Chapter 51: want to be free

Emma stepped forward after Ryan finished speaking, her eyes moving toward the red box that was still in Caius’s hands.

"I have seen that box before," she said carefully. "Hazel used to keep it in her room when she was younger. I remember seeing it several times."

Hazel looked at her in confusion. She knew Emma was telling the truth, but none of it explained what the box actually meant or why something she had owned since she was six had suddenly become connected to Caius’s secret chamber.

Hazel turned toward Queen Charlotte"Mom..."

Queen Charlotte remained silent, and Hazel frowned when she noticed the strange look on her face. It was almost as if she knew something but did not want to speak about it.

"You were there too," Hazel added.

Emma suddenly sighed and faced her. "No, you forgot. She wasn’t there, remember?"

Hazel blinked.

Queen Charlotte quickly nodded. "Yes, I wasn’t there." The quick answer made both Hazel and Emma look at her in surprise.

Even Alpha Gabriel turned his eyes toward his wife, studying her carefully, although nobody could tell what was going through his mind. Queen Charlotte immediately looked away, pretending that nothing strange had happened.

Hazel understood what Emma was doing. Emma had lied because she wanted to keep the situation calm, and Hazel decided not to expose her.

She gave a small smile. "Don’t mind her. Ever since her baby bump started showing, she has been out of her mind. I hardly recognize my mom anymore."

Charlotte looked at Hazel for a moment before playing along. "Yes, pregnancy has made me forget many things."

The High Priest then called Hazel gently. "Hazel. First, congratulations on your transformation. I am happy that your wolf has finally appeared."

Hazel lowered her eyes. "Thank you."

The High Priest’s smile faded slightly as she looked at the red box. "Do you know what that box means?"

Hazel shook her head "No." She looked down at her hands, and her voice became quieter. "I am sorry for causing all this trouble. I never knew keeping that box would create so much chaos. I don’t even want it anymore. Maybe whoever gave it to me already knew I would become His Majesty’s mate and wanted me to eventually give it to him."

Alexander, who had been standing nearby, shook his head. "You are wrong, Hazel. The box belongs to you now."

Hazel frowned. "What?"

"The box chose you itself."

Hazel stared at him for a few seconds before shaking her head. "I don’t want it." Her voice became more emotional. "I don’t want something that will keep attracting demons and dark witches to me. I almost lost my life today because of it, and I don’t want to die because of a stupid box."

Ethan raised a brow. "The box gave you a connection to the secret chamber. The reason those creatures were attracted to you is because you were carrying something connected to that place, and because you were still too weak to hide its presence."

Alexander nodded. "Rita was supposed to become a target too, but those creatures would never dare attack her the way they attacked you."

Hazel looked from one person to another. "But I don’t want to get involved in any of this." Her eyes slowly moved toward Caius. "I almost lost my life today."

Her voice shook slightly. "He can just do me a favor by rejecting me. Why does he have to make me suffer like this when I never chose any of it?"

The hall became quiet. Janet moved closer and gently held Hazel’s hand. "Hazel..."

Hazel angrily pulled her hand away. "I don’t want to continue this anymore." Hazel looked toward Caius. "I want His Majesty to reject me."

She turned around and started walking toward the exit.

"Hazel!" Janet called.

But Hazel didn’t stop. The guards immediately moved to block her way. Hazel’s eyes suddenly turned golden.

The four guards tried to hold her back, but Hazel’s wolf strength had become much stronger after her transformation. She pushed them away at once, and the force sent all four guards crashing into the walls.

Bang!

Cracks appeared across the stone. Emma’s mouth dropped open. "She got her wolf back." She suddenly sniffed the air. "But why can’t I smell her scent?"

Hazel did not care about their reactions anymore. She quickly left the throne hall, she didn’t care if Caius was angry with her.

She didn’t care about the box, the secret chamber or even care about the war. She only wanted to be alone.

When Hazel finally reached her room, she closed the door behind her and walked straight to the bed before curling herself into a ball.

Her body was exhausted, but her heart felt even heavier.

She couldn’t believe she had foolishly fought Azula over something that wasn’t even hers. She had allowed her anger to control her, and now she had no idea what would happen next.

Everything connected to Caius was frustrating and dangerous.

His curse was dangerous! His enemies were dangerous. Even being his mate seemed dangerous.

Hazel slowly sat up and looked at the mirror. Maybe she should talk to the moon goddess.

She had trusted her before, and perhaps this time she could tell her that she wanted to give up.

The burden was becoming too much for her. Hazel walked toward the mirror and sat down in front of it. "Moon goddess?"

Nothing happened. Hazel stared at her reflection for a long moment. Her shoulders dropped.

She nodded bitterly. "Of course." The moon goddess was probably still waiting for her to complete that ridiculous twenty-eight-day task.

Hazel wiped her eyes. She had been holding back her tears since she woke up, but she couldn’t do it anymore.

The tears suddenly rolled down her cheeks. What hurt her the most was what Janet had told her about the maid who had loved Caius.

People do crazy things for love. Hazel couldn’t stop thinking about that poor woman had loved someone so much that she was willing to die to protect his secret.

Hazel hugged her knees."I don’t want to end up like her."

Her voice broke. The saddest part was that Hazel didn’t even know how it had happened to her.

She didn’t know when she had started falling for Caius.

She only knew that somewhere between their arguments, his cold eyes, his annoying attitude, and the moments when he protected her, something inside her had changed.

She had fallen for him. And he didn’t even know. "How can I fall for someone in less than a month?"

Hazel wiped her tears again. Maybe it was because they were mates or it was simply her foolish heart.

But what would happen after they completed the mating? Caius might regain his full strength and finally become free from his curse, while she would still be standing beside someone who might never love her.

Hazel looked at the small bottle Rita had given her earlier.

She picked it up and stared at it sadly. It was the magic mixture that was supposed to hide her scent so Caius wouldn’t lose control around her. "This must be his idea," she murmured.

A bitter smile appeared on her lips. "Of course he doesn’t want to smell me." She lowered her head as another tear fell onto her hand.