Hazel's POV
My heart pounded in my chest as I weighed the risks, and the fact that he sent this only confirmed how petty he could be. This was his perfect little scheme to drag me back, doing it in the most underhanded way possible. If Liam truly wanted me to return, he could've faced me openly instead of using his influence and resources to remind me how vulnerable I was.
Threatening me through my family was cruel beyond words. He might be the most heartless person I've ever met. Every time he saw me, the hatred in his eyes cut deeper. He made sure I knew exactly where I stood—beneath him.
I didn't need him for the sake of the mate bond; I needed him because he held the power to destroy my family. Without him, they were nothing. The only reason they were still standing was because he once saved them—for me, and for the bond we shared. So now, as much as I loathed the thought, returning to him seemed the only choice. I couldn't let my family die just for my freedom, no matter how much I'd longed for it.
Stepping out of the villa, I looked up at the bright blue sky. It seemed different—lighter somehow, though my chest still ached. I missed the days when life was simple, when I was carefree and free of regret. The short time I'd been here might seem insignificant, but it had given me moments of peace. For days, I hadn't had to fear the maids' cruelty or Liam's brutal hands.
But that peace was fading. Liam had already made it clear—he intended to send my brother, Noah, to the border. Noah, who had no battle experience, who had lived a pampered life with no idea of real pain. He couldn't understand what it meant to be broken beyond repair. Yet he still expected me to give up my life for him.
To Liam, I was nothing more than a tool—to bear his heir and serve his ambitions, ambitions I doubted included me. My family gave me no support, leaving me to carry the unbearable weight alone. Tears blurred my vision as I thought about how much worse my life had become since meeting Liam. His cruelty had taught me never to trust anyone but myself.
Even so, I couldn't stop worrying about Noah. If I abandoned him, Liam wouldn't hesitate to destroy him—and my parents too—to keep me under his control. The border was the most dangerous place he could send him. The war there between the wolf tribe and a neighboring kingdom had dragged on endlessly, claiming countless lives. Even the strong didn't last long there. Liam knew this, and he still planned to send Noah—just to show me he held the upper hand.
My thoughts were interrupted when my phone rang sharply. Seeing the caller ID, I swallowed hard and answered.
"Hello, Dad—"
Before I could say more, his sharp voice cut in.
"Hazel, where are you? You need to come back immediately. Stop hiding and take responsibility before your carelessness costs your brother his life!" Then he hung up before I could reply.
I leaned against the wall, feeling drained, scared, and hopeless. They didn't care about me. Even if they knew by now that I'd lost my child—the heir to the throne—they hadn't once stood by me or comforted me. I was nothing to them. My father only called to speak of Noah, their precious son, while I was nothing more than a lamb prepared for slaughter.
I hated them for it. And Liam…..Liam was only trying to cover up the truth, to prevent the humiliation of his Luna running away. Gossip would spread like wildfire, turning into the scandal he feared. So this was his final move—forcing me back.
As much as I despised my family for never protecting me, I couldn't let Liam harm them. I had started this, and I had to finish it—even if it destroyed me.
I sat down, picked up a pen, and wrote a letter to Colton, explaining why I had to leave and the reality that I couldn't run forever. I had to protect my brother, no matter the cost. Call me foolish, but abandoning him would make me no better than the people who had abandoned me.
Standing outside the kingdom gates, a cold shiver ran down my spine as I imagined Liam's reaction to my return.
Would he beat me as always?
Or woul
d he finally kill me this time?