Chapter 62 62
Draven’s POV
I moved closer to her, wrapping my arms around her trembling form. "Hazel, no one is going to take our pup away. I promise you that. We'll find a way to protect both you and our pup, okay? Please, just try to calm down for now."
We sat there in silence, her sobs eventually subsiding into quiet sniffles. I stroked her hair gently, my mind consumed by the conflicting emotions and thoughts swirling within me.
I wanted to protect Hazel and our pup, but I also couldn't bear the thought of imposing such a difficult choice upon her. After a while, she nestled closer to me, her breathing steadying.
She sounded exhausted, both physically and emotionally. "Draven, I... I just want my pup to be safe. I can't lose it. I can't..." I pressed a gentle kiss on her forehead, my voice filled with reassurance.
"I know, Hazel. And I'll do everything I can to keep the little pup safe. We'll find a way. But right now, you need to rest." She nodded, tears still glistening in her eyes as fatigue washed over her.
Hazel's POV
I opened my eyes, expecting to find myself in the familiar surroundings of my room, but to my surprise, I was outdoors. A gentle breeze rustled through the trees, and the air was filled with the intoxicating scent of flowers.
I stood in awe, twirling around in this beautiful place, feeling an unusual sense of freedom and energised vitality coursing through me. I ran at a distance and twirled about in an open space, feeling carefree and happy.
As I revelled in the serenity of the moment, a child caught my attention. He approached me, his features strikingly handsome, his presence emanating an ethereal glow that both intrigued and bewitched me.
A mix of curiosity and warmth filled me as I looked into his hazel eyes, which looked exactly like mine. "Hello there," I greeted her with a waving smile as she approached me.
"What's your name?" I bent forward and asked. He looked up at me, his eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and longing. "I don't have a name. My parents don't love me enough to give me one. Instead, they want to throw me away."
My heart ached at his words. "What? That's... that's unimaginable. What kind of wicked parents would do such a thing?"
She shrugged. "I don't know. They just don't love me. They want to get rid of me." I felt so sad and worried about the poor little girl.
"No child should ever feel unloved or unwanted. It's not right. Where is your mom? Why isn't she here protecting you?" She looked away, her voice barely a whisper.
"She doesn't love me. She's letting them take me away. Why doesn't she love me?" My heart shattered at her words, and I kneeled down to his level, my voice filled with tenderness.
"Oh, sweet child, why would you say that? I'm sure your mother loves you very much. Sometimes, things happen that we can't fully understand, but I am so sure that she loves you."
She looked into my eyes, her gaze searching for answers. "But why? Why don't you love me? Am I not good enough? Is it because I eat too much? Why are you throwing me away?"
Tears welled up in my eyes, mirroring the pain I saw in hers. "No, my dear, you are more than enough. You are precious, and I'm not throwing you away. Actually, you are confusing me now."
She studied me for a moment, his expression softening. "Do you really love me? Mommy? Surprised, I hesitated for a moment before responding.
"No, sweetheart, I'm not your mom. But I promise you, I do care about you. You are such a cute and sweet child." Her eyes were filled with a mixture of hope and skepticism.
"Will you love me from now on? You won't let them take me away, right? I won't eat much anymore. I promise." My heart ached at the innocence and longing in her voice.
"Oh, my dear child, I wish I could. But I'm not your mother, and I cannot just adopt you and keep you from being taken away; your real mother might sue me if she's human.
However, I promise you, I'll do my best to help you find the love and care you deserve." I assured her. "Promise?" She asked seriously, and I had no choice but to give in.
"I promise." We walked about for a while. Just as I was about to ask her more about herself, she was suddenly not there anymore. I could see her figure fading into nothingness.
My heart sank further into my chest. She wasn't there anymore. Panic surged through my veins, and I called her out in hope of getting a response, my voice trembling with fear.
"Where are you? Little girl!" I shouted, my voice echoing through the empty surroundings. There was no response, just the eerie silence that feared me.
What if her parents were witches—evil witches who wished to do her harm? And now she had been taken by them? Oh no! I made a promise to her that I'd protect him.
Frantically, I began searching, my eyes darting in every direction. The air felt heavy with foreboding as I stumbled forward, calling out for her again and again. "Please, answer me! Where are you?" The desperation in my voice grew with each passing moment.
Suddenly, a chilling wind swept over me, and before I could react, the ground beneath my feet disappeared. I found myself hurtling through the air, weightless, until I crashed into the cold, deep blue sea.
I panicked and began frantically moving about in the water to save myself. Finally, I reached the surface, but I couldn't get out of the water for some reason. Gasping for air, I struggled to stay afloat, my limbs growing weaker with each passing second.
Fear consumed me as I realised that I was all alone in this vast water. There was no one to help me, no rescuer in sight. Just when I thought all hope was lost, I looked up through the murky depths and saw a faint figure. It was the little girl; her hand was stretched towards me.
Hope surged within me, and I swam towards her with all the strength I had left. "Hold on, little girl! I'm coming!" I shouted, my voice echoing through the water.
But as I reached out to grab her hand, I saw the most horrific sight I had ever seen in my life: the child's features twisted and contorted, and she transformed into a grotesque blob of blood and flesh. Horror swept over me as I realised that she had suddenly died. No, no, no
I screamed in terror, the sound muffled by the water that surrounded me as her body, which was all blood now, began entering the water and mixing up with his. Panic surged through every fibre of my being as I felt a searing pain across my body.
I looked down and saw blood streaming from countless wounds, staining the water around me.
"Help! Somebody, help me!" I cried out, my voice echoing into the depths, but there was no response, only the haunting silence that enveloped me. I thrashed and fought against the water, desperate to escape the nightmare that had become my reality.
As I struggled for survival, my thoughts became a jumbled mix of fear and confusion. How did it all end up this way? What had happened to the little boy? Why did he end up that way? How did I get here? Where is it here? Questions swirled in my mind, but there were no answers—only the cold, unforgiving sea.
I fought against the overwhelming current of fear and the sea around me. As I looked up through the depths of the sea, my eyes met Draven's gaze. His concerned face peered down at me. What is he doing here? That didn't matter, though; he is going to save me now.
I was just about to stretch out my hand towards him when the memory of the little girl’s horrifying transformation flooded my mind. Fear consumed me, freezing my movements.
But Draven, understanding my hesitation, reached down with both hands and gently lifted my head up. His touch was warm and reassuring. Slowly, I allowed him to help me up, and as I stood, I realised that I was not submerged in the sea but in a bath tub.
I must have fallen asleep and almost drowned myself. That means that everything that happened with the little girl was merely an illusion.
Gasping for breath, I clutched onto the edges of the bathtub, my body trembling uncontrollably. The reality of the nightmare I had just experienced was still fresh in my mind, and the fear lingered, refusing to dissipate.
Tears welled up in my eyes as I turned to Draven, and I immediately threw myself at him. "Thank you. Thank you for saving me," I managed to utter, my voice quivering.