Chapter 57

HAZEL'S POV;

As early as three in the morning, I stirred awake. It was something I was used to. Colin had instilled it into me from a very young age.

I remembered when I used to receive punishments for not waking up early enough. It had been a form of training and whenever I woke up later than usual, I was asked to complete a daunting task that either took me days or left me with an injury.

It wasn't until I was able to set a clock in my head that it stopped. And these days, I could set an alarm in my head and wake up earlier than usual even when there wasn't going to be any punishment of the sorts and yesterday, when Xavier had made mention of us waking up as early as four, it had triggered a trauma response. I hadn't told him but I was very afraid.

I had slept with the fear of being whipped awake by one of Colin's guards so I woke up as early as three.

I chose not to wake Xavier. He had driven for hours and the last thing he needed was disturbance. Knowing that he was still going to