Hazel’s POV
The hum of the private jet filled the space, but it did nothing to drown out the turmoil inside me. I sat stiffly in one of the leather seats, staring out the window, even though the world beyond was just a blur of clouds and darkness.
The pain in my chest was unbearable, the mixture of anger and betrayal simmering beneath my skin. I hadn’t asked for this. I hadn’t wanted to be dragged back to the palace, not after everything that had happened.
My eyes drifted to Calix. He sat across from me, his expression unreadable, as if the rough encounter in the forest hadn’t happened, as if he hadn’t forced himself into my life again.
Every time I replayed what had just transpired, my heart twisted painfully. I could still feel the roughness of his hands, the weight of his body a
