Chapter 32
Hazel POV
I awoke to an unsettling silence. A glance at the clock told me why: 10:35. Fifteen minutes late, I thought, a familiar pang of annoyance in my chest. Fifteen minutes late to either win an award or lose it to someone else.
Still caught in the fog of sleep, I ran a hand over my neck, my scent gland tingling with an unusual sensitivity. My entire body was steeped in the scent of aged wine—Val's pheromones, subtle but all-encompassing. I rose and came face-to-face with the mirror, a silent witness to a night I couldn't remember. My clothes had been changed, even my underwear. I shot a silent, accusing glare at Val's side of the bed before making my way to the bathroom. Just as I stepped inside, Anna's voice, a high-pitched echo of panic, cut through the quiet.
"Sister, you're terribly late for the event!" Anna burst through the door, already rummaging through the wardrobe, her movements frantic as she searched for a unique dress for the occasion.
