The Alpha’s Regret, The Lycan King’s Obsession

Chapter 6

Hazel's POV

"That stupid bastard!"

Zoey’s voice echoed down the corridor. Her wolf was clawing at the surface, turning her green eyes into a glowing emerald. She tore herself out of our embrace and stood on her feet, her hair wild around her face.

"Zoey, wait…" Killian reached out, but she dodged his hand.

"No! Don't ‘wait’ me, Killian!" she snarled, pacing backward before turning toward the direction Silas had gone. Her fists were clenched so hard her claws were breaking through her nails. "I am going to rip his head off his stupid neck and shove it down his throat! How dare he? How dare he treat her like trash and sever a bond like a coward?!"

"Zoey, please! No!"

Panic flared through me. I scrambled forward on my hands and knees, throwing my arms to wrap around her ankles.

"Zoey, stop! Please, don't go!" I sobbed, looking up at her with terrified eyes. "Please, I'm begging you!"

Zoey froze, looking down at me as I clung to her legs like a koala clutching a lifeline. The heat surrounding her softened a little.

"Hazel, he can’t do that to you!" Zoey cried, her voice breaking as tears of rage filled her eyes. "He left you to suffer while he walks around acting like a king! He can't get away with this!"

"Please understand me, Zoey!" My voice cracked a bit. "He said... he said if anyone found out, he would banish me and my mom, he'd throw us into the rogue lands to starve! Please... if you go fight him, he'll know I told you… he'll destroy whatever little life I have left!"

A suffocating silence fell over the hallway.

Killian knelt beside me, his hands gently gripping my shoulders to support my frame. His jaw was clenched so tight the muscles in his cheeks twitched, but his eyes were filled with a profound, quiet sorrow.

"She's right, Zoey," Killian said softly. "Silas is the heir to the Half Moon Pack. If you attack him, he would easily have her banished. . As much as I want to break his jaw myself... we can't risk Hazel's safety."

Zoey let out a scream of frustration, kicking the nearby locker so hard that it rattled. She dropped to her knees, wrapping her arms tightly around my neck and pulling me against her chest.

"I hate him," Zoey wept, burying her face deep in my shoulder. "I hate him so much, Haze. You didn't deserve this. You deserve the world."

"I know... I know," I whispered, resting my head against her, though a voice in the back of my mind kept reminding me that I was just a broken, wolfless omega. "Just... please don't fight him."

"Okay," Zoey breathed out, wiping her wet face with the back of her sleeve and pulling away to look at me firmly. "Okay, fine. No fighting today. But you are not staying in this hellhole for another second."

"What?" I blinked, confused.

"You're skipping class," she declared, leaving zero room for argument as she grabbed my backpack from the floor and slung it over her shoulder. "In fact, you're coming home with me. Right now."

"Zoey, my scholarship—"

"To hell with that thing for today!" she cut in, grabbing my hands and hauling me gently to my feet. "Look at you, Haze. You can barely stand. You need food and sleep."

Killian stood up beside us, towering like a protective stone wall. He reached down and smoothly retrieved his own bag, looking down at me with a reassuring smile. "I'm coming too."

Zoey raised an eyebrow at Killian. "Aren't you supposed to be training with Silas's squad this morning?"

"Let them train without me," Killian replied flatly, his warm brown eyes narrowing. "My place is protecting my friend. Silas can file a complaint with my father if he wants, but I'm not leaving Hazel's side today."

A swell of deep, overwhelming gratitude washed over my bruised heart. I had no mate, no pack power—but standing between Zoey and Killian, for the first time since yesterday, the freezing cold inside my chest didn't feel entirely unbearable.

Twenty minutes later, Killian’s sleek black SUV pulled up to the gates of the Miller Pack Estate.

As the daughter of the third most powerful Alpha King, Zoey lived in a world completely different from the moldy apartment I called home. Her family’s mansion sat nestled against the rolling green hills of the upper territory—a sprawling, gorgeous stone estate surrounded by vibrant trees, high iron gates, and guards who bowed respectfully as Killian drove through.

I shrank back into the passenger seat, suddenly feeling self-conscious about my sneakers and faded sweater.

"Relax, Haze," Zoey said softly from the backseat, leaning forward to squeeze my shoulder. "My parents aren’t around. The house is entirely empty except for the staff. It's just us."

Killian parked the car in the wide driveway, stepping out immediately to open my door. He held out a hand, helping me down as if I were made of glass.

Walking into Zoey’s house felt like stepping into a fairy tale. The foyer featured grand marble staircases, towering glass windows that let in warm streams of sunlight, and the rich scent of vanilla and fresh flowers.

Zoey didn't waste a second. She led me straight past the main living areas and up the staircase to her private suite. Her room was massive, decorated in warm tones of cream, gold, and dusty rose, featuring a plush king-sized bed covered in endless velvet pillows and fleece blankets.

"Right," Zoey said, kicking off her boots and throwing my bag onto a chair. "First things first. Killian, go downstairs and tell Mrs. Gable to send up hot chocolate, soup, and those fresh blueberry muffins she made this morning. Double portion on the muffins."

"On it," Killian said with a small nod, giving my shoulder one final, gentle squeeze before slipping out the door and closing it quietly behind him.

The moment the door shut, Zoey turned to me, her eyes softening again. "Go change into something comfy. The bathroom is through there. I put out one of my hoodies and sweatpants for you."

I walked into the bathroom, staring at the spacious bathroom that looks even bigger than my bedroom. I stripped off my clothes, washed my face with warm water, and pulled on Zoey's oversized hoodie and sweatpants. They smelled like sweet cinnamon and clean linen just like her.

When I stepped back into the bedroom, Killian had already returned, setting a large tray laden with steaming hot soup, and warm pastries onto the low coffee table near the hearth.

"Sit, Haze," Killian urged gently, pointing to the sofa.

I sat down, pulling my knees up into the hoodie. Zoey immediately hopped onto the sofa beside me, wrapping a blanket around my shoulders, while Killian sat on the cushioned ottoman across from us, pouring a generous splash of marshmallows into my hot chocolate.

"Eat," Zoey commanded softly, pushing a bowl of soup into my hands. "You look like a breeze could blow you away."

I took a small sip of the warm broth. The heat spread through my throat and down into my churning stomach. I ate quietly as I listened to the crackle of the fireplace and drank the sweet cocoa while my two best friends sat in silent, protective vigilance beside me.

As the afternoon sun shifted, the exhaustion finally caught up with me. And my head drooped against the soft cushions of the sofa.

Zoey noticed immediately, gently taking my empty mug from my hands and setting it on the table.

"Get some sleep, baby," she whispered, helping me lean back onto the pillows and tucking the blanket right up to my chin. "Nobody can hurt you here. You're safe."

"Zoey... Killian..." My voice was thick with impending sleep, my eyes fluttering shut. "Thank you... for everything."

"You don't ever have to thank us, Haze," Killian's deep, gentle voice echoed from the corner of the room. "We're not going anywhere."

I closed my eyes, letting the warmth of the fire and the comforting presence of my friends wash over me. As I drifted off into a deep, dreamless sleep, a tiny, fragile thought lingered in the back of my mind.

I had been rejected by the boy I thought was my destiny.

But wrapped in Zoey's blanket, with my two best friends watching over me... maybe, just maybe, I wasn't entirely alone.