Chapter 3 I'm Not Getting Married

Hazel’s POV

I expected everything else. Punishment, getting yelled at, being grounded; apparently, I've been grounded my whole life, so it's no longer a punishment. It's a lifestyle.

But still, I expected to be told to clean the whole house for a week, but marriage? Of all things, Marriage? I didn't see that coming.

Don't panic, Hazel. Dad is just joking. He doesn't mean it…. Maybe he doesn't know what the word means. Deep breaths, Hazel...stay calm.

I immediately stormed out of the dining room, running after him.

“Dad, and what was that supposed to mean?”

“Everything, Hazel. Maybe if you get married and become a mother, you'll learn that there's more to life than your childish perspectives.”

Dad said those words without sparing me a glance.

Was that supposed to be a threat? If it was a joke, he'd better put an end to it.

“Dad, I'm seventeen!

Hum...newsflash!

“You'll be eighteen in a few days.”

“Dad, it still doesn't rule out the fact that still a child and you're trying to sell me off!” I screamed.

At first, I thought he was only trying to make me feel remorse, but seeing that he meant every word broke me. I didn't see myself getting married anytime soon.

“Sell you out? If that's what you think it is, Hazel, then fine.”

Not even a hint of remorse was in the dad's gaze.

“When did you turn into this?” Tears streamed down my face. I didn't know my father anymore. The man that used to love me turned into a freaking monster that's trying to give me away like a piece of candy.

“I should be asking you that question, Hazel.”

“Dad, you're selling me off! I'm never coming back! You know that, right?” I asked…my voice shook.

My heart ached and my hands trembled.

“I think it's the best thing to do for my peace of mind, Hazel. Let's see how you'll jump through the fence at 11:00 pm when you have a child growing in your stomach.”

“Dad!” I cried.

“Go to your room, Hazel,” Dad commanded.

“Dad! If Mom were alive, she wouldn't allow this! It doesn't make any sense…it doesn't!”

“Don't you dare mention your mother!” Dad yelled at the top of his voice.

I laughed. I laughed at myself, laughed at dad, laughed at how unfair this shit hole is.

Apparently, the mummy's death card is something only dad can play…beautiful, dad. Beautiful.

“You all get to mention mom, use her to make me feel guilty, but when I do, you grow defensive?” I asked, brows creased with a smirk hanging on my face.

“To your room, Hazel,” Dad's voice shivered.

“Listen, Dad, I am not getting married… not yet. Not now. Nothing is changing that fact,” I spat.

Dad picked me up like I was weightless…only if he put so much effort into putting me into consideration.

He threw me into my room and looked directly into my eyes.

“Aren't you tired of disgracing me? There are people here, and yet you go against my words!”

“Sorry for not being a puppet,” I answered.

“I'm tired.”

“Go ahead, dad, sell me off to some pedophile who only wants to fuck children.”

Dad ignored those words. “You're not allowed to step out of this room until I ask you to.”

“Doesn't matter. I've been a prisoner all my life.”

Dad walked out and slammed the door behind him.

The moment he left, I felt my walls crashing down.

“I don't even know myself anymore.”

I wasn't like this…I never talked back at dad, I never raised my voice at him, and I swear, even now, I don't want to, but… everything inside me just wants to fight him for treating me this way!

“Why the fuck did you even die, mom!” I cried. I buried my face between my thighs, sobbing.

“Thank you so much for dying. It's the best decision you could come up with, right? Wow….now you have a daughter who's life's fucked up and a husband who's trying to sell his daughter out.

Good job, mom, well done.”

Later that evening.

I woke up to the sound of people walking into my room.

“Can't I even get privacy anymore?” I asked, barely awake.

“I'm sorry, miss. The alpha asked us to get you prepared,” Ariella answered.

“For what? Prison?” I got up and grabbed a ribbon to hold my hair with.

Ariella signalled to the other to drop the boxes they were carrying.

“Can y'all just fucking leave?” I spat.

“We’ll need you to go and have your bath now, miss,” Ariella urged.

“For?”

“The alpha didn't really give us much detail, but he told us you'll be meeting someone tonight,” Ariella answered.

“Hell no, Dad!”

I stormed out of the room.

Dad was starting to take things too far. He wanted me to get married, fine! But can he at least let me breathe for a while before shoving me into a wedding dress?

I guess matchmaking daddy doesn't have enough patience in his court.

“Dad!” I screamed, storming into his room, but the matchmaker wasn't there, so I headed straight to his office.

I walked in and found Dad talking to Herald with a warm smile on his face.

All the anger, all the wrath, all the things I planned I'd say, everything faded away in less than a second. My shoulders dropped, it felt like my legs couldn't hold the weight of my body anymore, my eyes were laced with tears, and my heart hit my chest… so hard that I could almost feel it.

I swear I'm not jealous of Herald having a good, peaceful and beautiful time with my father– something that I'd always begged for.

They were so caught up in whatever conversation it was that they were having that they didn't even notice that I was standing there.

“Dad, who am I meeting with and why do I have to get dressed?” I asked, voice shaking.

Dad raised his head.

“Hazel, you should have at least knocked,” Herald said.

“Shut the fuck up, Herald like all of this isn't your fault!” I screamed. The tears I tried so hard to hold ended up rolling down my eyes.

I just cried in front of Herald.

“Herald, please excuse us. I'll let you know when I get Hazel tamed.”

Tamed?

I didn't know I had a tail, and I barked.

Herald left, and I walked up to Dad's desk.

“Hazel, what is it? I've gotten everything prepared, you should be getting ready!”

“I saw the way you looked at Herald, like he was your son, dad,” I cried. “You told him to please leave, that you needed to tame me like I'm a beast. I can't even remember the last time you spoke to me without raising your voice, but you claim to love me?”

Dad fell silent for a while.

He walked up to me and held my hand.

“Just this one thing, Hazel. See this as a way for us to make it up to each other. Get dressed, meet him and be in your best behavior. Please,” Dad begged.

For the first time in a while…his voice was soft.

It didn't hurt to talk to me like this, did it?

I nodded, getting my hands out of his grip before walking out of the office.

I still hated the fact that I was getting married at such a young age, but maybe dad will change his mind if I'm at my best behaviour...

“Arghhh!”

I bumped into someone… someone who's blind because that's the only excuse they have for bumping into me.

“Who the fuck let a blind person walk alone?” I yelled.

I raised my head to look at who it was and oh….my……God!

Breathe, Hazel, breathe.

His eyes, his hair, his lips… his abs?

I'm not a slut…. I'm not a slut….

“Hazel? Right?” He asked, letting out a soft chuckle. “I actually thought I'd find you in a dress, but this isn't bad,” he added.

My gosh. It's him