Chapter 157: Dark and seductive
*~Hazel’s POV~*
Caspian and Cayden still hadn’t figured out what was happening. I guessed they had all spread out to investigate, and the entire park was now under heavy protection. The night was as dark as the Raven Night, and above us shone a full moon—yet it wasn’t even supposed to be the full moon according to the calendar. So what was happening?
Anna came to sit beside me, with Aurora following close behind. Anna reached out, gently squeezing my hand.
"Don’t worry, dear. Everything will be okay."
I nodded silently. Aurora then leaned forward and placed my babies in my arms so I could breastfeed. My heart trembled with unease.
"But I don’t understand," I whispered. "What is happening?"
"Don’t worry yourself too much," Aurora replied softly.
"How can I not worry?" I blurted out, my voice quivering. "When my babies and I are here, and strange things are literally pouring out of the sky, how can I not worry?"
Aurora squeezed my hand again, firmer this time. "Calm down, Hazel."
And just like that, I forced myself to be still. I had to calm down, because there was nothing else I could do at that moment. Soon enough, everyone left for their respective bedrooms, leaving only me and my babies behind. Tomorrow was supposed to be their naming ceremony. But with everything that had happened tonight, I wasn’t sure anymore if that could still happen.
I stared at their tiny, peaceful faces. The sight melted my heart. The feeling of being a mother—...washed over me, soothing my panic for a little while. Still, a hollow thought lingered in the back of my mind: Where is my own mother? They had mentioned her as soon as I woke from childbirth, but I hadn’t seen her myself.
Restless, I rose from my seat and decided to take a short stroll to clear my head. I pulled a light wrap around my shoulders, then moved toward the window. The night stared back at me.
A gentle breeze slipped through the crack, blowing stray strands of hair across my face. I inhaled deeply, pressing one hand against the glass pane.
Then—I froze....Another hand pressed against the other side of the window.
I snatched my hand back instantly, my breath catching in my throat. What just happened? Is somebody here with me?
Heart hammering, I spun around toward my babies. Relief swelled in me when I saw they were still safe, still asleep. But if it wasn’t them... who was that?
My pulse thundered against my ribs. I reached for anything nearby to use as a weapon, though I had no idea how to defend myself. Yet deep inside, something stirred—something primal, something alive. My wolf.
That readiness, that instinct, felt oddly familiar. Too familiar. As if my body had known this before, long before my wolf was ever awakened. It was strange, unsettling. Was there something they weren’t telling me? Or something I wasn’t remembering?
But the thought scattered as another gust of wind rushed past, sweeping the hair away from my neck. My skin prickled. This was no trick. My instincts were right.
I held my breath, focusing, listening. The only heartbeats I could hear were my babies’. Then, faintly—another heartbeat. Close.
Terror rooted me in place. I didn’t dare scream. I didn’t want to wake the babies or draw unwanted attention. My chest rose and fell slowly as I steadied my breathing, straining to pinpoint the presence.
And then—I felt it.
Behind me.
I spun around instantly, but the room was empty. Nothing. No one. Yet the air was charged, too heavy, too full.
This time, panic took hold of me. I stumbled back toward my babies and positioned myself in front of them, shielding them with my body.
"Anyone here?" I demanded, my voice sharper than I intended, cutting through the silence.
But the only answer was the pounding of my own heart.
Hazel, calm down. Hazel, think. You’ve got this."
I kept repeating those words to myself, desperately trying to grasp the reality before me. Yet I knew for a fact—somebody was here. The weight of another presence pressed against my senses.
Then I heard it.
Footsteps.
Slow, deliberate, approaching me.
My body stiffened. Instinctively, I slid my hand behind me, pushing my babies’ crawler gently backward, keeping them shielded as I took a cautious step back. My heartbeat thundered in my ears. The footsteps grew louder. My pulse sharpened.
A surge of heat ripped through my veins, and I stretched my hand forward. My claws extended with a violent crack, gleaming under the moonlight.
"Be careful," I warned, my voice trembling but fierce. "I have claws. Show yourself, you coward. Sneaking up on a mother and her babies? Really? Is that how low you are?"
"Calm down," came a voice—deep, masculine, smooth as silk yet edged with something dark. The sound of it sent a jolt through me. My wolf stirred violently inside, growling in recognition. My stomach clenched, twisting, as if my entire being had been provoked.
Then the figure revealed itself.
A tall shape emerged from the shadows, stepping slowly into the moonlight. My breath caught. His eyes—sharp, piercing green—glowed like a predator’s. Long raven-black hair cascaded across his face and shoulders, untamed yet regal. His chest was bare, muscles carved like stone, and across his torso lay a tattoo—a strange, intricate pattern glowing faintly as though alive.
He was mesmerizing. Inhuman. Beautiful in a terrifying way.
A demigod.
My lips parted, and the words stumbled out. "W–who are you?"
He smiled. A slow, dangerous smile. "Hello, mate."
My blood froze.
"Mate?" I echoed, praying I had heard him wrong.
"Yes." His smile widened into a devilish smirk. "You look exactly like your mother. You truly are my mate."
"I’ll call for help," I snapped, summoning courage I didn’t feel. "This is the High House. Caspian and Cayden will destroy you!"
At the mention of their names, his expression darkened. His voice turned venomous. "Don’t say those names in my presence. They are children—mere babies compared to me." His jaw clenched, fury flashing in his green eyes. "So Lilith lied after all. She tied my mate to others? She dared give my mate to someone else? How dare she?"
"You belong to me." His gaze bored into mine, searing and cold. "So tell me, darling—what’s your name?"
My throat tightened. My mind screamed at me to stay calm, to think. "Hazel," I answered, voice steadying. I glanced back at my babies. They were still sleeping peacefully, untouched by this dark aura. No danger had reached them—yet. Still, the coldness emanating from this man wrapped around me like chains.
He smirked again. "Ah, where are my disgusting manners? I forgot to introduce myself. I am Jonathan." His voice dripped arrogance. "I assume your mother hasn’t spoken of me."
"My... mother?" I stammered.
"Oh yes," he said, his smile fading into disdain. "Lilith. Haven’t you met her? Don’t tell me she’s absent from your life as well. That damn manipulative bitch." His eyes narrowed. "So you are just as confused as I was. How fitting."
I stared at him, heart pounding. He continued, his tone hardening.
"As I said, I am Jonathan—your fated mate. I don’t care what lies you’ve been told. Your mother manipulated everything. She’s the real villain here. You and I are meant to be. Those little mistakes behind you?" He gestured toward my babies dismissively. "They can be taken care of. I’m generous enough to adopt, if you insist."
Rage flared in me. Mistakes? My babies?
Yet before I could speak, he leaned closer, eyes narrowing. "And don’t fool yourself with those names...Caspian and Cayden. They are not your mates. Why would you, a natural-born Crescent, be fated to ordinary werewolves? Power calls to power. That’s why nature gave me to you. I am a Crescent Alpha, and you are a natural-born Crescent. We belong together."
My stomach sank, a cold dread crawling up my spine. He stepped closer, and closer still, until he stood right in front of me. His presence swallowed the air.
His fingers brushed against my cheek, trailing a cold line across my skin. I froze, breath shuddering. My wolf roared within me, torn between instinct to fight and the unsettling pull toward him.
I closed my eyes, the icy sensation spreading through my veins.
"God," I whispered to myself, trembling.
What is happening ?
"I’m sure you have a lot of questions running through your mind. And I’m sure everybody has been lying to you. You’re living in a world of lies. And I know you feel it too. Deep down, you know that everything here is a lie. But you just don’t know the truth. Or perhaps... you can’t remember the truth, since everything that happened has been erased by your mother—by everyone in your life.
But I’m here.
Your savior is here.
And I’ll make you remember everything. Every detail. Every secret. But you have to walk with me, darling. Please.
I’ll come back. But only if you don’t whisper a word of this to anyone. I don’t want to reveal myself yet. I must move like a snake... or rather, like a thief in the night.
Goodbye."
And then he turned and wandered into the shadows.
Immediately, my eyes flew open. My heart pounded violently against my chest.
Oh my God.
It was a dream.
Right in front of me stood Aurora, staring down at me as though I had just slapped her.
"You know...?" she said softly, her eyes wide. "What’s wrong? You’re sweaty."
"It was a dream," I whispered, breathless.