CHAPTER 9

    

  HAZEL'S POV;

      

    "You can run away, Hazel. Leave this pack, find somewhere to live with your brother. You don't have to be with a man who treats you like crap and only keeps you because you are of use to him,"

    "I was forced to marry him, Theresa. You won't understand." I bow my head in shame. I've not cried since today but I am doing that right now. Tears begin to slip down my eyes and no matter how I try to hold back, it's basically useless.

    Theresa takes a seat directly beside me and wraps a comforting arm around me. "I'm sorry, Hazel. It's just the truth. I hate that a good person like you had to go through this. It's not fair. You don't deserve it and yet, you keep being treated like a piece of crap. You're such a wonderful person and you deserve more. And I am also sorry that you can not leave no matter how you try to. Must be testing."

    I nod and take the handkerchief she hands over to me. I wipe my tears before blowing my nose. "Thank you, Theresa. You've been wonderful to me. I don't think I'd find anyone like you in a long time,"

    Theresa smiles and squeezes my shoulders. "There are a lot of us out there. We're just unlucky to meet a few of us out there." 

    I finally smiled. She has lifted my spirit a little even if I still feel down. I mean, that dull feeling is always going to be there. The feeling of helplessness and hopelessness. It's always going to be there and never be replaced by anything.

    "I'll go get the hot water in a bowl so I can massage the swelling, okay?"

    "Thank you, Theresa."

    "It's nothing." 

    Theresa goes over to the cooker, turns it off and takes the boiling water off the cooker before pouring it into a bowl and mixing it with a bit of cold water. She extracts a clean rag from the rag rack and returns with it. 

    "Does it hurt?" Theresa asks as she studies my cheek. 

    "Not really. But I can feel a numb pain there. It's not that bad,"

    Theresa nods and soaks the rag into the hot water. She squeezes it and brings it to my cheek as she slowly massages the swelling. I'm still as she does it and we don't say anything till she's done. 

    "Why did he hit you?"

    "Really?" 

    "Yes, really. I want to know why he hit you."

    "Well, I hit Selah. I found him in his room and I felt so humiliated. I was covered in anger that I didn't think. I yelled and charged at her. I shouldn't have done it,"

    Theresa takes a hold of my hand. "No, you did nothing wrong. He's your husband and your mate for that matter. Bringing in another woman is a great offense and sacrilege and you had every right to hit her,"

    "But it didn't end well. See what it brought me to."

    Theresa sighs. "I get it."

    "He hit me twice today," I continued. "His mother asked me to call him for dinner. He rarely comes down to eat with everyone. He doesn't let anyone into his room and he had just sent me to get his dinner so his mother used that opportunity to send me back and make him come downstairs. I knew it wasn't going to end well so I didn't actually react that much, he hit me a lot of times."

    I can feel Theresa's anger coming off in waves. She shuts her eyes tightly and throws the towel into the water. "That man is a bastard!"

    "Calm down, Theresa. I'm going to be alright. I always am. You have to go to bed. It's getting late. Remember everyone resumes by four and you have to sleep well. I don't want to be the one keeping you here,"

    Theresa nods and stands to her feet. "But promise me you're going to take revenge one day?"

    I smile at her. "I don't know what tomorrow brings so I can't say. Just go to bed, I'll be fine."

    Theresa bends over to kiss me on the cheek. "Goodnight, Hazel. You also need good sleep. You look like hell."

    As soon as she's gone, I stand on my feet and leave the kitchen to my room and this time, when I pass by Cherry's room, I don't stop or even look at it. 

    

    

    ONYX'S POV:

    Today is different from the other days. I have to go to the next pack for a meeting and when I remember that I have to go with my Luna, a wave of anger constantly starts to wash over me.

    I am awake as early as six in the morning and I already instructed my personal guard to pass the information to Hazel and make sure she's dressed well.

    If I had gone with Selah, things would have been better. She's good at socializing, very beautiful and also good at dressing to the nines. 

    The first day I saw her, I was immediately attracted by her beauty and outfit. She knew how to combine colors to look really good and she also had the best conversational skills. From the first time we started talking, I was already hooked.

    Thinking of going with Hazel has me contemplating. I can actually lie to the other Alphas that she's down with a fever. That way, they wouldn't see the weakling I am mated to.

    How in the hell did the Moon goddess make such a woman my Luna? I detest that decision but seeing that there's nothing I can do, I have to live with it and hope that one day, she dies so that she can be out of my face. 

    "My Lord, I have dished out instructions to her," My personal guard says when he comes into the room. 

    "Good," I say in reply. I should probably just let her follow me. I'll tell her what to do and what not to do and she dares not go against my order. "Have you prepared the vehicle that would be taking us to the location?"

    "Yes, my Lord. The driver and the car are waiting for you already."

    As soon as I am done getting ready, my guard leads the way. 

    "Where's Hazel?"

    "She's done and waiting downstairs in the car,"

    "Did I ask you to send her down already?" I ask in anger. 

    "No, my Lord. My apologies, my Lord," 

    I am angry but I don't say anything. Instead, I continue on my way to the car waiting outside for me. 

    Hazel is seated comfortably in the car and she's staring out of the window. I feel my fists clenched in anger as I walk towards the door.

    As soon as Athena sees me from the car's window, she shifts to the other side of the car immediately. 

    My guard opens my door for me and I slip in. "Drive," I say to the driver and we start driving.

    For over ten minutes, we don't say anything to each other. Hazel is staring out of the window but after a while, she takes out a book and begins to read.

    Out of curiosity, I turn my head to see the book cover. She's reading a historical fantasy book and it catches my attention.

    "Where did you get that book from?" I ask.

    Hazel, hearing me speak, jumps to look at me. She didn't hear what I said. "What did you say?"

    "Where did you get the book from? Don't make me repeat myself again,"

    There's a stubborn crease on her brow and I so want to flick it off with my fingers but that would be me placing common grounds for us both.

    "I've had it since I was young. My father got it for me." She replies coldly and goes back to reading her book.

    That is when I remember that I have some instructions to dish out to her. 

    "Lower your book. We need to talk,"

    Hazel hesitates, but she eventually drops the book. "Talk about what?"

    "Don't returns me statement with a question. Am I understood?"

    Hazel nods. "Yes."

    I catch the eyes of the driver looking back at us. "Can you go back to driving and not try to listen to what we're saying?"

    "Of course, my Lord," He says and goes back to driving.

    "Should have brought the limo," I mutter under my breath. "Hazel, I want you to be on your best behavior. Don't talk to anyone and when you are spoken to, just reply with a statement and don't try to engage in any conversation. Make sure you make yourself invisible. Once I introduce you, don't go around familiarizing with the other Lunas, okay?"

    "But why?" She asks. "Isn't that the reason why I was asked to accompany you? I am your Luna and I have the freedom to do whatever I want."

    She doesn't complete her statement before I pull her roughly till my lips are against her ears. "You will listen to me, do you get that?! Do not question my instructions. You will do as you are told and if you don't, you are going to be punished severely."

    I push her back to her seat and she hits her back against the door handle. Immediately, she turns away from me and stares out of the window.

    Why do I feel guilty?