The Brave One, The Crazy One

"You know, when the other women begin to stop bullying Hazel because they were afraid of you, Maya Maureen was the only one who consistently bullied her. As if not afraid of what you might do to her if she hurts your mate."

Sharx pictured it for a moment. It seemed he liked what he was picturing, so a soft chuckle escaped his lips.

His chuckle sounded so tame that Sam's shoulders shuddered at the sound.

Sharx knows other she-wolves often bully Hazel, especially after their fated mate announcement. Even human women sometimes join in, not knowing that Hazel is a werewolf descendant. But that shows how helpless Hazel is in front of those humans to get picked on like that.

Such a disgraced for a werewolf race.

He deliberately did nothing to help her out of such a situation. It's fun to see her struggling, so why not let them? He thought.

Yet, despite his indifference, rumours emerged that he wiped out those who bullied Hazel, making them disappear in an unthinkable way. That's how everyone started retreating, afraid of the consequences.

Except for one.

"I see. So the brave one is that Maureen girl, huh?"

"I would say, she's crazy. Logically speaking, who dares to go up against your mate?"

"She did. That's why it's interesting."

"See? I knew you would say that." Sam shook his head as he sighed. "Anyway, seeing Maya Maureen keep bullying her until the end, she might've knows something about Hazel's plan."

"Or, it's just cause she hates Hazel's guts."

"That's... makes sense. But think about it. They both singled out each other."

"So, you mean to say that Maya Maureen somehow caught on Hazel's plan of using witchcraft on me, that's why she keeps bullying her? And now, Hazel try to get rid of her to remove a potential witness?"

"Doesn't that make sense? Who doesn't know that Maya Maureen's obsession toward you is so heavy and wild? She is a crazy woman who will do anything for your interests. Who knows? She might've stumble upon things regarding you faster than anyone else, including you."

"And yet, that woman never approach me heavily and wildly, like you said."

"That's because she's shy in front of you."

Sharx scoffed. "Does it make sense?"

"Come on. You don't understand a girl in love's psychology. She might be fierce like a wounded wolf against the world, but when it comes to you, she's just a little kitten."

"Nonsense."

"Listen, she stalk you and people around you. She might have known something was fishy about Hazel and was determined to protect you from her. Do you know what she often spat at Hazel?"

Sharx glances sideways.

He couldn't believe that his beta, not someone else, was the type who was so passionate when it came to gossiping. No wonder he gets along easily with the women in the pack and doesn't get into trouble with his wife. It's just his nature to poke around. 

Sam answers his own question with excitement like a burst of fireworks.

"She said, [How dare you bewitched him, you b-tch?!] or, [You crazy b-tch, what did you do to him?!] or, [Take your mask off, you cunning little wench!]."

He said all those while mimicking a mean girl in some movie.

"She said that?"

"Yes! It was so often that it become her jargon."

Sharx was deep in thought.

Sam added, "Honestly speaking, doesn't Maya Maureen somehow always help you get rid of the women hovering around you? And her efforts seem quite beneficial to you."

Sharx couldn't deny that fact.

"I just think that compared to Hazel, she is more willing to do anything for you. And that's what makes her the target of Hazel's hatred. Hazel might start accusing Maya Maureen of being the mastermind in this case, assuming that Hazel lied to you about her 'victim' situation."

Sharx smirked. "Alright, it's getting interesting. Try to make a direct contact with Maya Maureen."

..

…

….

"Hey, wake up."

I heard someone whisper above me.

In this situation, whoever it is, she is probably dangerous for me.

I had to open my eyes to confirm it immediately, but my eyes closed heavily like a log was hanging on my eyelashes. Likewise, my body refuses to follow my brain's orders to get myself up from the bed.

This sensation felt heavy, as if someone was pulling me down into a calm lake.

'I have to get up, though.'

After Alpha Sharx left, I had many thoughts and decisions to make, which kept me awake all night. I used this brain too hard, so I fell asleep during that process.

"Miss Hazel, are you going to keep on being like this?"

I was so drowsy that I couldn't answer the call right away.

At that moment, a lightning-like pain was felt in my forearm. "Ugh!"

My eyes automatically flashed open and immediately landed on the woman standing next to my bed. I kicked my blanket away, still giving her a death glare, and lifted my sleeves. To check on my painful forearm.

"This!" 

I heard her voice again while still shocked by what I saw on my forearm.

"You're awake now." The unconcerned, casual voice came from the maid who was standing next to my bed.

She was the same maid that I slapped yesterday.

To think she still has the nerve to show her face in front of me after yesterday rubbed me off so badly.

"Did you just poke me with a needle?" I asked through my gritted teeth.

My forearm feels sore, and the colour is purplish blue, indicating that this often happens to the original Hazel.

"Hm? What do you mean? Has your hysteria returned, Miss Hazel?"

She called me Miss as if respecting me, but she showed a face of mockery and satisfaction as she observed me. When I glared at her, the maid acted as if nothing happened.

"Are you nuts?"

"Oh no, Miss. You shouldn't speak such word. Madam Pamela will be sad if she hears it."

I glanced at the window, still covered with curtains, then snorted. "Is this about that darn morning greeting and cooking her breakfast, or whatever that is?"

"I have prepared the bathing water for you in the bathroom, so go immediately and wash yourself before greeting her, lady."

The sun wasn't even up yet, and the air was chilling, but she wanted me to bathe.

I didn't even do that troublesome thing when I had to go back to the hospital early in the morning to do my internship. This is all so ridiculous if I were in my own body. However, I'm in Hazel's body, for fuck's sake.

I need to learn a lot about this b-tch Hazel while I'm possessing her body if I want to find a way to return to my own body quickly.

Maybe the clues will appear in the scenes that Hazel usually goes through.

An evil smile was reflected on her face as I started walking towards the bathroom. She must have felt great because I obeyed her orders without a tantrum and swallowed my frustration about the poking incident.

I hate seeing that smug face.

I bit my lips. 'Hold it in, Maya. This is just a small sacrifice for a great reward, so bear it all.'

She told me she prepared the bathing water, but what I saw in the bathroom sent me dumbstruck.

"Hey, are you kidding me?"

All that was in the tub was cold water in this freezing dawn. Is she want me to freeze to death?

The maid acted as if nothing happened, ignoring my sharp gaze. It was so ridiculous that I was speechless.

"Hey, prepare the bath water again with warm water. I won't get ready if you don't."

It was only after I delivered my piece that she turned to me. As expected, she looked annoyed.

"That can't be done because this is Madam's order to maintain the youthful of your skin. Do as you usually do. Why are you suddenly complaining?"

"Ha, so I usually accept all this nonsense? Hahahaha," An evil laugh escaped through my mouth.

"Wha-what? Madam has given her wisdom to you, so accept it with grateful!"

Her wisdom, she said? What a crap.

This is nothing more than classic torture for the daughter-in-law. I believe even Cinderella has to bear with all this treatment from her in-laws in the first year of her marriage to Prince Charming.

If even the maid dares to flex her power in front of me, Hazel's position in this mansion is not much higher than that of the maid. As much as I think that Hazel doesn't have the qualifications to be Alpha Sharx's mate, that doesn't mean a mere maid can trample on her.

'Oh crap, did I just empathize with that bitch?'

I shook my head to shake off the thought.

There are three possible reasons why the maid is still confident in what she's doing to Hazel.

The first is that she had Madam Pamela as her backup.

Second, Hazel didn't do anything to get out of this situation by herself.

Third, Alpha Sharx acted only as a bystander. He watched all of this and did nothing. There's no way Alpha Sharx didn't know about the bad treatment Hazel received in this place.

'Oh crap, is that why she resorts to using witchcraft? Out of grudge toward this family?'

Oh, never mind that.

Grudge, my feet. It's more like her greediness that leads her into her own grave.

She uses witchcraft since the start to trick Alpha Sharx, thinking she will get a queen treatment from him and his family. But eventually, she doesn't get the exact desired result. That's why she swapped her soul with mine after getting caught.

Damn that b-tch.

Ah, whatever. I don't intend to live Hazel's miserable life, even if it's only for a short time. I smirk at the maid.

"Hey, what's your name?" I asked the startled maid.

"Have you suddenly forgotten that, Miss? You must have a problem with your head." She sighed, then glared at me."

"Alright, then I call you Toad."

"What?"

"Oh, and I'm not going to greet her?"

"Miss Hazel!"

"WHAT!?"

The Toad froze. She seemed to doubt her hearing. Seeing such an obvious change in her expression, it was also clear that Hazel had never fought back before.

"If you continue doing this, it will be the same as going against the Madam's word, Miss Hazel. She is the Madam of the house, and I am her trusted maid. Are you stupid? You will-"

"Hey, Toad." I cut her off as I scratch my ear.

"You're just a maid at the end of the day. A maid who wakes up her master by poking a needle in her arm, and is so fucking rude. That's you, Toad."

"That's-!"

"Meanwhile, I am Alpha Sharx's fated mate and his wife. The Moon Goddess blessed me as his mate. So, who do you think will be kicked out of this house first, hm?"

This was a bluff on my part, as my situation was not much better than this maid's.

Alpha Sharx even had his claws pointed at my neck two days ago, so what am I saying now?

The Toad was laughing instead.

I don't know what's funny, but I wish to stuff her wide mouth with socks I hadn't washed for two weeks.

She lifted the corner of her mouth and chin, ready to spit out whatever she wanted to since earlier.

"His mate? Hahaha, are you forgetting something, Miss Hazel?"