The guards dragged Hazel down the long hallway.
Heavy iron handcuffs locked her wrists together.
They were taking her to a small room near the maids’ quarters.
She stopped walking the moment she saw Ryan coming toward her.
Hope lit up her face.
She even managed a small smile.
“Ryan…” she said softly.
“I’m not a witch.”
Ryan swallowed hard.
Hazel could not read the look in his eyes.
He glanced around the empty hallway, then let out a long breath.
“Let’s break up.”
Hazel froze.
“What?!” Her voice cracked.
“Ryan?!”
She stared at him in pure disbelief.
Ryan clenched his fists and turned his face away.
“I will find a way to get you out,” he said quietly.
Then he turned around and started walking.
“Wow…” Hazel whispered.
The word came out broken.
“I have something to ask you.”
She tried to step closer to him, but the guards pulled her back at once.
Ryan spun around and glared at them.
The guards quickly let go of her arms.
Hazel looked at Ryan.
He still would not meet her eyes.
“You can’t even look at me anymore,” she said.
Tears filled her voice.
“Tell me the truth, Ryan. When you told me to wait in that room… you were never planning to show up, were you?”
Ryan’s shoulders tensed.
Guilt washed over his face.
He looked down at the floor and said nothing.
Hazel nodded slowly.
She knew him too well.
He had never planned to come.
“Okay,” she said in a flat voice.
She turned away from him and walked back toward the guards.
Tears ran freely down her cheeks.
Ryan quickly wiped his own face.
He hated seeing her like this.
He took one step forward, ready to go after her.
A strong hand landed on his shoulder and stopped him.
“You are doing the right thing, son.”
Ryan clenched his fists so hard his knuckles turned white.
Without another word, he walked away angrily.
Beta Raphael watched him leave.
Then he looked toward the direction the guards had taken Hazel.
He pulled out his phone and made a short call.
“You need to act fast,” he said in a low voice.
“At the latest tomorrow, she should be out.”
“Already on it,” a voice answered on the other end.
Raphael hung up and walked away.
…..
Hazel was pushed into a small, dirty room.
It was located close to the servants’ quarters.
Old furniture, broken boxes and useless things were scattered everywhere.
The room smelled terrible.
Hazel didn’t care.
She sat on the cold floor.
Her wrists still hurt from the cuffs.
But no pain could compare to what she felt in her heart.
She had expected Ryan to defend her.
Even if he believed she was a witch, she thought he would at least stand beside her.
She would have forgiven him if he had shouted at her.
She would have forgiven him if he had told her she was wrong.
But he had asked her to leave.
He had broken up with her.
Hazel wiped her tears.
Why?”
The door suddenly opened.
A woman entered with two guards behind her.
She was the head maid.
She looked Hazel up and down and snorted.
“You were supposed to stay with the other maids, but they are afraid of you.”
The woman laughed.
“They think you will bewitch them just like you supposedly bewitched Emily.”
Hazel’s eyes widened.
“I didn’t bewitch anyone.”
The head maid ignored her and laughed “The Alpha’s biological daughter has ordered us to make you pay for everything that happened.”
She looked at the guards.
“If you are truly innocent, maybe things will be different.”
One of the guards stepped forward.
Hazel’s eyes widened when she saw what he was carrying.
There was a heavy metal collar attached to it.
Hazel immediately moved backwards.
“No.”
The guard grabbed her.
“Don’t touch me!” She struggled, but the guard was much stronger.
The iron collar was wrapped around her neck.
Everyone in the werewolf world knew about the damn chain.
It was the Chain of Shame.
Witches were forced to wear it so they could not use their power.
It also gave other wolves the right to treat them however they wanted.
Hazel started to cry as the cold iron locked around her neck.
The long chain hung down in front of her.
The guards unlocked her handcuffs but kept a firm hold on the chain.
“All set,” the guard said.
The head maid nodded.
“Humph. Follow me. Many dirty dishes are waiting.”
She turned and walked out.
The guard pulled the chain, forcing Hazel to follow.
As they walked through the dark hallway, the guard leaned closer and smirked.
“If you let me enjoy you tonight, I will go easy on you,” he whispered.
His eyes ran over her body.
“I bet you are still a virgin. Still tight down there.”
Hazel clenched her fists until her nails dug into her palms.
She said nothing.
They reached the large kitchen.
Piles of dirty plates, pots, and pans covered every counter.
Hazel stared at the mountain of work and let out a quiet sigh.
She picked up a sponge and began washing.
The guard stepped back and watched her from a distance while chatting with another man.
While her hands moved in the soapy water, a sudden chill ran down Hazel’s spine.
Goosebumps rose on her arms.
She looked around carefully.
The two guards were still talking and laughing.
They were not paying any attention to her.
The strange feeling only grew stronger.
Hazel slowly lifted her eyes to the wide window in front of her.
She froze.
Out in the dark bushes beyond the glass, a huge white wolf stood still.
Its bright eyes were locked on her.
It was watching her.