I lay on the cold, hard floor, and tears began to gather in my eyes. It had been two days since Damian left my cell after asking one of his guards to give me water that barely quenched my thirst.
Two days without water, or even the faint light that reflected from the hallway. No one had been to my cell or the hallway to my cell.
At first, when no one visited again throughout that day and the next, I'd been thankful that I wouldn't be tortured even more. But now, I just realized spending two whole days, and counting in this cell without food, water, or light was the torture.
A cold mist escaped my lips.
I couldn't die here. Not like this. Not after everything I've been through to survive. But my vision already began to blur from exhaustion.
My breaths also came in shallow gasps.
I blinked slowly, then again, prepared to finally close my eyes when the faint light from the hallway caught my attention.
I didn't know whether to be happy about this or terrified at what was to come next but either ways, I was happy I wouldn't die alone. Dying alone with no one around was more terrifying than being tortured to death.
The door creaked open and two guards entered the cell. I could barely see their faces but I could imagine the horrible look they had on.
I listened to their steps that echoed throughout the room as they approached me, and they stopped when they got to where I laid almost dead.
"Get up!" One of them barked. His harsh voice that pierced through the silence was enough to force my eyes to open wide.
I tried to push myself up but my body refused to cooperate.
Noticing my struggle, the impatient guards dragged me roughly by my arm, hauling me to my feet. My knees buckled under the weight, and I would've collapsed if not for their strong grips.
I tried to resist but my strength was all gone. This is what Damian wanted from the start - to keep me in a completely hopeless and defenseless position where I wouldn't be able to resist whatever they threw at me.
"Time to face the consequence of your sin," the other sneered as they dragged me to the door of the cell.
I quivered from the pain I felt from all my injuries that were barely healed as I was pushed roughly to the hallway, and I fell with my knees on the floor.
Even if the hallway lights were not so bright, they affected me since I hadn't seen any for a while, so I squinted my eyes to avoid the brightness from entering fully into my eyes.
The guards got annoyed by my actions, and one of them yanked on my hair.
"Do you really want us to carry you there, you bitch?" He snarled.
I stifled a scream, and when they discovered the pain they inflicted on me wasn't making me move, they picked me up once again.
My legs dragged behind me as I was carried to the exit of the hallway. Two lines of at least seven guards stood there, and as they saw us approach, they opened the door that led us into a bright light.
For a couple of seconds, I closed my eyes from the bright light as I felt like needles were prickling at my eyes, but when I opened it again, I was in a courtyard filled with different people ranking from the low class to the high class even if each class had their space.
In the center of all those people, both the familiar and the nonfamiliar faces, Damian stood tall on a wooden platform, close to a guillotine, with a cheerful smile on his face.
The sight of him with that despicable smile on his face made me heart pound with fear.
Am I going to be killed?
Fear slithered down my spine as I was dragged to where Damian stood on the stage. I tried to figure out what was going on but with my exhaustion, I could barely think.
He told me two days ago that I would beg for my death before he will kill me. Why then was I dragged to the same podium law breakers were executed on when I don't remember begging to be killed?
The murmurs of the crowd grew louder as the guards pushed me forward, toward the stairs that led up the podium. As my confused eyes wandered around the people that stared at me with disdain on their faces, I could hear their scornful words.
"Look at how ugly she is... What was Alpha Damian thinking taking someone this ugly as his Luna?" A she-wolf gossiped to another as I walked past her.
"How can a Luna go against her Alpha?" Another said.
"I never knew she could be so shameless..."
"Poor Alpha Damian... After everything he's done for her, she still tried to sell him to his enemies. He must have been so heartbroken."
"I heard she also plotted against her family too and got them killed..."
The lies, the manipulation...
He was doing everything he told me he would do.
He had poisoned all their minds against me, and they had all fallen for his twisted narrative. They're even making up false rumors when I've done nothing wrong.
Tears brimmed in my eyes as my discolored bare feet climbed the stairs slowly, and every muscle in my body protested from the pain. Still, the guards held onto me so tightly that I could feel bruises forming under their fingers.
Fifteen steps were all it took after making it to the top to stand before Damian.
My heart sank as I stared into his green eyes that glistered with pleasure.
He walked closer to me and I bent my head terrified by what he was going to do next.
Leaning into my ears, "I'm so sorry this came sooner, my dear, but I have an important guest and your death is the best entertainment I could think of," he said, smiling smugly before walking away from me.
Turning to the crowd, raising his arms as if to embrace them. "Today, we witness the punishment of a familiar traitor. As much as it pains me to say it, you all know her. A Luna who dared to defy her Alpha. My ex-wife, Penelope Neville," he gestured to me and the whole crowd booed.
"Crucify her!"
"Let her burn!"
"Traitor!"
Tears threatened to fall from my eyes as I listened to their hateful chants.
Damian took a short exhale before continuing, "I hear you all. The pack deserves justice, and justice I shall give you."
"Yes!"
"Thank you, Alpha!"
They chanted even more.
As he lifted one of his hands to the air, the whole place became as quiet as a grave yard. "Let this be a warning to all who think they can defy my rule or plot against me."
He turned to me.
"Secure her," he ordered and the guards forced me to my knees. They bound my hands behind my back, and I moaned quietly in pains as I felt the rope cut into my bruised skin.
Without wasting any more time, they dragged me to the guillotine while Damian got replaced by Ethan, Damian's Beta, on the podium, who was in charge of executing Damian's orders.
One of the guards forcefully placed my head on the machine before stepping away from me.
I could hear the crowd's eager whispers, and I tried to control my breathing as fear consumed me.
I don't want to die.
Not now.
But this was the end for me, and this truth terrified the hell out of me. There was no escape.
Tears fell from my eyes, and I closed them as Ethan approached the guillotine.
"I'm waiting on your order, Alpha," he said to Damian who had already taken his seat at the front to enjoy the display, when he stood beside me.
Damian must have responded to him through their mindlink cause he didn't utter another word and just stood quietly beside me while the crowd continued to murmur noisily.
As I counted backwards awaiting my execution, my heart began to race. The drumming of my heart echoed so loudly that I couldn't tell when the crowd went dead silent.
"I thought you left, my king. We were all wondering where you disappeared to, but you came back at the perfect time. The execution is about to begin," Damian's voice sliced through the silence, but I paid no attention to it.
All I thought about was everything that had happened in my life before now. The happy moments, the sad ones, my family... I was going to be united with them again.
More tears swelled in my closed eyes as I heard Damian's last words...
"Proceed."
This was finally it.
My death.
I could imagine Ethan's fingers on the lever, and the sound of my heartbeat got replaced by a deafening buzzing sound.
I felt all the air squeeze out of my lungs until I heard it - the deep, hoarse voice that sent chills to my spine.
"Stop!"