Tabitha's POV
Feeling the warm sunlight pouring in through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, I woke up, squinting my eyes, only to find myself on a big, fancy bed.
My mind was a complete blank, and I felt a slight headache.
It was like something had deleted everything from my brain, making me feel empty and hollow.
I couldn't help asking myself inwardly, 'Who am I? And where am I?'
Suddenly, I heard the sound of rushing water. Out of curiosity, I looked towards the bathroom, wondering, 'So someone's in there? Who is it?'
I threw off the covers and got out of bed, stepping barefoot onto the soft plush carpet.
Even though it was freezing outside, the room felt as warm as a spring day because of the heating.
Looking around, I noticed that this room was decorated mainly in warm colors.
The bed looked like a fluffy cotton candy, and the sofa, a white cloud.
On the wall hung a massive photo of a girl in a wedding dress falling into some guy's arms. The man had this tall, lean build and looked indescribably handsome.
"So who on earth am I?" All I knew for sure was that I was a werewolf.
I couldn't help but call out to my wolf, but she didn't respond to me like she was in a deep sleep.
I made my way to the dresser, only to find that I looked exactly like the woman in the photo.
So that was me? And I got married already?
Just as all these questions swirled around in my head, the bathroom door swung open, and that guy from the picture stepped out wrapped in a bathrobe.
I thought he would look exactly the same as the guy in that photo, but seeing him up close, I felt he looked even more well-defined.
He came out with steam around his body. Even though he tried to tone down his aura and chill vibes, I still sensed danger radiating off him.
On his bare chest, there was a long scar, which clashed with his perfect features.
"Tabitha, you finally came around," he smiled gently at me.
I didn't reply. Instead, I pointed at the wedding photo on the wall, asking, "Who are you? And who am I to you?"
Hearing my questions, he reached out, wanting to hold me. But I instinctively took a step back while staring at him vigilantly.
"Tabitha, don't you remember me? I'm Derek," he said.
Derek?
That name rang some bells for me but nothing concrete came to mind.
Before I knew it, I grabbed a crystal candlestick from the nightstand. So I was hostile to him.
Derek, catching sight of what I was gripping, showed a hint of sadness.
But he quickly regained his composure and looked at me with tenderness. "Tabitha, we're mates."
As he spoke, he cautiously approached me little by little.
There was something off about my feelings for him. I didn't find him strange, so obviously, I did know him.
But since he said we were mates, why did seeing him spark hostility instead of love?
It was as if a voice deep inside me shouting, "Leave him now."
So did I hate him? Or was I afraid of him?
While I was lost in thought, Derek had taken that candlestick away.
Then, he gently took my hand and said, "I know you got a lot of questions. I'll explain everything to you later. But right now, you gotta fill your stomach. Aren't you hungry?"
Looking down at our intertwined fingers, I suddenly found that we wore matching rings.
I couldn't help asking, "Are you really my mate?"
Hearing this, Derek grinned. I could feel how excited he was.
"Yes. I assure you," he replied.
Then, he leaned slightly closer and whispered in my ear, "You want me to prove it?"
But instead of blushing, I was still confused. Was he really my mate? Why did I feel so conflicted? And my gut told me not to trust him easily.
I needed time to figure all this out.