Chapter 76 76
Third Person POV
Alpha Dorian’s hand tightened around Thalia’s arm as he dragged her inside the house. His grip was rough, his anger clear on his face. Thalia didn’t cry anymore; her tears had dried up, but her heart still ached.
Elara walked quietly behind them, her face pale and worried but still happy that everything was now sorted out. Once inside, Dorian pushed Thalia towards the couch.
She stumbled a little but didn’t fall. She turned to face her father, her eyes red but strong. “He must have been dead by now, Dad!” She said, her voice shaking.
“Why didn’t you spare him? Because of me—don’t you know I’m carrying his child?” She placed a hand on her stomach, her voice cracking with emotion.
Alpha Dorian’s eyes grew colder. He stepped closer to her, his voice low but full of rage. “You and I both know that child doesn’t belong to Adrian,” he said sharply.
“I know everything happening in this pack, Thalia. Don’t try to fool me.” Thalia’s mouth opened, but no words came out. She lowered her head, her body trembling, ashamed of herself.
“Hey, baby, you’ll be fine,” Elara said to Thalia, hugging her tight. Without another word, Dorian turned away from her and headed towards the stairs, wanting nothing more than to get back to his room and cool his anger.
Just as his foot hit the first step, one of the guards burst through the door. He was out of breath, his chest rising and falling fast. “Alpha! I think we have a problem!” the guard said quickly.
Dorian turned around, his patience already thin. “What is it? Speak up!” he snapped. The guard swallowed hard. “I just got some information... They survived the fire.”
“They’re at the pack right now. But Hazel... She's badly hurt. She’s unconscious.” For a moment, the room went silent. The words hung in the air like a heavy cloud.
“What!!” Dorian roared, his voice making even Elara flinch. His eyes burnt with fury. He had been so sure the fire would end everything once and for all. That Adrian, Hazel, and the others would be gone for good.
How could they have survived? Thalia looked up, a tiny spark of hope lighting in her chest, but she said nothing. She knew better than to push her father any further when he was like this.
Dorian marched across the room, his mind racing. He had to act fast. If Adrian and the others were still alive, everything he planned would fall apart. He couldn’t let that happen right now.
“Elara, get our men ready,” he ordered without looking back. “We need to make another plan tonight. Now that they’re weak, we need to attack.”
Elara nodded quickly and hurried off. Thalia sat frozen on the couch, her hand still resting on her stomach. She closed her eyes, praying that somehow, Adrian would stay safe — for her and for the life growing inside her.
She knew he wasn’t the father of her child, but he was a bit responsible and would likely take over from his uncle. But then she had to find a way to tackle the issue of his company's lost funds. She needed a solid lie that would make him believe her.
She stood up and walked to her room, wanting to rest after the long day. One thing she knew was she wasn’t done with Hazel yet, because her mum being released now would be a great problem.
The pack members and elder all believed Adlyne ran away with her pregnancy when her husband died. They didn’t know Alpha Dorian was responsible for the real Alpha’s death.
Alpha Draven and Adrian had finally settled their differences. It felt like a heavy weight had been lifted off Draven’s shoulders. He was happy, even though a part of him was surprised.
He thought Adrian would ask him questions—questions about the death of his mother and why Draven had left the pack so long ago. But Adrian hadn’t asked anything.
Maybe it was for the better. Some truths were better left alone. With a lighter heart, Draven made his way back to Hazel’s room where he had left the physician with her.
He wanted to check on her, to see if she was doing better. But when he reached the door, he noticed it was closed and everything around was quiet. He knocked softly, careful not to startle anyone. “It’s me,” he said in a low voice.
A few seconds later, the physician opened the door and let him in. She smiled politely and bowed her head slightly. “Greetings, Alpha Draven,” she said.
Draven stepped inside and glanced at Hazel, who was lying quietly on the bed. Relief filled his heart just seeing her there. “How is she doing? And the baby?” Draven asked, his voice full of concern.
The physician smiled gently. “She’s stable right now and just needs to be monitored closely. The baby is also fine. I know you’ve been very worried,” she said.
Draven let out a long breath he didn’t even realise he had been holding. He sat down on a chair beside the bed, feeling a wave of calm wash over him. Hazel and the baby were safe. That was all that mattered.
The physician walked over to the small table and picked up a few small bottles and packets.
“These are the drugs you should give her when she wakes up,” she explained.
“I’ve already given her some injections to help with the pain, so she should be able to rest for a while.” Draven nodded, carefully taking the medicines from her.
“Thank you,” he said quietly. “I’ll be on my way now and return tomorrow morning to check on her,” the physician said, gathering her things.
“Alright”, Draven replied.
He watched as she left the room, closing the door softly behind her. For a few moments, he just sat there, staring at Hazel. Her breathing was steady, her face peaceful.
Draven reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair from her face. “I’m here, Hazel,” he whispered. “I’m not going anywhere.” He leaned back in the chair, keeping his eyes on her.
After everything that had happened, he wasn’t going to take anything for granted anymore. He would protect Hazel and their baby with everything he had.
Tonight, at least, they were safe.
Hazel woke up a few hours later. Her eyes opened slowly, and she blinked a few times as she tried to adjust to the soft light in the room. At first, she didn’t know where she was.
Her body felt weak, and there was a small ache in her side. Then she turned her head and saw Draven sitting beside her, fast asleep in the chair.
His arms were crossed, and his head leaned back against the wall. Even in sleep, he looked tired but also peaceful. A small smile touched Hazel’s lips.
She didn’t want to wake him, but she needed to know if everything was real — if she and the baby were safe. “Draven…” she called out, her voice very soft.
At once, Draven stirred. His eyes snapped open, and when he saw Hazel awake and looking at him, his whole face lit up with relief. “Hazel!” he said, quickly getting up and moving closer to her.
He took her hand gently in his. “You’re awake. Thank the Moon.” Hazel squeezed his hand weakly.
“The baby?” she whispered.
Draven smiled and nodded. “The baby is fine. The physician checked you both. She said you just need to rest,” he said gently. Tears filled Hazel’s eyes, but this time they were happy tears.
“I was so scared…” she whispered.
“I know,” Draven said, brushing her hair away from her forehead. “But you’re safe now. I promise you, Hazel. I’ll protect you and the baby. Always.”
Hazel smiled at him, feeling the truth in his words. She believed him. “I’m glad you’re here with me,” she said softly.
“There’s nowhere else I would rather be,” Draven replied. He helped her sit up a little, placing some pillows behind her back. Then he gave her a little water to sip, careful not to rush her.
Hazel drank slowly, feeling a bit stronger with every sip. “You should rest more,” Draven said. “The physician left some medicines for you. I’ll give them to you soon.”
Hazel nodded. She was already starting to feel sleepy again. But this time, she wasn’t afraid. She felt safe with Draven there. Draven sat back down beside her, still holding her hand.
He didn’t plan to leave her side, not even for a minute. As Hazel closed her eyes again, Draven whispered softly, “Sleep, my love. I’m right here.”
And in the quiet room, with the soft sound of Hazel’s breathing and Draven’s steady presence, everything felt right.
After Draven watched Hazel fall asleep again, he leaned down and kissed her gently on the forehead. She shifted a little but stayed asleep.
Draven smiled sadly and stood up, leaving the room as quietly as he could. He knew they were safe for now, but it wouldn’t last. Alpha Dorian and Ember would find out soon that they didn’t die in the fire.
They would come back, angrier and more dangerous than before. Draven needed a plan — and he needed it fast. He headed straight to the meeting room, his footsteps quiet but quick.
Inside, he found Jason, Noah, and Adrian already waiting for him. These three men were the only ones he could trust now. Everyone else could be a spy for Alpha Dorian or Ember.
Draven shut the door behind him and turned to face them. “We don’t have much time,” he said firmly. “Soon, Dorian will know we survived. He’ll come for us. We have to strike first.”
The three of them nodded, their faces serious. Jason, the fastest among them, spoke first. “We have to destroy Dorian’s forces from the inside. Take away his power.”
Noah, always calm and clever, added, “We also have to free the slaves he’s been keeping.” Adrian, who had been silent, finally spoke. His voice was cold and steady. “We can’t fight them head-on.”
“They have too many warriors, and I know that. We need to break their army before they even reach us.” Alpha Draven listened to them, his mind already putting the pieces together.
“Here’s the plan,” Draven said. “Jason and Noah, you’ll sneak into Dorian’s camp at night. Set fire to their weapons storage. Without this, their soldiers will be weak.”
Jason smirked, already excited for the dangerous mission. Noah just nodded, his mind working out the details. “Adrian and I will gather the slaves,” Draven continued.
“We’ll free them quietly and bring them here.” Adrian’s eyes lit up with determination. “I’ll do whatever it takes,” he said. Draven placed his hands on the table and looked at all of them.
“We need to be smart. Fast. Silent. One mistake, and Dorian will crush us.”
“But what about Ember? She doesn’t live in Alpha Dorian’s pack.” Jason asked. “She’s just as dangerous as Dorian.” Draven’s eyes darkened.
“Leave her to me,” he said quietly. “I’ll deal with her.” The room went still for a moment. Then Draven leaned closer, lowering his voice.
“We move tomorrow night,” he said. “Tonight, we prepare. For now you can all go to rest.” As they left the meeting room one by one, none of them noticed the small shadow hiding behind the door — a pair of eyes wide with fear, listening to every word.
And now, their enemies would know everything.