HAZELI look at myself in the mirror and hold my breath. I have changed so much since left my parents' home and moved in with Ramon. My mom and I hardly ever talk anymore, and when we do the conversation is kept short and sweet. Trevor and I never speak unless I call him first. I guess that's what happens when you get older. Everyone seems to forget about you.Quietly, I study myself. My hair has grown a few inches since I moved in with Ramon, and I think I may have even grown a few inches taller too. I know that I've gained a few more pounds since as well but there's nothing wrong with that.My fingers scrape over the crook of my neck where my mark is supposed to be. The bareness of my neck makes me feel so many types of ways. Most of all, worthless. Ramon had spilled his heart out to me a few days ago, but without his mark on me, I don't feel like we're complete. My wolf aches for him to claim her like he has claimed me. A mark is to show that I belong to him, to his followers. With

HAZELI don't think and I don't feel. My wolf gain powers through the pain of what Ramon gave us. Strength courses through my veins with every beat of my heart.The only thing on my mind is getting out of here. I don't care who or what stands in my way. It won't be standing for very long. I bolt down a quiet hallway, hoping that my first choice will be straight to an exit.Instead, I'm caught between taking a left or a right. I turn and go to the left, in the direction that I can hear something other than the sound of water. My paws beat against the ground, my nails clicking on the wooden floors.My breathing is heavy, and I stop in my tracks upon seeing a man. He is tall, and built like a muscle man. My ears rest against my head and my teeth bare at him.A low growl escapes me as I lunge forward. I make the first move. I shut my emotions away, and let my wolf do what she wants to do with him.He falls silent, lying in his own pile of blood. A sort of sickness makes my stomach churn,

HAZELI quietly kick my feet back and forth as I sit in the porch swing. My head is buzzing from the amount of liquor I've put into my body, but I don't mind.Ramon digs into his pocket and pulls out a blue box of cigarettes. Taking one, he brings the stick to his teeth and flicks the lighter. I focus on the orange flame and pull my lip between my teeth."So, why do you think that Jackson is involved?" I ask, breaking the silence.Ramon turns to me and sucks in deeply before exhaling the smoke from his lungs. He makes sure not to get it anywhere near me."I've been around for too many years, and I've come to understand to pay attention to body language. I'm not accusing him of anything." Ramon shrugs his shoulders and brings the cigarette to his lips again."His body language?" I knot my eyebrows. "Like, I don't get it. If he was against you, would he have jumped from a building trying to get me out of it and back to you?" I scratch the side of my head."I don't know, Hazel. You may a

HAZELI wake to the sun brightly shining in my eyes. The images of what happened only hours before fills my mind and clouds out everything else. I roll onto my side and bury my head into the covers. A few more hours of sleep won't hurt.To my disappointment however, I cannot go back to sleep. My muscles throb and my core aches from Ramon completely taking my innocence. As much as I hate the way my body is aching at this moment, I don't regret what I let him do to me.It was going to happen eventually. He and I both knew it. That's what mates do. That's what people in love do. I quietly sit up in bed and rub my throbbing neck. Ramon likes biting, probably more than he should, but I don't mind."Good morning," Ramon says softly. His eyes glance at the clock and then they rake over me. "I figured you would sleep in." His hair is wet from a recent shower, and he's wearing nothing but a pair of boxers."Trust me, I would if I could." My eyes slide from his eyes down to his shoulders, red w

HAZEL"Have you spoken to Jackson?" I ask softly, afraid that mentioning his name may cause Ramon to freak out. Ramon's eyes run over my face and his jaw clenches."I have. Why do you ask?" His tongue darts out and cleans his lower lip. I watch the tenseness of his shoulders as he takes in a deep breath and lets it out ever so slowly. He is agitated, but not to the point where he won't discuss the topic."Well, he isn't dead so I figured you either haven't spoken to him and you're waiting for him to make a wrong move or he is innocent." I chew on my bottom lip and reach my hand across the table to hold his. Softly, his thumb runs over my knuckles and he lets out a sigh of relief."Is this your way of asking if you can talk to him, little wolf?" My nickname rolls off his tongue like silk, and I inhale slowly. The thickness of his voice is telling me that he doesn't want me to go."Is this your way of telling me you want me to stay?" I raise an eyebrow and give him a playful grin. Ramon