Chapter 2 A fate worse than death
/-Ayla-/
The Moon festival. A sacred night, done to worship the Moon goddess, celebrated but once in a decade.
Tonight, Magnus would claim me in front of the whole kingdom and all my sufferings will come to an end.
“Let's welcome Alpha Magnus, he has important information to pass to us on this auspicious night.”
Here it comes.
Alpha Magnus made his way forward, his noble bearing unmatched.
“Today, I want to use this moment to make known that I have finally decided on the woman whom I will spend the rest of my life with.”
Soon, I stood side-by-side with Magnus and waited eagerly for him to say the words which I had imagined numerous times in my head.
And yet…
“I, Magnus Ashford, take you, Selene Valemont, as my mate!”
I froze.
Had Magnus gotten the wrong name?
Magnus turned around, and extended his hand towards Selene.
No…It can't be…
A bad foreboding emerged in my heart and even though I shook my head in denial, the truth had already settled in my bones.
“No, w…what are you saying?” My voice trembled as I took a shaky step forward. “You …”
He cut me short, with the same smile plastered on his lips, “I owe you nothing as I never accepted the mate bond to begin with,” He began, his smile twisting into a mask of indifference. “And now, before all present, I'm officially rejecting you.”
A violent force surged through me, wreaking havoc from within. I staggered, feeling the delicate strands of the bond, cruelly severed. A hollow ache settled in its wake that I could hardly breathe.
No…this cannot be…
I lifted my gaze to meet him, “Magnus, this is a joke, right?" I asked, clutching my heart as if to suppress the pain.
I even gave him my virginity.
But, he looked at me with a sneer, “A whore like you?" He spat sharply. "You are unworthy.”
Unworthy…
So he was just toying with my feelings all along? Making me see a future that never existed?
Selene suddenly turned to address the crowd, “My people. Ayla, here, tried to poison the King's meal.” She announced, and a stillness swept over the crowd.
My face fell, “What are you saying? I would never do that. Why would I want to hurt the royal father?”
Selene sneered, “Why can't you? You've always been greedy for the throne. And seeing how I became favored, you became desperate. You knew that the King would want to make me the next ruler, so you tried to kill him and ascend the throne as the first born.”
My legs shook at the enormity of the accusations, “That's a lie! I would never!” I yelled, but the accusatory gazes from the people said otherwise.
When I noticed that nobody believed, I turned to Selene, “Where is your evidence? How can you accuse me of something I did not do?”
Her lips curved into a brief smile, “An evidence? Of course, I do. I have a witness.”
My eyes narrowed.
Selene, then, pointed in a certain direction, “Come out.”
I spunned around to see a familiar figure walking over.
My brain blanked.
No, it can't be. It can't be.
“A…Amy?” I called out with quivering lips.
Amy approached us, and fell on her knees with tears streaming down her face.
“It's true, she really tried to poison the king. I was unable to watch as my lady succeed in her plan, so I switched the vial she gave me.”
I stared wide-eyed, unable to process what was happening.
First, it was Magnus and now, Amy?
Then, the people started pointing fingers at me.
“A murderer. She even tried to kill our king.”
“She deserves to die, kill her!”
“A killer deserves to be killed, how could she be so ungrateful?”
“She should be hanged!”
“Exile her!”
“Throw her into the wilderness!”
I could not even defend myself.
It seemed as though I had descended into hell in a single night with no escape route.
My father's face was twisted with disgust. Without saying anything, I could already see my verdict carved in his gaze, and all my hopes were doused.
He stared down at me, his gaze colder than an autumn chill.
“Throw her into the dungeons!” My father commanded with a wave of his hand.
The guards stationed at the other side of his throne walked forward.
I did not resist; there was no point.
“Eat!”
A crusty bun was thrown into the cell through the metal bars, and I crawled forward.
Despite the humiliation that clawed at my innards at being treated like livestock, the determination to survive prevailed.
I still had my child…
With both hands, I took the bun and, regardless of the dirt, placed it in my mouth and chewed eagerly. I've been locked in the dungeons for a week without food or water.
Just as I finished eating, an unexpected guest visited.
My royal father.
A flash of disgust and contempt darkened his features as he stared at me. I shifted uneasily, and listened as he began.
“Even though you are a disgrace to the bloodline, I cannot watch as you rot in jail,” He said, and hope glimmered within me. “Therefore, you will be given to Alpha Donovan of the Moon Pack as a tribute.”
My already pale face dulled even further, growing bloodless.
My lips quivered as I spoke, “No, I…I can not. Father, you can not…"
He snorted, cutting me short, “This is not a request, it is a decree. You should be honored that you are chosen for this role. It is already an incredible feat for someone of your status to be given to Alpha Donovan as tribute.”
I shook my head frantically, “Father, please. I can remain here, but please, don't send me out.”
But, he remained indifferent, “Your duty is to strengthen alliances and serve your people. In two days' time, you shall be sent away.”
After saying that, he left.
Gradually, my heart ran cold.
Alpha Donovan was an infamous man whose lecherous desires knew no bound. Countless women had been claimed by him, and none of them had ever escaped his clutches unscathed.
Some either vanished without a trace, while others, broken beyond redemption, lived out their days in misery.
My eyes blurred with unshed tears.
I can't stay here. I had to find a way out.
That night, I prepared myself mentally, waiting for a good chance.
That was when I heard the sound of footsteps and a guard came into view. Without saying a word, he opened the cell with the keys and stared at me.
“My lady, you should leave.” He said, and I froze.
“W…What?”
He continued, “I'm repaying a favor from your mother. So, you should run, run far away.”
Even though I felt suspicious, desperation clouded my thoughts and I found myself walking out.
In no time, I was already running along the wilderness.
But, I had barely run far when I heard it.
A sharp yell and the sound of footsteps behind me.
And when I turned around, I saw the Royal guards.
My face paled.
