Chapter 14
The following day, Hazel and her children visited the hospital for one last check–up before their upcoming trip. Daisy was surprisingly lively and cooperative with the doctors, which provided some relief to Hazel’s anxieties. Hazel was given drugs, prescription and a note she was to give to the hospital Daisy would be transferred to.
The kids went to the wards bidding goodbye.
Daisy gave out sweets to her friends still at the hospital.
Afterward, they stopped by the kindergarten to bid proper farewells to Daisy’s friends and. teachers. Emotions ran high, but it was a necessary step in their journey.
Finally done with their errands, they passed by a small grocery store on the way home. Liam couldn’t resist the temptation, and he halted his steps, pulling Hazel’s hand backward. “Mommy, ice cream,” Liam demanded, his eyes pleading.
Hazel sighed with a fond smile, realizing that a small indulgence was in order. “Fine. Let’s get ice cream, and we’ll have takeout for dinner tonight.”
“Yay Ice cream!” Liam cheered. The kids hopped into the store excitedly.
All of their luggage had already been packed in anticipation of their relocation the next day. Hazel had also given away various belongings to their neighbors. With their house now practically empty, she couldn’t muster the energy to cook dinner. The family of three. entered the grocery store, selecting their favorite ice cream flavors and grabbing takeout for dinner.
Exiting the store, the kids eagerly indulged in their ice cream treats, laughter and joy filling, the air as they enjoyed this simple moment together as a family.
*****
The clock struck noon, and the city airport buzzed
with the constant arrival and departure of passengers. Hazel and her children disembarked from the airplane. Pausing briefly, she inhaled the air, flooded with nostalgia from her first departure five years ago as a hurt and ignored Luna. A sense of unease gnawed at her stomach as the memories rushed back.
“Mommy, are you okay?” an adorable voice broke through her reverie. She looked down to find two pairs of concerned eyes gazing up at her, their eyebrows furrowed with worry. “Yes, my loves. Mommy’s okay, I just got lost in thought for a moment,” Hazel reassured them with a forced smile.
“Well, shall we?” she asked, offering her arms to her children on either side of her. They took her hands, and together they entered the bustling airport building.
The airport’s chaotic atmosphere made Hazel anxious, fearing her children might get lost. Just then, her phone rang.
“Hey, mama,” Chloe greeted from the other end.
“Heyyy. Where are you?” Hazel inquired.
“There’s a massive traffic jam right now, and the roads are blocked for some reason. But I’m close; please wait for me,” Chloe replied.
“Okay, we’re here, waiting,” Hazel said before ending the call.
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“Aunt Chloe will be here soon,” she reassured her kids.
Hazel moved with graceful poise, still holding the hands of her two children as they proceeded towards the checkout point to collect their luggage. With a practiced efficiency, they retrieved most of their bags.
“Our things aren’t complete. There are two boxes left,” Hazel explained to the baggage claim agent, her tone a mixture of concern and frustration.
“Really? I’m very sorry, ma’am. They must still be on the plane. Can you recognize them? Come this way,” the agent directed, attempting to assist her.
Hazel hesitated, reluctant to leave her children alone amidst the bustling airport. After a moment’s contemplation, she decided to move them and the luggage to a small, secluded waiting area.
“Do not get lost. Wait for me here,” she instructed her children, her voice carrying a hint of
sternness.
“Yes, Mom,” they both replied obediently. Hazel turned to leave with the staff to find their missing luggage.
Meanwhile, impeccably dressed men in sleek black suits commanded the attention of onlookers. Murmurs and whispers spread through the crowd as they speculated about the arrival of an important figure or even a celebrity.
“What’s going on?” Hazel wondered, briefly glancing at the commotion before refocusing on her luggage retrieval, eager to reunite with her kids.
In another part of the airport, Ethan Roberts had just returned to the country, making a grand entrance. His mere presence demanded attention, exuding an unmistakable air of power. Dressed impeccably in a tailored suit, his ruggedly handsome features were accentuated by his cold and aloof demeanor. An aura of danger surrounded him, causing bystanders to panic and hurriedly move away.
Ethan strode confidently through the crowd with quick, calculated strides, but suddenly, an unfamiliar scent hit him like a bolt of lightning. He paused midway, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings, and his underlings halted, puzzled by their boss’s abrupt change in demeanor.
“That scent… Could it be?” he wondered to himself, a flicker of recognition in his eyes. His right–hand man, Axel, approached cautiously.
“Is something wrong, Alpha?” Axel asked, concern etched on his face.
“No, it’s nothing. Let’s go,” Ethan replied, shaking off the eerie familiarity of the scent and the unsettling feeling it had stirred within him, continuing on his way
Daisy marveled at the grandeur of the bustling airport, her young eyes wide with wonder as she took in the towering building and the bustling crowd.
“Daisy, stay close to me at all times. Mom said to look after each other,” Liam instructed his distracted sister, a sense of responsibility in his voice.
“I know. I know,” she replied, playfully sticking her tongue out at him.
“I’m thirsty,” Daisy sighed, her attention quickly shifting to her parched throat.
Liam reached into his backpack and handed her a water bottle. “Here you go,” he offered kindly.
Daisy eagerly grabbed the water and took a few sips before rummaging through the bag in search of sweets. Her small fingers brushed against the smooth texture of candies, and she
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pulled them out mindlessly spilling some to the floor. Among them was her cherished pebble.
Daisy gasped, setting the sweets aside and chasing after the pebble as it rolled away. “Daisy, come back!” Liam yelled, concerned, as he followed his sister.
The pebble held immense importance to the little girl; she and Noah had found it on the beach and she had grown deeply attached to its shiny, light–pink surface.
In her pursuit, Daisy’s small frame got lost amidst the throng of people. As she chased the rolling pebble, hunched down and even smaller, people unconsciously kicked and pushed it further away from her reach. Finally, it came to a halt under a stranger’s shoe.
Daisy squatted down immediately, attempting to lift the foot off the shoe. “Hey, mister, my rocky is under your shoe,” she implored, her voice filled with innocence.
Ethan stared down at the adorable little girl who was bothering his left leg, his expression a mixture of confusion and surprise. He wasn’t prepared for this unexpected encounter. “Daisy! Don’t run off like that. Did you find Rocky?” Ethan asked, his tone gentle, unaware of the name’s significance.
“Yes, it’s under this man’s foot,” Daisy replied, her eyes wide with concern.
“Hey Mr, my sister’s rock is under your leg. Do you mind?” Liam asked with a frown.
Ethan was stunned by the gaze of the little boy, Who’s child is this?‘ he wondered silently. Liam, frustrated by the stranger’s unresponsiveness, squatted down and attempted to lift Ethan’s foot by himself. “Oh, move, you big bully. It’s my sister’s!” Liam insisted with a frown.
Ethan’s underlings had halted their movements, watching in astonishment as a child dared to confront their boss and even attempted shoving him. Upon his arrival, Ethan was already. in a foul mood, and his aura exuded a menacing and dangerous presence, sending fear rippling through the nearby humans.
Even his underlings, despite being werewolves, were unnerved by the intensity of his energy. It was expected that children like Daisy and Liam would be utterly terrified and crying for their mother in this situation.
Ethan stood rooted to the spot, his thoughts racing as he met Liam’s determined gaze, an odd sense of familiarity creeping into his mind. The boy’s eyes reminded him of someone, a woman he had tried hard to forget for over five years.
Ethan finally bent down and picked up the object after lightly shifting his foot to reveal it—a simple pebble. Daisy released a frustrated whine,
“It’s mine. Can I have it back now? It’s my lucky pebble,” she said with a hint of sadness, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
“Hey, Mr. You shouldn’t bully kids. Give my sister her pebble now!” Liam growled protectively, his temper flaring as he saw his sister close to tears.
Ethan, stunned by the child’s audacity, couldn’t help but challenge him. He gave a low growl, an authoritative sound that was unmistakably Alpha. He expected the boy to back down, as it was customary in the presence of an Alpha.
To Ethan’s surprise, Liam moved closer, growling back, and even baring his teeth in defiance. Liam was struggling to remain calm, recalling a similar incident where he had defended Daisy from harm. Months ago, another boy had hurt her on a playground, and Liam had unleashed his protective instincts, even biting the offender, his mom had been
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very disappointed with him that day warning him to never loose control of his emotions. the next time.
Ethan couldn’t help but smile at Liam’s courage. He chuckled lightly and handed the pebble back to Daisy, respecting the boy’s bravery.
Meanwhile, Hazel, their mother, came rushing back to the spot she had left her children. Panic had overtaken her as she sensed Liam’s sudden mood change and had abandoned. their luggage in her haste to find them. It took her anxious moments to locate them. Standing at the top of a nearby staircase, she spotted them, her children engaged in a tense standoff with a man who emitted a strange, unsettling, yet oddly familiar aura.
Her motherly instincts went into overdrive, sensing that the man standing near her children was a potential threat. She raced down the stairs with all her might, her heart pounding with fear.
As Liam’s anger escalated, his mother froze when she saw the man’s back. She recognized him immediately, the familiar scent of the man she had once been in love with. overwhelmed her senses.
Ethan, sensing her presence, spun around, his disbelief evident in his eyes. There she stood, Hazel, the woman he had tried so hard to forget.
“Mommy!” Daisy cried out, rushing to hold onto her mother. Liam walked calmly over to join them.
Hazel stepped in front, shielding her children from Ethan’s sight, a protective barrier formed by a mother’s love. Ethan stared, his face displaying a complex and unreadable mix of emotions.
“Hazel?” he called out, his voice tinged with disbelief and a hint of longing.
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