*~Hazel’s POV
I had been chained. My hands were stretched apart, restrained, while Dahlia stood in front of . My body was in excruciating pain—sothing was jolting out of , though I couldn’t tell what exactly.
My legs throbbed, blood dripping steadily onto the floor. She kept repeating the sa word over and over again, and each ti, I felt a strange energy seeping from my body.
My head spun with dizziness. I could barely speak. My father, Cyrius and Caspian, all lay unconscious on the ground. But still... if I’m to die now, it would be a happy death, right?
My babies aren’t here. They’re safe. It’s no longer my responsibility to protect them. I’ve sent them away. Now, all that’s left is to face whatever cos next.
"Oh, Hazel, are you in pain?" Dahlia asked, feigning concern.
In response, I threw a lump of hardened clay at her. She winced.
"If you’re wondering what I’m doing, then I’m simply draining all your energy out of you. Since I made a deal with Cyrius not to kill you, well, that doesn’t an I can’t still absorb every possible power I can win from you.
"And then, I’ll find a way to access this fool’s vampires," she said, pointing at Cyrius.
"And with my Crescent—what do you think I have in mind?"
My eyes furrowed.
"Oh, poor child," she hissed mockingly. "Look at you. I hate seeing powerful girls like you go to waste."
"The hell with you!" I yelled, and she flinched.
"Oh, please. The main problem was nature trying to kill either your babies or the entire powerful species. And now? I don’t want that anymore. My original goal was to kill your babies—which I’m still considering, by the way.
"But what if I take everyone down and make your babies my babies? I beco their mother. I train them into good, responsible monsters. Imagine their powers—combined with mine. I’ll be stronger than nature itself. I’ll be a goddess. I’ll be equal to the Moon Goddess."
"Stop being delusional," I spat at her.
"Versa," she said.
My body winced in pain again, trembling as fresh blood poured from .
"Versa," she commanded.
Suddenly, my entire body vibrated. Every inch of trembled violently, as though I was about to be torn apart from the inside.
"St... stop... it," I stamred..
"Dahlia, stop..." my father said weakly, coughing.
She simply flicked her hand toward a Crescent, and he stomped down hard—his foot crushing my father’s head. He passed out again, blood now gushing from his nose and mouth.
"As I was saying," she continued, turning back to , "that is what I’m going to do. I’m heading to the High House—after I’ve drained every last bit of your power into .
"You see," she turned slightly, admiring herself, "I’ve looked so bad over the years. Your mother kicked into hell, and it cost most of my power just to escape. I lost my strength. I lost my beauty.
"But if I collect every ounce of power in your body... perhaps I’ll be beautiful again. And powerful. I’ll lead an army, charge into Blue Moon Park, and take over every other werewolf park that exists.
"Everything will be mine." She smirked.
As Dahlia turned away and continued rambling about taking over the world, I turned to my father. From where I was, I could just barely see a faint heartbeat in his chest. He raised his hand—just enough to catch my attention.
I squinted, trying to steady my vision. My head was spinning. But then, he gestured toward his neck—pointing to the necklace around Dahlia’s throat. Then, he motioned to Cyrius... and Caspian.
I didn’t fully understand what he ant, but I grasped sothing—sohow, that necklace around Dahlia’s neck was connected to Cyrius and Caspian.
But how could I reach it?
My hands were still chained. Only if I could break free—just sohow.
Then I locked in—focused—and paid attention to my senses... hearing, breathing, everything I could, just to gain proper control over myself.
My wolf growled inside , signaling she was now awake—and ready.
Dahlia approached again, about to whisper Versa.
I flinched. "Ah!" I gasped, pretending like sothing was tearing through my stomach.
She stepped forward, concerned. "Oh dear, what’s wrong?"
When I was sure she was close enough, I wrapped my leg behind her and pulled her toward . Then I lunged forward and slamd my head into hers. She stumbled back, blood dripping from her forehead.
"Agh!" she cried.
She was about to charge at again—when she noticed the necklace.
A necklace I had ripped off her neck with my teeth during the headbutt.
"No! You will not—" she started.
Too late. I chewed the necklace with my fangs, biting down hard as it crunched and fell to the floor.
She burst into uncontrollable laughter.
My father tried to rise, but the Crescents held him back.
"Oh, poor, dumb child!" Dahlia sneered. "If only you knew what you’ve done."
"Your husband—oh, I an, your mate’s life...was connected to that necklace. I hadn’t killed them yet. I was still considering it. But you? You just helped do it.
"You killed your husband with your own hands."
She turned, stretched her hand toward Cyrius—and kissed him.
Their skin began to pale. The life—the freshness—drained from their bodies. Their flesh turned bluish, shriveling like decaying corpses.
"What...?"
"Oh, these?" she smiled. "Just ordinary bodies now. No soul. Just at. You’re atless... and you dared to ruin my plans."
She scoffed.
"Even though I don’t care about your other two husbands, Cyrius and I had a plan. How dare you!"
"No... no, no, no. There has to be another way—there has to be a way to wake them up!" I cried.
"I’m sorry, child," she said with mock sympathy. "There’s no other way."
"Crescent," she called, and they began to enter. "Kill her. And bring her heart."
Just as they prepared to lunge at —
We heard it.
Versa.
But it wasn’t a single voice—it was a chorus of voices.
Mother. Aurora... knew those two. But the third voice... I didn’t recognize. Three figures stepped into the room.
One had the exact sa hair color as mine. The other two had deep, burning red hair.
Dahlia turned, and just as the crescent pounced— They all froze mid-air.
Aurora had raised her hand, casting a spell—dark veins bulging across her skin. I had never seen Aurora like this.
And if Aurora was this tense...
Then Cayden must have...Sothing must’ve happened to Cayden.
Oh no—maybe that’s why they were able to find so quickly.
Dahlia didn’t look pleased. Her gaze was locked on my mother.
"...Hello," Lilith said coldly.
Dahlia smirked. "Guess who’s back from hell."
You can’t just die, can you?" my mother said as she stepped forward, unbothered by Dahlia’s presence. Fearless.
Dahlia mirrored her steps. They were now inches apart—so close, the air between them could have ignited from the heat in their eyes.
"Oh, Lilith. It feels like just yesterday when I created you," Dahlia mused. "You were the second one I perford the ritual on, weren’t you?"
My mother t her gaze coldly. "I didn’t ask for your stories. Step aside and let take my daughter—and her husband."
She froze.
Her eyes landed on the third body lying on the floor.
"...Marcus?"
"You didn’t know he was alive?" Dahlia asked, feigning surprise. "Well, he just ca out of hibernation. Made quite the entrance too. I’m as shocked as you are."
"What did you do to him?" Mother snarled, ready to lunge, but Alice held her back.
"Don’t," she whispered.
Lilith’s gaze lingered on Marcus, pain flashing through her expression.
"Well," Dahlia continued, smug, "even if you win this little reunion battle, only one person will walk out of here alive—Hazel. And maybe the rest of you. Because her two husbands? They’re already dead."
Aurora shook her head in disbelief. "No... Cyrius. Caspian. Wake up. Wake up!"
She rose to her feet, trembling with rage. The Crescents she had previously cast down surged back into the air at her command.
Dahlia stepped back, smirking as she lifted her hands in surrender. "It would be pointless to fight you now. I’m not wasting my energy—especially not after draining that dry bitch." She shot a smug look. "Goodbye."
She turned to walk away.
My mother lunged, but the swarm of Crescents blocked her path. One slamd into her back, knocking her to the ground. She groaned and pushed herself back up, fury in her eyes.
One of the red-haired won—her aura fierce and foreign—rushed to my side as Aurora’s screams echoed through the cave.
"WAKE UP!!!" Aurora cried, violently shaking Caspian’s lifeless body. "CASPIAN!"
But there was no response.
His once warm skin was pale and cracked. The color drained from his lips. His chest didn’t rise. His scent....gone.
So this is it... they are dead and the battle has not ended..
I’m now a widow... of two husbands and one... mate?
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