CHAPTER 109: HUMILIATING

*~ Cyrius’s POV~*

God knows I was ready to pounce on her. Hazel. The fire in me was wild, my wolf clawing at the edges of my skin, desperate to claim what it thought belonged to us. But her babies needed her more than I did in that moment. So I stepped out.

I didn’t want to. But I had to.

As soon as I left her room, I went to the study, hoping a moment alone might help me pull myself together. Maybe help my wolf calm down. I barely made it halfway there when I bumped straight into Alexander. Fully dressed, smelling like expensive cologne and celebration.

"Brother, where are you going at this hour?" he asked, raising a brow.

I didn’t want to get into it. "Just need to clear my head."

He laughed lightly and slapped my shoulder. "Clear your head? Come on, the pack just got married—we’re throwing a celebration at the club tonight. You should come. Beer. Loud music. Maybe even a good distraction or two." His tone dipped knowingly.

I hesitated, but honestly? Anything to shut down the raging heat in my veins.

I nodded. "Yeah. Why not?"

As we walked, he turned to me again. "Did your wife reject you?" His smirk was cocky. "Your pheromones are everywhere. Your wolf’s scent is damn near suffocating the house. Maybe you should handle that... in the club."

I didn’t answer. What was there to say? He wasn’t wrong.

I was horny as hell. My wolf was restless, my bones aching, skin too tight. I wanted Hazel. Only her. But she didn’t want me. Not tonight. Maybe not ever.

When we got to the club, I followed Alexander up to a private room. He promised drinks, good company, and—if I needed it—a few she-wolves who wouldn’t mind helping me blow off some steam.

But none of them mattered. Not one.

Only Hazel.

I sat down, trying to drown my thoughts, when a knock hit the door. I opened it—and nearly froze.

Aaliyah.

Alexander’s eldest daughter.

She was smiling, that slow, sultry kind of smile that meant trouble. She held a bottle of beer in one hand, and her eyes never left mine. "My dad said someone needed this," she purred.

So this was intentional.

I stepped aside, letting her in, but my head was already spinning. I didn’t want to think. I didn’t want to feel. I just wanted my wolf to shut the hell up, stop growling her name—Hazel, Hazel, Hazel...over and over in my skull.

I stripped off my shirt. Heat rolled under my skin, thick and unbearable.

Aaliyah stepped closer, placing the beer on the table. "Is your wife sleeping?" she asked, eyeing my bare chest. "Because you look like someone who needs... attention."

I drained the beer in one go. "My wife is fine. And nothing is going on."

But she stepped closer again, fingers grazing over my abs. "This doesn’t feel like nothing. Your wolf’s practically screaming."

I was just about to push her away when I heard it...footsteps. Familiar ones. A heartbeat I could recognize through fire.

Hazel....She was coming.

I didn’t know why. I didn’t know what she’d seen. But she was heading straight here.

I panicked.

I grabbed Aaliyah and pulled her against me, her hands instantly sliding up around my neck, her body flush against mine.

"Oh, I knew it," she whispered, breath hot against my skin. "You’re starved. And while your little wife pushes you away, someone like me will gladly take her place."

Her lips grazed my jaw just as—

BANG...The door burst open. And there she was her eyes hot... she attacked Aaliyah and challenged me and yelled calling our first kiss HUMILIATING

I challenged her—and of course, she had to challenge me right back. But what I couldn’t understand was why she was standing there acting jealous after she was the one who rejected me tonight. Seriously?

She stomped out of the room, furious, and I followed after her, already boiling.

"What are you even doing here?" I snapped. "Aren’t you supposed to be at home? With the kids?"

She turned, glaring at me with those same eyes that used to look at me like I was her whole world. "Well, I’m going back to the kids. Don’t worry about that."

Then she said it. "You cheater."

I froze. That word? It hit too deep.

"What did you just say?" I barked, closing the space between us in one stride. "Cheater?"

My voice cracked with anger as I stepped closer. "Why the hell would you call me a cheater, huh? You’re the one who said there’s nothing between us. Right?" I laughed bitterly. "There’s absolutely nothing. We’re not husband and wife, remember? You reminded me of that. So tell me—how am I cheating?"

Her mouth twisted in frustration. "Fine. You’re not cheating," she hissed. "Go be with her. When she wakes up, go have your perfect little night with her."

She turned and stomped off, her heels echoing through the hallway. And you know what? I didn’t even reach for her. I didn’t stop her. Let her leave.

But as I stood there, staring at the empty hallway she left behind, I couldn’t help but grit my teeth.

Why would she come looking for me upstairs if she didn’t want me? Why would she be up there messing with my head—playing jealous?..if she was the one pushing me away?

I just wanted a perfect damn family with her. But she kept shoving me out, slamming the door in my face. And still... she didn’t want me to leave either. She didn’t want me, but she didn’t want me with anyone else.

How selfish was that?

My jaw tightened, my smile dropping completely as I watched her fade from my view—and then out of the club altogether.

I didn’t want to go back inside. I couldn’t stand the thought of pretending through the rest of this night.

But then—Aaliyah.

I heard her groan, and I rushed over. She was lying on the floor, blood trailing from her temple.

"Damn it," I muttered under my breath. If Alexander saw this, I’d be in deeper trouble than I could handle.

I knelt and cradled her head carefully. Her skin was already healing—thank god for that...but her eyes fluttered, dazed and distant.

"Shh..." I whispered. "Don’t worry. You won’t remember anything that happened here tonight."

I stared into her eyes, steady and focused. "You came in, handed me the beer, and then you left."

She blinked once... then slowly nodded, her body relaxing. Compelled already then I stepped out.

*~Hazel’s POV...~*

I shouldn’t have gone. I told myself I wouldn’t, but my damn stubbornness..and this wild wolf inside me...pushed me into chaos I didn’t ask for. Now here I am, back in my chambers, curled up on my bed with my babies beside me.

I just want to leave this damn country.

I want to run away from all of it. From him. From this suffocating air that smells like lies and betrayal. I don’t even want to lay eyes on Cyrius again. He irritates me. He confuses me. And no one...absolutely no one—has ever made me feel this insane.

How dare he?

He even dares deny it. He simply threw that stupid "you said we are not married" line at me like it absolved him. Maybe it does. Maybe it technically means he didn’t cheat. But what about dignity? What about respect? What about telling the damn truth?

How could he parade me around, tell everyone I was his bride—and still press his lips against another girl’s? Humiliate me like that? Lower my worth right in front of wolves who already look down on me?

Do they think I care about him making out with some random she-wolf?

Well, I do. I hate that I do.

I kept tossing in bed, the thoughts chasing each other through my head like rabid dogs. I shouldn’t be thinking about him. I should be planning my escape. I need to get out of here before I start slipping again.

Oh Caspian...

My heart clenched as I thought of him—my soft-spoken gentleman. By now, he would’ve been sitting beside me, worrying about my safety, urging me to rest, wrapping his arms around me, and whispering that everything would be okay. He would’ve been caring for our babies..our perfect little twins. Has he even seen them? Have they even seen his face?

God, I miss him.

And Aurora. Her warm presence, her constant worrying, her motherly lectures. I could almost hear her scolding me. "Don’t lose yourself, Hazel. Don’t forget who you are."

A tear slipped from the corner of my eye.

But no. No more tears. I’ve awakened now. I’ve seen what I am..What I can be. I’m stronger. I have to be stronger. The compulsion shouldn’t work on me anymore. Not after everything I’ve endured. Not after what was stolen from me. I swallowed the lump in my throat, exhaled shakily, and finally drifted into sleep.

But happiness didn’t last long.

The sun pierced through the curtain like a blade to my face, dragging me out of my only moment of peace. My twins’ cries filled the room. I shot up, stumbled out of bed, and rushed to them.

"Christian... Heather..." I whispered, pulling them gently into my arms.

I breastfed them both, cradling their tiny bodies, humming softly. After a while, their cries turned to giggles, and I found myself smiling despite the ache in my chest. At least I had them. My babies. As long as I had them, no problem could swallow me whole.

Then came the knock.

A sharp, intrusive knock that made my body tense. I stood, carried my babies back to the bed, and cautiously walked toward the door. The moment I opened it, my stomach flipped.

It was her.

That same smug she-wolf from the night before. The one tangled up with Cyrius. She stood there, smiling like the devil, a glint of venom in her eyes.

"Hi," she chirped, too sweetly. "We just wanted to invite you downstairs. We’re having a swimming competition, and your husband is one of the swimmers. It would be such a shame for you to miss it."

"I’m not interested," I said coldly and tried to shut the door.

But her hand shot forward, forcing it open again.

"We don’t slam doors here," she said with mock-politeness. "As the future Luna, I’m commanding your presence downstairs. My father...the Alpha...is personally requesting your attendance. And you wouldn’t want to disrespect his invitation, would you?"

I stared at her, rage simmering under my skin. She didn’t care. But she had a point. If I wanted to stay in the Alpha’s good graces long enough to plan my escape, I’d have to play along.

"Fine," I muttered.

She smiled in triumph and gestured to two maids behind her. "They’ll escort you."

And just like that, she was gone.

I turned back to the twins, kissed their foreheads, and whispered, "Hey babies.. Let’s hope you guys love the waters."

I don’t want to see Cyrius. I don’t want to look at him. But if getting out of here means pretending just a little longer...

Then so be it.