It Feels Like the End

Maria no longer cared about the smell and the dirt on the cell as she curled in fetal position on the cement floor crying soundlessly. No sobs came out only tears streamed down her delicate cheeks. She would choke from the huge lump that continued to grow in her throat threatening to cut off her oxygen supply.

But Maria did not care, maybe death was better than the pain she was feeling at that moment. But the body has a way of protecting and defending itself from harm. As she cried and the lump grew preventing her from breathing.

The body continued to force her to take a breath. After being rejected by Eric like that Maria lost all hope. Her mother has not gone to see her in two days, Eric just rejected her, Maria had a feeling that things were going to get worse from that point.

She did not want to face whatever was coming on her own. Her cheating father was already gone, and she had no idea what was happening with her mother, but she did not have a good feeling about that as well.

Eric, her biggest cheer leader was no longer on her corner, he was no longer cheering for her, she was on her own. “Maria, be strong, am hurting too but we must be strong. His rejection hurt me more than you can imagine since I have always known that he was our mate and waiting for him to accept us. But he didn’t, he abandoned us, and we must find a way to move on.”

Her wolf Sara tried to console her, but it was like she was adding fuel to the fire. How could she move on like that, she grew up with Eric, they did everything together, they were best friends. She might not have known that he was her mate like her wolf did, but their connection was deep. How does one move on from that?

“I can’t Sara, I feel empty inside. My father is dead, and I don’t know what is happening with my mother. Eric rejected me and I am sure the alpha wants me dead. How can I think about moving on when I don’t even know if I will live past today.”

Her wolf whimpered in pain but said nothing. She knew Maria was right, they might not live past that day. The alpha could ask for them at any moment to have them killed. They both did not want to die but there was a huge chance they were going to anyway.

The hours went by slowly with Maria in pain and crying. She did not know when she fell asleep but when she woke up next it was morning of the day after the rejection.

Before she could even process what was going on, she heard boots hitting hard on the cement floor coming her way. She could tell that it was a couple people coming probably the pack warriors.

Her heart started beating fast, she was scared, she thought she had more time to live and fulfill her dreams but now it seemed she will never have any of the things she hoped to have and achieve.

The warriors appeared in her line of vision; they were the six head warriors coming to get her for her sentence. Maria knew the reason head warriors were sent, they thought that she was going to try and fight her way out. But how could she? She still wanted to know what happened to her mother. “Don’t show them you are scare Ria.” Her wolf expressed. Maria tried taking deep breaths while looking at the warrior standing in front of her cell looking at her with cold eyes full of disdain.

“Come out, freak.” Maria looked at the men in front of her. Three days ago, they were laughing and talking as friends. But today she was a freak, how things have changed. She slowly got out of the cell, but one warrior thought she was moving too slow.

He pulled her out hard by her arm sending her to the wall colliding with it. Maria hit the wall hard with her forehead, she was not expecting the warrior to do that, but she understood that she was a prisoner now and they could treat her however they wanted.

The warriors pushed and pulled her all the way to the hall for her sentencing. The hall was filled with pack members who turned and looked her way when the warriors pushed her inside.

Gone was the pride and adoration they used to look at her with, now there was nothing but hatred in their eyes when they looked at her. It hurt so much that they would not give her the benefit of the doubt. But then again, who would go against the alpha? He is the one accusing her of murder.

Maria pretended not to care about them or the looks they were giving her. She scanned the room with her eyes looking for her mother. “I wonder what or who she is looking for, her father died by her hand and her mother was killed because of her.”

When Maria heard that from the she-wolf  she was passing she turned and lunged at her. She got hold of her throat and squeezed tightly. There were screams all around coming from the she wolves. Maria was of beta blood and well trained. Those she wolves were no match for her.

It took two warriors to remove her hands from around the she-wolf’s neck. Eric fumed in anger when he saw that, he was so angry that he was shaking. Who the hell did she think she was attacking his pack member? He stood and silenced the crowd then looked at Maria.

“What the hell are you doing?” His voice was so cold that Maria froze on the spot. She turned to look at where Eric stood. He had this murderous look in his eyes, and she could tell that his wolf was on the surface.

Maria swallowed hard before answering. “She was saying nasty things about my mother and…” Eric cut her short and this time he even had a smirk on his face. “Oh that, your mother is dead, I killed her to avenge my mother whom you killed!” Eric roared in anger.

Maria’s knees grew weak, and she fell on them. Her eyes were fixed on Eric and there was a huge lump on her throat that she did not know how to get rid of. She was trembling all over with tears streaming down her cheeks. No one could tell if the shaking was from anger or fear.

“You are wasting everyone’s tell, bring her forward!” Eric bellowed. Now he was in charge of everything. His father, the alpha, was sitting there looking like someone who was lost in his own thoughts.

The warriors roughly picked her up from the grown and brought her forward. They then threw her at Eric’s feet. Maria did not bother to get up, her life was over. She wanted to die and go join her parents.

“Eclipse Pack, today we are here to do two things. One to strip the murderer of her title as beta and sentence her for her crimes of killing her own father and the Luna of this pack.” He glanced at his feet where Maria laid silently crying.

He was angered more seeing her like that, his hands shook in anger that he folded them into fists to avoid people seeing. “I, Eric Lockwood, future alpha of the Eclipse pack. Hereby strip you Maria Van Loveren of your beta title.” He glanced at his feet again but the woman at his feet had not moved from the position she was in.

This angered the young alpha even more; her indifferent attitude made him want to strangle her to death right then. “Now the alpha will give the sentence and sever the bond we share with her.” He did not want to look at her again, but his eyes went to his feet.

The young woman was still laying there unmoving, this made the young alpha angrier. He went to his father and shook him, bringing him back to his senses. The alpha looked at his son confused. “It’s time for the sentencing.” Eric reminded. The alpha nodded then stood.

“Eclipse pack, I know that today is a difficult day for everyone. We are mourning our beloved Luna and beta. At the same time sentencing one of our own. One we trusted and had high hopes for.” He scanned the crowd looking distant.

“Now to the sentencing, for the murder of beta Laurence and Luna Sandra. You, Maria are hereby sentenced to death. Your execution will be carried out the Saturday of the coming week.”

He stopped and scanned the crowd before continuing. “I also know that the pack members want to punish you themselves for what you have done and that is why you will be let out of the cells starting today.”

The pack members were confused, the alpha was not making sense. That was until he continued that the applause and cheers erupted “During this week while you are awaiting execution, the pack members can punish you as they see fit until the date of your execution.” Maria’s eyes widened in shock and her eyes glittered with unshed tears.