Third person's POV
Derek loosened his grip slightly, allowing her to breathe. "Sorry, I can't see. No idea what's going on," he muttered.
"You're in a tub. No dialysis here—just using heat to sweat out the wolfsbane. I was checking your condition," Tabitha explained, her tone flat.
Derek realized his mistake. "Apologies."
"Now that you're more lucid, let's do a quick check-up. How do you feel?"
"Body's burning. Blind as a bat. Hearing's there but muffled, ringing in the ears. Headache, chest tightness, shortness of breath, weak limbs..."
"Your entire body's under toxin attack. Recovery will take time. Don't stress. You're in good shape—should bounce back faster. Can you stand? Let me see your condition."
The tub's dark liquid hid Derek's nudity, so Tabitha didn't push him to move.
Derek suddenly realized something. "Wait, I'm naked?"
"Yep."
Silence.
His face twisted in discomfort.
"I'm a doctor. Need to assess you," Tabitha said.
"You're a woman," Derek grumbled. "Not comfortable being naked in front of one."
Tabitha sighed. "You're impossible. If you want to die, fine by me."
"Can you just close your eyes?" Derek asked, embarrassment lacing his voice.
"How am I supposed to examine you then? Look, just pretend I'm someone you love. Happy now?"
A flash of sadness crossed Derek's face. "No one can replace her."
The tub's heat was suffocating, and Tabitha's mask made it worse.
Derek was stalling, and her patience was wearing thin.
"Check or not?"
"No." Derek's reply was swift, infuriating Tabitha.
So stubborn. She hadn't realized how set-in-his-ways he was.
"I've seen your body plenty of times before. That knife scar on your chest, that mole on your thigh—I know every detail," Tabitha said irritably. With Derek, she could never maintain the detachment she had with other patients.
"You..." Derek's face was already flushed, and now his ears turned scarlet too.
"I've said it—I've seen countless men's bodies. You're not special," she added.
Despite her words, Derek remained stubborn. "It's not about you. It's about me."
Tabitha's frustration grew. "Fine. If you won't let me examine you, know that others would jump at the chance. Don't say I didn't warn you."
She scrambled to climb out of the tub. Staying any longer risked heat exhaustion.
Dressed in a cotton-linen maxi-dress, she grappled with the tub's height and slipperiness, compounded by Derek occupying the stepped side.
Victory seemed near until her foot caught on her soaked skirt. With a heave, she slipped backward into the steaming water.
"Careful!"
Derek instinctively caught her. Tabitha gasped, her voice slipping into its natural tone.
"Tabitha?!" Derek's face lit up with joy.
Tabitha froze, now pressed against his bare chest.
Her hands rested on his chest, and Derek looked like he wanted to devour her.
Tabitha forced calm. "Let go," she said, masking her voice again.
Derek hesitated.
Had he imagined that cry?
He released her, ashamed for mistaking a stranger for Tabitha.
"Sorry, thought I heard someone I knew," he muttered.
"Alpha Derek, you're okay?! But... what are you doing?" Rolf's loud voice interrupted.
Tabitha groaned inwardly. She was still in Derek's arms—a compromising position if ever there was one.
"Checking his condition. He thought I was attacking him. Nearly killed me," she lied smoothly.
Rolf, ever the simpleton, believed her. "Alpha Derek, she's your savior! Don't hurt her!"
Tabitha carefully climbed out, drenched from head to toe.
"Are you alright?" Rolf asked worriedly, "Dr. Vanessa, you've gotta be okay. If anything happens to you, there's no one left to save Alpha Derek."
Tabitha gritted her teeth. "I'm fine! Watch him and the fire. I'm going to change."
"Sure thing. Come back soon—I'm useless here," Rolf said.