Lucas's POV The venom in Amelia's words echoed in the night air, each syllable a fresh blow. My world had tilted on its axis, the carefully constructed facade of my life with Hazel crumbling around me. Adrenaline surged through my veins, a primal urge to chase after Amelia and undo the damage she'd inflicted.But a more pressing concern clawed at me – Hazel. The raw pain in her eyes, the flicker of betrayal that replaced the warmth that had been there just moments ago, sent a jolt of terror through me. I had to find her, to explain, to somehow salvage this mess.With a muttered curse, I slammed the door shut, the sound a hollow punctuation mark to the scene that had just unfolded. My gaze scanned the backyard, frantic and searching. Relief washed over me as I spotted her silhouette on the swing set, a solitary figure bathed in the pale moonlight.She sat with her back to me, arms wrapped around her knees, a picture of utter desolation. My heart hammered a frantic rhythm against
Hazel's POV Relief washed over me like a tidal wave as I drove away from Lucas's house, the rearview mirror filled with the image of his retreating figure on the porch. But despite the lightness in my chest, guilt gnawed at the edges of my conscience. My anger, the way I lashed out… it felt unjustified.The truth was, Lucas hadn't cheated. We weren't in a relationship, not officially. My mixed signals, the way I kept him at arm's length while clinging to the ghost of a past love… it all led to this mess. He craved clarity, commitment, and I, well, I was a walking contradiction. Part of me resented myself for being such a jerk. He genuinely cared, that much was evident. Yet, the thought of staying, of trying to rebuild trust… it felt like navigating a minefield. We were both tangled in a web of unresolved issues, and untangling them together seemed daunting at best, impossible at worst. A choked sob escaped my lips. This wasn't about pride. It was about survival, about pro
Hazel's POV Walking into the supermarket, Kaiser seemed more excited than I had expected. It had been a while since I took him shopping. The items on display came in various shades which made the shelves look more appealing. The Kaiser who I knew was very excited, still stood besides me without making demands. “ Kaiser, you can pick out five items you really want. You don't have to hold back,” I crouched down and patted his head. “ Really? Is that really alright?” He looked at me with sparkling eyes. “ Sure, feel free,” I chuckled before giving him a reassuring smile. “ Thank you, mommy,” he flashed the broadest smile I had seen him put on before. Kaiser has always been mature and it wasn't surprising that he was aware of our financial standing. We weren't poor or things like that, we were simply in a position where priorities were more important. My bills kept multiplying which meant that luxuries had to be put aside and the one who suffers from it most is Kaiser. “ Don
These words came down on me like some physical blow; my knees bent, and everything around seemed to move on uneven ground. I fell on the ground with my head spinning as I tried understanding this most terrible thing. Kaiser was crying hard, breathing through his tiny torso in gasps and hiccups. I had to be strong for Kaiser and Kyla. I shouldn't be an emotional mess, how else was I supposed to comfort them if I couldn't get my act right?Kaiser was sobbing, his small body racked with sobs. I reached out to him, pulling him into my arms, offering what little comfort I could. “It’s okay, Kaiser,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “It’s okay.” He must have been scared seeing his sister in such a terrible state. He was in such a traumatising situation and yet he was able to respond appropriately - he was a lot stronger than most adults.A while later, the doctor came out of the room with a serious face. “She’s stabilised for now,” he said in a soft voice. “But she is unconscious;
Chapter 67 Alicia's POV The fact that my meticulously made plans were falling apart was a tough pill to swallow. Noah’s paternity test had brought abut the hitch in my carefully laid strategy. If he were to know anything about Hazel or the kids, the illusion I had created for myself would come down like a pack of cards. Desperation consumed me. I needed something drastic, something to hold onto Noah’s life tighter and make him unbeatable. An undercover meeting with Alpha Drake; devious and unrelenting leader of the neighboring pack was arranged shortly thereafter. Our discussions did not take more than the necessary time period as I had briefed them on the subject matter at hand. Now I needed some type of drug which would leave no trace but would make Noah unconscious for a particular time period. Drake handed me a little vial having a predator’s gleam in his eyes. “This will do the trick,” he said, his voice low with menace. “But be warned, it’s very potent. One drop is enough
Chapter 68Hazel's POV The sun rays streamed through the window curtains and cast an other-worldly shine onto Noah’s face. His chest continuously rose and fell with each breath. A wave of confusion surged through me as I tried to reconstruct the memories of last night. And then the realization slapped me – I was laying on Noah’s mattress!Heat spread across my skin as I struggled to get away from him; it was not easy though since he held me tightly in his body, his breath caressing my skin. “Stay,” he muttered in a hoarse sleepy voice.I felt frozen with no idea what to say next. That night had been an emotional haze, an overwhelming mix of sexual desires and a feeling of guilt. Now here we were, tangled up together after the storm that had brewed up within us a couple of hours ago.“We should talk about this,” his voice spoke stronger now suggesting some form of resolution.Pushing myself slightly back from him, my heart raced in my chest. “There’s nothing to talk about, Noah,” I
Chapter 69:Hazel's POV Noah's house got farther and farther away from me the more I walked away from it and the cold night air hit me right in my face. There was some regret in my mouth like a bitter taste. I had stormed out in a rage, but now in this quiet moment, reason suddenly prevailed. I came to talk about Kyla; I came over to find help not to rekindle burning flames that were already going out - why did I even do all that? My mind swirled with thoughts and ideas, seeking solutions and deliberating what to do next. Going back to Noah wasn't much of an option after what had happened earlier on. I needed someone to share my thoughts with; someone who would simply understand the situation I was going through. It occurred to me that only Lucas could help me out of this mess. He had always been there for me amidst this turmoil anyway so I could count on him for support. With renewed determination, I flagged down a cab and stepped in. The ride to Lucas’s house seemed like a
Chapter 70:Hazel's POV He turned to me with a smile on his face when I got into the room. “Morning,” he said, handing me a cup of coffee.I took the cup and our fingers brushed. A spark caught us both—caught me even more probably because it was that electric and dreadful (if that's the right word).“Thanks,” I managed, as I sipped from the mug.We stood silent, the clock ticking away; the only thing that made any sound in the room at this moment was the clock - were it not for it, I'm sure my heartbeat would have been audible too! The intimacy shared by sharing coffee in this small space stood in sharp contrast when compared to yesterday’s chaos.“How are you feeling now?” Drake broke the silence at last “Better? I was kinda worried about you last night” he said. I nodded, my heart softened by his words. He was so caring. We talked about a couple of trivial stuff such as the weather and some other things just to keep the conversation going for a while…. We both could feel the
Noah's POV~“What do you mean?” I asked as I got to my feet, staggering a little. I certainly didn't expect him to have grown so large in such a short time without any water around. “What do I mean? Don't tell me you aren't feeling a bit numb yet” he said. As soon as he said it, I felt my body go limp. I could barely stand and my vision had become rather hazy. I could barely feel my body. “W-what’s happening?” I asked, “What did you do to me?”He laughed diabolically; “Two words Noah; Wolf’s Bane” My eyes widened in surprise. Wolf's Bane? How? When?“That's not possible” I responded, “We haven't even met in months before now. There's no way you could have poisoned me. What did you do to me? Huh?” I barked. “Stop being so pathetic Noah. It's not a good look for you” He said tauntingly. Something was wrong. I could feel it. If it truly was poison, then how did he get it to me? A cut from a claw slash, maybe?“I didn't think you'd be so naive to not understand that I don't necessaril
Like a huge fireball flying through the night sky, Noah scans the area for Drake and Hazel. They're almost nowhere to be found and he decides to land on one of the buildings and reverts to human form to prevent garnering unnecessary attention from the city below…..Noah's POV~“Damnit! I can't believe he got away” I punched the ledge of the building. I peered into the darkness around but there was no sign of the bastard nor Hazel. “He better not lay a finger on her or else…..” I growled when suddenly my phone rang. I picked it up only to see my beta's number float across the screen. “Hello?” I answered as soon as I picked up. “Sir, are you alright? I just heard what happened” he said with a bit of panic in his voice. “Relax, I've got it under control” I responded, “It's not really a big deal. I just have to put him in his place. It's been a long time coming to be honest” I said. “Should I send backup? We don't know what the fool is planning?” He said. “His pack ain't wit
With Hazel in his arms, Drake manages to maneuver his way through the maze of the cityscape, jumping between skyscrapers till he finds somewhere to hide, on the top of one of the highrise buildings. Hazel's POV~“Urghh!” I groaned as I tried to wriggle my way out his grip. I kept hitting and punching and biting but it all seemed futile. He was way too strong. I hated the sight of staring down at the city as he leaped between ridiculously tall skyscrapers. “Let go of me!” I yelled, biting his arm again and accidentally choking on his fur. “You're gonna die if I let go” he said as we streaked through the night sky. I was scared of heights - freaking scared of it! I gulped, realizing the reality of his words. I was so hellbent on him letting go of me that I didn't really put much thought into what would happen afterwards. I kept quiet, feeling a weird mix of annoyance and embarrassment. We soon landed on one of the buildings. He looked around and Noah was nowhere to be fou
Drake's POV~“Stop!!!” A shrill scream came from behind me, catching our attention. I looked behind me only to see Hazel. How did she find us? “Hazel?” Noah responded in surprise as he lowered his hand. “How did you…..”“It doesn't matter” she responded to him and then looked at me. The look in her eyes was that of a weird mix of hate, disappointment and disgust. “Where are my kids?” She asked. “You better not have laid a finger on them” she threatened. For some reason I felt weak as I watched her speak. As much as I wanted to deny it, I actually did really like her - a lot. Of course, I initially went after her to get back at Noah for stealing my mate - but I guess I ended up catching feelings for her. It pricked my heart to see her glare at me the way she was doing now. But it was probably too late to make amends now - I had to finish what I had started.“Your kids are safe.” I responded, “You should know I wouldn't do anything to them” I said. “Says the person who kidnapped them
Under the heavy storm, Hazel's car can be seen driving down a lonely road. She is frantically trying to keep herself from losing her composure any further. Where is she going?Hazel's POV~I felt like my head would blow up at any minute. My kids and their safety were all I could think about. “That jerk better not lay a finger on my babies” I growled as I stepped on the gas.Not long after, my phone rang. Driiiinng! Driiiinng!I picked it up and took a look; it was the principal. “Hello?” I picked up. “Oh thank goodness. I've been trying to reach you. Where are you? The cops are here” she said. “I'm on my way to the culprit's location. He called my hu…..” my mouth froze up for a second. That was weird. Why did I want to call Noah my husband? “Hello? Are you still there?”“Huh? Yes yes” I snapped out of my thoughts. This wasn't the time for any stupid thoughts. “The culprit called my husband to meet him somewhere. I'm currently tracking my husband's phone” I said. “Really?
As the heavy torrents wash over the junkyard, Drake stares pitifully at the limp body of Noah, who lays helpless on the ground…..Drake's POV~Panting heavily while I stared down at him, I didn't know if what I felt was pity or disgust. I certainly didn't like his guts one bit but still, killing him when he was this weak didn't seem worth it to me. I hated that he didn't put up much of a fight. I wanted to vent my anger - I wanted to pour it all out… who would have thought he would be this weak now?“After all the big game you talked, I expected you to put up more of a fight. Looks like you won't get to see your kids after all” I taunted him with a chuckle. I wanted to piss him off. I could tell that he was holding back and I didn't like it. It felt condescending - like he didn't take me as a serious opponent. I shook my head in pity and began to walk away. Suddenly I heard him speak up and I turned around only to see him on his feet again, though his stance was rather feeble
Noah's POV~My hands clutched the steering wheel firmly as my mind went through all manner of things I would do to that bastard if he touched my kids. I certainly wasn't going to hesitate to end his miserable existence. Like what kind of coward uses kids as bait? Driiiinng! Driiiinng! My phone rang yet again. Hazel certainly wasn't helping with all the calls she was spamming me with. I took a look at the phone again. I wanted to answer this time but I was already close to where Drake wanted us to meet. I dismissed the call and called Drake instead. “Hello,” I spoke up.“Yes, where are you?” he asked. “I just arrived at the outskirts of the city. There's nothing here - just a couple of abandoned buildings” I answered, “My kids better not be here” I warned with a growl lacing my voice. “Your kids are safe - for now” he responded, “Anyway, come over to the abandoned junkyard. I'll be waiting for you there” he said before hanging up. I sighed and shook my head. I knew this wasn't goi
CHAPTER THREE: A black SUV can be seen parked outside an elementary school building. In it, Alpha Drake can be seen seated in the driver's seat with a pair of shades on. The expression on his face displays the calculative thoughts going through his head. What's he doing here?>>>>>>>>Drake’s POV~‘Why is he taking so long?’ I thought as I stared at my phone yet again. Finally my phone rang. “Hello?” I answered, “Are you done yet?” I asked. “Yes sir. I took a while to get any traces of AI out” Hazel's voice responded. A smirk appeared on my face. It sounded just like her. “How is it sir? Convincing enough?”“It's perfect” I responded to him. “Make sure to use this voice when I call you back, got it?” “Got it, sir” he responded before I hung up. It was show time. I checked myself in a mirror a bit and then got out of the car. It was almost closing hours and I was about to go pick Hazel's kids up. I'm a good friend, right?Walking into the school premises, I got to the hallway. I
Hazel's POV~Thud! Slamming the door behind me, I went and sat down on the couch. I was super tired. “Hmph!” I sighed, tilting my head backwards over the headrest. “What happened? Why didn't Drake give you a lift?” Layla asked as she emerged from the kitchen in her nightgown with two cups of tea in her hands. “Why didn't you give me a lift even when I asked?” I answered her with another question. “Oh come on. You know I couldn't leave the kids here alone. At least I sent an Uber. That counts doesn't it?” She smiled awkwardly as she handed me a cup of tea. I took a sip and as usual, she added too much milk. “Well I guess so” I shrugged as I took another sip. She sat beside me yet facing me and her eyes began to glow with a familiar glint; a glint that meant only one thing - she was in gossip mode. “So tell me everything. What happened between you and Drake?” She asked, leaning forward. “Not tonight Layla. I'm tired” I responded. I knew she wouldn't take my response seriously. Sh