CHAPTER 2
1147 Words
“So, I’m going to die? Uncle, you can’t let that happen to me! Please, I beg you. Do something. Help me!” I cried aloud.
“Nina, believe me when I say that I don’t want to bear the pain of losing my only surviving blood relative, but what can I do? How can I explain to my late younger brother and his mate that I failed to raise you well?” Uncle Derick lamented.
My already broken heart felt like it was being hammered to pieces after I heard those words.
“Uncle Derick, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” I continued to cry.
He wiped the tears on my cheeks and retracted his hand from the cell as he said, “Don’t worry. I will make sure you get a swift and painless death. It’s the least I can do.”
“Uncle Derick!” I raised my voice as he turned away from me and began walking out of the dungeon.
“Uncle Derick, wait! Please!” I continued to shout but he didn’t turn back. His figure disappeared, along with the sound of his footsteps.
Now, I was truly alone.
I collapsed on the cold cement floor and began sobbing heavily.
“Hey, can you cry quietly?” I heard a voice closeby, startling me.
I looked around my cell as I asked, “Who’s there?”
“Do you think you’re the only one locked in this dungeon awaiting execution? Be more quiet. We all have things to cry about here.” The male voice was laced with bitterness and sarcasm.
“I-I’m sorry. I’ll be more quiet,” I found myself saying, and I heard the boy laugh.
From the sound of his laughter, I guessed that he was a cell away from me. I wondered what he was locked in here for.
The thought quickly got pushed to the back of my mind as I decided to focus on myself and how I was going to escape execution.
A while later, the boy spoke up again, “Hey, crying girl. What did you do to get in here?”
“Why do you want to know?” My voice came out more defensive than I planned.
To this, the boy made a click sound with his tongue. “I was just trying to make a conversation. It’d be good for someone to listen to your story before you won’t be able to tell it, wouldn’t it?”
It took me a moment to respond.
“I killed my mate’s lover. I don’t remember doing it because I have a condition.”
“Ahhh, then you’ll die at peace. A fitting revenge tale,” the boy said casually.
“I didn’t kill her for revenge!” I interjected, then with a low voice, I said, “I don’t know why I killed her.”
It was quiet for a while before I asked, “What about you? What are you in here for?”
The boy laughed and said, “I’m a spy from another pack. I foolishly got caught before I was even able to gain any information. Pathetic, right?”
I was about to ask which pack but decided not to since it wouldn’t matter anyway.
“It’s sad,” was what I said instead.
“It truly is.”
The two of us didn’t say anything after that. I eventually grew tired and closed my eyes to rest.
I didn’t know how long I slept for but I woke up to the sounds of shuffling and hushed whispers.
“I was careless. I’m sorry.” This voice belonged to the boy from earlier.
“You fool. We’ll deal with you when we get back.” A female voice said this time.
After hearing those words, I realized what was happening. I quickly crawled to the front of my cell and said, “You’re helping him escape, aren’t you? Please, help me too. I beg!”
It was late at night, and there were only a few places in the dungeon that were lit up by the faint moonlight. But even at that, I could tell that there were two people trying to help the boy escape.
One male. One female.
The female was busy undoing the lock, so I focused on the male.
“Please, Mister. Help me escape from this place. I’m too scared to die, and I haven’t accomplished anything yet. Please! I’m only twenty years old. Help me!” I begged shamelessly, letting go of the little shred of pride I had.
“Why should I?” A cool, deep voice echoed in the dark dungeon.
I stuck my head out of the bars and looked to the left to see the outline of a tall man from the shadows.
“I- I…”
Suddenly, I couldn’t say anything. His question was right on track. Why should he help me?
“P-Please, I’m scared. I’m scared of dying. I don’t want to die. Help me, please.”
Just then, the female spoke up, saying, “Everyone is scared of dying. You’re here for a reason, aren’t you? You must’ve done something to make them keep you here. Why should we help you?”
“I’m inno-”
The word hung in my throat. Was I innocent? Did I deserve to be here and face execution? Maybe. But I was too scared to die just yet.
“I don’t believe I truly took someone else’s life in a state of rage and jealousy,” I said in a low voice, almost talking to myself. “I wouldn’t do that. I want to know what happened. I want to know if I’m truly guilty. I won’t know that if I stay here and wait for my execution.”
“What do you have to offer?” That deep voice sounded again. The owner was still hidden in the darkness.
I pondered on those words before speaking.
“Help me. I’ll do anything you ask. Please, just get me out of here. I beg you." I pleaded with the mysterious man in the shadows.
“Anything, you say? How reckless of you.” His deep voice echoed from the shadows.
“Still. I don’t care. Anything will be better than waiting patiently for my death.” I said, with a sudden burst of courage.
“Interesting…” The man said, then began walking towards my cell.
Little by little, I was able to make out his form clearly as he came out from the shadows. Tall legs, a muscular body, and a face that could render someone speechless from a single glance.
Once his figure was clearly revealed to me, I realized two things. This man was the storied tyrannical Alpha of the Crescent Moon Pack.
The second thing was that he was my “Mate.”
- Writer
