Tabitha's POV
I was fighting like hell to break free, but Derek knew me too well.
I couldn't move one bit in his arms.
It took me so much effort to come this far. I was so close to entering the Black Wolf Guild and shaking off Derek for good.
"No! I don't wanna lose my memories.
"Derek, don't make me hate you.
"What about the antidote? There's gotta be one, right?"
I yanked on Derek's collar, but he just smirked stubbornly. "No, Tabitha, there's no turning back for me now."
I fell back onto the ground, staring at my battered palms.
Only I knew how difficult it was for me to come this far. I endured so much pain, and there were times when I thought I wouldn't make it through.
It was those painful memories that kept me alive, and after all that struggle, here I was.
I became stronger. And fear didn't own me anymore.
I broke free from the cage I'd built around myself in the past, but now, Derek wanted to shove me back into that old life.
I wanted to hit him hard, but then a splitting headache hit me like a freight train.
I clutched my head, rolling on the ground in agony.
Seeing my reaction, Derek shouted angrily, "Didn't they say it wouldn't hurt? What the hell is going on?"
Alvin explained, "This might have something to do with Tabitha's constitution. Everyone reacts differently to drugs. Most of those who volunteered to take the drugs genuinely wanted to forget their pasts. They didn't resist as strongly as Tabitha did. That's why she's experiencing headaches. Alpha Derek, don't worry. The side effects should only last a few minutes."
Derek crouched down and held me tight, repeating soothing words over and over again.
I felt my head was about to explode, so I trembled out, "Derek, please don't let me lose my memories. I've indeed been through so much pain, but there are happy memories too. My dad's dead, and those memories are all those he left for me, and I don't want wanna lose them!"
"Tabitha, if you stay with me, we'll make more happy memories together," he cooed.
I gripped his shirt tightly as pain consumed me. Through clenched teeth, I spat out, "Derek, just stop it! It's killing me!"
I felt every nerve in my body was pulling at my scalp. It hurt so bad that I almost couldn't breathe.
Gradually, those memories started flashing before my eyes like quick snapshots.
I saw Gloria waving me goodbye with tears in her eyes, Dad looking calm during his last moments, Joanna smiling at me while covered in blood, the car crashing into the guardrail, Holly passing away, Derek shooting at my wrist, and myself getting pinned on the operating table...
I was in so much pain that I had hallucinations. I desperately reached out, wishing I could grab those people in the scenes and turn back the clock.
But everything flashed by way too fast, and my heart hurt like hell.
I seemed to return to that snowy winter when Derek gave me the cold shoulder and I lost my first pup.
The next second, I saw he drunkenly held onto me, saying how he wanted me to bear him an heir and how he would prepare me a whole rose garden.
Back then, Dad was so young, and I felt he was the kindest father on earth.
One moment later, another image flitted through my mind—the young me standing confidently on stage with pride shining bright.
Then, another memory rose before my eyes—a handsome man standing on the playground in a white shirt.
Suddenly, the image of a young boy popped into my head.
That day, I found a bloody youngster at an alleyway entrance. After giving him an emergency treatment, I left with a smile.
I didn't realize until now that it was actually Derek.
Turned out we had crossed paths way back then.
A while later, I seemed to have returned to my childhood. At that time, I'd cling to Dad asking when Mom would come home. But most of the time, I was cheerful and carefree.
The scene then shifted to the first time I had been bullied. Dad shielded me from harm, wiping away my tears with his big hand.
Then suddenly, there was the twenty-two-year-old-me shrinking away further into the distance. Eventually, in a place where I could barely see, she smiled and waved at me as if bidding me farewell.
Tears streamed down my face as I ran toward her, frantically shouting, "Don't go. Please!"