Tabitha's POV
Deep down, I was anything but calm or collected. All I felt was this endless madness and obsession.
The Thunderflame Isles were known among werewolves as the Isles of Death. It was a secret training ground for special agents where most who got in didn't come out alive.
Those who ended up there were either orphans with no one to turn to or rogues who lost everything in war. All of them were individuals standing alone.
Most of them were put into training at a very young age. Sure, there were some like me who weren't exactly kids anymore, but they usually had some kind of background in this field.
If I just waltzed in there without a plan, it'd be a one-way ticket to death. It was understandable that Derek flipped out about it.
"Tabitha, you can't think like that! Didn't you use to wish to set up a hospital for regular folks? I've built it for you. Although Daphne changed the name, it's already running with top-notch doctors from both domestic and international backgrounds.
"I've also established a foundation to help those who have difficulty accessing medical treatment due to financial issues. Up until now, more than a hundred people have benefited from it, including deaf-mute children. And there's a special fund for the elderly.
"The world might not be perfect, but some people are always trying to make it better. Without you, many people would have died because they don't have money for treatment."
Tears glistened in my eyes as I replied, "Even if I saved everyone on this planet, what good is it if I can't save my friends or my own kids? What's the point? The only thing I want to do right now is get revenge."
Derek sighed lightly, as if not knowing how to talk me down from this ledge.
"Just go to sleep."
I fell silent and stared at the sliver of light on the horizon, rage boiling inside me.
My hand instinctively rested on my belly. Well, six months of habit didn't just vanish overnight.
When I snapped back to reality, I realized my pups were long gone.
It felt like having a lively neighbor who suddenly packed up and left.
I swore to myself, 'Sweeties, just give me a bit more time. I'll make them pay for what they did.'
Over the next few days, I cooperated with my treatment and slowly got back on my feet. Now, I was able to get out of bed and walk around.
Joanna's body was sent back to her parents' house, where she lived as an Omega.
When I arrived, night had just fallen. A bright moon hung high in the sky.
The cold moonlight fell on the earth, lighting up the country road.
In the distance, the bagpipe's deep and melodious sound could be heard, echoing through the night air.
Eight people carried Joanna's coffin draped in flowers, slowly moving forward.
Leading them was Joanna's brother, solemnly holding her photo close to his heart.
Others tossed petals and herbs symbolizing blessings into the air beside him.
The funeral had this mysterious vibe about it.
Under the gloomy clouds, the sounds of wind, music, and people's prayers intertwined.
In the late autumn, most of the crops in the fields had been harvested, only dry yellow wheat stubble and withered corn stalks remained standing like whispers of life cycles past.
The whole scene felt shrouded in mystery. A foggy haze blanketed everything around us.
I grew up in a bustling city. So, I had never been to such a unique funeral.
But at that moment, it touched my soul.
I trudged through soft earth uphill, while Derek quietly walked beside me.
Our figures seemed particularly lonely under the moonlight.
A werewolf elder stood on a high ground, praying towards the bright moon.
His voice was deep and powerful as if he were communicating with the Moon Goddess, guiding Joanna's soul homeward.
I bowed my head silently, my mind filled with feelings and blessings for Joanna.
With the protection of the moon, I believed that Joanna's soul would rest in peace.
"She said that after I gave birth, she would take me to her hometown to show me how to catch the beautiful fish in the river. She also told me that there was a big apple tree and grapevine trellis in her yard where they grow big sweet fruits."
"Tabitha..."
I choked and said, "I'm fine. I'm just feeling a bit sentimental. I finally made it here, but it's her funeral."
Then, the coffin was placed in a pre-dug pit. Some people were filling the soil while others were sobbing.
I got down on one knee before her tombstone, tracing my fingers over that radiant smile captured in her photo.
"Joanna, I'm gonna make them pay."