Chapter 167

*~Hazel’s POV~*
I don’t know which one is more surprising..the fact that Caspian would intentionally knock me unconscious with whatever he gave me, or the fact that I’m suddenly wearing the red dress I’d been avoiding all day, or the fact that I’ve woken up alone, in an unfamiliar room, locked away like a secret.
As I sat up, the rich fabric of the dress clung to my skin perfectly, hugging every curve with an elegance that only made my stomach churn. Even through my shock, I had to admit…it balanced beautifully on my body.
I leapt to my feet and rushed to the door.
I twisted the handle…Locked.
“Damn it!” I growled, slamming my fist against the wood. ” Caspian! Cayden! Aurora!”
I pounded harder. No one answered. No footsteps. No voices. Nothing.
My chest tightened. Was I dreaming? Was this real?
Then, I heard it.
A low, pulsing growl—not from outside. Not from any corner of the room From inside me.
My womb howled. My magic shifted. The Crescent blood surged in my veins, and my claws extended, crackling with power.
I was just about to shred the door into splinters when my hand froze mid-air, stiff and paralyzed—hovering as if held by invisible chains.
What the hell?
And then, the door clicked open.
Aurora stepped in, hand raised, her fingers slightly twisted in the air—controlling me.
What shocked me even more was that she hadn’t even seen me from the other side, yet she’d stopped me perfectly in time. My claws retracted involuntarily as I stared at her in disbelief.
“Wow,” I breathed, my voice tight. “I must say… I’m surprised.”
The rage inside me dimmed only slightly. “How did you do that? You weren’t even looking at me.”
Aurora lowered her hand slowly. “I’m sorry, Hazel. But we had to. Something had to be done.”
I glared. “What are you guys doing? Is this how we celebrate naming ceremonies now? What’s going on?”
She stepped inside, her expression cautious but calm. “Your mother has to step into your place. She’s wearing the blue gown now. The public already saw you in it earlier. That was intentional.”
I blinked. My stomach dropped.
My mother?” I repeated slowly.
“Yes. She’s here.”
My pulse thundered. “She’s here? And instead of coming to see me her own daughter..she had me locked away?”
I took a step toward her. “Why? What is going on? I demand to see her. Now.”
Aurora sighed heavily. “Hazel, I’m sorry. But you can’t go out there right now.”
My voice trembled. “What’s wrong? What are you not telling me?”
She hesitated. “Someone’s trying to attack you. You’re the main target. That’s why we had to hide you.”
I froze. Someone’s trying to attack me? What about my babies?”
“Your babies are safe,” she assured. “Caspian and Cayden are with them. They’re protected.”
I placed a hand on my chest, trying to breathe. “Then why is my mother pretending to be me?”
“So the attacker is tricked,” Aurora said. “She’s disguising herself to lure the threat. To draw him out.”
My throat dried. “By ’the enemy do you mean Jonathan?”
The moment his name left my lips, Aurora’s eyes widened. Her heartbeat thudded loud and uneven—I could hear it.
“You do mean Jonathan,” I whispered. “Don’t you?”
“How did you know him? What? When? How? Where?” Aurora bombarded me, voice sharp, eyes wide with panic.
“When did you meet him?” she continued, her words colliding into one another. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”
“No,” I snapped. “He didn’t. He…he promised me the truth.” Fresh chapters posted on.net
Aurora’s face darkened. “What truth?” she shouted. “The same truth you’ve all been hiding from me!”
“Ah, we’re back to this again,” she scoffed, but her voice wavered.
“Yes,” I said firmly, “back to this. Because nobody is telling me anything! Ever since I was born, you’ve all been acting like something’s wrong and I feel it. A huge part of me is missing, and none of you will talk about it. I keep saying it. Over and over. And all I get are lies.”
Aurora’s jaw tightened.
“I finally found someone who was willing to talk,” I whispered. “Someone who told me there is something you’re hiding. And you’re trying to keep me from him. Every one of you. Saying he’s dangerous. Saying he wants to hurt me.”
Aurora’s voice dropped low. “He is dangerous, Hazel. And the fact that your mother had to come back to protect you should be more than enough reason for you to back off.”
“Well, I’m not backing off!” I snapped. “And if you don’t let me go now My voice trembled, but I met her eyes. “Aurora, I’ll be forced to do something I wish I wouldn’t have to do.”
Her eyes widened for a second. Then they darkened with something resolute.
“I’m sorry, Hazel,” she said softly. “You’re my friend. But now… you’re also my responsibility. I have to stop you.”
“Aurora, don’t. Please. I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You’re not going anywhere.”
“Aurora,” I begged, taking a step back, “let me go.”
“No,” she said flatly. “You’re not leaving.”
“Fine,” I hissed. “You want to do this the hard way?”
“Good,” she replied coldly.
Before I could summon a single spell or twitch a finger, she whispered, “Very sad.”
Suddenly, my body lifted off the ground. I slammed into the wall behind me with force. My back hit hard, knocking the breath out of my lungs.
I tried to move. I couldn’t. My arms, legs, spine, everything felt glued to the wall.
Aurora’s hand was outstretched, palm open, glowing. She was holding me there with magic.
“Aurora,” I gasped. “Let me go. Please.” Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. “I’m sorry, Hazel.”
And as she was leaving, adrenaline surged through me.
No. No. Never.
This is my only shot at the truth..My only chance to silence the gnawing inside me—To finally fill the gaping hole in my head.
” Versa,” I whispered.