Chapter 11: The Next Kill

Hazel was still shaken by the dream she had had. She was still very much tired but she willed her body to move.

She was onward to the residence of the next Alpha–Gordon.

She did not know who he was nor where he resided but Raglan had helped out.

When she woke up, she noticed a note written in beautiful handwriting next to her.

It had the name of the next Alpha on the list and also directions to get to his palace, which was drawn in a crudely drawn map.

"The bloody bastard," Hazel had cussed when she saw the note.

Not only had he tormented her sleep, but he had not left her any food, not water as she had requested of him.

She was famished and so thirsty and was on the verge of fainting under the blazing sun when she found a small pond.

She filled her belly up with water before pouring some on her body to help cool her down.

For food, she picked wild berries from the forest.

She was lucky her dad had trained them on the vegetation of the wild so she had knowledge of what she could or could not eat.

She stuck to the forest, following Raglan's crude map that looked like a toddler drawing, avoiding the roads to not risk being caught.

After walking for hours, she finally came upon the palace of Alpha Gordon.

She was dumbstruck at the magnificence of the palace.

She had heard of Alpha Gordon before. She knew he was powerful and rich but she did not know it was this much.

Another thing she did not know was that he was the leader of the House of Midnight.

As the first son, he was the heir to the throne and since his father was already dying, he was practically the one in charge.

Also, unlike the other princes, he was much more industrious. He was lavish quite alright, but he made sure he made much that he could spend.

His palace was as big as a little town. It sat on acres of land and had properties spread all around it.

Hazel knew there was no way she was going to be able to sneak into Alpha Gordon's home. Not with the way she looked.

Moreover, Gordon was not as dumb as Kael. His palace was fortified. Everywhere she looked, she saw guards patrolling the area.

Killing him was not going to be anywhere as easy as killing Kael.

Instead of going into the palace, Hazel changed her route and rather walked out of the forest.

She came to a road and followed it. The map Raglan had left her, showed that the road led to a town which she was to avoid to minimize the risk of getting caught but Hazel knew that her only way of being able to complete the mission meant she had to go into that town.

The town was buzzing with excitement as she walked into it.

Everybody seemed to be doing something and doing it very fast. There were loud chatters and excitement. Everybody was so preoccupied that no one took notice of the mysterious beautiful stranger who had walked into their town.

Hazel did not want to ask anybody what was going on and draw attention to herself so she eavesdropped till she was able to figure out what was going on.

There was going to be a celebration the next day. At the Alpha's palace. It was the moon festival.

"I cannot believe the Alpha is still going to go ahead with the celebration even after what has happened,  " Hazel heard a woman say.

She had been leaning on the wall of a store that sold dried fruits. The woman who was speaking was with her friend and they just stood near Hazel making small talk completely unbothered about Hazel's presence as they were so engrossed in their conversation.

"Well, it's sad he is dead but that does not mean our lives have to stop! " Retorted another woman to the first woman.

"But it's his brother! " Protested the first woman.

Hazel smiled as it occurred to her what the women were talking about.

They were talking about her handwork.

"I heard he was found with his feet chopped and stuck down his mouth, " The second woman said and the first woman winced as she imagined it.

Hazel grew agitated. That was a false story. She was super tempted to walk up to the women and correct them by telling the, it was his dick which was shoved down his throat.

"Do you know what I heard? " The owner of the shop in which they stood said in a whisper. She had come out of her shop to join the conversation that was going on.

The other two women, including Hazel, listened with keen interest.

"I hear that a curse has come upon the family causing all of them to come to doom, " The shop owner said.

The other women let out a gasp as they were shocked at what they heard.

"It is said that all of them will meet their end very soon, " She added.

The rumors in this town seemed to be half-baked but at least this story was closer to the truth than the other one, Hazel thought to herself.

Hazel didn't quite agree with the fact that it was said that it was a curse that had fallen upon the Alphas but she agreed to the fact that doom was coming upon them. Although she will not necessarily call herself doom.

"There is now starting to be a power tussle on which clan or which pack will take over the House of Midnight if all the princes are wiped away, " The shop sellers said.

"That is true! " The first woman agreed to the words of the shop seller. "I overheard some men at the pawnshop discussing it. They said the most likely clan to take over the House of Midnight is the Red Night clan. "

Hazel almost jumped out of her skin as she heard that. She immediately got interested in the conversation.

Of all the places, and of all the times, she did not expect to hear anything relating to Asher here.

"The young Alpha?! " The shop seller asked unsurely.

"Yes! I hear that he learned very well under his father and is leading his pack well. He also recently just took a Luna for himself from the Dark Night pack and they would soon be wedded, " The woman added.

Hazel had started to feel faint. Her head felt woozy as she heard all that had been said about Maeve and Asher.

So he was going to marry her? Was that even possible?

She had totally zoned out of their conversation and was still thinking about Maeve and Asher when she heard more news.

"I hear the perpetrator is still at large and there has been offered a reward for anyone who will bring her in alive, " One of the women said, "and that it was some mysterious woman whom no one had ever seen. "

On hearing that, Hazel quickly regained herself and backed away from where she was, and went out of sight.

It was true, she was not safe over here.

She needed a change of outfit to blend in with the people as the skimpy clothes she was wearing were not going to suffice.

Having no money on her to buy clothes, she stole a dress.

It was a really beautiful yellow dress and it was hung out to dry. The owner must have washed it in preparation for the celebration tomorrow.

Hazel felt bad for taking it but she had to do what she had to do.

She found a tap on the outskirts of town and she washed up to look much more presentable.

She adored her new dress, discarding the one she had been wearing in a nearby bush.

She knew she looked pretty even without looking in a mirror.

Next, she needed shoes.

The ones she had had on had broken as she ran through the forest.

She walked back into town, this town feeling much more confident as she no longer looked like some hooker although she was still very much on the lookout and stayed out of the way.

She walked around, stealing food to eat.

She almost got caught as she stole a bunch of bananas.

She was able to fill her belly up, thereby regaining her strength.

Lastly, she stole a pair of shoes. This time, from a shop.

She had walked into the store as if she was there to buy.

Luckily for her, the seller was not attentive to her as she was busy with a lot of customers who had come to buy clothes and shoes for the ceremony tomorrow.

Completely clothed, and looking like a responsible person, she made her way to the palace on foot to begin her task.