“Let go of me!” Hazel yelled as an unfamiliar guard stepped into the room and grabbed her wrist. His grip was firm, and she didn’t stand much chance against him. It took her a moment to realize that he was trying to take off the cuffs which had been put on her wrists after she had been taken away from Darius earlier. She winced as the cold metal dug into her wrists. The heavy chains clinked as the guard fumbled with the key, his gloved hands rough against her skin. Her throat was dry and her lips were chapped from days.. But that was not what scared her the most.“Where am I being taken?” she asked in a voice that was barely above a whisper.The guard did not respond. His expression remained blank, and his eyes were fixed on his task as he twisted the key in the lock.Hazel swallowed hard. “Please. You have to know something. Tell me.” Still nothing.Her fingers twitched as she curled them into fists. Frustration crept into her voice. “I have a right to know!”The guard finally gl
“I own you now,” Rodrigo repeated. His words carried the kind of weight that couldn’t be ignored. Hazel stiffened and her breath caught as his sharp gaze pinned her in place. The air around them felt thick.He took a step closer, towering over her, “ Say your full name.”Hazel swallowed hard and her throat suddenly felt dry. Her name? The one that no longer belonged to her? Her lips barely parted when a sharp scoff cut through the silence.“She’s not even worth speaking to,” Darius sneered, crossing his arms. His voice dripped with disdain as he leaned against the car. His usual arrogance was on full display. “A discarded rogue, barely more than filth. Why waste your breath?”Rodrigo didn’t even turn his head.“Shut up, Daruis!” He ordered. Darius flinched and his smirk vanished. Hazel shrank back slightly, as she experienced Rodrigo’s sharp and controlled rage. He wasn’t like Darius. He didn’t bark orders or flaunt his power just for the sake of it. No, his power was something el
“Say something… please. Anything.” Hazel whispered, pressing her fingers against her temples.Nothing.“Selene, I need you.”Silence.Her heart pounded in frustration as she sat at the edge of the bed, and stared at the floor. Her wolf had been silent for a very long time, ever since the night her parents were murdered. And she had withdrawn farther after their mate's rejection. The moment their lives were snuffed out, something inside her had fractured beyond repair. She had screamed, begged, pleaded for Selene to come forward, to help her fight, to save her. But her wolf had vanished into the depths of her mind, leaving her alone. No matter how much Hazel tried, she couldn’t reach her wolf.She swallowed hard. She couldn’t afford to panic. She had told herself it would get better, and that Selene would return when things were safe.But she didn’t know what to feel about this place Rodrigo Whales’ mansion was nothing like the filthy cages she’d been trapped in before. There were no
What the hell is wrong with me??Oh, Damn it! Rodrigo muttered under his breath. He was still at the dinner table, rigid, as his fingers tightened around the silverware. His thoughts were a storm, circling one thing.Hazel.The way she had stiffened at Thorne’s words. The barely concealed tremble in her fingers. The way she had swallowed her emotions like a woman who had done it a thousand times before. Then she had fled and bolted from the room like the walls were closing in on her. Like she couldn’t stand being seen.And he had let her go. What was the point of stopping her? She obviously wasn’t comfortable around him. Rodrigo ground his teeth, shifting in his seat as frustration curled in his chest. He wasn’t the type to care. People broke in front of him all the time. Wolves begged. They cowered. They yielded.He had never cared. So why was he still thinking about the look in Hazel’s eyes?At the corner of the room, Eleanor stood watching him without a word. Rodrigo let out a
“Missing?” Rodrigo asked the older woman who stood before him. “I don’t have time for your silly jokes.”She looked everywhere but his face. “Alpha...she’s not in her room!”Rodrigo twisted his lips in a sneer, “And—”“I can’t find her anywhere,” she said, avoiding his eyes.“That’s nonsense!” He barked. A cold chill ran through her as she shuddered. “My Alpha...”“Did you look everywhere for her?” He asked. Before she could respond, he brushed past her and headed down the hallway. She followed behind him, ranting about how Hazel wasn’t known to leave her room unless it was time for dinner, or breakfast. Nothing made any sense to Rodrigo at the moment, except the fear that Eleanor could be telling the truth, and Hazel was missing, but Rodrigo Whales was not a man accustomed to losing control.Yet, as he stormed through the palace halls, his fury was barely contained beneath the surface. Eleanor’s voice still echoed in his head—Hazel is missing, Alpha. Missing.The word alone sent
Rodrigo sat in his private chambers, one hand gripping a crystal glass filled with amber liquid, the other resting against his temple as he let out a slow breath.The room was dimly lit, the soft glow of the fireplace casting long shadows across the dark oak walls. He should have been focused on his upcoming meeting, on his plans for Hazel, on solidifying his power. But his mind kept drifting back to her.She’s stubborn.She barely spoke to him. In the weeks since he had taken her under his roof, she had kept to herself, avoiding conversation unless absolutely necessary. And even then, her words were clipped, guarded. Every attempt he made to get close was met with icy resistance.Rodrigo exhaled sharply, swirling the liquor in his glass. His wolf prowled inside him. It was restless and impatient. She is ours. We just have to make her see it.“She flinches every time I’m near her,” Rodrigo muttered under his breath. His eyes darkened as he remembered the way Hazel stiffened whenever h
Why can’t I stop thinking about her? Ryland muttered with a frown as frustration built in his chest. He was seated in a dimly lit room with his gaze fixed on the window where the moonlight barely touched the edges of the curtains. The room felt too quiet. His mind, however, was anything but calm.Hazel was the only thing on his mind. Hazel—The rogue he had pushed away, the woman he had discarded. Yet, every night, her scent haunted him. Every waking moment, her face, her eyes, lingered in his thoughts, pulling at him. He hated it. He hated how his wolf, Kael, growled restlessly, aching to be close to her. She’s a freakin’ rogue, he reminded himself, but it didn’t help. It did not make the ache go away.“You are still thinking about her, aren’t you?”Serena’s voice snapped him out of his trance. He turned to see her standing by the door. Her arms were crossed over her chest and the anger was clear in her posture.There was a frown on her face as she eyed him. Ryland said nothin
The days stretched into weeks, and Ryland was fast becoming a shadow of himself. He tried to ignore it at first. He drowned himself in work, trained harder, pushed his wolves to their limits. He spent more time in meetings, pretending to care about business ventures and pack alliances. But none of it mattered, and none of it silenced the storm inside him. He was a man possessed. Every time he closed his eyes, she was there. The rogue he had tossed aside—Hazel, the mate he had rejected. He saw her body trembling beneath him, her lips parted in breathless surrender. He felt her fingers digging into his skin, pulling him closer, her voice whispering his name in a way that sent shivers down his spine.And then he’d wake up—hard, aching, his sheets damp with the evidence of his need. It wasn’t just at night. Every moment of every day, his body reminded him of what he had lost. His wolf was relentless, clawing at his mind, howling for her. “Ryland, you need to act fast. Find Hazel.
Ryland cursed, glancing up as he took in Serena. "You should really learn to lock your door," Keal growled, and Ryland only grunted in agreement. "You know eavesdropping is a bad habit?” Caleb scoffed, taking his seat. Ryland didn't have to look, but he could tell Serena was rolling her eyes. What do you need?" He asked, focusing his gaze on her. She wore a cape-like top and a matching dress underneath. "What do I need? You, silly,” she said, gliming and Caleb gave out a loud cough."Moron,” she cursed but Ryland ignored her banter. “You're wasting my time, what is it you seek?" He repeated, eyes on his wrist watch. "You're no fun," Serena muttered, stepping closer. She placed her hands on the table looking up at him, but slowly changed to a smiling expression."I came to see you,” she pouted, but Ryland just stared at her with a blank expression on his face. "I missed you and it's been so long since we last spent time together," she whispered, tugging his tie. Caleb let out a
Last I checked we were married. So you are my freaking business," Rodrigo responded, not leaving her gaze. Hazel stared back, the urge to punch him taking over her entire head. "And well, the last time I checked this was a contract marriage," Hazel shot back, walking away. Rodrigo rolled his eyes, taking hold of her arm. “Let me go,” she snapped, trying to free herself but he only held on tighter. "What did you say?" Rodrigo asked, Leo losing control. "You're my wife," Leo growled, rage flowing off in waves. "Tell me who did that or I swear I'm going to punish everyone I suspect,” Rodrigo muttered, his jaw clenched. Hazel took a good look at him; it was evident he wasn't joking. "Why does it matter? You do worse," she whispered, looking away, but he caught it. He looked away, guilt eating away. "Look, this isn't hard. Tell me who did it?" Rodrigo said, his tone soft. Hazel turned, meeting his gaze. Just when he thought she was going to give in, her lips stretched into an empty
Hazel turned back in shock, she stared at the huge man that held her arm. Hazel glared at him in hopes that he'd take the hint and let her go, but his grip only got tighter."Let me go!" she ordered, her temper rising. But the guard only smirked. "And why should I?" He asked, a smirk on his face. Hazel yanked his arm away, turning towards the entrance. She was going to find Aaron. She had barely taken another step when the guard held her again. "What is wrong with you?" She yelled, her chest heaving. "Are you deaf? You've been banned from leaving the walls of the mansion," the guard barked, stepping closer. Hazel looked at him in confusion. Something didn't sit right with her. "Banned, what do you mean?" She asked, trying to free herself from his hold but he only held on firmer. “Luna doesn't understand English anymore," he said, laughing out loud. "Seb, stop being a fool. That's your Luna," a guard said glaring at Seb in disgust."I dont give a darn. I'm following Alpha's words
Ryland stood in front of his window staring outside, a glass of whisky in hand. Kael grew uncontrollable with each passing hour and Ryland found it harder to concentrate. Something felt off. He knew and was hundred percent sure, but he didn't know what. It had been two days since he and Hazel last spoke and she had not called since then. He played the last minutes of their call over and over in his mind but nothing felt off. But he was yet to receive a call from her. All sorts of scenarios played in his mind and they felt so real and he could barely sleep. Keal had been stirring in anger, making Ryland squeeze his eyes tight."Mate," it growled, threatening to lose control. Caleb pushed the door open walking in. Ryland turned, prying his eyes open, his eyes getting darker as he saw Caleb. "Don't you know how to knock?" He questioned, his temper rising. "As much as I would love to spar with you, I very much like to live so that would be a no to a fight with you," Caleb said, glanc
Eleanor ignored the mess she had just made, running towards Hazel. "How are you? Are you okay? Does it hurt anywhere?" Eleanor asked, stumbling on her words. Hazel stared at her, her lips stretching into a smile. Memories of Eleanor defending her filled her mind and she felt her heart swell. "I'm fine, Hazel managed to say, her voice a little hoarse. "You sound thirsty, I should go get you some water," Eleanor said, turning away. "Where is Maria?" She asked turning back to face Hazel. Just then Maria walked in with a glass of water in hand. Her smile fell when she studied the floor in front of her. "What happened?" She asked, taking another way to avoid slipping. "Don't mind me," Eleanor replied, taking the water off Maria's palm. "Here drink up," Eleanor coed, holding Hazel up by supporting her back. "Feel better?" She questioned and Hazel nodded, trying to ignore the tears that threatened to fall again. "I'll go get the doctor. I think he needs to check some things," Maria
Hazel stood in a house. She turned around, studying her surroundings. It looked like the mansion but it felt different. It looked foggy and everywhere was empty. "Hello?” she called out heading for the stairs. She took each step slowly, the creaking of the wood sending a chill down her spine. She stood in front of her room door. Taking in a deep breath, she slowly pushed the door and went in. The room looked organised and Hazel's brows knitted together in confusion. Something felt wrong. Oddly wrong. "Maybe the servants had gotten it back together," a voice answered her doubts, but she ignored it, stepping in. She placed her hand on the bed feeling the softness of the bed sheets. She stood facing the window lost in thought, just then a sound brought her out. It sounded like a baby crying. Hazel looked around, but she was the only one in her room. The crying stopped and Hazel shook her head walking away from the bed. "It was probably all in my head," she muttered, placing her h
Hazel scrambled to her feet in shock. "Answer the question!" Rodrigo yelled, making her shake in fear. "What do you mean?" She asked, feigning confusion, but Rodrigo saw through it.His nostrils flared like a bull’s and Hazel's heart raced so fast that she wished she could just disappear."I have no idea what you're talking about," Hazel managed to yell, trying to stand her ground. Rodrigo gripped a fistful of her hair and dragged her closer to himself. She let out a scream clawing at his hand, but it was no use. "Why do you have that phone?!" He barked very close to her ear. Hazel squeezed her eyes shut, tears streaming down her face as pain spread like electricity through her skull.It was no surprise that somehow Rodrigo of all people had stumbled on her phone. But how?"You never said I couldn't own a phone," she choked out, a sob escaping with the words. "Yes, but you owned two," he yelled, his grip on her hair getting tighter. "I don't," she struggled to answer. It felt l
Rodrigo ran a hand through his hair. He leaned on the wall taking deep breaths. "How could she talk to him like that," he growled out. Leo clawed on the inside wanting to be released but after much attempts, Rodrigo was able to control the animal and he headed for his office. He kicked the door open to see Thorne seated. Thorne turned to face Rodrigo cringing, "You look like sh*t. Wife problems?" He asked, a smirk on his face. "Shut up!" Rodrigo growled, earning a chuckle from Thorne. "C’mon tell me," he urged with a smile playing on his lips. "You don't need to know," Rodrigo said, taking his seat. "Fine," Thorne muttered, rolling his eyes. "I won't tell you what I found though," he said, bringing out a phone. Rodrigo's brows knitted in confusion. "What did you find?" he asked, his eyes flashing red. “You didn't tell me what the problem is so I don't have to say anything,” Thorne shot back. "I'm the Alpha, I don't answer to you," he growled at him, but Thorne sat down, his s
Rodrigo flashed her a charming smile as he gestured for her to take a seat. "You're already eating," Hazel said, studying his movements. "I know. You complained about me not showing up for dinner so I made some changes to my schedule," he said, taking a slice of his steak. Hazel smiled, but it felt empty. She mentally scolded herself for ever saying such. A maid came in with her plate and she said a mini thank you, her eyes fixed on the plate in front of her. No doubt it would taste delicious, but she had no appetite with Rodrigo seated in front of her. "Aren't you going to eat?" He asked, taking a cup of wine. Hazel looked at him then at the food. Slowly she sliced the steak popping it in her mouth. The flavours exploded, but she only felt like throwing up. With Rodrigo still watching her every move, Hazel struggled to swallow. "So what was your day like?" He asked, glancing at his plate. "Nothing, I mostly slept today," Hazel answered in a bored tone. Silently hoping he would