KIRA'S POV
All through the night, I was tortured by the stench of dried piss plastered to my body.
Haunted by my bleak future, I didn't get a wink of sleep.
The first ray of dawn hit, and I sat up, burying my back against the wall.
I was too weak to cry, yet felt too sad not to.
"Please moon goddess. Save me," I prayed silently.
As I opened my eyes, I saw a man opening the cell.
My eyes widened in shock, wondering if the moon goddess had quickly answered my prayers.
The strange man walked into the room,and without saying a word, threw a thin satin material on me.
"Cover yourself," he said when I didn't budge, but only just stared at him in confusion.
I looked down, and a gasp of horror escaped my throat when I saw I was naked.
Swiftly, I wrapped the thin material around me.
It did nothing to completely cover my nakedness, but at least, it was better than nothing.
"Let's go," he said, and my heart missed a beat.
Before I could even wrap my head around the swiftness of my answered prayers, he grabbed my hand, and pulled me up.
In a moment, he was dragging me along with him through the dark halls.
I couldn't see anything. The path was as dark as it was silent.
My loud drumming heart was the only sound my ears caught. That was until we burst into the open.
"Oh no," I thought in panic, when I saw the wolves of gathered in a field with a pit.
On my arrival at the premises, everyone turned to me as the man dragged me forward.
A couple of people we walked past covered their noses, and I could tell it was because I reeked of dried piss.
Tears hung at the corner of my eyes, but the strength to push it out eluded me.
This was another round of humiliation for me, and there was absolutely nothing I could do to stop it.
He let me go to an elevated surface, from where I could see the pit and all that was happening in it.
Of course, I was isolated. Every other person in the field that was more like an arena because of how huge it was, stood far away from me.
I started to feel a prick on my skin, and a slight ting, so I looked up, and turned to my left.
My eyes caught that of the Alpha's, and he sneered.
I didn't understand what that meant, until the Alpha spoke.
"According to the customs of bloodmoon, we're going to have the execution at the first light of day!" He growled powerfully, and his wolves howled in response.
I didn't understand anything happening, and kept looking around for an explanation.
My predicament finally dawned on me, when a man was led to the pit with his head bowed.
"Father!" I thought, my eyes bulging in horror.
"I, Alpha Cade of bloodmoon pack, declare that you, Alpha Leon of ForestGreen pack, have crossed, and betrayed me. My verdict is death by chopping off your head! Kill the traitor!" He declared.
In my head, I still thought it was all a dream. None of these things were happening.
However, it happened so fast. My father's neck was secured with a pillory, and in a twinkle, an axe chopped it off.
"No!" A guttural scream left my depths, whilst the crowd around me cheered like bloodthirsty monsters.
Another scream echoed from the other side, and as my gaze spun towards it, I saw my aunt.
Our eyes met, and we screeched in unison.
"Let this serve as a warning. Alpha Cade will not be fooled!" another man said.
"You will pay for what you've done, Alpha Cade. You will not escape judgement!" My aunt kept screaming as she was dragged away.
I didn't know how to react anymore, as I went silent with disbelief. I was frozen to my bones. Completely dissociated with my mind.
There was no protest from me when I was led away. Just silent musings, and a refusal to admit to myself that my father was really gone.
Even when my body kissed the damp floor of my cell, I still didn't react.
The pain I felt deep inside me was so raw, it needed no expression. Only dark, overwhelming silence.
Another strange thing happened right after I was dumped on the cold floor.
I became drowsy. So drowsy, I fell asleep before I could even think of it.
A dream followed the sudden sleep. In the dream, I saw the mistress of the alpha.
My heart shuddered on seeing her, because it was a strange sight.
She was whispering into the ears of the man that had led me out of my cell earlier today.
Somehow, I could hear what they were saying.
"It begins now, before anyone suspects anything. If the alphas health starts to deteriorate, people would think it's because of the curse the woman placed on him today. They'll kill her."
My ears twitched in disbelief of what I was hearing.
This was a plot to kill the alpha. His own mistress wanted him dead.
I just didn't understand why.
"What do you need me to do?" The man asked.
"Simple. There'll be a celebration tonight. Spike his wine with that herb I gave you. Be generous with it too. It's untraceable, so no one will detect it. Not even the pack doctor."
My eyes opened instantly, and as I made to scream, I clamped down my mouth hard.
Whilst it was true that I had these strange dreams which more than often, came to pass, this could just be one of those that didn't.
Perhaps, because I couldn't express my grief, my mind decided to conjure a fake plot for the alpha to die.
Even if my dream was true, why would I help the alpha that killed my father right in my face?
I left him to his own faith, and just stared at the wall.
The sun reached its peak, and I knew from how warmer the cell got.
No one looked for me to offer me food, water, or a change of clothes.
I was truly alone with my inability to grieve, and not knowing how my aunt fared.
Night came, and the sound of a drum awoke my sleepy head.
My nose sniffed the air, as the smell of food saturated the cell.
"You shouldn't sleep that deep," a voice said, while I tried to adjust my eyes to the darkness.
"Who are you?" My body shuddered in fear.
"I brought you food," she replied.
"What's that sound?" I asked, closing my ears.
"Oh, it's the drum that plays right before the alpha takes his first drink, whenever there's a celebration, it—"
Before she was done speaking, my reflex took over, and I jumped to my feet.
Running past her, and through the cell door that was open, I followed the sound of the drum.
I ran, and ran, ignoring how heavy my breath was becoming.
My legs carried me from the dark path to an illuminated area, which made me aware I was now out of the cell, and closer to the residential areas.
"You?!" I heard a guard call, as I ran towards him.
He opened his hands to grab me, but I easily side stepped him, and pushed the door he was guarding open.
The drums had stopped, and the alphas cup was just inches close to his opened mouth, when I skipped past all the obstacles in my way, and leaped.
This time, my calculation was precise. My
legs touched the ground in front of him, and I pushed the cup out of his hand.
"It's poisoned!" I screamed.
Silence instantly swallowed the entire room.