*~Hazel’s POV~*
I closed my eyes, forcing myself not to witness the most gruesome sight—the Crescents turning on themselves while I stood helpless.
"Stop!" Dahlia’s voice cracked like a whip. My eyes snapped open. The Crescents froze mid-motion and turned toward her, their obedience immediate. She smirked at me, a predator enjoying the kill.
"I am the real Alpha. I am the true leader. I am the one they will obey. They won’t listen to anyone else but me. And if you dare rechallenge me, I will make sure every part of you dies and gets boiled inside of me."
Anger burned through my veins. She wasn’t their Alpha—a devil wearing an Alpha’s crown. My stomach felt molten with rage. I turned to Klaus behind me and gave him a quick nod. He understood. The other wolves were hidden, waiting Without the vampires, Dahlia’s side would soon be outnumbered.
"Crescents!" Dahlia screamed, and they straightened like soldiers at attention. My heart cracked, seeing them enslaved by her voice.
"Kill them," she ordered, her finger slicing the air toward my mother. "Make her death slow. Excruciating. I want her to feel pain so intense she grieves for death." Her finger moved to Klaus. "Him—my old friend. Snap his head off quickly. A painless death for an old friend. And her—" she pointed to Alice—"I don’t know her, but I created her. It’s her younger sister I despise, but this one will do. Kill her. Slowly, but not too slow. A small price for her sister’s crimes. And the fake Alpha..." Her eyes locked on me. "Leave her. She’s mine. I’ll kill her myself."
The Crescents began to move. I flung out my hand. "No! Don’t do this. I am your Alpha. I am the natural-born Crescent. Nature created me to lead you. Don’t listen to her!"
"Oh, Crescents," Dahlia mocked, tilting her head. "Did you hear that? Nature created her? I created you! Without me, there would be no Crescents. I turned werewolves into Crescents, witches into Crescents. I bless you. So obey me—or I’ll revoke my magic and you’ll all die now. Kill them!"
"No!" I screamed. "I am a natural-born—witch and werewolf both. Nature did this. Please, listen to me. Stand with me!"
"Oh, nature this, nature that," Dahlia sneered. "I gave nature the idea of Crescents. Without me, none of you would exist. Now obey!"
The Crescents hesitated, caught between her command and my plea. Lilith and Alice braced themselves for a fight. Klaus crouched, ready. Wolves across the clearing shimmered at the edge of shifting, brimming with tension. I did not want war. Not like this.
I drew a deep breath, raised my hands, and sliced my palm. Blood welled bright and hot. My mother gasped. "Hazel! Come behind me!" But I shook my head. I was done hiding.
"You smell that?" I raised my bleeding hand high. "This is the blood of a true Alpha. Feel it. It’s in your veins too. Mine is pure. Natural. Make the right choice. Choose me!"
Every Crescent’s eyes flicked to the blood. Their irises shifted, their wolves pushing forward as if answering an ancient call. Dahlia’s voice sharpened. "What are you doing? Obey me now!"
But they weren’t listening anymore. The bond of my blood sang louder than her threats.
"Shift!" I commanded. "All of you—wolf form. Now!"
One by one, their bodies rippled and broke into fur and claws. Wolves emerged, eyes glowing, but their growls were gone. They crossed the clearing toward me, slow, deliberate, each step an act of submission. When they reached my side, they lowered their heads, not to attack, but to kneel.
"Your game is up, Dahlia. Just give it up," Alice growled, stepping forward with venom in her voice. "You’ve been alive long enough. You don’t want to live anymore. You don’t even want to be strong anymore. So go soft. We’ll give you the quick, painless death you offered me once—the leap set. But before that... hand over the vampires."
She stepped closer, eyes glowing. "Tell us where they are, and maybe we’ll spare you. Tie you under the scorching sun, strip you of every drop of magic, and watch you burn slowly."
Dahlia flinched.. but only for a second. Then that snake-like glint returned to her eyes and mouth.
"You really think I’m going to surrender?" she hissed, amused. "You really think Dahlia–Dahlia, gives up? I love how delusional you all are. Dahlia doesn’t bow. Dahlia doesn’t break. Dahlia doesn’t..blah blah blah."
"Yeah, yeah," Cloud cut in. "Heavy on that outnumbered."
Wolves and warriors stepped out from the shadows, those hidden in plain sight now standing tall beside the Crescents. She was surrounded. Heavily.
"Hand. Over. The vampires," I said, each word dripping with finality. "It’s over."
Dahlia faltered.
"Why are you so obsessed with the vampires?" she asked, suspicion sharpening her tone.
"Don’t ask stupid questions," Alice snapped. "Just surrender them and die—or enjoy your torture in silence."
That’s when Dahlia’s smirk returned. My stomach twisted.
"You’re mad I killed the triplets’ brother," she said, voice taunting. "But none of you are crying. You’re smiling. That means one thing—you have a plan. You think you’re going to bring them back."
We all froze.
"Oh," she laughed bitterly, "and it doesn’t involve sacrificing that dumb little vampire and her gorgeous two babies, does it?"
Silence.


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