Chapter 5: EXECUTION

Elara

"You should listen to Emma," It was Jace who spoke now, "Save those fucking tears for tonight. You'll need them when those wolves are tearing you apart, limb by limb."

I stumbled back watching an evil smirk make its way up Jace's face. I couldn't believe my ears... and eyes as I watched the two people in front of me burst into laughter.

"Oh, I wish I could capture the expression on your face right now. You look like you're going to pass out." Emma chuckled, "You never saw it coming did you?"

I was at a loss for words as their mocking laughter filled my ears. I still couldn't believe my mate and sister had planned such a huge betrayal.

I knew Emma hated me so I shouldn't be surprised she would do something like this. But Jace?

Never in a million years would I have ever imagined the man I loved would betray me like this.

Jace was a man I considered my whole world, a man I loved more than myself and spent ten years of my life loving.

I still remember the first day I fell in love with Jace. I was getting beaten up by some of the children at the pack after school. One of the kids had a huge stone in his hands and had thrown it at me when Jace suddenly came in front of me and took the blow instead. He had chased away the kids and spoken to me very nicely.

I couldn't remember what he said but I remembered how happy I was. It was the first time someone spoke to me nicely in my life after all.

"Why would you do this to me?" I asked when I finally found my voice. "You are my mate, Jace. You love me—"

"Love?" Jace scoffed. "Did you believe I was in love with you?" He chuckled and snaked his hands around Emma's waist.

"I don't know what the moon goddess was thinking when she decided to make you my mate." His nose scrunched up in disgust. " How can someone like me, the future Beta of this pack, have a smelly and disgusting thing like you as a mate?"

"Jace—"

"You stink, Elara." He cut me off. "No one would possibly love a cursed and illegitimate thing like you. You're nothing but bad luck, a disgrace to your family and the entire pack. You don't deserve love or anything good in your wretched life!" Jace spat, glaring at me like I was nothing more than the dirt under his feet.

A sob broke through my lips as I watched him kiss Emma again. His lips moved from hers down to her neck and my eyes widened in horror when I realized what he was about to do.

"No... Jace, you can't—" A heart-wrenching scream escaped my lips as an excruciating pain hit me. Jace had just sunk his teeth into Emma's neck.

My mate had just claimed another woman.

It felt as if the air was knocked out of me and I fell to my knees, watching Jace mark my sister right in front of me. My wolf whimpered but there was nothing we could do except watch the heartbreaking scene in front of us.

It was soon over and I heard Emma moan as Jace licked the spot he had just marked. More tears flowed down my cheeks seeing them kiss again.

"Only a strong and beautiful woman like you deserves to be my mate, Emma." He cooed in her ears as she giggled.

"I'm yours forever, baby." Emma's reply made me want to puke.

"I'll never forgive the both of you for this." I gritted. I will never be able to forgive them.

Emma scoffed. "I see you still have the nerve to talk. What are you waiting for? Drag this bitch out of here."

Two guards I hadn't noticed before stepped forward at Emma's order and grabbed me.

"Wh-What are you doing? Let go of me!" I yelled as one of the guards grabbed me. Emma and Jace disappeared up the stairs and I was left struggling against the guards. My attempt to break free only earned me a hot slap from one of the guards before I was dragged out of the cell.

'She will be executed at Emma's party tonight.' A shiver ran down my spine as Father's words echoed in my ears.

Executed...

I was going to be killed.

I tried to struggle against the men holding me once more but it was useless as their grip around me only tightened. I was dragged through the now quiet pack and taken to the large event hall where Emma's birthday party was being held.

Dozens of eyes dug holes into my skin the moment the double doors flung open. I could tell the celebration was in full swing but everywhere went quiet the moment I stepped into the room. The guards dragged me down the aisle and threw me in front of the stage.

Up on the stage, I could see the father seated on a chair with his wife beside him, a scowl gracing both of their faces. The Beta family were also there and not too far from them, sat the highlight of the party.

She was dressed in an elegant pink gown and was smiling at something Jace was saying. They looked so good together, so much so that I began to wonder.

Maybe Jace was right. Maybe the moon goddess had indeed made a mistake by making his mate. Maybe it was supposed to be Emma all along.

A small sob reached my ears and I locked eyes with my best friend, Lori. Her eyes had turned red from crying and I saw her mouthed the words 'I'm sorry.'

I saw the Alpha give the slightest nod and some guards were behind me in no time. By the time I realized what was happening, my hands and feet had been tied up.

One of the pack warriors, a vicious man known for deriving pleasure from torturing others crouched beside me.

"I'll make this easy for you." He smirked, "Confess your sins and you'll die a quick death."

Quick? I almost scoffed. There was nothing quick about being torn to pieces alive.

"You tried to poison the Alpha's family."

"I did not—"

"According to the other omegas, you were on kitchen duty that day. Did you intend to use the poison in the food you were cooking? Did you want to kill your father?"

"I would never do something like that," I almost sobbed, "Please believe me, I'm innocent."

"Are you denying you weren't on kitchen duty?"

"Yes, but—"

"Emma found the poison in your room—"

"Because she planted it!" I half-yelled. "I haven't done anything. Emma was the one who—" A sickening crack echoed at the same time a heart-wrenching scream escaped my lips.

The warrior had stomped down on my knee, the force of it drove a bone to stick out.

"Tell us the truth," The muscular man growled. Another cry erupted from my lips when he stepped on the injured knee.

"I haven't done anything—" Those words barely left my lips when a whip landed on my back and I doubled over with pain.

My body arched as the whip struck, again and again, each strike tearing my skin apart. Pain shot up my torso as more blows rained down on me. I could hear the excited murmurs coming from the crowd around me.

Everyone was watching, everyone was enjoying this.

"Please believe me. I haven't done anything—" Another scream escaped my lips when the warrior applied more pressure on the injured knee, cracking the joint further.

My screams bounced off the walls as the blows kept coming till I couldn't feel my body anymore. By the time he paused, I was nothing more than a pile of broken bones and blood.

"That's enough." The Alpha's voice boomed through the quiet hall.

With great difficulty, I looked up to see Father staring at me. The look on his face was something I would never forget.

"I'm tired of hearing her pathetic screams. Kill her already."

Angry growls rang around me as dozens of wolves circled me almost immediately, baring their fangs at me. I whimpered as one of the wolves snarled at me as if saying he couldn't wait to rip me apart.

My heart raced.

Was this it? Was this how I was going to die?

My eyes locked on Emma and I saw the triumphant smile making its way up her face. She leaned into Jace and gave me a small wave, the smile on her face growing even bigger. At the same, the wolves dashed towards me.

I shut my eyes, waiting for the horrible pain that would follow but just as the first wolf reached me, a powerful voice rang through the entire hall.

"Touch her and you die."