Chapter 12: Bitter Reunion

There was a deafening crash from behind the doors, followed by a low grunt of pain as steel made contact with flesh, the sickening sound making Hazel's face drain of all colors.

Hazel only stood still for a few seconds before her instinct took over and she approached the massive, metal doors, pushing it open just as the ruckus died down.

She tightened her grip on the food tray as she stepped into the hall, the metallic scent of blood wafting into her nostrils. Hazel glanced around and took in the sight of the messy hall.

Tables had been upturned and scattered, with some already broken into pieces of fragments, shattered pillars and the cracks in the wall was a testament to what had just happened a few seconds ago.

The hall was swarmed with the pack’s royal guards, heavily armed and sharp eyes fixated on the group of people dressed in black in the middle.

The smell of the blood was even more pungent, making Hazel scrunch up her nose.

At the center of it all stood Damien, unharmed and unmoved as he sat at the far end of the hall. But his grim expression showed that he wasn’t so calm.

Seeing that he was okay, Hazel almost could not resist sighing in disappointment. Coincidentally, her eyes met with Damien who seemed to catch the flicker of disappointment, but Hazel did not bother to hide it.

It was not a hidden fact that she wanted him dead.

Damien’s attention shifted to the group of people who had the audacity to rebel against him and his blood boiled due to rage, his expression so grim that it could drip with cold water.

“Remove their masks!” Damien ordered coldly, and the guards quickly did as told, removing the masks of the group one by one.

They were forced on their knees afterwards, most of them bleeding. There was even one who had been impaled against the wall with a wood spinster, his blood pooling under his legs and his head lowered.

His life and death remained unknown.

Then as their masks were pulled away to show their features, Hazel’s body trembled and her breath ceased.

She knew that face.

She would recognize it even in her dreams.

It was on of her father’s men, who had not been able to escape the fate of being captives and slaves. Hazel had watched how they were dragged away, with their fate unknown.

Who would have thought…

The shock on her face couldn’t be anymore obvious as more masks were ripped aside. More familiar faces, male and female likewise.

Her pack members…

They were faces she had laughed with, trained with and lived with for years.

Now they were bloodied and battered.

Then she saw her once again.

Hanna, her childhood friend whom she had already considered a sister. The same girl who would brush her hair gently and play games with her in the garden.

The same girl now looked different. The gentle features Hazel had grown up to know had sharpened into cruel demeanor, black eyes deep with killing intents.

Hanna had her shoulder pierced by a blade, ripping aside the fabric she was putting on and flesh.

Hazel’s hands holding the tray trembled and threatened to fall.

“Hanna…” Hazel whispered, her voice breaking.

Even though her voice was low, it still couldn’t escape the detection of a powerful man like Damien. Actually, before she even said anything, he already felt her presence the moment she entered the hall.

Her legs carried her forward before her brain could and she stopped a few distance away from Hanna and the others.

Hanna lifted her bloody head to glance in Hazel’s direction and a hint of warmth flashed in those cold eyes.

“My lady.” She whispered softly. When she saw the tray Hazel was carrying, she trembled subtly.

Who would have thought that the princess she had served diligently all her life would be reduced to a mere maid?

And it was all that man’s fault, that beast who had no heart.

Hanna does not regret attacking the man, the only regret she has was being unable to inflict a wound on him.

Hazel felt as though her heart was being ripped to shreds, she almost could not breath. The guards did not allow her to approach and kept her at arms length, away from Hanna.

Damien turned slowly to face her, his gaze darting between Hazel and Hanna.

He snorted through his nose, his face unexpectedly calm. “You know them.” It wasn’t a question, but a statement uttered matter-of-factly.

Hazel’s lips parted, but no sound came out.

“Then, you must know of their plan.” He added.

Hazel did not say anything, but Hanna could not continue keeping quiet.

“My lady has no idea about this plan, she knows nothing about it. You’ve been keeping a close eye on her these days, how possible is it for her to meet with us?” Hanna scoffed angrily.

She knew she was going to die anyways, but she did not want to implicate Hazel.

The guard behind Hanna head butted her and bellowed angrily. “Mind your tongue when speaking to the king.”

Hanna remained unyielding, unwilling to give them the satisfaction of seeing her in pain.

“A king? More like a beast without a single shred of humanity,” She retorted, wishing that she could hack Damien to death right there and then.

For a while, Damien was quiet.

Then he smiled. The kind that gave Hazel chills as a bad premonition emerged from the bottom of her heart.

She knew that nothing good ever comes out after that smile.

She could only plead, hoping that he would listen. “Alpha, please spare them. T…they don’t…”

“Drag them out. They are to be fed wolfsbane and beaten until there is not a trace of life in them.” Damien ordered coldly.

“No! Please…! I beg you…”

But Damien had no plans on listening to her, he already made up his mind.