LOGINLiora’s POVI can’t stay here waiting to find out what the hell is going on. I have to leave now.The thought hit me like a slap, cutting through the fog in my head. My hands moved before my brain could catch up. I snatched the dirty bag from the table, shoved the last few things inside, and slung it over my shoulder. The strap dug into my skin, but I didn’t care. Every second I stayed in this rotting shack was another second closer to getting caught.My heart was already hammering so hard I could feel it in my throat. I cracked the door open just enough to peek outside. The woods looked darker than before, the trees like silent watchers waiting to betray me. I slipped out and pulled the door shut behind me with a soft click that sounded way too loud in the quiet.The potion. Please, just hold on a little longer. If it could mask my scent until I reached the human town, I might actually have a chance.I took off through the trees, keeping low, boots sinking into the damp earth. I didn
Hazel’s POV“What do you mean?” The words tumbled out of me before I could stop them. My voice sounded small in the quiet hallway, but the fear behind it was loud enough to echo in my own ears.Dillian’s face stayed serious, the small smirk from earlier completely gone. He glanced once more at Nicholas, who was standing a few feet away with his hands still shoved deep in his pockets, before looking back at me. His eyes held a weight that made my stomach twist tighter.“The Northern waters,” he said quietly. “We’ve been holding them back for a very long time. But with the king’s army fighting us now…we don’t think we can hold for long.”He paused, letting the words sink in like cold water. I felt the air grow heavier around us.“I’m not just worried about you, Hazel. If my father touches land, you won’t be the only one who gets hurt. He doesn’t care about destroying every single person in the process. This bothers us just as much as it bothers you people.”My mouth went dry. The relief
Hazel’s POVMy heart sank straight to my stomach, like someone had dropped a stone into a deep, dark well. The doctor’s words hung in the air, heavy and final: “We don’t think he’ll make it.”No. “No,” I whispered, my voice cracking. Then louder, desperate, “Please…there has to be another way. There has to be something we can do!”Tears burned my eyes, spilling over before I could stop them. My legs felt weak, like they might give out any second. I stepped forward, reaching for the doctor’s arm, but Nicholas was already there. His strong hands gripped my shoulders, firm but gentle, turning me to face him.“Hazel, calm down,” he said, his voice low and steady, the kind of tone he used when the world was falling apart around us. His eyes locked on mine, trying to pull me back from the edge. “Breathe. We’re going to figure this out.”But how could I calm down? Someone might die because of me. The guilt clawed at my insides, vicious and sharp, tearing through every bit of hope I had left
Liora's POV I bit my fingers anxiously as I paced the tiny, damp room that had become my prison. My nails dug into the skin until they bled, but I barely felt the pain. My mind was a storm—racing, screaming, refusing to settle. Every step echoed too loudly in the suffocating silence, my heart slamming against my ribs as if it wanted to break free. Sweat trickled down my back, soaking the thin fabric of my dress. “Why the fuck did that bastard take the bullets for Hazel?” I muttered it under my breath, over and over, but no one answered. Just the wind rattling the loose boards, mocking me. My fingers plunged into my tangled hair, yanking hard enough to sting my scalp. I spun in a tight circle, breath coming in short, ragged gasps. The air inside was stale, thick with the smell of mold and my own fear-sweat. I could still see it—Alpha Jackson’s massive body crashing into hers, shielding her like some twisted hero from a nightmare. The shots cracking through the garden, petals ex
Hazel’s POV“How is he doing, Doctor?”I jumped up from the chair the second the door opened, heart hammering so hard it felt like it would burst out of my chest. Nicholas was right beside me, his hand instantly finding the small of my back, steadying me even though I could feel the tension rolling off him too.The doctor’s face was pale, etched with exhaustion, eyes shadowed like he’d aged a decade in there. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his hands trembled as he pulled off his mask.We had been waiting outside this room for what felt like forever, the hallway cold and sterile, the only sound the distant beep of machines and our own ragged breathing.“We’re trying everything we can,” the doctor said, voice low and grave. “The bullets… they were poisoned. Same toxin that hit the queen last time. It was a miracle you survived it, My Queen. But this… it’s worse. There were at least three bullets inside him. The quantity in his system—it’s too much. The poison’s moving fast. We’re pum
Hazel’s POVI’d spent most of the day training with my warriors, pushing my body to the limit—sweat dripping, muscles screaming, mind sharp as a blade. It kept the worry at bay. But now, as the sun dipped low, painting the garden in bloody oranges and deep purples, it all came rushing back.Dimitri still wasn’t here.It was almost evening, and that nagging pit in my stomach grew heavier with every passing minute. Where the hell was he? Benedicta Petterson was supposed to be in our grasp by now. She was the key. The one person who could name names, unravel who started this whole nightmare.I paced the garden path, gravel crunching under my boots, arms crossed tight over my chest. The roses mocked me with their perfect blooms, all calm and pretty while my world spun out of control. Come on, Dimitri. Just bring her in. Let’s end this.Lost in my head, I turned sharp—and slammed right into a solid wall of muscle.I lost my balance, feet slipping on the loose stones, stomach dropping as t
Hazel’s POVBefore I could stop myself, my feet moved.I ran.Straight into him.My arms wrapped around his neck so tight I probably hurt him, but I didn’t care. I buried my face in his shoulder, breathing in the familiar smell of clean soap and that cologne he always wore because he said it made h
Nicholas’s POV“Baby, when are you going to kick that woman out?”Liora’s voice sliced through the air like a whip, pulling me back from the fog in my head. I was still standing there in the middle of the room, boxers hanging low on my hips, staring at the door Hazel had just sauntered through like
Hazel’s POV A loud bang jolted me awake, like someone had kicked the door open and let it slam against the stone wall. I groaned, burying my face in the pillow for half a second before the annoyance fully hit me. Sunlight was already pouring through the windows, bright and unforgiving. My hea
Nicholas POV For the first time in three years, I didn't recognize the woman lying in my bed. Hazel. Or…whoever the hell she was now. Something wasn't right with Hazel. It was like she was a whole new person, and I didn't understand it one bit. For three years, she'd been this quiet, desper







