realizing this, I leaned towards her. But she looked at me with alerted vigilance. After the helicopter landed, I took her off the plane hand in hand. Through peripheral vision, I saw her legs trembling. She was like a stray dog in the wild, particular wary of humans after experiencing their abuse. Whenever I looked at her, I would see fear in her eyes. Just like now, I didn't do anything. But her body shuddered when I simply gave her a glance. Although she was back now, she became even more sensitive and timid than before. She checked my expression carefully and no longer spoke out her ideas freely. I was annoyed by all of this. As soon as we arrived home, Chloe had taken Kyrian away to play. Tabitha followed me upstairs. As soon as she stepped into the bedroom, the door was closed behind h
Tabitha's POV I widened my eyes. I had imagined numerous scenarios about what Derek would do to me after he found me. It was just... I had never thought about what was going on now. He was like a traveler in the desert, longing for water. And finally, he found a pool of clear spring water. He kissed me carefully. My heart was pounding. Her long eyelashes trembled lightly in the sunlight, hiding the expression in his eyes/ I couldn’t read his mind at the moment. He was showing me the long-lost tenderness again. I was about to immerse myself in his tenderness. Then he suddenly muttered "mate". Crystal responded excitedly in my mind. I then realized that we were each other's second chance mate. Derek sniffed my neck. His breathed heavily around my neck. His sharp fangs lightly grazed my skin, causing a shiver through me. Crystal was longing for him. I realized that he was about to mark me. Bu
Tabitha's POVAlpha Obadiah's voice came through the receiver."Tabitha, finally. How are you? You OK?" he asked, his tone filled with concern.Leaning against the wall, I said softly, "Yes. Thanks, Alpha Obadiah."He seemed to sigh softly and then continued, not that anxious anymore, "Glad to hear that. Alpha Derek reached out to me after you disappeared, wanting me to help find you, but then he suddenly stopped me from getting involved. Seems he's found you."Then he paused for a moment before asking cautiously, "He didn't give you a hard time, did he?"Upon hearing his words, I immediately thought of that beautiful island.Swallowing the bitterness, I said, "No.""Oh, about that Ethan you asked me to look into? I've got some leads." Obadiah's voice became serious again.I focused at once. "He was the one who showed up at the werewolf hospital, wasn't he?""Yes. Witnesses confirmed that he was at the hospital. But what's weird is t
Derek's POVAs the wheels whirled through the night, I drove away from Black Thorn Pack and headed for 32 Seaside Avenue.Leo was not at all quiet. He roared with discontent in my mind."Why did we leave her?" he asked. There was an obvious complaint in his tone."She needed time," I said, trying my best to sound calm."Time? We almost finished marking her!" he retorted. "She's the mate we chose. We can't leave her alone there!"I tightly gripped the steering wheel and didn't respond.I knew Leo was right.When Daphne called, I didn't wanna go.But she threatened me that if I didn't come to see her, she'd ask the Amber's Eye Pack's Alpha to talk to me.I didn't give a damn about Daphne, but the Amber's Eye Pack was one powerful pack.Mark had already left the Amber's Eye Pack because of Holly.But I knew the Amber's Eye Pack's Alpha never really gave up on Mark. After all, Mark was his son.So, I had to say yes to Daph
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