Chapter 782

　　Third person's POV 　　Hedwig couldn't speak, but she was wise beyond her years—quiet, helpful, and already versed in basic healing. 　　Derek wished he could play with her, but time was slipping through his fingers. After eating the fruit she'd given him, he picked up his pen again. 　　All night, he didn't rest. 　　He could feel the life Hedwig had breathed into him fading. His senses were dulling again. 　　But the will was done. Now, he only wanted to write letters—to Tabitha, to his kids, Kyrian, Helios and Ayla. 　　The poison was moving faster than it should've. Every letter cost him energy, accelerating the venom's grip. 　　First, he wrote to Kyrian. "Be a good man. Lead the pack with your heart, not just your claws." 　　Derek's chest ached. He'd failed Kyrian, leaving him to shoulder the pack's weight alone. 　　But love? That never faded. 　　Next, his mother. 　　The letter was short—"Take care of Kyrian. If Tabitha ever returns, protect her. And the kids." No "I love you." Never had been.