Chapter 105: Let’s go and save

Hazel didn’t think much before shifting back into her human form. The moment she returned to her normal body, she glared at Caius.

"Damn you, Caius!"

She placed both hands against his chest and tried to push him away, but he caught her hand before she could move. Instead of letting her go, he pulled her closer and wrapped her arm around his neck before leaning down to kiss her again.

Hazel wanted to complain, but his lips were already moving against hers, and the warmth of his kiss slowly pushed away the anger she had been feeling. She tried to resist at first, but something about being close to him made her feel strangely calm. Her fingers relaxed, and she finally wrapped both arms around his neck, responding to his kiss.

Caius held her firmly, drawing her closer as their lips moved together. Hazel stood on her toes, trying to keep up with him, while he gently tilted her head to deepen the kiss. She could feel his warmth, his familiar scent, and the steady strength of his arms around her. For a moment, she forgot about Doris, the kidnapping, and everything that had happened in the throne hall.

All she could think about was him. It was only when one of his hands slipped beneath the fabric of her dress that Hazel suddenly pulled away.

She blinked several times, trying to gather her thoughts, and then looked toward the window.

It was already night. The golden chandeliers hanging from the ceiling filled the entire chamber with warm light, making every corner look beautiful. Hazel slowly looked around, taking in the tall pillars, the beautiful furniture, and the elegant decorations. The room looked like something from an ancient Greek palace, with its grand design and royal appearance.

It was breathtaking.

Hazel loved reading romance stories, and she had always imagined how beautiful a king’s private chamber would look. She had read about grand bedrooms, golden decorations, and luxurious furniture, but she had never imagined she would actually get to see one this beautiful.

The previous night, when she had entered Caius’s chamber, everything had been dark. She hadn’t been able to see much, and she had been too distracted by everything happening between them to pay attention to the room.

Now, she couldn’t stop looking around.

Caius watched her for a moment before leaning forward and placing a soft kiss on her chin. "Love it?"

He didn’t need to ask what she was looking at. He was beginning to understand her body language, her expressions, and even the little things she did without realizing it. It was strange how much he had learned about her in such a short time.

Hazel turned toward him and sighed. "You should have let me teach Doris a lesson. Do you even know what she did?"

Caius raised an eyebrow. "I know now."

Hazel blinked. "How?" She couldn’t remember telling anyone what had happened inside that building. She had only spoken to Janet and Akeelah, and they hadn’t even discussed everything properly.

"Did they mind-link you?"

Caius shook his head, looking amused. "You told me."

Hazel stared at him. "When???"

Caius sighed and rolled away from her, sitting up on the bed. He looked toward the window for a moment before turning his attention back to her.

"Are you even a werewolf? I’ve strengthened our bond. We’re connected now, yet you still don’t understand what that means?"

She nervously sat up and looked at him. "What do you mean by connected?"

Caius stared at her helplessly before explaining, "I can hear your thoughts, understand your feelings, and even recognize what you’re trying to say through your body language. I don’t have to wait for you to open your mouth before I know when something is bothering you."

Hazel froze.

Her mind immediately went back to all the crazy things she had been calling him since yesterday. The insults, the complaints, and the countless times she had wondered whether he had completely lost his mind.

Did he hear all of that?

She slowly looked at him. "You can read my thoughts?"

Caius chuckled at her expression. "What crazy things have you been calling me that I don’t deserve?"

Hazel’s mouth fell open.

He really heard her!

"And before you start panicking, I don’t read minds," he continued. "I can hear your thoughts because you’re my mate and we’ve shared a lot with each other. Our bond has become stronger, so it’s easier for me to understand and hear you."

Hazel stared at him in disbelief before scoffing. So he could actually be this reasonable? Things wouldn’t have become such a mess if he had behaved this way from the beginning. Instead, he had spent so much time avoiding her, confusing her, and making her feel unwanted, even hated her.

Caius laughed. "Well, nobody is above making mistakes."

Hazel turned her face away, refusing to look at him.

Caius’s smile slowly faded, and he leaned back against the headboard. "I don’t think my fear was ever about having a mate. I just didn’t want my past to repeat itself."

Hazel turned toward him.

Caius looked at the window again, his expression becoming distant.

"My father was killed through my mother. She didn’t even have a choice. She was too kind and trusted the wrong people, and that became the reason he died."

He paused, shaking his head slightly.

"After my father’s death, my mother changed. She became the opposite of the woman she used to be and ruled over the werewolves herself. But what happened after that was even worse. Something more terrible than death happened because of the witches."

His voice became quieter as he spoke.

Hazel watched him, and the anger she had been holding slowly disappeared. For the first time, she felt as though she was seeing a part of Caius that he rarely allowed anyone to see.

She moved closer and gently held his hand.

"Let’s put aside the fact that you were stupid enough to hurt an innocent person because of your fear."

Caius raised an eyebrow and looked at her.

Hazel gave him a small smile. "What? You know I’m right."

He didn’t argue. Instead, she tightened her hold on his hand and looked directly into his silver eyes.

"Tell me something. Is she the woman I saw in the secret room?"

Caius stared at Hazel, surprised by her question. She didn’t look away this time, and she didn’t try to hide the suspicion that had been growing inside her.

"That’s why the witches are afraid of what’s behind that door, isn’t it?" she continued. "They want to stop you because they don’t want whatever is inside that room to be discovered."

Caius remained silent.

Hazel slowly moved closer before climbing onto his lap. She placed her hands on his shoulders and studied his face. "Let’s go and wake my mother-in-law, Your Majesty."