Chapter 4

Hazel POV

I spent the whole day thinking but I finally came to a resolution. The only way I could know if Xavier had indeed discovered my secret and if he still trusted me, I decided I would offer to take charge of access and security. I figured that if Xavier agreed to give me such an important role, then he hadn’t yet figured out my secret and still trusted me

I found Xavier in his study room. Zoe was there with him and they were having a conversation I couldn’t quite hear. I walked in, capturing both of their attention.

“Oh hey, Hazel. Xavier and I are working on the pack's guest list,” Zoe smiled at me.

I almost lost my composure when my eyes met with Zoe and the scene of how she kissed me flash through my memory but I was quick to wave it off and to focus on the reason why I was here. She was wearing a big smile on her face as if nothing had happened while I'm here feeling uncomfortable with her presence because of the same kiss.

Zoe steals my first kiss away and that's unfair.

“Hi,” I greeted sheepishly. I hadn’t seen Xavier since the whole thing that happened in the morning. Xavier also looked flustered and tried to avoid my gaze.

“Xavier, did I tell you I was going to the gala with Hazel? You snooze, you lose,” Zoe said to Xavier.

“Oh is that so now?” He said, his eyes trained on me instead. He felt like someone landed him a blow in his stomach although I couldn’t understand why he looked that way and if I should go out with Zoe when I am of the same gender as him.

“Yes. She asked, I accepted,”

I cleared my throat, “well, that’s not why I’m here. I came to offer to be in charge of access and security.”

Xavier just stared at me for a few seconds, which made me start to panic. Did he know? I had almost started hyperventilating before he spoke.

“Sure. But you can’t do that alone. I’ll join...”

“I’ll join him,” Zoe cut off.

At that moment Xavier's facial expressions changed so quickly that I was able to notice it and I felt a pang in my gut.

Was this what jealousy felt like? I rarely ever had this feeling, and the look on Xavier's face says it all that he probably is having this same feeling as I do.

But why?  

He was a person that always got everything he wanted. But I was still struggling to understand why he was jealous of Zoe being with me. And who exactly was he jealous of, Zoe or me? But the next word that came out of his mouth got me even more confused.

“I’ll join you two. After all three is a sacred number,” he offered.

“Yeah, sure,” I agreed.

I walked back out of the study, leaving Zoe and Xavier, my heart a little bit relaxed at the confirmation that Xavier didn't find out anything or suspect me.

The Red Moon Gala is the most important werewolf event, an annual gala where werewolves who have attained the age of eighteen would be matched with their mates. Which was why it was a great honour Silver Moon would be hosting it this year.

That night, me, Zoe, and Xavier were on patrol duty. It was basically just a night watch, sometimes rogues and other packs attacked rival packs. While patrolling close to the bushes, I found a fruit I recognized. It was very poisonous. And then another plan to kill Xavier formed in my head.

There was no way Xavier, a privileged and protected wolf who had lived all his life in the pack would know what this fruit was. I would feed this to him and watch him die. So I plucked it and walked back to where the other wolves were.

“Hey Xavier,” I called over to him. “You hungry? Found some fruit in the bushes over there.”

Xavier shot me a smile and took the fruit out of my hands. Zoe watched this with contempt, jealousy written all over her face. Zoe had tried so much for about a year now to get with me but it only seemed the more she tried, the more I pushed her away.

As Xavier was about to eat the poisoned fruit, Zoe piped up.

“I also want that fruit Hazel, did you think of that before you handed it to Xavier?” Zoe confronted me.

I tried to hide my annoyance at Zoe for trying to be a hindrance to my mission.

“Zoe, don’t be like that. Here, you can have it,” Xavier handed the fruit to Zoe but not before I grabbed it and threw it away. Zoe and Xavier turned to face me, stunned.

I chuckled nervously trying not to look suspicious. “That one had a bug on it anyways, I’ll find you a better one,” I lied.

 Throughout the patrol, Xavier watched as I sulked. And he had this look on his face as if he had offended me and he was afraid I was indeed sulking because he rejected me unknowing to him that I was grieving over another failed kill.  

With the way Xavier is constantly looking at me, he must be thinking that I'm obviously angry because he attempted to give away the fruit I gave to him to another woman...unknown to him that I'm sober because of another failed mission.

“So about that powerful alpha that offered his sister to you in marriage, Roman, is it not? Have you thought about it?” Zoe asked Xavier, trying to spark conversation as there had been an unusually awkward silence for minutes.

“I definitely have. On one hand, an alliance like that would strengthen the pack. But on the other…” he paused when he gazed at me.

“On the other hand what?” Zoe enquired.

I acted indifferent about the topic of conversation even though it devastated me. It would even make Xavier harder to kill if he allies with a powerful pack.  I kicked a stone in frustration, which Xavier noticed. He must’ve mistaken my action for jealousy because he immediately said, “You know what? I’m going to decline the proposal. I don’t think I’m ready, you know. I’m still young and there are still many wolves in the woods.”

He added, “And besides, I find it suspicious he’s thirty and unmarried and yet eager to marry off his 18-year-old sister. It seems like he’s just trying to occupy Silver Moon. It’s no news our pack is seemingly getting weaker year after year since 13 years ago, when…” his voice broke. Zoe understood and so did I. Everyone knew the story of how the Ex Alpha, Xavier's father, mysteriously got murdered thirteen years ago.

Well, I was relieved he was going to decline the offer.

“I’m just trying to figure out a way to refuse the offer while also maintaining the mutual friendship between both our packs.”

I wore a devilish grin, “I’ll handle that.”

 I don't want Xavier to marry Roman's sister not because I have feelings for him, no, I don't want him to ally with this pack because that will hinder my chances of killing Xavier easily.

I will have to stop Xaivier from getting married to Roman's sister so my plans of killing him won't be jeopardised and I have to think of a perfect plan for that.  

I was silent for a while thinking of what to do then something came up. Rumors are like a wide fire that spreads faster than a contagious disease. How about I fake a rumor of dating the Alpha to stop him from getting married.

I smirk when I think of how perfect my plan is going to work.