The Alpha’s Possession

Chapter-2:Execution-At-The-Gallows

The sound of the broom swooshing against the marble floor was all Zephyr could hear as she remained lost in thought. She stood alone in the dark hallway, which was lit with torches that were placed at each side of the wall.

She was a slave; her status was lower than the maids in the castle, but she had been framed for something she didn’t do. Why? Who would do such? To crown it all, she had an encounter with the Alpha. He had told her she would become his property.

An Omega wasn’t allowed to breathe the same air as the Alpha, much less a maid. A slave doing such deserved to be cast to hell. She hadn’t known; she didn’t know he was the Alpha. If she did, she would have begged for death. After the guards had called him Alpha, she had run away, and she had no idea of the instructions he had passed to the guards concerning her case. Why? Why did the Alpha help her? She was of no use to him; she didn’t even deserve to clean the shoes he wore.

Lost in thought, she had unknowingly stopped sweeping and was now staring into space. Zephyr was jolted back to reality when she saw one of the maids approaching her, Sheila. Her back stiffened and she instantly resumed her sweeping.

Sheila stood in front of her as she stared at Zephyr with disgust. Zephyr stopped what she was doing and bowed deeply to her.

“Why did you stop sweeping? Didn’t I tell you this hallway should be spotless before dawn?” Sheila asked harshly, with a scornful look on her face.

This was their favorite hobby—belittling the slaves in the castle. Most of the slaves had been sent off to the homes of the elites to become maids there. She had been praying earnestly to be transferred as well, to be free from the harsh maltreatment from the maids.

Zephyr kept her head bent low as she knew talking back resulted in receiving harsh slaps and beatings.

“Shall I teach you the proper way to mop the floors?” Sheila asked with a wicked grin on her face.

Zephyr’s heart raced faster in fear and panic as she recollected the memory of how Sheila had dipped her head in the soapy water and had cleaned the floors with her hair. Zephyr instinctively took a step backwards, and that seemed to have irked Sheila as she lunged towards her and began pulling Zephyr’s hair harshly, enjoying as she cried in pain.

“Sheila,” they heard a woman call. They turned and saw the head maid; Sheila let go of Zephyr’s hair.

“That’s enough. Go trim the flowers in the garden,” the head maid said calmly.

“Okay, Mother.” Sheila threw a hateful glare at Zephyr before walking away. The head maid is actually Sheila’s mother; therefore, she’s given special treatment.

Zephyr didn’t need anyone to tell her it was obviously Sheila who framed her; it had to be her. The head maid walked towards her, and Zephyr’s head was bent low. The head maid terrified her; although she appeared calm, she was an extremely devious person. But then this same person had saved her; she had unlocked her jail cell.

“Thank you,” Zephyr said softly.

The head maid, who had never heard the slave speak, was a bit shocked, but her face was replaced with a grim look. Her eyes took in her ragged appearance as she became confused about what the lowly slave was thankful for.

“What are you thanking me for? Speak, slave!” Her voice went higher than normal and Zephyr flinched.

She became confused at her hostility. She had seen her that night; she had unlocked her cell and had instructed her to run as fast as possible. The woman who now stood in front of her looked like one who lacked kindness or compassion. Zephyr became even more scared.

“You… you… saved me from…” Zephyr stuttered fearfully, and her hands squeezed her ragged dress in handfuls. “I…”

“Courtney.”

They both looked up, and Zephyr swallowed hotly when she saw the scary butler standing there. His gray hair was combed backwards and his bright red eyes glared at them. He looked pale, too pale and lean, that he now looked like a corpse.

“What are you busy doing here while the maids are slacking on duty?” he asked grimly, and Zephyr bowed her head down; if it were possible, her head would have fallen off her neck at that rate.

“Pardon me, I’ll be there shortly, sire,” Courtney said, bowing deeply.

“Gather all the maids and slaves to the courtyard,” the butler said, with his eyes fixed on the slave. Courtney nodded and the butler walked away.

“You heard him, get to the courtyard immediately!” Courtney yelled, and Zephyr quickly sprinted away from there.

Courtney glared at the lowly slave as she wondered what she wanted to say. How she wasn’t executed the previous day for stealing an item that belonged to an elite was a huge mystery to her. She clicked her tongue in distaste, as she had wanted to watch the servant’s death.

Zephyr’s feet felt so cold as they pressed against the marble floor. Could it be that her name wasn’t cleared yet? Was that why they were summoned to the courtyard? To watch her execution? Her feet halted at once as she watched the maids make their way through the back door of the castle, Zephyr reluctantly joining them as goosebumps formed on her skin. She was a trembling mess when she arrived at the courtyard, and she quickly went to stand next to the other slaves.

When Alpha Damon arrived, everyone bowed deeply, and none dared to lift their head till he sat on the majestic chair right in front of the gallows.

Zephyr’s hands were clammy and her eyes were red with tears. No amount of preparation could prepare her for her execution.

“Bring her forward!” the head guard yelled.

To Zephyr’s surprise, it wasn’t her but another maid who was being dragged out by the guards. Her neck, hands, and feet were bound in shackles. Zephyr watched the young girl scream out pleas, but it all fell on deaf ears as the guards continued yanking her by the chains. They led her to the gallows.

“Have mercy on me, please!” the girl screamed, but none made any attempt to help her.

Zephyr watched Alpha Damon rise from his chair. His stance, footsteps, and everything else seemed calculated. His face was as cold and expressionless as stone, and Zephyr’s heart raced as she watched him approach the young girl.

“Alpha… Alpha Da..” the girl couldn’t complete her statement before Damon drew out his sword and severed her head with it.

Zephyr’s body became pale and cold as she watched the girl’s head roll down her lifeless body. The girl’s blood was now smeared on his handsome face.

Zephyr continued to watch him from the crowd as horror clouded her features. Her blood ran dry when his dark predatory eyes fell on her and a sinister smirk adorned his lips, as if telling her she was next.