Chapter 5 Back to Nightshade
Kael excused himself with Lucian while Hazel remained in the room with Dona.
“Are you truly going to go back with him”?
She asked and Hazel nodded with a mnn.
“But… you said he hurt you”.
She said and Hazel smiled, holding her hand.
“Dona… I have to. Going back to Nightshade might be the only way for me to actually find out who killed his parents since that's where it happened. Plus, I don't want to live like a rogue for the rest of my life”.
She explained and Dona exhaled heavily.
Over the last five years, she had become incredibly close to Hazel.
She found out that they were pretty simply. Just like Hazel, she was also an outcast in her village as no one wanted to associate with a witch linked to death.
Knowing that her best and only friend of five years was leaving made her feel like she was going back to the past once again.
But she understood that Hazel didn't have much of a choice.
She raised her head and looked at Hazel with a smile.
“It's fine, I understand that this is what you need to do and I hope you find whoever is behind this”.
She said but Hazel stayed quiet for a while, just looking at Dona.
She knew the people in the village misunderstood her.
Dona was the sweetest and most innocent creature she had ever met and it pained to see her get hurt and ostracized.
“Dona”?
She called, causing Dona to look at her more seriously, probably expecting a goodbye speech.
“Do you want to come with me”?
She asked and Dona's eyes opened wide.
“Are you crazy”?
She asked but Hazel smiled and shook her head.
“I mean it. I'd love for you to continue to be my friend, and be by my side”.
She said but Dona shook her head and pulled her hand away from Hazel's.
“I can't".
She said, surprising Hazel.
“Why not”?
She asked but Dona just shook her head, showing that she can't.
“I can't Hazel".
She said, looking into her eyes like she was scared.
“I killed almost an entire pack of wolves Hazel. They hate me”.
She said but Hazel immediately stopped her.
“But I don't”.
“You're different”!!
She yelled a bit, feeling disoriented.
“I care about you Hazel but I am indeed very dangerous. Just because you've accepted me for who I am doesn't mean they will too”.
She explained and Hazel looked at her for a few seconds before she held her hands again.
“I've always been alone too Dona. Don't you think we loners should stick together"?
She asked and Dona's eyes welled up as she looked at Hazel with a face that showed she didn't know what to say.
Soon, they left for Nightshade pack.
All through the ride, Dona held her bag tight, unsure of what awaited her in this new world.
When they arrived, Miguel was surprised to see that Hazel returned.
“Hazel”.
He called and rushed over to hug her, ignoring Kael.
“I'm glad you're back”.
He said and she smiled.
“It's nice to see you too Miguel”.
She said
They were still speaking when Raina, Hazel's stepsister walked in.
When she saw Hazel, she stood stiff in shock.
“You… you're alive”.
She asked and Hazel smirked.
“Why? Did you hope I'd be dead”?
She asked but Raina cleared her throat. Her eyes traced towards Lucian and she smirked.
“You have a bastard child”?
Hazel was about to attack her when she heard Kael speak calmly.
“That's my son Raina, you'll show him some respect”.
As soon as Raina heard that, her eyes opened wide and she immediately bowed and apologized.
“Forgive me alpha Kael, I didn't know you both…”
Miguel also looked at Kael in shock. He never expected that Hazel was ever pregnant for Kael.
Hazel looked at Raina and it immediately dawned on her that Lucian did indeed need a father figure in his life.
If Kael didn't speak just now, all she could do was shut Raina up for now but she and many others would still have badmouthed her son.
Even when she was in the village of the witches, she would often hear people speak ill about her son, saying he was a bastard child with no father. But Dona was there for her, so she wasn't really bothered.
But hearing Kael speak, she got a sense of assurance for her son, one she had never felt before.
'I guess this is not a bad idea after all'.
She looked around at the big mansion that was all so familiar.
She remembered spending so much time in this mansion with Kael and his parents. They were very nice people and led the pack with honor.
“Leave, I don't want to see you”.
Kael said, drawing Hazel's attention and Raina immediately rushed out of the house.
Lucian ran to Kael and he carried him in his arms.
“Do you like it here”?
He asked and the small boy immediately nodded.
“I do, it's big and beautiful. I don't have to stay in a hut anymore”.
He said and Kael smiled.
“Lucian”!
Hazel scolded and he looked at Dona.
“Oops, sorry godmother”.
He said but Dona smiled and shook her head.
“It's alright, it is indeed a beautiful place”.
She said and that was the first time Miguel looked her but he said nothing and just looked away, uninterested.
Kael soon dropped him and spoke, pointing at a maid.
“Go with her, she'll help you freshen up okay”?
He said and Lucian nodded and went with her.
After he had left, Kael moved towards Hazel, causing her to wonder why he was so close.
“You might not believe me, but what I'm about to say is not for my own selfish desires”.
He said.
“What are you talking about”?
She asked totally lost
He moved a bit closer, making her take a step back but then he held her hand and spoke.
“Let's get married”.
He said and her eyes opened wide as she pulled her hand away from his.
“Are you crazy”?
She asked.
“Why would we get married”?
She asked and he swallowed.
Her blatant rejection did sting a lot but he knew he deserved it. All those year, he could only imagine what she must have gone through.
“Yes, people will know Lucian as my son, but they won't accept his as legitimate unless we are married”.
He said and her expression kind of calmed down.
“If we get married, no one would dare look down on him ever again”.
He said and she sighed.
She didn't like the fact that he was getting his way with things but she also couldn't deny that he was right.
“You had better keep to your words and don't expect anything else from me”.
She said as she knew she had nothing else to lose. If it was going to give her son a better life, then she would do it without thinking twice.
Kael smiled happily. He knew she wasn't marrying him because she loved him but to him, uniting with her was more than he could ask for.
He was determined to get her forgiveness with time but he would work in her pace.
Meanwhile, while they were concluding on getting married, someone hiding in the shadows looked extremely angry about the arrangement.