Chapter 3

Hazel woke up and found herself in the street, her body was full of dirt

Hazel blinked, the world coming into focus as she stirred awake. The cobbled streets of the town were cold and unforgiving beneath her, the flickering streetlights illuminating the dirt that coated her fur.

The night was quiet, the only sound the distant murmur of revelry from the castle, the wind rustling the trees. The smell of the forest filled Hazel’s nose, a haunting reminder of what she’d lost. 

“No,” she growled, the fire of defiance flaring in her chest. “I won’t let them do this to me.

She stood up and headed back to the castle, who knows if Ethan might change his mind and accept her back again 

She got to the castle door and thankfully, no guard was around there 

Just as she made to start going inside, a voice stopped her 

“Are you so desperate to be our Luna again” Hazel turned to see Nora, she didn’t know why but Nora hated her for no reason 

“Nora.” Hazel’s voice was flat, unyielding. “What do you want?”

Nora’s eyes narrowed, the hatred in them burning like a baleful flame. “I’m here to make sure you never get a chance to come crawling back. You’re not worthy of being Luna. You never were.”

Hazel’s fur bristled, the instinct to defend herself raw, primal. But she forced herself to remain still, her eyes trained on Nora’s.

“I’ve never done anything to you... Please help me beg Ethan, will listen to you only” Hazel pleaded 

*what do you think you’re doing* Mia,Hazel Wolf finally talked after staying silent for days 

*don’t talk to me Mia* Hazel said to her 

“Oh you want me to beg my brother to marry a barren and bad luck” Nora clapped 

Hazel felt the sting of Nora’s words like a slap across her face, the shadows of her doubts rising once more. But Mia was right, she couldn’t keep kneeling, couldn’t let this woman walk all over her.

“You will not speak to me like that,” Hazel snarled, the primal power in her voice causing Nora to take a step back. 

“I am Hazel, the rightful Luna, and I will not beg for what is rightfully mine.”

The world seemed to pause for a moment, the wind stilled, the birds silent.

Nora laughed loudly and the laugh was a mocking message 

“Oh you think you’re still relevant here, well let me bring it out to you..my brother is getting married to the mother of his unborn kids and also his Luna” Nora said 

The world snapped back into focus, the sheer absurdity of Nora’s words striking Hazel like a physical blow. 

“You lie!” she cried, her voice a ragged hiss. “Layla couldn’t even be pregnant, she lied!”

Nora’s face contorted into a cruel mask. 

“It doesn’t matter whether it’s true or not. What matters is that Ethan believes it. And soon enough, the entire pack will believe it.”

“What’s going on here..” Ethan walked to them with Layla holding his arm

“What are you still doing here you barren” Ethan spat 

Hazel felt her heart drop to her paws, her whole world collapsing around her. Layla’s smirk, Ethan’s disdain it was all too much. But she would not break. 

“Ethan, please,” Hazel’s voice trembled, her eyes searching his for any sign of the love they once shared. “I know you can’t believe this. Not after everything we’ve been through.”

But Ethan only hardened his expression, turning away from her. “You’re not my mate anymore, Hazel.

“Honey I’m feeling uncomfortable seeing her again,” Layla said to Ethan 

“Leave and don’t come back again,” Ethan said to Hazel 

And with those words, Ethan turned his back on Hazel for the final time. The hall seemed to spin around her, the faces of her former packmates turning away, silent and complicit in her downfall. Even her parents couldn’t meet her gaze.

“Please,” Hazel whispered, her throat dry. “Please don’t do this.”

But the Alpha’s word was law, and Hazel knew she had to leave. With her head held high, she turned and began to walk away, her body numb.

“My lady..do you need anything” Lia asked Layla and Hazel turned back watching them 

“I just want to rest for now..can I do that” Layla replied 

“Of course my lady,” Lia said

“Prepare a warm bath for her before resting,” Nora said to Lia

“Yes, Lady Nora,” Lia bowed her head, already moving to prepare the bath.

As Hazel watched, a burning anger replaced the numbness in her veins. How dare they treat her like this? How dare they let Layla take her place? And what of her unborn child, the one she’d shared with Ethan? She’d have to leave without even a word of explanation to her former Alpha.

The injustice of it all spurred her forward, her steps becoming more determined, more resolute. She would not let them break her, she swore. She would rise from this.

She walked out of the castle and headed to her parent's house, even though they were angry at her for what wasn’t her fault, they were still her parent 

The night air was crisp, its chill a balm on Hazel’s burning skin. She walked on silent paws, her steps sure, her eyes focused on the distant lights of her parents’ house. The stars above twinkled, cold and uncaring, but Hazel didn’t mind. They were a constant, something she could rely on, even when everything else had fallen to ash.

As she approached the house, she felt a flicker of uncertainty. Would they even take her in? But she steeled herself, pushing down the doubts. She needed this.

She knocked on the door and her mother opened up 

“What are you doing here” Her mother asked angrily 

“Mom” Hazel cried 

“Leave here before my husband comes out and please don’t come here again...we don’t feel comfortable with strangers,” Her mother said 

Hazel stood, frozen in place, her heart sinking like a stone in the depths of her chest. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. She was supposed to find comfort in their presence, in their love. But instead, she was being treated like a stranger, a pariah.

“Mom,” she pleaded, her voice barely a whisper. “Please, I’m your daughter. Don’t turn your back on me too.”

Her mother’s face hardened, her eyes flinty with resolve.

“You’re not my daughter..let me make it clear to you, We disowned you so get out of this place and never come back,” Her mother said 

Hazel felt like a thousand arrows were piercing her heart, each word from her mother a knife twist. Her throat tightened, the tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. 

“I don’t deserve this,” she managed to croak out, her voice cracking with pain. 

“None of this is my fault. I’ve done nothing wrong.”

Her mother’s face remained impassive, her eyes betraying no emotion. “Your life is no longer our concern. Now leave.”

“No,” Hazel whispered, the force of her refusal carrying through the night air. “I’m done taking orders from anyone.”

Her wolf bristled, the fury inside her mounting. But she swallowed it down, forcing her bones to shift back to their human form. Her eyes were a maelstrom, her voice a roar of defiance. 

“You can disown me, but you cannot erase me. I am Hazel, Alpha of my fate, and you will regret turning your back on me.”

Her mother scoffed and closed the door leaving her all alone outside 

The door slammed shut, its echo reverberating through Hazel’s bones. For a moment, she stood there, stunned, as the reality of her situation crashed down around her.

She started crying...