Derek's heart raced at Tabitha's sudden question. Admitting his regained sight in this situation was akin to signing his own death warrant.
Derek, of course, wouldn't admit it!
"Tabitha, I wish I could see too, just to stop being a burden to you," he said with a pained expression.
"Don't move. I'll get you some paper," she replied.
"Alright," he replied.
He saw Tabitha wrap herself in a bathrobe, grab a dagger from under the pillow, and head his way.
She was eyeballin' him like she could see right through him.
Derek could tell she was suspicious.
If she found out he'd been faking blindness, he was a goner.
His heart was in his throat, but he didn't show it.
Letting the blood drip, he asked like a dope, "Tabitha, where are you? Did you come back?"
Tabitha walked up to him, put down the tissue, and said casual-like, "I'm here."
Suddenly, she yanked the knife out. The blade flew past Derek's eye, stopping just three centimeters away.
Derek didn't flinch or back down.
The knife tip was aimed straight at his eye.
That wasn't a normal reaction, and Tabitha was getting suspicious.
Did she overthink it? She didn't see Derek's fingers digging into his palm behind his back, using the pain to distract himself from the instinctive reaction to the dagger.
She was tough, but he was tougher.
Derek even moved his body on purpose. "Tabitha, where's the paper?" he asked.
Tabitha quickly put the dagger away. "It's right here."
Unaware, Derek was sweating bullets.
After this, Derek's nosebleed miraculously stopped.
Given the blood on him, taking another bath would be a hassle.
"The water I used for my bath is still warm. If you don't mind using it, you can clean up," she offered.
"Of course, I don't ming. My Tabitha could never be dirty. Is it this way?" he asked.
Derek felt his way toward the screen. With a thud, his forehead collided with it.
Clutching his head, Tabitha couldn't help but laugh.
She walked up to him, touched his head, and said, "Derek, are you crazy?"
That genuine smile had been a long time coming for Derek, and it left him stunned.
"What's wrong with you?" she asked.
Derek quickly snapped back. "It hurts. My nose hurts, and so does my head."
Tabitha was both annoyed and amused. How could someone act so foolish after being poisoned?
"Bear with it. The pain will pass. I'll guide you," she said.
Derek suddenly turned to her. "Tabitha, if my eyesight doesn't come back, would you guide me for life?"
Tabitha answered swiftly, "Don't be silly. The Black Thorn Pack has plenty of guide dogs for you."
"But Tabitha, I ..."
Tabitha's face turned cold. "Derek, don't forget we ended things years ago. Do you know why I saved you? Because you're Kyrian's father. I don't want him to lose his dad at such a young age. If you've got the wrong idea, let me make it clear: there's no future for us."
No future.
Those two words hit Derek like a hammer.
He submerged himself in the water. When he surfaced, his gaze had turned obsessive and possessive.
"Tabitha, I won't let you go, not even in death. In this life, you're mine and mine alone."
His condition seemed worse than before.
There was nothing he couldn't do, especially with four children tying him to Tabitha. He told himself not to rush.
Rome wasn't built in a day. Healing the rift between him and Tabitha would take time and the right opportunities.
Recalling Tabitha's genuine smile earlier, he knew what to do. Win her heart with sincerity.
"Tabitha, where's the bath towel?" he asked.
His clothes were soaked in blood and unusable. Tabitha had Spike bring him some clothes.
To avoid suspicion, she left the room and had Spike help him get dressed.
"Alpha Derek, Tabitha said to take you back to your room once you're dressed," Spike said.
Derek's face was colder than ice. Tabitha was using this to show there was no future between them.
But he was stubborn and wouldn't give up.
Derek didn't argue and followed Spike out.
He had a few days left. If he didn't make progress with Tabitha in this time, he'd be back to suffering from longing.
Looking at the full moon, he knew time was tight. He had to act fast.
Tabitha thought Derek would beg for her attention, but he stayed away for the next few days. Instead, he got close to Alma.
She gave him chores like shelling corn or helping harvest.
In just a few days, Derek got used to farm work. He stood in the cornfield, rolling up his sleeves and using a sickle to cut cornstalks.
Though slow, his endurance made up for it.
Holding his hand, Alma said, "Alpha Derek, you're a natural at this. Why not stay and farm with me?"
Derek didn't beat around the bush. "Sure, if you don't mind."