Chapter 62: you want to die?

Hazel almost laughed at their expressions, but she managed to keep a straight face. These were the same people who had mocked her for being unable to shift, and now they wanted her to entertain them by showing off her wolf as if nothing had happened.

"Why not?" someone asked, sounding disappointed.

"Because I don’t want to," Hazel replied, turning away from them. "You don’t get to decide when I show you my wolf. You’ll see her when I feel like showing her, and not a moment before."

She had spent enough time trying to prove herself to people who never wanted to believe in her. Now that she finally had something they wanted to see, she intended to enjoy keeping it to herself.

Gabriel watched his daughter with a quiet expression, but there was a hint of pride in his eyes. He didn’t interrupt her or ask her to be more polite. Instead, he turned toward the guards and ordered them to deal with Scarlett according to the pack’s rules.

Scarlett was dragged forward again, and the guards brought out the same heavy chain that had once been placed around Hazel’s neck. The sight of it made several people in the crowd look away in shame, especially those who remembered how they had watched Hazel being taken away without offering her a single word of support.

When the guards fastened the chain around Scarlett’s neck, her face twisted with anger.

"You can’t do this to me!" she screamed, struggling against them. "Do you know who I am? You’ll regret treating me this way!"

Nobody came to her rescue.

Hazel watched as the guards led Scarlett away toward the pack’s prison, and a smile slowly spread across her face. She wasn’t going to pretend she felt sorry for the girl. Scarlett had enjoyed watching her suffer, and now she would have to face the consequences of her own actions.

As soon as Scarlett disappeared from sight, the tension in the gathering began to fade. Music started playing, and some of the pack members began talking excitedly about Hazel’s transformation and the shocking truth they had discovered. Others approached Gabriel to discuss the punishment Scarlett would receive, while a few continued offering Hazel apologies that she had no intention of accepting so easily.

Hazel took a drink from a nearby table and watched the celebration with a happy smile. For the first time in a long while, she felt as though she could breathe without worrying about what someone might say about her. She had finally cleared her name, and nobody could use Scarlett’s lies against her anymore.

At least, not tonight.

"Enjoying yourself?"

The familiar voice came from beside her, making her smile disappear almost immediately.

Hazel slowly turned her head and found Ryan standing there with his hands in his pockets. Unlike the others, he hadn’t approached her to apologize or celebrate her victory. He had simply walked over quietly and stopped beside her, as if he still had the right to stand near her whenever he wanted.

Her heart gave an uncomfortable twist, and the happiness she had been feeling moments ago began to fade.

Ryan was her first love, the person she had once imagined spending the rest of her life with, and the man whose betrayal had hurt her more than she wanted to admit. She had promised herself that she would let him go, especially after learning that he had slept with Scarlett, but seeing him standing beside her brought back memories she would rather forget.

Hazel tightened her fingers around her glass and turned her gaze toward the celebration.

Ryan forced a small smile and nodded."I’m glad you can now shift."

Hazel turned to face him fully and frowned.

"How could you believe something you didn’t even see? I lied to everyone. I never showed my wolf tonight."

Ryan looked at her for a long moment. Then he gave a quiet chuckle."I believe you, Hazel."

Hazel laughed in pure disbelief.

"I’ve always believed you," he continued softly. "Even when Scarlett stood in front of the whole pack and called you a witch." Tears filled his eyes, but he forced them back at once. "I don’t mind becoming your enemy. Not even when I found out your mate is a wolf legend." He chuckled again, but the sound was sad. "I’m happy for you."

Then he turned and walked away.

Hazel watched his back with a raised brow.

"He’s suffering," Emily said quietly as she stepped up beside her sister.

Hazel kept her eyes on Ryan’s disappearing figure."He brought it on himself. Even if he wanted us to break up, there were other sensible ways to do it."

Emily chuckled softly. "Would you have agreed if he had tried those sensible ways?" She sighed and left without waiting for an answer.

Hazel stood alone and thought about the question. Judging by how deeply she had once loved him, she was not sure she would have let him go easily.

A few minutes later, a young girl ran toward her. It was Juliet, Ryan’s younger sister.

"Can you put the past aside and talk to my brother?" Juliet asked in a worried voice.

Hazel frowned at her. "Why would I? Isn’t that what you always wanted most, for me to stay away from him?"

Juliet rolled her eyes, but her face stayed serious. "Of course I didn’t want you near my brother. We already knew you are the wolf king’s mate!"

Hazel’s frown deepened. "How do you know that?"

"He investigated your dreams," Juliet explained. "He even asked our father for help. Caius is the only wolf with pure white hair. Do you think the king would spare Ryan if he kept dating you? Father told him to do something that would make you hate him. Ryan followed those instructions. But now... he’s planning to end his life."

Hazel’s heart skipped a beat.

"Where is he?"

Juliet quickly led her to the old flower garden — the same quiet place where Hazel and Ryan used to sit and talk for hours. Soft lights hung between the trees, making the garden look beautiful even at night.

When they reached the center, Hazel stopped.

Ryan was there. Rita stood in front of him, holding his wrist tightly and glaring at him.

"Are you a stupid kid?" Rita snapped. "If you really want to die, at least don’t use witch poison! There are poisons made specially for wolves. If you use this, everyone will think the witches killed you!"

She snatched a small glass bottle from his hand. "I’m taking this with me. Go find a proper wolf poison if you want to die, or find a hundred other ways to kill yourself!"

Rita sneered, then turned to leave. She noticed Hazel standing a few steps away and sighed.

"You shouldn’t be hanging out with your ex-boyfriend again." She raised one brow. "Well... since he’s willing to die anyway, keep talking to him if you want. one snap is enough to end him"

With that, Rita walked away into the darkness.

Hazel looked at Ryan. Her voice was quiet but sharp."You really want to poison yourself?"