Contract With The Alpha King
Contract 32

Chapter 32

"Ugh! I should have known better than to follow her," Fiona muttered under her breath as she wandered through the unfamiliar part of the garden. Her stomach growled, reminding her that she hadn't eaten since her shift ended. The exhaustion from the day's work at the

infirmary was catching up with her, and the last thing she wanted was to be stuck wandering aimlessly.

She'd been walking in circles, unsure of where she was. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. Why had she even agreed to follow Carissa in the first place? It wasn't like she didn't know what kind of person she was. Fiona should have seen it coming- the manipulative, condescending attitude, the offer to pay her off like she was some servant who could be bought.

"Money, jewels... as I'd care about that!" she thought bitterly. "Does she really think that's all it takes to make someone leave their life behind?"

Her feet ached from the endless walking. She hadn't been paying attention, too angry and distracted by Carissa's ridiculous offer. Now she was paying the price-hungry, tired, and completely lost. She hated the fact that she'd wasted her time on this nonsense. "What was I thinking?" she fumed silently. "I should've told her off right from the start. I should've just walked away."

The more she replayed the conversation in her head, the more frustrated she became. Carissa had acted so superior as if she had some right to dictate Fiona's choices. The arrogance! And now, Fiona was stuck, aimlessly walking in circles in a part of the palace grounds she didn't even recognize.

Her stomach growled again, louder this time. She hadn't eaten since midday, and it was starting to get to her. She didn't want to admit it, but part of her was furious at herself for even agreeing to meet Carissa. None of this would be happening if she had just gone straight back to Elijah's palace. Fiona sighed as she looked around, realizing she had wandered into some sort of maze. The hedges were taller than her, towering above like walls, and no matter which path she took, everything looked the same-endless green. She had stumbled upon a topiary once or twice, perfectly trimmed figures that almost seemed mocking in their neatness compared, to her current state of disarray. But beyond that, there was nothing to guide her out of this confusing mess.

""Of course, it

a

maze," she muttered under her breath, her frustration rising with each step. "Why wouldn't it be?"

Her bad luck was almost laughable. The path twisted and turned, offering no clear direction, and she kept hitting dead ends forced to retrace her steps. The hunger gnawed at her stomach, and her feet ached with each step she took on the gravel paths. She cursed under her breath as her shoes rubbed against the blisters forming on her heels.

"This day just keeps getting better," she grumbled.

She paused at yet another fork in the path, trying to remember if she'd already taken the left or the right earlier. Everything was starting to blur together, and she had no sense of direction. The air felt cooler here, shaded by the high walls of the maze, but it did nothing to ease her frustration or her growing exhaustion. She leaned against the hedge for a moment, closing her eyes in an attempt to calm herself.

"Goddess, help me," she prayed silently, though she wasn't sure if she was being serious or just desperate. "I'm never getting out of here on my own."

She knew that unless someone came looking for her, she'd be stuck in this maze for hours. The thought of being found wandering aimlessly, tired and hungry, only made her angrier. She could almost imagine Carissa's smug face if she found out Fiona had gotten lost in the garden like some helpless fool.

"Not that she'd ever care to look," Fiona thought bitterly.

Opening her eyes, she pushed herself off the hedge and forced herself to keep walking. She wasn't going to stand here feeling sorry for herself, but as she rounded another corner, her heart sank. Another dead end.

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Chapter 32

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"Of course." She sighed heavily, turning back the way she came, wishing more than anything that she had just gone straight back to Elijah's palace instead of wasting time on Carissa's ridiculous games. She could only hope someone would replace her soon before her bad luck got even worse.

Fiona froze mid-step as the sound of a scream pierced the air. It was faint, almost distant, but unmistakable. Goosebumps crawled up her arms as a sudden chill ran down her spine. She wasn't the type to get scared easily, certainly not of ghosts or superstitions, but that scream-it sounded off. Too eerie. Too real.

Her heart quickened as she stood still, straining to listen. Was she imagining things? The maze had been playing tricks on her already, and her hunger was making her feel weak. Maybe she was just hearing things, a figment of her exhaustion and frustration. Was it her hallucination? The wind shifted. A sharp, sudden gust blew through the hedges, sending a cold wave over her as if the temperature had dropped in an instant. The leaves rustled loudly around her, but beyond that, there was nothing. Silence.

"Calm down, Fiona," she told herself, though her voice sounded hollow even to her. "It's probably just the wind or someone else lost in this stupid maze."

Just as she was about to brush it off and keep walking, another scream echoed. Louder this time. Clearer. The hair on the back of her neck stood up. Her hands clenched into fists. This wasn't her imagination.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she tried to make sense of it. Was someone in danger? Should she call out, or was it wiser to stay quiet? She took a step forward, then stopped again, uncertainty weighing her down.

Fiona took another step, her ears straining for any other sound. Just as she was about to take a breath and calm herself, a sudden rustling in the hedges made her jump. It was loud, too loud to be the wind. Her heart leaped into her throat, and before she could think, her instincts kicked in.

Without a second thought, she turned and ran, her feet pounding against the gravel. Her breath came in quick gasps. The maze seemed to close in around her, the high walls of greenery blurring as she sprinted. Her mind raced, the eerie scream and the sudden noise behind her fueling her panic.

Then, out of nowhere, she collided with something-someone. Her body hit a solid chest, and the force of the impact sent/ her sprawling backward. She barely had time to brace herself before she landed hard on the ground, her butt hitting the gravel with a painful thud. Fiona groaned, the pain shooting through her lower back. She blinked, trying to make sense of what had just happened, her breath still ragged from the sudden burst of fear. Looking up, she saw the figure standing above her, their shadow looming over her in the dim light. 20:50 Sat, Nov 30

Chapter 33