Chapter 207: Vampire Luna
Fedora’s POV
Alpha Michael immediately turned his back on the crowd and marched off the high wooden execution stage without a single backward glance, leaving behind a scene of absolute, horror-filled devastation. The moment his heavy footsteps faded, the chained werewolf family bound to the center posts began wailing, crying out in desperate, ear-splitting sobs. The little children, tightly chained beside their parents, couldn't even comprehend the terrible reality of what was happening around them. But the dark, metallic stench of fresh blood pooling on the wooden floorboards and the terrifying screams of the adults told their young minds that something truly evil was unfolding, locking them in a state of pure, hysterical panic.
Rough palace guards stepped forward, grabbing the chains and hauling all of them into the very center of the open courtyard. The helpless family was forced together into a tight circle, their iron chains rattling loudly as they huddled in terror. Without a shred of mercy, the guards picked up heavy metal containers and began pouring thick, dark gasoline all over their bodies. Cold liquid soaked through their clothes, drenching their hair and skin as the desperate weeping of the mothers and fathers grew louder and more frantic, begging the silent crowd for a shred of pity that would never come.
Among the terrified, screaming crowd of bound prisoners, one tiny figure caught my eye, drawing my attention away from the chaos. It was the smallest child of them all—a tiny, innocent boy who couldn't have been more than two years old.
Unlike the rest of his family, he wasn't wailing or thrashing against his heavy chains. He just stood there completely silent, his big, glossy eyes darting around the courtyard in quiet confusion and deep sadness, desperately trying to comprehend the nightmare unfolding around him.
He simply watched everything with a blank, innocent stare. It felt as though it hadn't been very long since he had even learned how to walk on his own two feet. He stood in the middle of that gasoline-soaked ring with wide, ignorant eyes, completely unaware of the brutal cruelty, pain, and harsh struggles of the world around him. He was being forced to suffer the ultimate, horrifying punishment for a crime he knew absolutely nothing about.
Once the prisoners were completely drenched in fuel, the guards stepped backward into a wide, protective circle. One of the executioners reached into his pocket, pulled out a small silver lighter, and flicked the wheel. A bright orange flame burst to life in the dim courtyard.
Without a single moment of hesitation, the guard tossed the lit lighter straight onto the gasoline-soaked family.
BOOM!
A massive, roaring wall of fire instantly exploded into the air, consuming every single member of the family in a blinding flash of bright orange and deep red flames. Ear-splitting shrieks of unbearable, bone-chilling agony tore out of their throats, filling the entire courtyard with a wave of pure horror. You could hear the raw, agonizing pain vibrating through their high-pitched screams as the intense heat scorched the air.
Through the dense smoke, I watched in utter horror as their flesh shrank, blistered, and peeled right off their bones under the brutal heat. The overwhelming terror of the scene was too much for the pack members watching from the stands—dozens of people in the crowd turned their heads away, squeezing their eyes shut and shielding their faces, completely unable to stomach the horrific execution taking place right before their eyes.
My stomach churned violently as a cold, suffocating wave of pure horror washed over my soul. I squeezed my eyes shut, holding my breath as scalding tears overflowed my eyelashes, spilling down my pale cheeks in heavy, steady streams, even as I fought with every fiber of my being to keep from crying out loud.
Unable to hold it in any longer, I burst into heavy, silent sobs, my entire chest heaving violently. I lifted both of my trembling hands, covering my face completely so that no one in the surrounding crowd could see the overwhelming grief and tears streaming down my face.
Deep down in the absolute darkest corner of my heart, a heavy, crushing truth hit me like a physical blow. Everything that had just happened... was entirely my fault. Every single drop of blood. Every single shriek of pain.
If I wasn't a monster... if I wasn't a cursed vampire... then none of these terrible, horrifying things would have ever happened to these innocent people. This entire tragedy rested squarely on my shoulders. I was the one who had brought this absolute destruction down upon their lives. I had personally stolen that tiny, innocent boy's entire future and shattered his dreams into dust before he even had a chance to live.
What if he was destined to grow up and become someone truly great? What if he was supposed to become a powerful, noble Alpha who protected his people with honor?
I had completely destroyed his life and murdered his future before it even began. I knew right then that I could never, ever forgive myself for this atrocious tragedy. What on earth had I done?
My mind raced into a dark, suffocating tailspin of guilt and self-hatred, replaying the horror over and over again. What had I done? Why did I have to be so careless? Why did I kill those guards in the first place? Why... why was I even born into this world?!
If I had never been born... if my cursed life had never existed... this innocent family would still be alive, breathing, and holding each other right now.
The overwhelming, crushing weight of absolute guilt drowned out every single thought in my head. I was suffocating in my own tears, my body shaking uncontrollably beneath the dark, heavy clouds of despair, completely lost in the agony of my own mind.
Just as I felt like I was going to collapse right onto the hard ground...
A firm, sudden hand reached out from behind, tapping me lig
htly on the shoulder.