Chapter 45: Holding Hands

Her grip was not strong. It was fragile, like a child reaching out for her only family member with uncertainty. It was something he could easily release himself from.

But Damien froze.

He stiffened like he had been struck by lightning and like a force was holding him in place. He did not move and merely stared down at her delicate fingers wrapped around his.

Her expression had softened slightly, as though holding onto him had given her a momentary comfort amidst her nightmarish dreams.

Damien swallowed, his throat suddenly dry as his gaze remained on her.

He was certain that when she woke up, she would revert back to brandishing her claws at him, rebutting him in every turn and disobeying his orders whenever she had the chance.

Yet, Damien found the gentle her almost irresistible to him.

That instant, he turned around and held her hand firmly, wrapping his strong and callous-ladened fingers around her small ones, his grip slightly strong as though he was afraid of letting go.

But the grip was not too strong to hurt her. He settled on a chair close to her bed and watched her closely, his expression utterly serious like he was studying some priceless and unique jewel.

She murmured something incoherent in her sleep, but Damien’s expression turned dazed when he finally heard her.

“Damien…”

It was his first time hearing her call his name.

Damien never knew that the name he loathed, because it was given to him by someone he detested to the heavens, could sound so pleasant coming from Hazel’s lips.

He never knew that a day would come when he would like the sound of his name from someone’s lips.

It felt so nice that he wanted to hear it again and again, just from her.

He stared at her, waiting.

But what came out next brought him back to his senses.

“I…I hate you.” She whispered again, her voice even lower this time and he wouldn’t have heard if he had not strained his ears.

Damien lowered his head and made no reaction. He remained in that position for hours and even when his arm turned stiff and when his back hurt, he did not move an inch.

This was the scene Hazel saw when she opened her eyes.

The first thing she felt was the weight on her hand as she opened her eyes.

Where was she? What happened?

The despair from her nightmare still lingered, making her unable to react to her surroundings for a while. It took her a second to remember what had happened and how she seemed to have cried herself to sleep.

She seems to remember Damien speaking to someone while sleeping, but she could not decipher what they were saying.

As she took in the sight of the chamber, she finally lowered her head and saw Damien sitting stiffly.

What was even more shocking was that she was holding his hand and he did not struggle free.

With wide eyes, Hazel glanced at their conjoined hands and could not describe what exactly she was feeling at that moment.

It felt complicated and at the same time, she felt repulsive.

But, there was another emotion she could not decipher at the deepest corner of her heart, it hid there, too afraid to show itself and Hazel didn’t want to delve any deeper.

She glanced at Damien’s masked face and could not help but wonder what was under the mask.

Was it a scary and terrifying face ladened with scars?

Or, was it just an average face with no special quality?

She did not even know that she had already stretched out her hand until a bigger hand grabbed her smaller ones, stopping her from reaching further for the mask.

Damien raised his head slowly, and for the first time, Hazel did not see that usual coldness in those eyes.

Probably due to sleep, Damien had a hint of laziness and casual glint in his eyes that drew her in. She realized that without that familiar coldness and cruelty glint in those eyes, they were like hidden gems.

“Are you so curious about my face?” Damien asked, his tone deep and somehow sensual.

Well, that was how it sounded in Hazel's ears.

Hazel suddenly understood what having one's ears get pregnant meant.

Awkward, she jerked her hand away from his hold and mumbled in a low voice, “Curious? You think too highly of yourself.”

Damien chuckled, “Says the same person who was just about to remove my mask in my sleep.”

Hazel could not bear his smug eyes, so she averted her gaze and scoffed, “The Alpha must be seeing things.”

Of course, she would never admit it.

She wasn’t curious about what he looked like, she just wanted to see.

“Since you want to see, how about I show you?” Damien suddenly said and Hazel turned to him in surprise.

Does he really plan on removing the mask for him to see?

However, when she saw the teasing smile in his eyes, she realized that she had just fallen into his trap.

“You really are curious.” He pointed out with a nod and I glared at him.

“Stop spurting rubbish. Even without seeing your face, I get sick in the stomach, so why would I be curious about what you look like under the mask? I can’t even bear touching you.” Hazel spat, annoyed.

But as soon as she finished speaking, Damien pointed to their conjoined hands on the edge of the bed and raised his brow, “Does this also count as you not willing to even touch me?”

Hazel’s next words faltered.

She had completely forgotten.

Hazel quickly withdrew her hand and weakly retorted, “That was a mistake.”

However, Damien saw the rosy hue on her cheeks and he chuckled in amusement.

Hazel was the first woman he would see that would say something and mean another.

But, why does he find it endearing?

“And what are you doing here? Is the Alpha really so free nowadays?”