89. Execution

I was back in the building. Watching as the wolves were being tortured. This time though I was one of them. They kept calling to me. Asking for me to help them. To save them. But how could I when I myself was a prisoner.

I watched as they dragged yet another body. Another dead werewolf that I hadn’t been able to help.

When was it going to stop? They were merciless and they kept hurting my people.

“Blue? Midnight?” I called them but didn’t receive an answer.

“Sebastian?”

I still didn’t get an answer. Where was everyone? And why couldn’t I reach my wolves?

I was strapped to a table. I stared at the man as he approached me with a scalpel.

“At least we know one thing now, silver hurts them” he says, studying the papers in his other hand as he walks.

“Yes, but there’s so much more we don’t know. We still can’t explain how they’re able to integrate animal DNA into theirs. We still don’t know how they’re able to shift. There are so many unanswered questions and it’s starting to frustrate me” another guy says.

“Be patient. We have time to study each and every one of them. It’s not like they’re going anywhere anytime soon” a woman chuckles in mockery.

I hated this but I was too weak to even sit up. The man finally gets to me. He puts the paper down before turning to me.

“Mayra, let’s see what you have to offer me today, shall we?”

What was he talking about? My name isn’t Mayra. Before I can correct him, he plunges the scalpel in my stomach before cutting it across.

I scream as my already weakened body convulses in pain. I my blood flowing and dizziness takes over right before I fall into darkness.

I wake up in bed, sweating and screaming. My body shaking. Someone was holding me tightly in their arms. Soothing me.

“It’s okay Red, I’m here. No one is going to fucking hurt you”

Sebastian. I realize. He continues comforting me. Whispering sweet nothings until I am calm. Until my breathing goes back to normal.

“You okay?” he asks me worriedly. “Is it another bad dream?”

I nod my head. Tears filling my eyes. I didn’t know why I kept having them. It was the same thing over and over again.

“Yeah” I say, my voice trembling “What was it about?”

This time, I tell him everything. All about the building I’ve been seeing. The werewolves and even about that day I found the wound I don’t remember getting.

Before, the dreams were blurry and sometimes I couldn’t remember them but of late they’ve been clearer.

“I am at a loss Red, I don’t know what the fuck they mean but the fact that they’re recurring is something to note” his grip on my waist tightens.

He was against the headboard and I was lying on his chest. Drawing meaningless circles on his toned abs.

“Midnight thinks it means something important, I just can’t figure out what” I mumble. “Maybe I can start by figuring out who Mayra is. It seemed I was occupying her body in this last dream”

“Yeah, that’s a good start. If she does exist maybe you can find answers from her”

We are quiet for a while when I speak.

“It’s still hours before morning, maybe we can pass that time doing something” I wiggle my eyebrows at him.

He shakes his head and then smiles a little. “I know what you’re thinking and it’s not gonna happen…

Not today at least”

“Why not?”

“You’re not fully healed, Red. I’m not going to risk causing you more damage” he explains.

“I’m okay Sebastian, I can take it”

“It’s not up for discussion. Go back to sleep” he groans.

“But I’m already up…And sex is the best way to tire me out” I try to reason with him.

“Fuck Red!" he sighs "I’m tired and tomorrow we have a long day, please let’s just sleep. I promise to make it up to you”

I hear the fatigue in his voice. I haven't even thought of the toll this past few days have had on him.

He was also right. It was two days after everything had happened and Valery was going to be executed tomorrow. It was going to be a long day.

“Fine, then” I agree reluctantly.

We settle down and he falls asleep almost immediately.

Clive, Hailey’s and Valery’s brother, had arrived today. He was devastated upon hearing all the things Valery had done but was happy that Hailey was alive.

Their parents are taking it hard but they know that justice has to be served. Luke and Lilly refuse to acknowledge her or even say her name.

I’m not defending Valery but whether they like it or not, she will always be their mother and they can’t change that part of their DNA. She may not have been a good person but from what I can see, she adored her children.

Her hate was reserved for me and my mother and all because Lucas loved us while she craved that love.

I haven’t gotten time to get to know my parents since everything has been a mess but I plan to. I don’t know what will happen between them but I noticed the longing looks they throw at each other when they think the other isn’t looking.

Maybe the can get back the years they’ve lost or maybe not but one thing is for sure despite everything their love didn’t die all those years ago.

Claire did the paternity test and now they’re waiting for the result. We all know though that it’s going to be a match but I get why she did it. It was the same reason I did. To put the doubts to rest I don’t realize when I fall asleep. The second time around, it was peaceful.

When we wake up, it’s a flurry of movements. Shower, get ready, and get breakfast. The council was to send someone and they were to arrive by eleven. We agreed that the children would stay at John and Olivia’s house. They didn’t need to witness this.

Valery is brought out from the pack dungeon just as we hear a car arriving. She glares at me then Hailey but doesn’t say anything.

The door opens and she walks in.

“Sylvia? What are you doing here…Are you the one the council sent” I ask surprised to see her here.

“No, the council didn’t send me…Those old bastards can’t make me do anything” she replies distractedly.

Moving quicker than I have ever seen anyone move, she appears in front of Valery. She grabs her head, her nails digging into her skin. Valery screams in pain but Sylvia doesn’t let her go.

“Such a disgusting little wolf. Your soul is as black as the void…how the hell you were able to fool everyone I will never know.” She mutters more to herself.

She lets go of Valery who falls on the ground breathing hard.

“Do you know she first killed when she was thirteen? Drowned another girl while they were playing on the beach?” Sylvia asks, looking at us.

Kristine gasps while we all look at her in shock.

“Oh goddess, Nora, her name was Nora…Valery said they were hanging out and Nora wanted to try the waves, she tried to warn her but Nora didn’t listen, she went anyway and she didn’t come up…we found her body floating on the water a few hours later” Rose cries, looking at Valery like she couldn’t believe she had given birth to her.

“She lied, she killed her…and for stupid reasons too” Sylvia turns to look at the woman on the floor.

“Why don’t you tell them why you killed Nora”

Valery doesn’t say anything. Just stares at the floor.

“Tell them…Let them know the monster you are” Sylvia yells and Valery starts screaming in pain “I-I’ll tell them” she shrieks. Sylvia stops whatever torture she was doing on her, and looks up.

“We were talking about who are the most beautiful girls in the pack. She said I wasn’t as pretty as some of the other girls, so she ranked me lower. I got angry and killed her”

My eyes are fixed on her. I’m at a loss, that you would kill someone just because she said you weren’t beautiful “You’ve gotta be kidding me” Luke yells, completely livid. “You took someone’s life because of that?”

He was downright furious and I seethe minute the last respect he had for his mother died.

“That wasn’t the only life she took. She’s responsible for some of the deaths in this pack too and she always made them look like either an accident or a natural case. Most of them were people who simply didn’t share her opinion and disagreed with her or criticized her. Some of them she just didn’t like.”

There was truly no redemption for her. Who would have guessed that her hands were tainted with so much innocent blood?

“Who is going to end her?” Lucas asks with an edge in his voice.

Sylvia turns to me. “You”

“Me? Why me?”

“Have you forgotten you’re the goddess’s executioner? She’s the one that sent me here. Just like the serial killer died by your hand, so will Valery”

I wanted to refuse but I couldn’t. This was an order from the moon goddess herself. So instead I nodded my head.

“Bring her out back” Sylvia commands and the guards obey her.

We all went to the back of the house which had a clearing and was next to the forest. Everyone was here including her family and that made me nervous.

The guards push her to her knees and she falls to the ground.

“For all your crimes, your soul is banished to the deepest darkest corner of hell. There you’ll be tortured for eternity as by the decree of the goddess. You will find no peace and no redemption. Just pain”

Sylvia declares before motioning to the guards.

“Release her” she commands and they do. “We’re going to do this the old fashioned way, you’ll run and Ren here will hunt you before killing you”

Sylvia steps back and Valery stands up. Looking at me with pure hate.

“This all you fucking fault” She snarls. “If it wasn’t for you none of my truth would have been revealed. I wish I’d killed you myself when you were a child. That way I could watch the life drain from your eyes right before I throw your carcasses to be fed by vultures”

She turns to flee but I don’t give her a chance because we see red. Midnight comes out in a partial shift and punches through her back. We grab her spine and rip it out, killing her immediately.

Her body falls to the ground and I am left breathing hard, holding her whole spine in my hand.

“You did good” Sylvia appears next to me. Joy in her voice.

“The goddess has another assignment for you. She’ll guide you when the time is right” she tells me.

She leaves me staring at the body of the woman who has been nothing but a thorn on my side since I was conceived. Wondering who I was going to execute next on behalf of the goddess.