145 Chapter 145: Curse

Hazel knitted her brows as she slowly stirred from her deep sleep. She opened her eyes, her eyelashes fluttering before opening her eyes fully. Her face scrunched up when she faced the darkness.

She groaned softly as she clutched her head and glanced around.

'Where am I?'

She bit her lips as her eyes wandered around the room and then, she figured it out.

It was the Council room!!! 

She quickly glanced behind her and saw the curtains drawn, prohibiting the moonlight to enter. She rubbed her forehead trying to remember how she reached here and that's when it hit her.

A gasp escaped her lips when she remembered seeing the red eyes. 

'Demons!! They are here.'

She sprung up immediately but her vision blurred making her sway. She closed her eyes shut when she felt herself falling but she frowned when she didn't expect the pain. Instead, she felt someone holding her up, with their arms around her waist, hugging her towards their body.

Instantly a name popped into her mind, making her shove hard in his arms.

A soft chuckle sounded from above her head, "President, your punches are like tickles now."

She gritted her teeth as she didn't need a reminder of how weak her body was. She knew her body would need a couple more minuted to regain her strength but having this guy accompany her during her weak state, made her shudder.

"Let go, Harold"

She shoved against him hard but he was holding her in a tight grip.

"No... I only get to hug you like this now. So I won't let go."

Hazel struggled which only made him hold her tighter, pull her closer. Gathering all her strength, she stomped his foot earning a loud groan from him.

Quickly, Hazel moved back, putting a distance between them. She leaned her body against the wall as she watched him warily. 

Harold inhaled as he glared at her. He scoffed coldly, "Even when you are cornered, you are feisty."

Hazel didn't respond to his comment. Her mind was confused and her heart was hurt at his betrayal. They fought together, did things together, helping each other, and yet...

Why?

Why did he betray?

On seeing her distressed face, Harold sighed, "You left me no choice."

Her eyes immediately flashed to his in shock.

'Me? Did this happen because of me?'

Harold snorted, "Why did you have to meet that guy? Why did you have to trample my heart?"

He glared at her, "Why did you have to show him the smile you kept for me?"

Hazel frowned not understanding his words. 

'Didn't she smile with everyone identically?'

She drew her brows together, 'Did she have different smiles?'

Absurd!

Then suddenly she felt chills when she saw him staring at her with thirst in his eyes. She moved back when she saw him walking towards her.

He moved his lips close to her ears and whispered, "Don't fight, Princess"

Harold smiled when he felt her tremble. He looked back into her emerald eyes and said, "I won't hurt you"

Abruptly Hazel looked at him in shock.

'Won't hurt her?'

Then her eyes widened and she urgently asked him, "What about the rest? The academy?"

Harold pursed his lips making her gasp. She weakly clutched his collar with her other arm and shook, "Why?"

Harold had a pained expression in his eyes when he heard her crying voice. He didn't want to but when he was given a choice, he took it.

He wanted to be selfish for once! 

He would NEVER allow anyone to steal the only light in his life. Even if that meant, he had to sacrifice millions of people's life. It all meant nothing to him.

"When did you turn so cold-hearted?"

Harold gripped her hard making her squeeze her eyes shut in pain. 

"Why did you change? Why did you ignore me?"

Hazel looked at him, genuinely confused, "What?"

"I always followed you around, listened to your every word. You were the light in my life. You enjoyed being around me so much until he appeared."

His eyes turned cold at the mention of him. 

He gritted his teeth as he spat, "When he appeared, you changed. You didn't notice me anymore."

"It was because of his appearance"

Hazel looked at him in shock. 

She never knew he held those feelings for her. He always used to show her his innocent smile making her want to help him in every way possible. She treated him like her friend and yet he did this like her. 

Why does everyone try to hurt her by hurting her loved ones? 

She wanted to scream out loud, 'Hurt me...Hurt me instead of them.'

Harold laughed out loud suddenly scaring Hazel.

"It's all fine now. In a few hours, everything would be done and we would be together forever."

"What?"

She looked up at him and said, "Harold, don't do this. They were your friends. Don't do this."

Harold looked at her, "No one matters to me more than you."

Those words suffocated her. 

In her mind, the cute guy image was slowly being replaced by this cold evil stranger. She wished she could do something but she was helpless.

She couldn't even move her feet without falling much less fight this guy. Suddenly her eyes fell on something which brightened her face a little. 

Inhaling deeply, Hazel looked at Harold and said, "I never knew you felt that way about me. I always treated you as my family. The Heroes were my family."

She shook her head and exhaled before looking at him coldly and said, " Even if I knew, I would never feel that way for you."

Harold's face darkened as he tightened his hold on her. 

"I would never fall in love with anyone other than him"

Finally! she acknowledged her uneasiness. Finally, she understood why her heart would ache.

Even when she tried so desperately to not let anyone inside her heart, he somehow swarmed his way inside her heart.

Even right now, all she hoped was to run into his arms.

But her thoughts were disturbed when she felt Harold tremble before her.

He screamed, "What?" and threw her away harshly.

Hazel hit her shoulder against the wall and groaned. Before she could press her wound, she felt her body being lifted and her chin being pinched mercilessly.

Hazel looked at him, who was glaring at her with red shot eyes making her widen his eyes.

He didn't! He couldn't have! 

How was this possible?

Hazel clutched his hand as she tried to pry his fingers out but to fail. Her body was still in the process of recovering her strength. She could finally feel the familiar sensation seep into her body but she still needed time.

Needed time to gather her strength. 

She didn't want to imagine the turmoil going into the academy. She looked at Harold who was slowly changing in front of her. One of his eyes turned red and his claws were forming.

Hazel gathered all her strength on her leg and kicked at his face. She fell abruptly and looked at Harold who was clutching his face in pain.

She frowned when she saw him struggling. She winced when she touched her shoulder. 

Suddenly she saw her dagger lying on the table making her eyes brighten. She looked at Harold who was struggling before she dragged her feet towards the table. 

She was beginning to feel the strength warm her body, making her sigh in relief. 

Just a little more

But before she reached the table, she felt her world spin and the next moment she was pushed against the wall.

"Don't be hasty, Princess"

Hazel looked up and froze. 

His originally pale face was now having black veins pop out all over. One of his eyes were blood-red while his other eye retained his original color.

Half-demon !!!

Harold tilted his head and asked her, "Am I scary now?"

Hazel was frozen like a statue. Her heart bled for him. Why? Why is it always happening to her? Why?

Was she a curse? A curse who brings ill-fate to the people who love her.

Hazel shuddered when she felt his claws nick her cheek. 

She heard a low hiss and suddenly a hand was wiping her cheek, "Sorry, I haven't learned to control my body"

He cupped her cheeks carefully, making Hazel gulp. He leaned forward and kissed her cheek making her body tremble. 

"Do you like me now? I am powerful too. I might even be able to defeat him now."

Hazel pursed her lips as she said, word by word, "I don't love him because of his power. I would have still loved him even if he was weak, even if he was the weakest amongst our kind."

His eyes flashed before a smirk formed on his face, "Looks like we have no other choice other than that left, huh?"

Hazel frowned as she glared at him.

He sniggered, "Maybe I should steal you away from him"

"By force"