Chapter 85 85
Hazel's POV
It had felt so vivid, yet fragments of it slipped through my grasp. "I... I remember your presence and your words, but the memory is hazy, and you said quite a lot of things.”
“So I'm unable to guess which one you speak of." I admitted that a tinge of disappointment coloured my voice. The Moon Goddess reached out a hand, her touch as gentle as a moonbeam.
"Don't worry about that, dear Hazel. The memories will return in time," she reassured me. And with that, I flashed back to the events of that night a week ago.
I had slept early as usual due to how weak I felt, but in the early hours of the morning, probably at 3 a.m., I felt a sudden chilling cold envelope me, and then I could hear a faint whisper of my name in the air.
But it was so faint that I had mistaken it for just the wind until I heard it for the second time. I woke up and looked around me. The moonlight pierced through the windows and shone brightly on my face.
And I twisted my face in a grimace due to the sudden light. I looked towards the window to find that it was now widely open. With a sigh, I swung my legs down and got off the bed, heading for the window pane.
My initial plan was to shut the window and go back to bed, but the beauty of the moon mesmerised me, and I found myself watching it for a while longer.
I suddenly saw a figure on the moon, a womanly figure with white hair. The woman looked so beautiful with white, pale skin, as though she had never walked in the sun before.
She emitted an ethereal glow as I suddenly zoomed in on her facial features. In that moment, I knew that, based on what others had explained to me, this woman was surely The Moon Goddess
She had explained who she was to me, and I had to do nothing but stare up at the moon. But one of her many words that is still vivid in my memory was her blessing.
"Hazel, on this day, I have cast a spell upon you," the Moon Goddess shared, her voice gentle yet resolute. "It will temporarily reduce the side effects of your pregnancy, allowing you to have a moment of peace and a bit more power to pull through.
However, remember that you must not overexert yourself. The safety of your baby is of utmost importance." I nodded, understanding the gravity of her warning.
"Do you remember it now?" The Moon Goddess suddenly asked, probably noticing how I zoned out earlier. "And Draven," the Moon Goddess continued, her expression turning serious.
"You must relay this message to him. Tell him to be prepared for a greater war ahead. Not everything is as it seems, and he must be wary of his actions. He seems to be creating more enemies than allies."
A shiver ran down my spine as I heard her speak of war in that manner and with that aura. All I wanted now was peace for everyone and no more wars.
Just as the weight of the Moon Goddess's words settled upon us, her gaze shifted towards the sky. I followed her line of sight, but to my surprise, I saw nothing out of the ordinary.
I was confused, and as I wanted to know what exactly had caught her attention up there, I turned my attention back to her.
"It is time for you to leave this garden, Hazel," the Moon Goddess declared, her voice tinged with a hint of sadness.
"Draven is growing increasingly worried, and it's important that you reassure him. But fear not, for I will be watching over you both. I will protect you and guide you through."
As her words reached my ears, the world around me started to shimmer and transform. Everything around me began to blur in the midst of a white light. I glanced at the Moon Goddess and watched as she stared back at me with a smile.
"Thank you," I whispered, my voice filled with emotion. "For everything." She smiled warmly. With a graceful wave of her hand, she bid me farewell.
As I slowly opened my eyes, I heard Draven's voice calling out my name over and over again like a chant. The sound grew louder and louder until I saw his worried face hovering above me.
A wave of relief washed over him as he realised I was awake. He let out a heavy sigh as he gently brushed a strand of hair away from my face.
"Hazel! Thank goodness you're awake," he breathed, his voice filled with both concern and relief. Without hesitation, he pulled me into a tight embrace, holding me as if afraid to let go.
I returned his embrace, feeling his warmth, but then I was confused as to why he was being this way. I had just been asleep for a while, but either way, it is unfair for him to be this worried about me.
"I'm sorry, Draven," I whispered, my voice filled with remorse. "I didn't mean to worry you." He pulled back slightly, his eyes searching for mine.
"You scared me, Hazel. You were fast asleep, and I couldn't wake you up for hours. How are you feeling now?
I took a moment to assess myself, realising that I felt weak and disoriented, like I had been asleep for a decade, and there was a weird kind of pain on my arm, like I had been pierced with a thousand needles.
"How long was I asleep?" I inquired, my voice tinged with curiosity. Draven's expression softened, and he gently brushed his thumb against my cheek.
"You've been asleep all day long, Hazel. It's now evening, probably 5 or 6 p.m. already," he replied, his worry still evident in his eyes. I glanced behind him and noticed the presence of the elders of the pack and the physician, Katherine.
Concern was etched on the faces of Sam and some other elders as they were worried about my condition, but Morris and two other elders had the opposite expression, and I could tell from their cold glares that they had wished I had never woken up.
I met Katherine's gaze for a while, and she also seemed genuinely relieved that I had awoken. Turning my attention back to Draven, I offered him a reassuring smile.
"I'm fine, really. Just a little weak," I assured him. "I apologise for making everyone worried." I said it with sincerity. Katherine stepped forward as she stood right beside Draven By my bedside.
"Hazel, I injected you with several vitamins to help revive you," she explained, her voice calm and reassuring.
"Your heartbeats had begun to slow down, and it was necessary to intervene because it gave everyone quite the fright. I apologise if your arm is sore now; it was due to the injections."
I nodded, a mix of gratitude and understanding washing over me. "That explains why my arm feels like a thousand needles have been pierced in it.
Thank you, Katherine, for trying your best, but I really am okay now, so please everyone stop worrying," I complained.
Draven's concern deepened as he grasped my hand, his eyes filled with questions. "What happened, Hazel? Are you really okay?" he asked, his voice filled with a mix of worry and curiosity.
I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts. "I'm okay, Draven. I just... I had an extraordinary experience in a beautiful fairytale like a garden," I began, my voice filled with a mixture of wonder and urgency.
"I found myself in an enchanting garden, where I met the Moon Goddess." Gasps of surprise echoed through the room as the elders and Katherine exchanged glances. Draven Squeezed my hand, urging me to continue.
"She wanted me to tell you about something, but it had to be exclusively for you." I explained, and he immediately got my point.
He stepped away from me and thanked everyone for their care before asking them to give us space, and they obediently obliged without asking further questions.
He was just about to send the maid away when I stopped him. "Wait, wait, Draven, there's..." he stopped and turned to look at me, his features twisted in confusion.
"I'm hungry." I said, and he let out a smile and nodded before instructing the maid, and she left. Now that it was just us in the room, Draven sat beside me, and I began narrating to him about all that had happened.
"Draven, she had told me that we are about to face a greater war, and we must be cautious. Especially because you keep creating more enemies than allies on your team. But she assured me that she would protect us and watch over us."
Draven's brow furrowed, his concern deepening. "A greater war?" He said more to himself. "I also thought the same as you. That it will most definitely be connected to Zac." I said it sadly.
"It doesn't matter, Hazel, no matter what it means. I will defeat whoever comes in between you and Ashe's happiness.