Chapter#48

Chapter#48
Selene’s POV

The execution ground of Emberclaw sprawled before me. Nearly a hundred rogue children, no older than thirteen, stood trembling on the scaffold. Their thin necks were bound by coarse ropes, and their frail bodies were lashed to wooden poles that stabbed the ground.

My breath scraped my throat, and my wolf thrashed inside me as claws raked my ribs, howling to tear this nightmare apart.

Alpha Nyra loomed on a raised stone platform. “This is the fate of rogues. Let it burn into your memory.” Her voice thundered, “Disobedience breeds decay. Their blood is poison; filthy, rebellious, and impure.”

What is she doing?

Her tone was ice, which made my stomach churn. The crowd growled low. I felt a wildfire igniting in my veins, scorching my lungs. 

These are just children… children who haven’t even shifted yet, who haven’t lived long enough to deserve this. My hands balled into fists.

I couldn’t stand it. Couldn’t watch. My legs surged forward, shoving through the crowd and ramming into knights who snarled and snapped. 

“Stop!” My voice ripped from my throat, silencing everyone. The crowd’s heads turned toward me. “Alpha Nyra,” I continued, “I know I have no right to speak on Emberclaw’s ground… but I’m asking you, please, just hear me out.”

“Everyone in Emberclaw has the right to raise a voice.” Alpha Nyra raised her hand toward me, “You may share your opinion with everyone here.”

“They’re… they’re children! Look at them. They haven’t even shifted.” I stated, trying to ignore the lump forming in my throat. “You can enslave them, train them… make them work for Emberclaw instead of spilling their blood. What difference would that make between Embercalw and them?” The words burned my tongue as I faced Nyra.

A silence crashed down. But then, a roar exploded, like a wave of hate crashing over me.

“They deserve to die!” a knight bellowed.

“Rogue scum!” another spat.

The ground trembled under their fury.

Nyra’s gaze pinned me as she raised her hand, and everyone was silenced.

“There’s your answer,” She addressed me, “You’re just a trainee. Your opinion matters, but it is very different from the responsibilities I carry.”

She raised her hand to the executioners, and they moved. The levers ground, and my heart seized. The ropes snapped taut with a sickening crack, yanking a hundred small bodies into the air. 

Knights waved their swords in the air, and the crowd howled in amusement and victory. The children’s feet frantically kicked. Their gasps choked off into silence, and their necks snapped one by one. 

They twitched, then stilled like dangling limbs. Their shadows pooled like spilled ink on the dusty ground. 

My lungs collapsed as my vision swam with tears I couldn’t hold back. The sight of those bodies carved itself into my mind. I turned and ran back into the fortress. My chest burned, and my hands shook. Tears scalded my cheeks as I burst through the doors.

“Kaelen!” Liam’s voice sliced through as his hand clamped my arm, jerking me around. 

“I’m sorry,” he rasped, “I didn’t know… I didn’t think—”

Before I could say anything, or even react, Rowan crashed into him. His fist smashed Liam’s jaw with a wet crunch. Liam slammed into the wall as blood sprayed from his split lip.

“Keep your filthy hands away from my sister!” Rowan roared.

He lunged again, fists hammering, claws half-out, slashing at Liam’s chest, tearing flesh in ragged streaks. Liam snarled, fighting back, his own claws glinting as they clashed. Blood splattered the stone.

“Rowan, stop!” I screamed as my hands clawed at his arm, but he was a force, a hurricane of fury, deaf to me. 

They tore into each other. My heart shredded, and my pleas were swallowed by the chaos. I was helpless.

The door slammed open, and Alina stormed in. “Enough!” Her voice boomed. It was enough to make them stop instantly.

Rowan staggered back, panting, his knuckles dripping red. Liam slumped against the wall, wiping blood from his face.

Alina’s gaze raked over them. “You’re both pathetic,” she spat. She turned to Rowan, and her eyes narrowed. “What we had was real, Rowan. Don’t pretend it wasn’t. But this?” She crossed her arms, shaking her head. Then she faced Liam, “And you, Liam… move the fuck on. I’m not yours anymore. Stop chasing ghosts.”

Weren’t they both fighting over me? Why is she taking the credit?

My gut twisted. Was it jealousy? Was it anger? I couldn’t tell.

“Rowan,” I grabbed his arm, “What is she saying?”

“Your brother fucked me like a real man last night,” she scoffed, taking a step closer toward us. “And now he’s acting like a damn child.”

A gasp slipped my lips as I looked between Rowan and her.

So Rowan fucked her last night. That’s why Liam was so angry. But why her? What is so special about her!?

I felt like I hated her. She was everything I couldn’t be, and it seared me raw. 

My voice dropped, “So that’s why,” I whispered as my eyes locked on Rowan. “That’s why Liam lost it. Because of you and her.” I jerked my chin at Alina, “You were with her, and he saw, and I paid the price. Liam tried telling me about you two, but I was so angry at him, I didn’t pay attention to why he was hurt.”

Rowan’s face drained white. I waited for him to say anything, but no words escaped his lips. Alina scoffed, “He’s your little brother, I get it. But you’re in no place to control who his wolf wants.” 

I glanced at Rowan and waited a bit more for him to say anything, but he remained quiet.

“Jealousy doesn’t suit you.” Her words stung.

I couldn’t stand there anymore. I shoved past Rowan, my shoulder crashing into his, and fled to my room.

As soon as I reached my room, Rowan’s hand grabbed my arm, stopping me. I pulled my arm away from his grip and hissed, “You could’ve told me… you and her…”

“I had no idea Liam used to be her mate.” He grabbed my shoulders, “Please understand my situation, Selene. You’re the only one I can lean on.”

I looked into his eyes and let out a breath I’d been holding for too long. “It’s not a big deal.” I shrugged, “I’m just worried about Liam, you know. The way he was last night, I’ve never seen him like that before.”

“I’ll talk to him and make things right.” He nodded, “But in the meantime, I want you to stay away from him. Can you do that for me?”

I nodded in agreement and slumped on my bed.

“I came to ask you to pack your things.” He threw my backpack to me, “We’re all leaving for Ironfang in an hour. I’ll go tell the others.” He said before leaving me alone in the room.

My hands shook as I packed. Leandro was coming to Ironfang. Will he still be there when we arrive? Or has he already left? 

I shoved the thought away. My bag was packed, and I needed air to clear my head. Lately, everything had been too much for me.

I climbed to the rooftop garden, where everything with Liam happened, and sank onto the bench. I let out a long breath and closed my eyes, leaning back into the bench.

“Kaelen.” Liam’s voice echoed in my ears, and I opened my eyes, startled.

I turned and found Liam kneeling at the garden’s edge. His head was bowed, and his hands clenched on his thighs.

“Please, forgive me,” he whispered. “I’m… sorry.”

His eyes lifted to meet mine. Slowly, he unsheathed his sword and offered it to me with both of his hands, his head still bowed.

“I deserve to die after what I did,” his voice cracked, “And you should be the one to kill me. But please… forgive me. I can’t die knowing you’re…”

He choked on the words, “I can’t die knowing you’re disgusted by me. That I became someone you hated. That you look at me and see a monster.”

Love and hate collided. I wanted to claw him apart, tear him down with everything he made me feel. But at the same time, I wanted to smother his face with kisses, press my lips to every sorry word he’d spoken, and pretend none of it ever happened.

But was this really the time for that… when my heart was barely holding itself together?