Marry to Alpha or Vampire?

The streets were quiet, and Hazel allowed the gentle breeze to brush against her face. Perhaps she needed some time to clear her chaotic thoughts. Hazel chose to walk home, wanting to sort out her feelings.

Hazel wanted Alpha Cyril, and that desire had become increasingly intense. Whenever she was in the same room as Cyril, images of the punishments he had inflicted on her automatically flashed through her mind. Those punishments could break her will, and Hazel found herself unable to resist Cyril’s allure. She was entranced and willingly succumbed.

“Hazel, I’m sure you’ve angered him,” Rita’s voice echoed in Hazel’s mind.

“He’s angered me too,” Hazel replied, not wanting to expose her overwhelming need for Cyril’s so-called punishments in front of him.

“You need to calm down,” Rita knew that Hazel was on the verge of anger.

“I am calm, Rita,” Hazel roared, not wanting to continue the conversation.

Rita grunted, two equally stubborn and headstrong people.

Upon returning home, Hazel found her grandmother and Gerard preparing afternoon tea. They were quietly conversing in the kitchen. This time, Hazel couldn’t hear any of their words. She didn’t know what her grandmother and Gerard were hiding, but they seemed to have endless things to say. As soon as she appeared, they would immediately change the subject.

“I’m back,” Hazel walked to the dining table, where she saw some food already laid out, but she had no appetite to try it.

“Hazel, how was today’s patrol?” her grandmother asked.

“There was an injured girl in the forest. We took her to the infirmary,” Hazel replied, her face sporting a tired smile.

“What? Who is she? What’s her name?” Her grandmother looked at Hazel in shock.

“She’s someone I don’t know. According to Marcus, her name is Fiona,” Hazel shook her head and added, “Marcus is the new member in our patrol team.”

“Hazel, be careful,” Gerard spoke up.

He had a keen intuition. With one girl already dead in the pack and now another injured in the forest, it would be hard to avoid suspicion. The Iron Star Pack might not be safe.

“Don’t worry; I’ll protect myself,” Hazel nodded.

Her grandmother brought out a banana pie from the kitchen. Suddenly, Hazel’s phone buzzed, and she saw a message from Eloise.

“Hazel, our usual spot, don’t stand me up.”

“Grandma, Eloise and I are going out for a while. You don’t have to save dinner for me,” Hazel said before leaving the house.

Hazel headed towards the city center. The “usual spot” Eloise mentioned was their favorite ice cream parlor. It was located on a bustling street, and many people were waiting in line to get in.

When Hazel reached the ice cream parlor, Eloise was already seated by the window. She waved at Hazel, who sat across from her.

“Hazel, take a look at the menu. What do you want?” Eloise placed the menu in front of Hazel.

Hazel’s finger stopped at the pistachio chocolate ice cream. Eloise immediately knew her choice.

After they placed their orders, the server brought their ice cream. Hazel took a spoonful of her pistachio chocolate ice cream and tasted it. The flavor was just as she remembered, still delicious.

“Why did you want to meet up today?” Hazel asked Eloise as they hadn’t been out together for a while.

“Hey, I ran into Putnam the other day. He’s back,” Eloise wore that gossipy expression.

Eloise knew everything about Hazel’s past with Putnam, and it was because of Putnam that Hazel had conflicts with her. Now that Putnam was back, Eloise wasn’t sure if Hazel would be dragged back into it.

Hazel rolled her eyes; it was Putnam again. She was utterly repulsed by that name now. “Sweetie, are you sure you want to talk about him? I know he’s back.”

“What? You mean you’ve already seen him?” Eloise covered her mouth, looking shocked. Hazel had never mentioned this.

“I ran into him on the school’s back hill. Later, he came to my house,” Hazel shrugged, not planning to meet Putnam; it was unintentional.

“What’s your take on him now?” Eloise looked at Hazel.

“Listen, I don’t feel anything for Putnam anymore,” Hazel emphasized.

“He shouldn’t have treated you that way,” Eloise was still indignant on behalf of her best friend.

“It doesn’t matter anymore, Eloise,” Hazel took another bite of her ice cream.

“I saw him in the forest the other day, but he didn’t see me,” Eloise waved her hand. That day she hurried to Hazel’s house as fast as she could and ended up seeing Alpha and Theo.

“I’m not attached to Putnam anymore. He can’t stir any feelings in me,” Hazel spoke with firm determination.

Eloise studied Hazel’s face seriously. It seemed like she genuinely didn’t care anymore, which was a good thing. Eloise had never thought Putnam was right for Hazel; she deserved someone better.

“Is it because of Alpha?” Eloise once again wore that gossipy expression. She was more than happy to see her best friend with a powerful Alpha. Hazel would make a perfect match for him.

“Don’t mention him,” Hazel had a hint of resentment in her voice.

“Did you have a falling out with Alpha?” Eloise leaned closer, sensing that something was off.

“I don’t want to talk about him now. Today is about a girls’ outing,” Hazel waved her hand, signaling she didn’t want to discuss the topic any further.

She didn’t want too many people to know about what had transpired between her and Cyril, even her best friend.

“Of course, let’s cast away our troubles,” Eloise flashed a smile. Since Hazel didn’t want to talk about it, she’d drop the subject.

After finishing their ice cream, Eloise led Hazel on a shopping spree at the mall. They bought clothes and skincare products, and it wasn’t until the sun had set, turning the sky dark, that they decided to end this girls-only outing.

Hazel and Eloise left the city center, walking back home together. They enjoyed the companionship, reminiscing about their school days.

The streetlights were on, and the small town was incredibly peaceful.

“I wonder how Fiona is doing,” Eloise suddenly mentioned the girl from the forest. No one knew how Fiona had been injured, except for the girl herself.

“Thank goodness she’s alive. I hope she’s okay,” Hazel sighed deeply. To be honest, when she saw Fiona, she could feel her heart racing. Maybe Bessie’s lifeless body had given her such a visual shock that now whenever she saw someone lying on the ground, she suspected if they were dead.

“Maybe we can visit her tomorrow,” Eloise suggested.

“A good idea,” Hazel nodded. She also wanted to see the poor girl.

“I hope everyone in the town stays safe. They haven’t found Bessie’s killer yet,” Eloise expressed her concern.

Hazel hadn’t told Eloise about the outsiders because she didn’t want to burden her. Moreover, she was already working with Cyril, and she couldn’t involve more people in this conflict. She needed to ensure Eloise’s safety, and not letting her know about this was the best option.

“Cyril will investigate it, don’t worry,” Hazel reassured her.

On their way home, they had to pass through a corner and cross a small alley. It was the shortest route that led directly to Hazel’s backyard. She could enter her home through the back door. A short distance away from her backyard was Eloise’s house, where she lived with her mother.

Hazel and Eloise chatted incessantly about their past adventures. However, as they stepped into the small alley, their laughter abruptly stopped. The whole world fell silent, leaving only the sound of Hazel and Eloise’s heartbeats.