BLOOD OF THE INNOCENT

~ZIRA

I searched the halls for my father but he wasn't there.

I had not seen him since he went for that drink. Yet I had seen Arden and his father talking to some guards. I knew I did not have to be worried since nothing bad could happen to him —not when he was with his beta and my mate.

Yet there was a nagging feeling at the back of my mind. Even Nala could feel it too. 

I was as restless as my wolf. 

I could not find my father's scent and I could not think straight.

I was about to make a turn into another corridor when Nala spoke again within me. Today had to be a very special day. Twice in one day.

"Run!" She instructed.

I was about to do that when a hand closed against my mouth, stopping me from screaming and they pulled me into the darkness.

I kicked and thrashed around, hoping that it would be enough to escape but no matter what I did, I could not break free. They gagged my mouth and covered my head up with a sack.

My heart hammered wildly against my chest as my wolf went crazy jumping around within me. I had never felt this scared in my entire life.

They carried me down a long path and at a point, I felt them descending with me. Eventually, they sat me down on a chair and tied my hands behind it. Then they pulled the sack away from my face and cut the gag loose.

I blinked multiple times as my eyes took some time to adjust. When they did, I realized that I was in a basement with two burning torches against a wall, acting as a source of light.

I looked before me and spotted Arden as he emerged from the shadows. My eyes went wide with hope. My mate had found me and he would save me.

"Arden! Thank the goddess you're here! I was so scared!" I exclaimed.

Arden suddenly chuckled. "What makes you think that I'm here to save you?" He demanded and his father emerged from the shadows as well.

"I think I'll leave you to enjoy killing her. I think I have had my fill from draining her parents' blood," his father stated.

I felt pain slice through my heart as his words sank into my head. 

My heart began to ache with every pound that it sent against my chest. I thought I was going to die. My eyes moistened as I fought to ask the question I was dying to ask.

"Arden. . ." I began in a shaky voice as I felt my wolf moving restlessly within me. I felt as if the world was about to end. "Where are my parents?" I demanded in a breathless voice.

Arden slowly approached me. "Dead, both of them and I enjoyed watching your mother beg us to spare your life!" He announced.

Both my wolf and my heart sank into the pit of my stomach. My body started trembling visibly and only small whimpers escaped my lips. I was too shocked to speak. None of it made any sense.

Why would Arden and his father kill my parents? What did we ever do to deserve that? Besides, Arden was my childhood friend, he was my best friend. It made no sense that he would do something like that to me and a day like this.

"You're joking, right?" I muttered and started laughing yet tears exited my eyes as I did. "You're not that type of man. You wouldn't. . ." I muttered as more tears continued to stream down my eyes.

Uther Blackstone disappeared into the shadows and another person replaced him. It was a woman and I recognized her as Bella. 

Bella was an orphan, according to Arden and he told me that he was helping her. But staring at her now, I realized that she was also a part of their plan.

"You see your family took our happiness away so we decided to erase all of you from the surface of the earth and once you're gone, I'll make Bella here my new Luna," Arden announced.

I shook my head at him. I was in denial. My wolf was restless. Yet I could do nothing but watch my prosecutor.

Arden let out another chuckle and suddenly pulled Bella to him. Then he planted a kiss on her lips and I gasped in shock.

"Arden! I'm your mate! Not that woman!" I screamed.

Bella joined in on his laughter. "You're mistaken princess. You're the other woman and I am the true woman in his life," Bella muttered and the certainty in her voice killed me.

Bella went back to Arden and returned his kiss. I watched in horror as they sucked each other's faces but I could not speak.

When did my life become so meaningless? What sin did I commit to deserve this?

My body shook as I watched Arden push Bella to the wall. He grabbed her hips and lifted her so that she wrapped her legs around his waist. I could hear their kissing and panting sounds and it further broke my heart. 

Breathing became a very hard task and the ache I felt in my heart was too much for me to bear.

I looked back at Arden and Bella. They were now naked and he was pounding into her shamelessly, not even caring once that I was watching. Rage rose beyond the level I could tolerate and I screamed, my wolf trying to break through but I couldn't shift.

The pain of watching my mate cheat on us, broke her.

"Enough! I'm still your mate and you have no right to disrespect me like this!" I roared, anyway.

Arden and Bella suddenly stopped, as if shaken by the authority in my voice. Then Arden's already darkened eyes turned red with anger and in a flash, he appeared before me.

"Don't you ever dare raise your voice at me! I am your superior! I am the new Alpha!" He roared in my face and then hit me hard.

The impact came with so much force that it sent me crashing to the floor. I coughed up blood instantly and I thought that he would let me go but he did not.

He kicked me hard in my side and I screamed as pain tore across my body. He did not stop, he landed another kick again and I screamed.

"Please! Arden! Stop!" I cried but he did not stop hitting me.

Bella laughed as she watched him pull me by the hair. I screamed again but my pain was not over. He revealed his claws and my eyes went wide with shock as he landed a strike to my face and I let out another scream.

My blood was everywhere and I was left too powerless to fight back. My body was going weak within seconds and my intake of breaths came out in wheezing sounds.

"What do you say I end your misery?" He demanded.

My body was too battered to move and all I could think of was the fact that I had made a wrong decision choosing him as my mate. My mother was wrong, I should have never listened to my wolf.

In a flash, Arden drove his claws into my gut and I only gasped in shock. He retrieved his claws and I watched my blood drip from his bloodied hand.

"Arden! What have you done?!" A new voice which I remembered to be Kael's screamed.

He rushed in and picked me up in his arms. He brought shaky hands to my face and I watched in surprise as I saw his eyes fill up with tears.

Was he, not the one who had always hated me?

I heard Arden and Bella's laughter echo in the room as they disappeared into the shadows. With them gone, only Kael's soft cries filled the room.

"I'm so sorry you had to suffer like this. I'm sorry. . ." Kael muttered as he touched my face and I felt a tear drop from his eye hit my face.

As he continued to hold me, I suddenly felt at peace like the way I felt when I bumped into him earlier today. That was when I realized the huge mistake I made.

Arden was not my mate; Kael was and my stupid mistake had cost me so many lives. 

My parents and mine. It was already too late to take back anything.

I failed everyone and I was paying dearly with my life.

Yet as darkness claimed me, I felt safe and at peace in Kael arms.

But as my life left my eye, I prayed to the goddess to grant me one wish, a chance at Revenge.