Became a Demon with Pregnancy System-Chapter 154: Hazel belongs to Nate
"All right, keep me posted on your location. I’ll get to the academy as fast as possible," Luke vowed, his voice tight with worry.
He ended the call and pivoted, conjuring the faint swirl of Wind Wings at his back. He had no time for normal travel—Hazel took priority. He soared into the dusk, scanning the horizon for the shining spires of Arcadia Academy. A flicker of guilt touched him. What about Tanya Reed? But saving Hazel had to come first. He typed a quick text to Tanya: "Emergency at the academy. Hazel in trouble. We’ll meet after.
"Within minutes, Luke approached the sprawling campus, the sky dim overhead. His heart pounded not from physical strain but from a cocktail of worry and adrenaline. Hazel in real danger...? He dreaded to imagine who would target her now. Possibly remnants of the Black Sect or any number of shadowy foes.
A tense hush hung in Arcadia Academy’s dormitory corridor. Above the towering buildings, the sky deepened into the purples and blues of dusk. Anxious footsteps echoed, and muffled voices drifted from the halls. At the far end, Tanya Reed stood with Luke, both hastily dressed—interrupted by a phone call at a rather inopportune time.
"Nate Dawson called," Tanya murmured, her brows knitted in concern. "He says Hazel Ross might be in danger at Arcadia Academy. Something about an inexplicable text message—she went off the grid, phone turned off. Nate’s worried it’s the Black Church."
Luke sighed, straightening the half-buttoned shirt Tanya had almost undone earlier. "But Hazel was with me just...um, never mind. I know exactly where she is. She’s definitely not in any actual harm from the Black Church." A wry smile curved his lips.
Tanya noticed. "Then who...?" She trailed off, a flicker of realization dawning. She pursed her lips. "I see. So that explains it." She eyed Luke with both amusement and mild exasperation, recalling how he’d been juggling more than one relationship. "But poor Nate, he has no idea, does he?" 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚
A phone call rang out again—Nate Dawson was on the line, frantic. Luke motioned for Tanya to pick up.
She placed it on speaker. "Nate," she said evenly, "I’m listening."
"Teacher Tanya Reed," Nate’s voice rose, laced with both anxiety and anger. "Hazel Ross is in trouble—she must be. She texted me weirdly, and now there’s radio silence. I can’t reach her. The Black Church might have grabbed her. I’m already at Arcadia Academy, but can’t find her yet—this campus is huge. Where are you?"
Tanya hesitated, glancing at Luke. He quietly shook his head, half-smiling. "We’ll head there now," Tanya replied instead. "Meet us outside Hazel’s dorm."
"That’s all I need to hear," Nate said. "I’ll keep searching. Hurry!" The line went dead.
Tanya’s expression fell. "We do have to show up, at least so Nate doesn’t panic. But if Hazel’s safe—"Luke nodded. "This is one big misunderstanding. But we can’t just ignore him." He tugged on his shoes and stepped out of the room with her. "Let’s go to Arcadia Academy. We can clarify everything in person."
He recalled how Hazel had parted ways with him in the morning—definitely safe and sound. However, to Nate Dawson, who had always considered Hazel close, any unexplained silence spelled potential disaster. This is going to be awkward, Luke sighed.
They navigated through the evening throng in Arcadia and arrived at the academy gates soon after. Students bustled about, some still gawking at the city’s new idol—the Totem Serpent. The security guard recognized Luke, letting him and Tanya pass without fuss. They hurried straight to Hazel’s dorm building.
Once outside, Luke spotted Hazel Ross standing near a shady oak tree, calmly talking to someone. That someone was Nate Dawson, pacing, his voice carrying agitation. Nate’s expression cycled from shock to silence, eventually settling into a kind of resignation. Clearly, they were in the middle of a conversation that spelled heartbreak for him.
Hazel lowered her head slightly, her gentle face tinged with empathy but firm resolve. "Brother Nate... I appreciate your concern, truly. But I’m not the same person as before. My future is...very different from what either of us imagined back then. We can still be family in spirit, if you want."Nate’s eyes flickered, searching her features. He had raced here expecting a rescue mission against the Black Church, only to find Hazel safe—and with a quiet statement that upended his world. "Safe... That’s...that’s all that matters. Just...who’s that guy in your life?" His voice caught.
At that moment, Luke approached with Tanya. Hazel promptly noticed, her posture relaxing. "Brother Nate... This is Luke," she said, summoning what little courage she had. "He’s, um, the boy I mentioned."
Those words landed like a thunderbolt on Nate. His mouth opened, then closed, the tension of disbelief and dawning reality sweeping over his features. For a second, time felt suspended. Luke rubbed the back of his neck, uneasy. Tanya hovered by, bracing for Nate’s reaction.
Nate locked eyes with Luke. They had encountered each other once in the past—Luke, the incredibly talented tutor, and Nate, the dual-element prodigy forging his own path. But never did Nate suspect Luke had grown this close to Hazel.
Sensing the awkward silence, Luke forced a calm tone. "Nate. It’s been a while, hasn’t it? I guess this isn’t how either of us planned to meet."Nate’s eyes flared with a burst of emotion—anger, regret, confusion, heartbreak, all swirling together. "Hazel is your...girlfriend?" He took a moment, clenching his fists before exhaling.
"But I thought... I mean, Hazel and I have known each other since we were kids."Tanya, standing behind Luke, pressed her lips together, recalling that once, Hazel and Nate had a deep, almost unspoken bond. Her eyes softened at the heartbreak etched on Nate’s face.
If the truth is that Hazel’s romantic path changed so drastically...this might be even worse for him than if the Black Church had abducted her, she mused with a pang of sympathy.
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End of the Chapter.
Thanks for reading.
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