Derek's POV
I walked to the courtyard and saw Alice Evans, the doctor, standing there, probably waiting for a hot minute. Noticing me, she walked up to me respectfully and whispered, "Alpha Derek, just now, I left something unsaid, worried that it might scare Tabitha. Can we talk about it now?"
"Follow me," I told her.
Leo circled around in my mind, looking nervous.
Once we were in a safe spot where Tabitha couldn't hear us, I spoke up again, "Is there something wrong with the pups?"
I took out a cigarette but didn't light it, as the worry weighed me down.
"No, no, no, Alpha Derek, rest assured. The pups are safe for now. I just wanted to give you a heads-up. Tabitha has a history of hemorrhaging, and her endometrium is thin, so she's prone to miscarriage."
Seeing that I remained silent, Alice continued, "Her emotional state is also an important factor. Alpha Derek, you must take good care of Tabitha and avoid upsetting her during her pregnancy. If she gets too worked up, it could lead to her body stopping the pregnancy on its own. Once that happens, she..."
Alice stole a glance at me, hesitating whether to continue.
I bent the cigarette between my fingers and ordered in a low voice, "Go on."
"Tabitha is carrying twins, so her pregnancy is tougher than usual. If she is to have a miscarriage, it'll be really hard on her. In the worst-case scenario, it might even threaten her life," she explained.
"I see. Please take good care of her. I'm counting on you and your team."
"Don't worry, Alpha Derek. We'll make sure she delivers her pups safely."
"Thanks a lot."
Alice left, and I sat on the stone steps, gazing into the distance.
What she meant was clear: Tabitha was now like a fragile porcelain doll, and she would fall apart if anything happened to her, even a trivial one.
It was just a few months left before her due date. I had to stay sharp and make sure nothing went sideways.
As soon as dawn broke, Alvin brought some news.
"Alpha Derek, I have done what you asked me to do." He handed over a stack of papers—the profiles of the offspring of the Hartley family in Canada.
"Mr. and Mrs. Hartley have a solid relationship. They have six kids in total, four boys and two girls. The body we found earlier belongs to their fifth child, and there's another one after that. Mr. Hartley's other two brothers have just a few offspring. I had someone look into it, and there are no missing or deceased children," reported Alvin.
I rubbed my forehead, feeling weary. "Maybe I was just overthinking."
"Don't rush, Alpha. After all, it's been twenty years, and they destroyed the evidence to cover their tracks. It's normal that we can't find anything for now."
"You're right." I raised my head and asked, "How's John?"
Alvin shook his head. "To be honest, he doesn't look very well. The previous incident hit him hard, and his will to survive is not as strong as before. Now, he's just being kept alive by all sorts of medical gadgets and drugs. The longing for Tabitha is the only thing keeping him hanging on. I'm afraid even the Moon Goddess can't save him when he lets go of it."
"Tell them, do whatever it takes to keep him alive," I demanded.
"Got it. We're keeping this from Tabitha for now, but her due date is still several months away. I don't think John can hold on for that long," Alvin reminded me.
"He has to last until Tabitha gives birth. She's very weak and prone to miscarriage, especially in the later stages. If something goes wrong, her life will be in danger too."
Leo was worried sick, praying for her and the pups' safety.
Just then, my phone buzzed. After glancing at the incoming call notification, I picked it up and asked impatiently, "What's up?"
"Cuz, where are you? Yesterday, you just dipped without saying anything. Are you with that woman again? I told you she's not worthy of you. You..."
"If you're done, I'll have someone take you home," I replied.
"No, Derek, I want you to do it."
"I'm busy, and I'm just gonna say this one last time: whether Tabitha and I split up or not, I'll take her as my wife. If you disrespect her, you disrespect me."
After hanging up, I looked at Alvin beside me and said, "If she ever asks you about Tabitha's whereabouts, keep your mouth shut."
"Got it, Alpha Derek."