Chapter 22 22
Phoebe~~
A few hours after Knox left the torture room, I was taken to his throne room by Levi, and beside me knelt Angeline. I didn't expect her to be there, and I was also glad that she wasn't executed by my cruel mate.
I turned to Knox, and then spared glances at the councils all gathered and watching us, no longer scared of his motives, but seeing Angeline with me made me kind of nervous that she would be harmed.
“Did you really try to take your life?” Angeline whispered to me, and I smiled, nodding. “Why would you do that? Even the mistress is mad that you dared such a thing. She was scared her suffering would be in vain if you didn't make it out alive.”
For real? She wasn't angry that, because of me, she almost lost her life?
I said to Angeline, "You're very okay now. I can smell the health of your wolf,” hoping that it would end the discussion about me. But she grabbed my arm, and I turned, shockingly, “Were you hurt when I was out?”
She shook her head, “Promise me you won't do that again. You have a lot of people to protect, so don't dare.” With her looks, I guessed she was really infuriated by my actions, and that baffled me as to the kind person she was.
Who wouldn't stay far from someone who caused their attack and almost died? I felt like smacking her face and bringing her back to reality, so she began seeing me as a rival that she should avoid.
“Phoebe!”
My breath hitched when I heard Knox mention me. He was really tired of the silence in the huge room and wanted to say something.
“Do you still not want to apologize for the action you took? This is actually your last chance,” he gestured before leaning his elbow on the armrest of the chair.
He must think I am that gullible. “Yes, I'm not apologizing,” I said with my shoulders held high, and I could sense the odd look on the council’s faces as they murmured within them. I guessed they were stunned as to how brave I was, still at the point of death, not until I heard Knox’s next order.
“Then slay your friend beside you. That's your penalty.”
My jaw dropped, eyes bulged. Did I hear him well?
As though to bring me back to reality, Levi tapped my shoulder, handing over a short sword to me. I looked at the blade that glittered with silver, and a lump formed in my throat.
“If you slay her, I will forgive you. Otherwise, I'm going to do that before you, and still punish you, so choose wisely.” His voice dawned on me again.
A wave of dread washed through me. I hoped that I was dreaming at that very moment.
Even the moon goddess knew that I didn't anticipate this. I never thought that my mate would want me to soil my hands with innocent blood. What does he even think? That it would be so easy for me to kill my friend?
It would have been better if I had refused and gotten punished, but why should he do it himself?
Hot tears welled in my eyes. I couldn't stand it, but dropped the sword on the floor, a shiver of unease gripped me.
“There's a time limit to do that, Phoebe. And when the time runs out, I will surely take action.”
I shook my head. It can't be.
Angeline gripped me closer, looking at my teary face. “I knew I was going to be executed, so just do it or let him do it. You can't keep living with me as a threat to you.”
Or was I the one who was the threat?
“Look, if you stab my heart, I would collapse at once, because the silver will mix with my blood easily from the heart. You need to be fast before his patience wears off.” Angeline kept insisting, but I wasn't ready for that and would never.
Even if I killed myself, he would kill Angeline for causing it. There was no option I had at that point to save my ass. I looked at the sword and felt so hollow inside me. Hoping that the ground would swallow me up wasn't a good idea either, because the one I tried to protect will still be hurt.
“Phoebe, stop wasting time. Alpha Knox doesn't joke with his time.” Angeline whispered to me angrily. “You're really pissing me off. Just hand over the knife.”
Upon hearing that, I took the knife and threw it away from us…but then it dawned on me what I just did. I looked at Knox, and the darkness that hovered in his eyes almost sent me to my grave. His silence smelled of too much danger.
I turned to Angeline, and her lips had dropped agape in shock at what I had just done. I wasn't sure if the action I took could worsen things for us.
‘Let's just apologize and stop all this drama. You have too much ego for a slave.’ My wolf chipped in, but I ignored her. ‘I'm really going to take over you if you don't start apologizing. It's just an apology, and I wouldn't even let you try it the second time and piss off my dangerous mate. Do you crave death that much? I don't want to die yet.’
What a stupid wolf…
“Levi!!” I flinched when I heard him call for his beta. “Get me the silver bullet.”
The same silver bullet he saved her from? Angeline was really telling the truth that he could save someone just to take their life, as he wanted. Wasn't that foolishness at its peak?
Levi walked past me, and then I realized that this man wasn't joking.
He opened the box placed before him, took out the gun in his pocket and emptied it, then filled the gun again with the silver bullets brought to him.
I glanced at Angeline, and she winked at me. She looked happy about what was about to happen, but I was too nervous.
Honestly, I didn't want to apologize…
‘I'll take over you now, Phoebe.’
I shook my head, knowing that my wolf would overreact just to please this man.
He stood from his throne and walked down towards us. The whole council were all silent, watching to see if he could do that.
I shuddered when I heard the trigger pull, and with fear running through my blood, I walked with my knees towards him and held his leg. Witnessing another person being shot before my eyes would really haunt me to death this time. Angeline won't ever forgive me if I caused her death when I held the power to save her life.
“What is it? Didn't you say you won't apologize?”
Tears streaked my cheek, and I shook my head, “Forgive me, please. I won't do that again, I promise.” And I really meant it, because I finally believed that I didn't own my life, but he does. “Don't hurt her again, and I'll do whatever you want. I promise you, Knox. I'll do anything you want me to do.”
He chuckled, and I hated that he beat me again.
“You will do anything? At least you waste my time…so there's a penalty for that,” he stated and stepped away from me, then squatted before me. He stared at me for goddess knows how long, and then said, “I love how pitiful you look.”
Exactly! Now I understood his aim.
He loves it when I crawl to his feet and be the good girl.
“Levi, bring her to my outroom,” he ordered, before standing and walking past me.
My limbs gave out, and I sat weakly on the floor.
Angeline came to me, scowling. This bitch wanted to die so badly, but I wouldn't let her.
Now, what was the ‘outroom’ about? He wasn't going to whip me, right?