Derek's POV
After pausing for a while, I piped up again, "What did you say? Kidney transplant?"
My voice echoed in the hospital corridor.
"Yeah, why would Ms. Hartley go through all these tests if she didn't wanna be his donor?" the nurse replied while watching me with confusion, as if not understanding my reaction.
"Alpha Derek, we've got excellent organ transplant doctors here, and it's tough to get a donor. So tell them to hurry..."
Before she could even finish, I dashed out of the hospital.
It finally dawned on me why Klein came to Tabitha's rescue—she'd agreed to be his donor if she was a match!
Being a werewolf, I knew how crucial a healthy kidney was for us.
Losing one wasn't fatal, but Tabitha would be less strong and healthy.
She was so young. How could I bear to let her make such a sacrifice?
"Alpha Derek, Tabitha's no longer in Seattle, and Klein's MIA too. We can't track them down for now," said Alvin. I furrowed my brows, feeling deeply worried.
"Alpha Derek, you should rest a bit. We'll let you know as soon as we hear anything about Tabitha," he reassured me, but it only added to my anxiety.
I pulled every string, even tapping into the werewolf community to hunt down Tabitha.
Yet Klein was more powerful than I could imagine. There was no sign of them anywhere.
Every night, I tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. When I closed my eyes, Tabitha's astonished face when she got shot played on repeat in my mind.
Leo grew restless, pacing up and down in my head. And my worry about Tabitha was driving me crazy.
"Derek," Elena called out to me. In her hand was a small grass-woven grasshopper—my favorite thing to craft for her when we were kids.
Her voice snapped me out of those painful memories.
"What's wrong? Are you hurting again?" I asked with concern, despite my longing for Tabitha.
Elena piped up, a hint of determination in her voice. "Derek, I know where she is."
I jerked my head up, staring at her in disbelief. "What did you say?"
"Jasper left with her, right? If I'm not mistaken, they went to an island to perform surgery on John," she replied, sparking a glimmer of hope in my chest.
"You know where it is?" I pressed, feeling a strong urge to find Tabitha at once.
"Yep," Elena answered with a nod.
My eyes lit up in an instant.
Tabitha's POV
After several days at sea, the boat finally reached the shore.
The sea breeze and sunlight were like a balm for my injury.
However, my hand was pretty much broken. Because of that bullet, it could barely hold up, just hanging beside me like a limp noodle.
Jasper, being the considerate type, helped me off the boat.
The island was pretty much as I had imagined it, with golden sands, coconut palms, and juicy fruits. The sky was a brilliant blue, clouds occasionally drifting by.
This lovely and peaceful scene cheered me up before I even realized it.
"Tabitha, slow down," exclaimed Jasper, a subtle gallantry in his voice.
I just ignored it and picked up my pace, as I couldn't wait to see Dad.
He was practically my only family left. Although I still had my biological parents out there, who knew if I was ever gonna find them? Now, he was my only rock.
"Jasper, is my dad okay?" I asked anxiously, full of unease.
"Tabitha, relax. I've got someone taking good care of him. I'm sure he'll be just fine." Jasper's calm and steady voice eased my worries a bit.
However, I couldn't be truly relieved until I saw John lying on the bed with my own eyes.
Although he was still in a coma, his breathing was steady, and all his vital signs looked good, which gave me some comfort.
I knelt beside his bed, tears streaming down my face.
"Dad, I'm here," I whispered, even though I wasn't sure if he could hear me or not.
Jasper gently helped me up. And I kept murmuring in a hoarse voice, "Thank you for not hurting him. He's the only family I have now."
My emotions went haywire, and I saw a flicker of empathy in Jasper.
He turned his face away, not letting me see his expression as he promised, "Tabitha, don't worry, I'll make sure John pulls through."
A wave of deep gratitude surged within me.
On this island, I got to be away from the drama and danger of Seattle, and I felt a sense of security like never before.
Jasper's promise filled me with hope for the future.
I closed my eyes and silently prayed to the Moon Goddess, hoping she'd grant Dad a speedy recovery.