CHAPTER SEVENTY-ONE HAZEL“I’m leaving? You want me to leave? To where?” I asked, feeling my senses slowly going numb.“Find that out on your own.” He snapped, and began taking documents to deal with, opening and spreading about four of them at once all over his table.“You have to explain. You never even got back to me about the honeymoon. It's been over a week now since the marriage.”“I decided that I'm not going to take any risks. Do you know what seeing you everyday feels like? It's tormenting, it's hard. I don't think I can put up with such feelings anymore. You’re leaving my kingdom, Hazel.” I couldn’t understand or believe any of what he was saying. It felt like he was speaking a foreign language. What risks? What torment? Could he actually hear himself? How was I expected to understand what was going on?I moved closer to him. “Look into my eyes, and explain, Darius. All this is weird. You should tell me more, so I can know exactly what to say. What are you talking about?
CHAPTER SEVENTY-TWO HAZELIsis gave out a shriek from within me, and there was a pain in my chest which felt like a severe wound being pried open further. My hands squeezed over my chest, wishing I could grasp my heart, and comfort it. Darius didn’t lift his hat, nor did he say another word. He stayed there for a while, before walking into the mansion.Thunder rolled in the clouds, rumbling, warning everyone to get into their houses, but it was already striking in my heart. I stayed there on the ground, hearing Iris wail from within me. Already, I was as pained as I could be, but I still had to feel her own pain too. The bond was broken. Me and Darius’ paths would never cross again, and I’d never know why.I sat there for a while, not knowing where to go. There was no way I could return to my stepfather. He’d never accept me back. Already, he was eager to give me away to the rogue King, and who knows, if Aurora caught wind of it, she might try to finish what she started in Alpha Li
CHAPTER SEVENTY-THREE MELISSAIt was a dream!Unbelievable! For the first time in years, I wanted to scream happily. I folded my lips, and dashed to my bed, grabbing the pillow, and screaming into it. While Hazel was being dragged away, I tried my best to hide my smile. She’d looked so helpless. How did this magic happen? I’d tried so many ways, but those ‘many ways’ had been flushed down the drain along with all my efforts. Then, one morning, boom, my prayer was effective, and Hazel was ushered away like some homeless goat. But then, the sweetest part was the buildup. Seeing Darius treat her like he treated me hit some spot of satisfaction within me. It was bliss. She finally knew what it felt like to have the man you loved suddenly turn away from you.“Melissa, do you know what this means?” I asked myself, and dashed to the window. The moon goddess is on my side! She didn’t let my efforts go to waste. She shone her luck on me, and finally, I had my man all to myself. Hazel was o
CHAPTER SEVENTY-FOUR XANDERThe past weeks had been one of the hardest weeks for me. Seeing Hazel so happy to be getting married burned me within because I wanted to be with her so badly. But she was happy; I ought to be happy that she was happy. She even comforted me at the balcony, not knowing that she was the reason I was so distressed, and disturbed. Then, I'd made up my mind to stay away from her, and avoid her at all costs, so I could do away with my unhealthy feelings. It was hard to concentrate, harder to work, hardest to even see Darius, and not think of how lucky he was. But he just had to misbehave with the golden opportunity he was given by the goddess. He became mean to Hazel, and naturally I became worried about her, so I kept going to see her, watching her from afar to see how she was doing. And each time I saw her, my heart broke. The least that could happen to help me, was seeing her have a happy and blissful marriage, not one that made her heart bleed. That was
CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE XANDERThe rain beat down hard on my head and back, as I jumped onto the nearest balcony, washing off my bloody face, and stinging my wounds. I landed on the nearest balcony, and swung off it, landing on another balcony. The cold got to my bones, as the heavy rain soaked my clothes. I could barely see as I swung from balcony to balcony, before landing on the ground. I sprinted across the wet ground, stepping in pools of water, splashing without a care. Hazel was weaker than anyone else in the mansion, both mentally, and physically. Even the lowliest maids in the mansion were used to harsh conditions, and were trained on little defense mechanisms to protect the royal family if need be, but Hazel; she had no experience whatsoever. She would die if the cold was left to finish her. The streets were dark, and deserted. No one was outside because of the blinding rain. She must have gone this way. Towards the left was darkness, but there were a few lights towards t
CHAPTER SEVENTY-SIX HAZEL*‘You got yourself hurt. Do you think it's easy to tend your wounds, you slow-healing omega?’ Darius asked. We were in the bathtub once more, and he was cleaning my wounds like he'd done when we both made it from the Land of The Dead. ‘Do you have to spell it out?’ I asked. ‘Where does it hurt?’‘My head hurts. So does my back. My ribs seem to have cracked a little. There are numerous scratches and bruises here and there. I feel pain literally everywhere, and cold too. It's miserable, Darius.’Then he hugged me, and smiled, placing his chin on my head. ‘Then hold me tight. I'll be your warmth.’I smiled, but my smile ran down after a few seconds. ‘Hey, are you crying?’‘Crying?’ He asked, but his voice sounded distant. Drops and droplets of water fell and splashed on me, until I opened my eyes.*The ground was soft with hard rocks jutting me in different positions. My eyes hit a large leaf. Water was dropping on it, and it in turn splashed droplets on
CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVEN XANDERMy mood already changed drastically after seeing the way Hazel received me. It felt like disappointment snatched my efforts from me. I led Hazel to a little building I used to be familiar with back in the days, and stopped.“This is where you'll be staying.”She looked at the place, and bit her lip. It was unbearable compared to the mansion, but it would have to do. “Thank you.” She replied softly. After cleaning the building for her, I got her a whole lot of fruits for her to feed on for a few days while I got her more stuff from the mansion. “I'll have to return to the mansion.” I said after dropping the last batch of fruits, and she got up from the sofa immediately..“You're going back? Can I come with you?”“No, Hazel, you can't. I'll be back in three days. Just manage the fruits. I'll bring food supplies, and the necessary things you'll need. I'll get you some books too.”“I know, but I want to see Darius. Xander, I've thought about it so much,
CHAPTER SEVENTY-EIGHT DARIUS“What are you doing back here? I told you; this place— you cannot stay in my mansion!” My body was trembling. I could not even talk properly. My voice was faltering. It felt like I would suddenly explode out of anxiety, fear and shock.“Hazel! Can’t you hear me?” I stormed forward, and took her by the shoulder, my heart light and furry, as it hoped to steal a look that would last forever. I turned her to me in a flash, and saw it was another maid with hair just like Hazel’s. She squirmed out of my grip, and fell to the floor, pleading. It turned out she was deaf, and dumb. If she could hear, and speak, she’d have saved me the stress of getting so excited, and anxious at the same time. “King Darius, it’s time for your tonic.” I heard, and swirled around angrily. “It’s all your fault!” The elderly maid stepped back, flinching.“Your stupid tonic keeps making me see things. It makes me mistake things for something else! Is that your goal? To embarrass yo
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-NINEHAZEL'S POV {One Year Later}I pushed the baby in the cot, hearing him moan and look up at me with twinkling eyes. “Sweet Dennis, you know you want to sleep. Don't give mom a headache. You know I should be with the twins, right? It's their birthday, and you had me with you all day.” I said, touching his cheeks, and he giggled. His giggle— my freedom.After Xander had been banished, and Melissa had been cast into the dungeon, I'd been so traumatized. She'd truly given birth to a baby, but it had been given to Xander. That was the last thing Darius could do to compensate him as a Beta as he sent him off to never return. As for Melissa? She remained in the dungeon. The moment she gave birth to the baby, she hated it. She complained the baby didn't give her freedom and seeing it made her remember Xander whom she painted to be a traitor and a snitch. Staying in the dungeon had broken her and the maids whispered of how she murmurs inaudible words,
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-EIGHTMELISSA'S POV I yawned, stepping out of the room to get myself something to eat. Perhaps, it was just my intuition, but the house felt strangely quiet. The fridge light reflected on my face as I pulled it open, and I saw that Hazel's food for the day hadn't been given to her. “Are you planning to starve her now that we're going to kill her?” I called out, “Well, good riddance!”My voice bounced back to me in echoes, and I stepped back, “Xander?” My feet crossed the living room quickly to the room he usually slept, and I pushed open the door. He wasn't there. Did he really go to a hotel, or was he down in the basement with Hazel?Turning around, I went straight to the basement, and pushed it open, looking inside as I switched on the light. Hazel wasn't there!It hit me like a bolt of terror. “Xander! Hazel!” I called into the empty basement as if they would reply from some hiding place.“No, no! Stop thinking crazy thoughts, Melissa!” Quickl
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SEVENHAZEL’S POV I couldn't believe it when Xander was loosing the ropes from me. I was finally free. My hands were so white, and devoid of blood, completely lifeless. After freeing my legs, he helped me rise to my feet, but I fell back almost immediately. He caught me, and we waited a while for me to be able to regain the feeling in my legs. Walking was strange and difficult after being tied up for so long, but after taking a few steps, I finally began to get the hang of it, my heart pounding in excitement as we left the house. Xander took me in his car to the mansion, and I rubbed my hands in anxiety. I would see my kids. I would see Darius. Night had fallen completely by the time we got to the mansion, and when the guards at the gate saw Xander, they gave a signal, and different guards came out from different angles, surrounding us with weapons trained on us. “Beta Xander, you have been…” A guard began.“I know. I know… just take me to the Kin
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SIXXANDER’S POV As Melissa walked past me, my hands balled into a fist, and shook so much that I couldn't even find a way to calm myself. She had crossed the line. She had done way too much. She had said way too much!My chest burned intensely, as a wild heat rampaged around, spreading deep within me, like a fire racing down a forest, burning everything in sight. Damn everything. Damn it all. I wouldn't let her have what she wanted. My baby! She was going to give it to Darius. And then killed Hazel? That was impossible. Yes, I'm mad at Hazel, but I still love her and wouldn't just let her die. The thought ate at me for hours, digging deep inside of me, probing me, disturbing me, until I finally realized I couldn't stay still. Hazel couldn't just die like that. I know it sounds crazy to not want her dead after everything she did to me, but for the sake of the past… perhaps just for the past…I stormed down to the basement where she stayed tied u
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE MELISSA’S POV Yes, Three long weeks went past, and my life became so static, and stagnant. Seeing Hazel’s face everyday honestly made me want to puke. At times, I’d meet her praying for her kids, and that would anger me more. She’d become a kind of punching bag for me because I vented my full anger on her whenever I felt like it. As for Xander, I didn’t know how he was doing it. For the time being, there was no trouble even with Darius having the kids, so I guessed all was going well. Perhaps he’d been avoiding Darius, although that was almost impossible and risking.However, how he handled it wasn’t really my problem. The only thing he’d become useful for was pleasing my body’s sexual desires. When he wasn’t doing that, everything else he was doing naturally became annoying. That very morning, I woke with a fever; something that was very rare for me to have. I got up, took some water, but my headache only got worse. Eventually, I crawled back
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FOUR DARIUS’ POV {Three Weeks Later}The last three weeks that passed were hectic. Azel was still so closed off, and wouldn’t talk to me. He would not eat, and get me worried so much that I’d have to ask Theresa to find out what he wants, and take care of him so he wouldn’t get sick. Recently, things got worse. Azella, who was the more receptive one suddenly locked herself up, and wouldn’t leave her room. It was what baffled me the most, and caused me sleepless nights. A knock sounded on my door, and Theresa came in, holding Azel, who had a lollipop in his mouth, and a scowl on his face. “Yes?” “You asked for my report. Azella still won’t come out, and keeps crying. She won't let anyone talk to her.” She said, and I pushed aside the hectic work on my desk, with a sigh, before rising to my feet. Damn. My men were all over, looking for Melissa now. She’d simply gone off the grid. Her phone was untrackable. All of her records were blank. How she did
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-THREE DARIUS’ POV {The Previous Day}My heart stirred as I beheld the two children before me. My kids. Seeing the girl again, my resemblance was present in her shining face. And the boy… he was a combination of me and Hazel. They were really my kids—my heirs. They were… mine. The feeling in my chest felt tight. Like I couldn’t breathe. Just the pain of seeing them so close to me. I’d missed so many important things in their lives. Things I wanted to do with my heirs—take first steps, go out somewhere nice, hear them call my name. The girl smiled happily, her cheeks turning a deep pink as her adorable smile reached her ears. However, the boy had a deep-seated frown on his face, making him look more like me instead of Hazel. I raised my hand, and the guards following all came to stand behind me.“Take the kids in. Give them to Theresa. Food, water, clothes, a bed… give them everything they need.” I said, and they nodded, going to the kids. Azella'
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-TWOMELISSA'S POV Damn it. I was drunk.She was probably not in her right senses too. The silence was too thick, and my eyes fell on his lips. Firm, smooth, full… like a magnetic attraction, I was drawn to them, and couldn't take my eyes off them. And he made the move. He placed his hand behind my head, and bent to kiss me. It was when his lips touched mine that I knew it—my body ached to be loved. It ached to be wanted, wanted to be remembered. I'd spend so many years aching for Darius who never looked my way that I forgot what my body craved, and needed. My tears dropped as the kiss between me and Xander ran deeper, like we wanted to devour the whole of us, tongues gliding over tongues, over lips. My hands found the hardness of his chest, roaming around it as the feet seemed to pull out from underneath me. I fell against him, and he supported me, since the world was becoming unstable. My fingers ended up ripping his buttons, pulling his shirt
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-ONEMELISSA'S POV PRESENTLY “The kids are what?” I asked, shocked. “Missing for three days.” My whole world crashed on me. They were dead. Two malnourished kids on their own for three days. They were dead. What would I do? My hands slowly threaded into my hair. If Darius ever found out…What would be my plan? What exactly was the whole plan from the start. Darius was never supposed to find out. He found out, and ruined everything. His patience would soon wear thin. He would soon realize that I would never ask for anything, and all I wanted was their deaths. What exactly was my plan?My hands fell limply to my sides, and I turned away from my parents, feeling the devastation continue to creep on me, snatching my chest in its iron grip. “Melissa! Where are you going in that manner? You…”“Don't act like you care! You ruined me!” I screamed, without even looking back. I needed to think. There was no way I'd see the twins if I wanted to start search