HAZEL
I blinked.
"But you are right. You are my daughter, and I know you well." She tilted her head slightly. "Why would your tricks work on me?"
Heat crept up my neck. I stepped back.
"Eat." Mother gestured to Delta. "Delta will stay with you and help you dress."
"For what?"
"I wasn’t joking yesterday. You are leaving for the Lily of the Valley today."
I scoffed, the sound harsh in the quiet room. "I do not want to marry now. I will stay unmarried for at least a year. You will not force me because you believe I humiliated you a bit too much last night."
"Hazel..."
"Everybody makes mistakes. I was in my feelings yesterday and I know what I did was low. But I was just in a heightened state." The words came faster now, tumbling over each other. "Pushing me to that random pack knowing damn well that fucker is in love with Fia will not fix it."
"Giving you the chance to wreck the mess of personality and standing you have left will be even worse." Mother’s voice remained calm, which somehow made it worse. "What will happen if Lily of the Valley decides you are too much to handle?"
"Grandmother promised them something they want really badly. They will not."
"Everybody has their limits. I will not let you test it."
She turned toward the door.
Panic flared in my chest. "Well, you cannot force me. You can lock me in my room for as long as you want. But you cannot get me out of Silver Creek."
Mother stopped. Then slowly, she turned back to face me.
"I hold power over everybody in this pack, including you." Her eyes held mine. "You will clean up, eat and get ready to go. I will go have a discussion with my mother to get Lily of the Valley ready for your disappointing ass."
"I will stand my ground." I lifted my chin. "All you will do is bark."
Something flickered across Mother’s face. This was nothing like the flashes of anger she usually had. My hackles food because this was something colder.
"My love has really blinded you to reality. But no more."
She walked to the door and opened it wider. "My daughter wants it the hard way. Come inside and make sure what I want is done."
Four Omegas filed into the room. I recognized two of them. Girls who used to bow their heads when I passed, who used to scramble to do my bidding.
Now they looked at me with something that made my blood run cold.
"You have my permission to be rough." Mother’s voice was steel. "I want her cleaned and dressed when I come back."
Then she left. She literally just walked out without looking back.
Delta moved to the door, shut it, and pocketed the key. The click of the lock sounded unnaturally loud.
My eyes widened. "What are you doing, Delta?"
"It’s no hard feelings, Hazel." Delta’s expression was almost apologetic. Almost. Not when she said my name without a title before it. "I’m just doing what my Luna wants."

They did dare. They rushed at me.

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