Chapter 255

　　Derek's POV 　　Facing Tabitha's disgust and resistance, I held her tight, not wanting to let go. 　　"Tabitha, can we be mates again? Let me mark you, okay?" I asked, my voice tinged with desperation. 　　"The fuck you just said? Why the hell would I let you mark me? Just seeing you makes me feel sick," Tabitha shot back, her response sharp and straight to the point. 　　I knew she probably thought I was insane, but I just couldn't help it. 　　She added, "Oh, I get it. Now that Daphne's paralyzed, so you don't want her anymore, huh? You truly disgust me." 　　Her accusation felt like a knife, piercing my heart. 　　I knew I had to be honest with her now. 　　The misunderstanding between us was too deep, and I didn't want to lose her again. 　　I wanted to spill the truth, hoping it would win her back. 　　So I furrowed my brows, replying, "It's not like that. About Daphne's matter, I can explain. She's actually..." 　　However, before I could finish speaking, an Omega's voice sounded outside the room. "Alpha Justin is here." 　　Reluctantly, I had to release Tabitha. "Get some rest," I told her. 　　Watching Tabitha seethe with rage, I realized I had missed a golden opportunity to tell her everything. 　　I had to turn and leave, shaking my head with a deep sense of helplessness. 　　But I didn't give up hope. I knew I still got time. In the next few weeks or so, she wouldn't be able to run away. 　　John needed time to recover, and there were therapists, nutritionists, and a family doctor monitoring him every day. 　　No matter how much Tabitha wanted to flee, she had to stay for his sake. 　　When I reached the living room, I saw Alpha Justin. I heard he had just been discharged from the hospital. 　　I could tell he must've suffered, as he had lost so much weight, looking rough. 　　"Alpha Justin," I greeted softly, my heart heavy with sympathy. 　　Hearing my voice, he lifted his eyes to look at me, his gaze dull and clouded, a far cry from his usual sharpness. 　　Even his hair had turned completely grey. 　　"Alpha Derek," he greeted me with an extremely hoarse voice. 　　"Alpha Justin, I'm sorry for your loss. But you gotta pull yourself together," I tried to comfort tried to comfort him, but I knew that in times like these, words felt empty. 　　"I look old and grey, don't I? They're all gone. If I had known it would turn out like this, I wouldn't have been so tough with Mark. But no matter how much I regret it now, it's too late. The Amber's Eye Pack is falling apart. Daphne is bedridden with a serious illness, so you're the only one I can rely on. You need to marry her ASAP." 　　Alpha Justin's request made my heart sink. 　　I fell silent. All I wanted was to make up for the Silver Moon Pack and John and mate with Tabitha again. 　　Noticing my silence, he raised his voice a bit, questioning, "Don't tell me you don't want to. Are you really going to ditch Daphne at a time like this? You're gonna let us fend for ourselves?" 　　"Alpha Justin, you know I've always respected you. That's not what I mean," I replied, trying to keep my tone steady. 　　"You better be. Daphne's paralyzed. If you leave her, her life is basically over," he sighed, his voice dripping with helplessness. 　　I didn't answer directly but replied, "It's complicated. If we're going to get married, I should at least ask Daphne how she feels about it." 　　If she didn't threaten me with the same old excuse, I definitely wouldn't wanna marry her. 　　After everything that happened, I hoped she could face reality and stop holding on to something that didn't belong to her. 　　"Fine, then let's nail this down today." Alpha Justin then dialed Daphne's number. "Sweetie, I'm right in front of Derek now. Tell him you still wanna marry him or not. As long as you say yes, I'll do anything to make it happen." 　　Through the phone, Daphne's voice sounded somewhat subdued, not as arrogant as before. "Derek," she hesitated. 　　"Yeah? I'm here. Are you feeling better now?" I asked, with mixed feelings in my heart. 　　"I'm afraid not," she sounded dejected. 　　Her voice trembled as she spoke, "I know you never wanted to marry me, and you don't love me. But you're all I have left... So, please don't abandon me, okay? I wanna marry you." 　　Her words left me in deep conflict and struggle.