Goodbye

Hazel sat by the fireplace with her blanket wrapped around her looking at the Christmas tree and all the gifts underneath. Her heart ached and throat burned from the hours of crying she had done.

All of this for nothing. The decorations. Moving into that big beautiful house. Killing all those people. All for nothing. Rhett didn’t want her here anymore.

Rhett decided that she would leave with Haldir tonight. The sooner she got back to her own world, the better. He decided that she just didn’t belong there. The world is too full of crazy and hurtful people to be able to contain the fury that lived deep within Hazel.

Rhett knew that Haldir was right, someday she wouldn’t be able to hold back the storm and would destroy the whole territory. His pack was in danger. Maybe the whole world. Definitely his mother if she ever showed her batshit crazy face again. He couldn’t risk putting all those people’s lives in jeopardy just so they could be happy.

Rhett made dinner, but Hazel didn’t really feel like eating. She listened to Rhett as he spoke with James and went over things that needed to be done at work tomorrow. Even on Christmas, his thoughts were all about his pack. A lump came to her throat and she looked down at her food as she realized just how much Rhett loved them. What he was willing to sacrifice to take care of them.

Hazel had packed all the clothing in her enchanted bag. Everything she had collected over the few years she’d been on Earth was inside.

A little known secret of witches is that they love little shiny things. Jewelry, beads, marbles, coins. And since she met Rhett, she had definitely increased her collection. She took the tiara and placed it on her head then looked in the mirror. Her grandfather would be jealous of it and want to get one for his wife.

She took it off and placed it back in it’s box then packed it away. Hazel took one last look around her bedroom and her eyes landed on the bed. All the love they had made there was still fresh in her mind. She wanted just more night under the covers there with her mate.

She moved on to the guest room that they had begun decorating for the twins. She packed away all those cute outfits Rhett bought and then all the ones in the closet she hadn’t told him about yet. It was really Rhett’s own fault for introducing her to the wonders of two day shipping.

When she was finished, she slowly walked back down the stairs where Rhett was on the phone again with James. She was getting irritated that he was giving all his attention to him right now considering what was about to happen.

Hazel sat down again by the tree and warmed herself by the fire. Snow had begun to fall outside and it sparkled through the window as it met the glow from the christmas lights.She thought it was the perfect picture of the holiday. This was the first proper christmas celebration she had ever had, or would have had.

There’s a similar tradition known as Yule that is celebrated back home, but not like it is on Earth. There are no homes covered in twinkling lights. No stores bustling with last minute shoppers. No Christmas music on the radio.

Hazel had spent a week looking for the perfect paper to wrap Rhett’s gift in and had been bursting at the seams to watch him tear it open.

When Rhett got off the phone finally, he threw it on the table and sat next to Hazel. He leaned back into the soft couch and rubbed her back. “Do you want to watch a movie or something sweetheart?”

“Yes, I’d like to watch The Christmas Story,” said Hazel.

“Your last night on Earth and that's what you want to watch?”

“Yep. That’s it,” said Hazel.

Rhett put it on and pulled Hazel back next to him. He slid his arm around her and pulled her into his side and said, “Baby, don’t be mad at me.”

“I’m not Rhett. I love you, I told you I trusted you to make the right choice.”

“I can feel it on you,” he said.

“No, I’m just sad is all.”

Rhett leaned down and kissed her forehead and said, “I know sweetheart, so am I but I promise you it’s gonna be ok. You’ll see.”

After the movie was over, Rhett got Hazel’s presents from the tree and set them down in front of her. He had got her a red teddy to replace the one he destroyed. There were a few new pieces of jewelry. Then the last one, it was a necklace with two small baby shoe charms.

Rhett said, “I bought a whole bag full of those little shoes, I was kind of hoping we’d have more.”

Hazel looked up at him, wiped the tear from her eye and with a raspy voice said, “Thank you.”

Then she pointed to the gift under the tree and said, “That one's your Rhett.”

Rhett grinned and then got his box from under the tree and brought it back to the couch. It was a large shirt box wrapped in silver paper with little black wolves wearing red santa hats. When he opened it up there were actually three things wrapped in paper. He opened one of the smaller things first and it was a onesie that had a blue wolf face on the front and read ‘Born to Lead’. Then he opened the other. It had a pink wolf face and said ‘Daddy’s Little Girl’

Rhett looked up at Hazel and said, “Are you serious Sweetheart?”

She smiled and nodded but the smile fell quickly. “There’s more though Rhett.”

Rhett opened the last present and he laughed out loud. It was a t-shirt that said Pack Leader and had a silhouette of an adult wolf, a witch with a broom and two pups in between. Then a tear fell down his cheek. That life was over now.

Rhett helped Hazel put on her jewelry and packed everything else away in her bag. Then, he pulled her into his arms.

Hazel buried her face into his chest and began sobbing, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry Rhett. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I love you so much. Please don’t hate me.”

“That could never happen Hazel. This is the best thing for everyone. It’s not your fault. I swear, I’ll love you until the day I die sweetheart.”

Just then Haldir misted back. He walked to Rhett and, in a rare move for him, extended his hand to him. Rhett took it and shook. Haldir said, “You’re doing the right thing Rhett. It might not feel like it right now, but you are.”

“I know,” said Rhett.

Haldir looked at Hazel who was putting on her coat and said, “You ready kiddo?”

Hazel looked back at Rhett with tears in her eyes and said, “Yes, I’m ready.” Rhett grabbed Hazel’s bag then kissed Hazel’s hand one more time and said, “Let me grab my coat baby.”