Ella.
It had been three days.
Three long, endless days of cold stone, heavy chains, and silence that pressed against my chest until breathing itself felt like a burden. Somewhere between the hunger, the pain, and the loneliness, I had learned to accept my fate. There would be no mercy. No exile. I wasn't even given the chance to become a rogue—just death, clean and final, as if my existence had never mattered. I was just a vessel to be used at the meantime and discarded when not in need.
A hollow chuckle escaped my lips as I shifted slightly, the chains around my wrists scraping against the floor with a dull metallic sound. "I pray you die a thousand deaths, Alex!" I shouted suddenly, my voice hoarse but filled with every ounce of bitterness I had left. "And you Eva, I pray you die worse deaths than Alex!" The sound echoed back at me, unanswered, as the chains rattled with my movement.
"You both are Assholes!" I kept shouting at the top of my voice, as an untamed laughter erupted within me.
Then the prison door creaked open.
Harsh light flooded in, making me squint as three men stepped inside. They didn't speak to me. They didn't have to. Rough hands grabbed my arms, hauling me up without care for my weakened body. My feet dragged uselessly against the ground as they pulled me out of the prison, the cold air brushing against my skin like a final reminder that I was still alive.
The world outside was painfully bright.
I was dragged straight into a beautifully decorated gathering. Flowers bloomed everywhere, their fragrance thick and suffocating. Soft music floated through the air, mocking me with its cheerfulness. Wolves dressed in elegant attire filled the space, laughter and murmurs rising as they noticed me.
"Look at her," someone whispered loudly, eyes raking over me. "She really is fit to be a Luna."
Another voice followed, sharper and filled with ridicule. "How could a wolfless wolf think she could rule?"
"So ridiculous!" Another muttered, "Power is not for the weak."
"So pitiful, with the bruises on her body, she doesn't have a wolf to heal!" Another said, looking over me with pity.
And in a spilt second, laughter erupted around them.
More words came—cruel, merciless, but I barely listened anymore. Each insult slid off me like rain on stone. What does it matter now? I would soon leave this world. Their voices would mean nothing once I was gone.
Then silence fell.
My gaze lifted despite myself.
At the center stood Alex.
He looked regal, powerful, every inch the Alpha he was born to be. Beside him stood Eva, glowing in fine clothes, her hand wrapped possessively around his arm. They looked… happy. Whole. Like I had never existed between them.
The ceremony continued, each word sinking into me slowly, painfully. It was really happening right before my eyes. I closed my eyes tightly, to help steady my breath.
"Alpha Alex," the officiant called out, voice ringing clearly across the gathering, "do you take Eva Bliss as your mate?"
"Yes, I do."
The words landed like a final blow.
The smile on Alex's face was bright, brighter than any smile he had ever given me in all the years I loved him. There was no hesitation. No regret. Just certainty and joy, freely given to another woman.
At that moment, the last piece of my heart crumbled.
Alex never loved me.
I watched as he pulled Eva closer and claimed her lips possessively, his grip firm, his kiss deep and unapologetic. There was hunger in it, raw and unmistakable like he was starving for her touch. My chest tightened painfully, and without realizing it, I bit down on my lower lip, hard enough to taste blood. The tears I had sworn not to shed burned fiercely behind my eyes, fighting their way out despite my resolve.
Then, as if sensing my gaze, Alex turned.
He looked at me without a shred of guilt. No hesitation. No remorse. Hand still linked with Eva's, he strode toward me with slow, deliberate steps, every movement calculated to wound. My heart sank with each step he took closer.
"Ella Morrison!" he called out, his voice echoing sharply through the gathering. "Do you like the last gift I am giving to you?"
He turned his head toward Eva and laughed loudly, cruelly. "See you in the afterlife, Princess," he added mockingly, "but it won't be too soon."
My shoulders sagged under the weight of his words, or rather, his speech meant to destroy whatever was left of me. I searched his face desperately, hoping to find even a flicker of the man I once loved. But the dark intensity in his eyes was terrifying, unfamiliar, as though something monstrous had taken his place.
Was this really the man I loved… or was he possessed?
The question echoed uselessly in my mind as my heart broke all over again.
Summoning what little strength I had left, I lifted my head. "Can you grant me one last wish?" I asked suddenly, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me.
He paused, studying me coldly. "What exactly?" he asked, clearly amused.
"I would love to walk to the execution podium without the chains," I said softly. "Let me die with the little freedom I can still get."
For a moment, our eyes locked. The air between us felt heavy, charged. Then he nodded curtly. "Guards," he ordered, "unlock the chains."
The sharp click of metal echoed loudly as the restraints fell away from my wrists. The sudden absence of weight made my arms feel strangely light, almost unfamiliar. I took a deep breath, filling my lungs fully for what felt like the last time.
I straightened my back and carried myself forward, each step slow and sluggish as I walked toward the execution podium. My body screamed in protest, weak and exhausted, but I forced myself onward.
Then…
An idea flashed through my mind.
Run.
The word screamed inside my head before I even had time to think. My heart lurched violently as instinct took over. I didn't process it. I didn't plan it. I simply gathered the last shred of strength left in me and ran—ran as fast as my legs could carry me, my breath ragged, my heart pounding wildly in my chest.
I didn't look back.
I couldn't.
Behind me, chaos erupted.
"Catch her!" Alex's voice thundered across the grounds, filled with fury. "Ensure you kill her!"
His words chased after me like a death sentence, but I kept running, driven by fear, desperation, and the fragile will to live that refused to die just yet.