Chapter Seventeen

Hazel blinked slowly, not quite wanting to allow the information in front of her to sink in. It wasn't something that she had ever wanted to face. A part of her had always though that her parents would give up on her once she vanished, or that they would at least start to accept that they couldn't control her after she had gone to such lengths to get away from them.

The worst part of it all was that someone she had put her trust in must have betrayed her in order for her parents to have found her. She knew that they didn't have access to any of her information, she had made sure that they would be denied access to her private information and records by her bank, insurance, the hospital had a note in her records and she had even informed the postal service that was redirecting her mail. 

By all means, she should have been able to disappear without a trace. She had thought that she had covered all of her bases, all of her tracks, when she had left. But, it seemed as though there had been something or someone that she had overlooked, or that she had placed her trust in someone that ought not to have been trusted. 

Whatever the reason and whoever the person was who let her location slip, her parents now knew what they knew either way. If all that Derek had sent her was right, then she could expect that her parents would attempt to call on her and threaten her into returning. She couldn't let that happen. 

To: Hazel Garcia-Sparrow

From: Derek

Hazel,

This is your former assistant at your parents' company (I expect that you remember me well enough). I know that you didn't want anyone here attempting to contact you, but I'm afraid that I have some bad news that you need to hear. I couldn't in good conscience allow this to happen to you without at least giving you a heads-up on what's coming.

Hazel, your parents have found out where you are. I don't know how exactly they discovered where you had gone. Even now, not even I know where you are. I overheard your mother discussing you with one of her associates when she came to look in on the department earlier today. I emailed you as soon as possible. 

From what I could overhear, she said that someone on their staff had spilt the information on where you had gone. I know that that doesn't exactly narrow it down for you since they employ a lot of people, but it's all I could get on them. 

The only other thing that I got wind of was that she and your father are planning to ambush you at your new place of residence some time within the next few days. I don't know the exact date, but I  figured that you would most likely appreciate having even a little bit of time to prepare yourself for their arrival.

Before I end this email, I just want to extend my sincere and abundant thanks to you, Hazel. It had me in a bit of a panic at first, when you didn't  show up and a received your email regarding what I needed to do to fill in for you. Thanks to you, I managed to keep things afloat and make sure everything at our department could go on without a hitch. 

Thanks to the detailed instruction that you left me, I was able to advance to take on your old position and it's always been my dream job. I still can't quite believe that I have this opportunity. 

All of this, all of what I have right now in my professional career, I owe to you. I hope that this warning and the information I managed to get for you at least can repay you for what you've done for me (even if it was mainly for yourself, I still have my dream because of you). 

If it's at all possible, I would love to stay in contact with you. I know that you were my boss, but I also came to think of you as a friend. Even when I had only just started out, you trusted me, believed in me and helped me to gain my confidence and improve. It was truly an honour to work as your assistant, even if it wasn't for all that long in the grand scheme of things.

Thank you again and I truly wish you all the best,

I look forward to the possibility of hearing back from you, though I understand if you don't want to given how hard you have worked to get away from your old life in the city.

Regards, 

Derek.

Despite his words, Hazel couldn't help but feel like she had sort of taken Derek for granted in her time at the magazine. Of course, she tried to give him as much guidance as she could, but she knew that her heart hadn't been in the work. 

Luckily though, it seemed that he was doing quite well enough on his own. She was proud of him for taking on her role. She knew from experience that it wasn't the easiest job in the world. It was stressful, high-pressure and ate up far too much time off the clock for Hazel's liking. But, as he had said, it was his dream job and she was happy for him, being able to achieve his goals and live his dream.

Hazel was grateful towards Derek for telling her about her mother and father's plans to track her down and find her at her new home. The last thing she wanted was to have to face them again, but she supposed that it was probably going to happen at some point. She had been naïve to assume that they wouldn't bother to try to find her. They may not have cared about her as a person or her wellbeing, but they cared about their pawns and bargaining chips, and they considered her to be one of them. 

It was sickening, really, that a parent could think of their own child as nothing more than a commodity. To them, she was a convenient asset that they could use however they saw fit, but with an the inconvenience of turning out to have their own personality, wants and needs.

"Hey... Hazel? What's wrong? You've been staring at your screen for like seven minutes with an expression on your face like you've seen a ghost." Luna said with a nervous chuckle.

"Sorry." Hazel apologised, closing her laptop off and joining Luna under the duvet. "I got a bit of an... unfortunate email."

"Unfortunate? What happened? Do you want to talk about it?" Luna asked, worried.

"My parents know where I am... they're going to try and threaten me to go back to the city with them." Hazel explained quietly. She didn't like thinking about her parents or the city and she hated that they were interfering with her new life already, without even having shown up yet.

"I'm sorry Hazel... do you know how they managed to find out?" Luna asked, sympathetically, reaching between them to brush some stray strands of hair behind Hazel's ear.

"I think it was most likely one of the maids that work at the house. I wouldn't be surprised if my parents questioned them after I left." Hazel paused, eyes downcast. "Thinking about it, I feel a bit guilty for putting them in that position. They were always so kind for me and I'll never stop being thankful for their help in my getting away. I was so fixated on escaping and gaining my own freedom at that point that I didn't really spare as much thought as I should have to how it would effect them. I didn't consider the repercussions or how poorly my parents might treat them. If they were at risk then it was because of me." she admitted.

"Hazel, it's not your fault. They chose to help you because they care about you and wanted you to be happy and away from that toxic environment. If anyone is at fault for anyone's unhappiness or misfortune here, it's your parents. They are the ones that chose to intimidate and harass their staff, they're the ones who controlled you, manipulated you, trapped you and emotionally abused you. Their choices are their own and you can't hold yourself responsible for something you have no control over." Luna said.

"I know you're right, but I can't help but feel bad for them. I know I shouldn't blame myself... but these kinds of feelings are rarely rational or logical." Hazel replied.

"Do you know when they're coming?" Luna asked.

"I don't know when, I just know that it'll be some time during the week. The email I got was from my old assistant, Derek. Apparently he got promoted to my old job, his dream job. I'm happy for him. As proficient as I was in that position myself, I did feel bad that it was given to me, someone who was completely dispassionate about the company, over people like Derek who are actually passionate about it." Hazel explained. 

"Well, at least you know that they're going to come, at least you won't have to be paranoid or worried about them finding you since they already know where you are. I know it's not the best consolation... " Luna sighed tiredly.

"I don't know what I'm going to do when I see them, Luna... I don't want to see them; I never want to see them ever again after all that they've put me through." Hazel worried, biting her bottom lip nervously.

"Well, at least you can be sure of one thing: no matter what happens when they arrive, I will be here by your side to support you and be there for you. Alex and Sovereign will be there for you too, no matter what. Believe it or not, you've done a hell of a lot for all of us since you got here. You're a good friend, Hazel, and a good person and you've become someone so incredibly precious and irreplaceable to us. 

so, just remember that no matter how daunting this situation must feel, you're not alone in this. We're going to stick by your side and we won't let them do anything bad or try to manipulate or threaten you into going back with them. You don't own them anything." Luna said in a well-assured tone.

"Thank you, Luna...I know what I would do without you and the boys. You guys mean the world to me and   I mean it with all of my heart when I say that I love you." Hazel thanked.

"We love you too, Hazel. I love you. I love you with my whole being. I'm so so glad that fate has brought us together, that it brought you here, to me. I can't imagine my life without you anymore." Luna looked right into Hazel's eyes as she spoke.

"I... thank you, Luna... that means a lot to me. I think I'd be a bit lost if not for you, especially now. You make me feel like I can really do this, that I can stand up to my parents to their faces when they get here. It's nerve wracking, but... I can't run away from my problems forever." Hazel whispered with gratitude.

Hazel and Luna smiled at each other in the dark, faces lit only by the moon that cast its silver light through the large windows. It was late by then and Hazel was unspeakably glad to have such supportive people in her life, to have Luna in her life. Not many people were capable of making her feel so safe and loved and so sincerely cared for.

Hazel leaned forward to close the distance between them, placing a soft, chaste kiss to Luna's mouth and  it was eagerly reciprocated. 

"We'll talk to the boys tomorrow about what we can do, okay? I'm sure Mrs Blackwood will want to be there for you too." Luna reassured as she looped an arm over Hazel's waist. "You're not alone it this this time. We'll all be there for you."

"Okay..." Hazel yawned sleepily. It suddenly felt like it had been a very long day and her eyelids were growing heavy.

"Lets go to sleep now, get some well-earned rest." Luna whispered.

Hazel nodded lightly in response, closing her eyes and snuggling into the blankets. With that, it wasn't long before the both of them were drifting off into a peaceful slumber. It was much easier to get some shuteye while surrounded by people she could put her faith in, who also had faith in her. It had those lovely warm feelings bubbling gently within her again as she fell asleep.

Hazel opened her eyes and found herself surrounded by brilliant wildflowers. A perfect crescent moon hung in the blue sky above, right where the sun should have been and it was so warm, like a soothing embrace wrapping around her and keeping her safe.

She breathed in the air and it smelled like freshly cut grass and daisies, despite that the grass was long enough to brush against her shins.

Her grandmother's necklace hung around her neck, the pendant resting comfortably against her chest, just beneath her her collar bones. It was so dear to her, that necklace and she was soothed by the knowledge that her grandmother had thought of her so fondly, with enough of that fondness to leave to her all that she did.

Hazel moved through the grass, the trees surrounding her little glade casting dancing shadows over her as they swayed with the breeze that rustled their leaves and branches.

She would never in her lifetime grow weary of this magical place, where it was always warm and a light lavender haze fell over everything. It was like the saturation there had been turned up a little, so that everything was more vibrant and the colours were more exquisite. 

Hazel moved through the grass and around the glade, revelling in the feeling of every brush of air or grass or the petals of flowers against her legs as she went.

She could feel the earth beneath her, feel it moving and growing and turning endlessly. She was so free there, freer than she had ever been and yet rooted. She was rooted in this place; she belonged there.

Hazel found not the capacity to ponder on the glade's reality. It was a real to her as it needed to be and that was all she could ever ask for. It was a haven, a place just for her soul and it was perfect.

The birds were chirping lightly in the distance of the thick trees as though it were the early morning, though time did not exist in that place. Butterflies flitted over from flower to flower and colourful dragonflies hovered around the edge of the lake at the far end of the glade. 

She had been there for hours upon hours and still it didn't feel like she was yet to have her fill of the world that existed only in her dreams. 

Hazel began to hum quietly to herself as she went, walking as she did, around the edge of the lake, watching the fish that swam around  in its waters, their scales shimmering as though reflecting sunlight that wasn't there.

Perhaps the moon was always there as a reflection of herself, of who she was and who her soul was intrinsically tied to. The music flowed gracefully into another verse and she wondered if Luna had a place like this one, where the sun shone brightly and dazzlingly in the pitch black sky, surrounded by billions of stars and constellations.

Could Luna see shooting stars and comets trailing through the air? Were there fireflies where she was? Could she feel the earth turning beneath the soles of her feet or the pads of her paws as she ran freely through the trees? Hazel wondered and yet, somehow she knew that it was the case. She knew what Luna could see, though she had never been there, not laid eyes on it, nor had it ever been descried to her.

As she reached the bridge of her melody, it became a duet once again.

A lyrical howl reached it's way through the air towards her as though it were something physical, like the butterflies that danced all around. 

It joined her song, and it was their song. 

It was the sound of their souls, their bond, their unity. It was the sound of their hearts beating as one. It was the sound of magic and beauty and peace. It was only for them and so much of everything about the two that was so very different and all that was so very much the same.

As Haze turned and raised up her voice, as the humming became singing aloud, her sol, her sunshine grew closer, bounded to her in abundant joy. There was nothing that could compare to it in any world of dreams or reality, on any plain of existence that there may be.

It was the eyes first.

It was always the eyes, so fierce and gentle, so wild and so brilliantly overflowing with love. Those eyes so pure and green, those eyes that saw nothing but her as she saw nothing but her soulmate before her. 

They walked towards each other, Hazel smiling as she continues to sing their song. Her wolf met her in her glade of mystical daytime moonlight and lavender haze. And then Luna was before her and as they touched, hands reaching for hands, they melted into each other like the sweetest honey.

Their song reached its final chorus, dipping and spiralling around them as they looked into each other's eyes. They were together, they were two separate beings coming to be as one.

They were home.