Alice pulled the hood of her black sweatshirt lower over her head and adjusted the mask over her face. Her heart pounded against her ribcage like a war drum.
The fact that she had found a perfect spy outfit—or rather was able to make one out of her wardrobe was thrilling.
If she got caught sneaking out, she’d never hear the end of it—and God only knew what the entire Wildfire would cook up in retaliation.
"Stay cool," she whispered to herself. "You’re a spy. A sleek, invisible, highly trained spy."
She wasn’t, but delusions were comforting.
Delulu was the solulu.
With her sneakers firmly laced and her hoodie zipped to her neck, Alice slinked through the side of the mansion, keeping to the shadows. She could not see any obvious cameras, but she still tried to be stealthy. She was used to this life, after all. Navigating blind spots had become her special talent.
She crouched behind a hedge, eyeing the nearest camera as it swiveled away. This was her chance. Darting forward, she hugged the wall and moved swiftly along the perimeter. Her breath caught when a motion-sensor light flicked on.
She froze, heart racing, but nothing happened. No alarms, no guards. She let out a shaky breath and continued her mission.
After what felt like an eternity of crouching, darting, and nearly tripping over garden stones, Alice reached the outside. She found the gap in the hedge she’d spotted earlier and squeezed through it, her hoodie snagging on a branch but she was soon able to get her freedom.
The air outside... it felt fresh.
But she didn’t have time to appreciate nature.
She had to run. First, it would help her clear her mind.
Second, she would get meat, eat it somewhere secretly and return before curfew.
With renewed determination, Alice broke into a jog, the cool night air filling her lungs. She felt almost euphoric—like she’d outsmarted an entire fortress.
Nothing could take away the joy of this present moment from her.
A fierce, guttural bark that sliced through the night.
Alice’s blood turned to ice. She stumbled to a halt, heart pounding.
"Please tell me that’s someone’s TV," she whispered.
The bark grew louder, more ferocious. Then came the heavy thud of paws against the ground.
Alice turned, and her stomach dropped.
A massive German shepherd was charging toward her, teeth bared, eyes gleaming under the moonlight.
"No, no, no!" she squeaked, her voice cracking.
Her survival instincts kicked in. She spun on her heel and sprinted down the path, arms pumping wildly.
"WHY IS THIS HAPPENING? WHY IS THIS MY LIFE?" she wailed between gasps, her legs burning as she pushed herself to run faster.
The dog was gaining on her, its barks echoing through the night like a death knell.
Meanwhile, on a balcony overlooking the estate, Clarisse shot up from her seat, nearly spilling her drink. "Who the hell is that?"
Milo squinted into the darkness. "Isn’t that Devil? Who let him out of his cage?"
That dog—Devil, belonged to the Wildfires.
Rowan, the quiet chef, also stood, eyes curious as they watched the figure in black sprinting for their life with Devil hot on their heels.
Just then, Hades and Gavin approached the balcony, drawn by the commotion. Hades’ sharp gaze locked onto the scene below.
The figure was fast—unnervingly fast. Most people froze or tripped when Devil came after them. They could hear screams, and... curses?
A slow, amused smile spread across Hades’ lips. "Aurora."
They all looked at him and then down but the figure already sprinted far ahead.
Milo’s jaw dropped. "How... how can you tell? They’re in all black. And that sprint— looks like a professional athlete!"
"And why is she running in the opposite direction of the mansion?" Clarisse asked.
Hades didn’t answer. He turned to Gavin. "Let’s get Devil."
Gavin sighed but followed as Hades strode off with an air of calm authority.
Meanwhile, Alice was gasping for breath, her lungs burning as she darted around a corner. By some miracle, she had been able to hide from the dog that had run ahead of her. She could hear it barking far ahead.
"Who... the hell... leaves a wild dog unleashed?" she panted.
They were all crazy in this place.
Were they trying to have her killed?
Her hoodie was drenched in sweat, and her legs felt like jelly. But she’d survived.
It was hard to believe that she had almost died on her second night here.
The good thing was... no one had seen her.
But... how was she to return?
The thought of bumping into that dog again sent her heart racing even faster.
However, she would regret it if she came out here without achieving what she had initially come for.
But when she entered the steakhouse, it reminded her once again that she was in another world entirely.
"Is... is this for a single steak or the entire cow?" she whispered in disbelief when she saw the menu.