Chapter 189: Father is back!
*~Hazel’s POV~*
Cyrius and Caspian had fallen to the floor.
My heart thundered in my chest. What’s happening? What has Dahlia done to them?
I almost rushed to them—but for what? I had no idea what kind of magic had taken them down. Then I saw her, the witch holding my babies stumble, her grip loosening.
I didn’t hesitate.
I darted forward and snatched my babies from her arms just as she crumpled beside me. My arms wrapped tightly around them. Their warmth grounded me for a moment.
I looked up to see Dahlia rising from her seat.
So did the Crescents. All of them. In eerie synchronization. Their eyes were glowing, danger evident in them all.
They started walking toward me.
I backed away fast, breath shallow, eyes darting around for any escape—but my back slammed into the wall.
No. No, no, no. There was nowhere else to go. I was cornered.
Panic crawled up my throat. What do I do? Oh God. I’m in trouble. I’m in so much trouble.
"Cyrius! Caspian! Wake up!" I screamed.
Nothing. They lay still, black blood beginning to ooze from their mouths and noses. I clamped a hand over my mouth in horror. My babies stirred, now wide awake, eyes blinking fast in confusion, terror creeping across their tiny faces.
No. I can’t fall apart. Not now.
I swallowed hard and forced myself to breathe.
"This is no time to be scared," I whispered to myself.
Dahlia’s voice cut through the haze. "Oh? Are you scared now, Hazel?"
I looked up at her— mocking me.
Still, my babies whimpered softly in my arms, and that was all the clarity I needed.
"Get them out of here. Now." my wolf screamed at me.
I clutched them tightly to my chest, heart screaming in silent prayer as I envisioned the High House.
"Versa!" I cried.
In a flash of silver light, they vanished from my arms.
"Oh, what a sweet mother," Dahlia sneered. "Getting your children away from danger. Isn’t that adorable?"
"Shut off," I barked. "The only thing adorable here will be your face by the time I’m done with you."
"Oh, shut it," Dahlia scoffed, raising her hand dismissively. "You should be worried about yourself, shouldn’t you? Do you really think you can take us all on—with your two precious lovebirds lying unconscious on the floor?"
She smiled darkly. "If I could take them down without even lifting a finger, do you really think you pose a challenge to me?"
I tensed. Then I relaxed, letting my body settle as I met her head-on.
"You think I run from danger? I don’t," I said, my voice firm, almost calm. "I face danger. Every single day of my life is in danger. I don’t run from it... I became it."
Dahlia mockingly gasped, clutching the Crescent standing behind her and giggling like she was watching a circus act. I didn’t care.
Then she raised her hand—and dark mist began to crawl up her arms. The Crescents surrounding her began shifting into their wolf forms, snarling.
I almost shifted too—but what was the point? I would fight whoever came at me. Whatever happened after that would happen. As long as my babies were safe, I didn’t care what they did to me.
Suddenly, the cave doors burst open.
But I didn’t look back.
I couldn’t take my eyes off Dahlia and the wolves closing in.
"Dahlia," a voice called out... The voice was eerily familiar and send shivered down my spine.
No. It couldn’t be—
"Father?" I whispered, turning slowly.
And there he was. My father stood tall behind the crowd, his face now a little older and wrinkled.
Dahlia stopped mid-attack, eyes wide in disbelief. "Marcus? I thought you were dead," she gasped, stepping toward him. "Oh my goddess... You survived. I knew you couldn’t die that easily. I empowered you too well. The Crescent spell I cast on you must’ve worked."
He didn’t answer her. His eyes locked with mine as he stepped forward.
"Father...?" I whispered again, trembling.
"Daughter," he said softly, as if that word had always been sacred. He walked over, wrapped me in his arms.
He’d never done that before. Never hugged me. Never called me his daughter. All my life, I was only a burden to him.
But now...
Maybe my real father was never cruel. But it was because of the memories my mum took from him.
I let myself lean into his arms.
He pulled back and turned to Dahlia. "You will not harm my daughter."
"I’m sorry, Marcus," Dahlia said, feigning regret. "As much as I love and respect you..." She raised her hand again, magic sparking.
"...Look at those two," she said, gesturing to Cyrius and Caspian. "If you think you can stand in my way, I’ll have no choice but to destroy everything I created in you."
"Hazel, run!" my father growled.
"No!" I yelled. "They’ll catch me. There’s no point. There are too many."
"Dahlia," he said, voice deadly serious, "don’t forget our deal. If you touch her, this ends badly for you. Let her go, and I’ll cooperate."
Dahlia chuckled. "Let her go? She is the plan, Marcus. The natural-born Crescent. Without her, nothing works."
She stepped closer, voice low and venomous.
"She had a chance to escape when she sent the babies away. But she chose to stay. So she stays."
My father didn’t move. He stood tall and defiant, refusing to budge.
Dahlia’s voice dropped. "Step aside, or go back to that dusty graveyard I found you in."
"Catch him," she snapped. Wolves lunged.
My father shifted, fighting tooth and claw, but ten of them piled on him at once, pinning him down.
Dahlia raised her hand again, power flaring.
"Very sad," she said with mock sympathy, and then lightning struck my body.
Pain exploded through me. My knees buckled. My hair fell over my face as I hit the ground, twitching, breath shallow.
"Cyrius... Caspian..." I choked out, barely a whisper. "Please... wake up..."
But they didn’t stir.
Black blood was still leaking from their mouths.
And Dahlia leaned in, smiling coldly. "I’m sorry, Hazel. This is going to hurt."