Chapter 5

Samantha’s POV    

My eyes flickered open. I wanted to rub, but I couldn’t as my wrists were bound by something cold and metal. I tried to move was met with the sound of rattling chains. “What the hell?” I cried, remembering that Axel tried to choke me. The next thing I know is that I am tied up. “Zola, what’s going on?” I whimpered, fearing her answer. The chains rattled as I again tried to free myself. Hearing movement from somewhere, I called out, “Whose there. What’s going on? What have you done?” I called out, half expecting to see Axel appear. But no, it was Lily.

Lily had been my best friend since we were young. She was the one I turned to when my parents were killed. As I had no family, Lily was the one I shared all of my precious moments with. “She was also the one being banged by Axel.”   

“Wolfsbane. She’s got wolfsbane,” Zola warned as Lily approached me. “Why are you doing this?” I sobbed, not understanding what Lily was doing or why she was doing it.

Her response floored me. I had taken nothing of hers, nothing. Gunner was fated to Zola. As she got closer, I became frantic. This was the only thing I could do to protect myself.  

That resulted in me being in excruciating pain with a deep slash across my leg. As I screamed in agony, Lily poured a liquid concoction of wolfsbane down my throat. As soon as the liquid touched my tongue, it burned. I tried to spit it out, but Lily held my head back and laughed. I cried as the fluid traveled down my throat to my stomach. It felt as though my insides were on fire.   

When Lily was confident, it was no longer in my mouth, she released me. I caused myself to wretch, trying as hard as I could to throw up. But there was so little in my stomach that it didn’t work. I cried as my insides churned in pain. The room went dark, and I reached out to Zola for comfort, but she wasn’t there. I was alone. I started shivering in shock at what was happening. “What have I done to deserve this?” I shouted at the goddess, and the pain intensified. It wasn’t just the physical pain that hurt. The emotional pain of Lily and Axel’s betrayal made everything worse. I loved them both, and this is where that love had gotten me.   

Without Zola to heal me. The gash on my leg continued to bleed. I crossed my legs to apply pressure and hopefully stop the bleeding. But as I moved, I noticed that I was on the verge of wetting myself. I held my bladder for as long as I could, but eventually, I couldn’t. I closed my eyes in shame as I wet myself. How had this become my life? I was days away from becoming the Shadow Pack’s Luna. Now, I’m alone, injured, and in pain in a dark, damp cellar, hungry, and sitting in a puddle of my piss.

I had no sense of how much time had passed. All I knew was that I had no more tears to cry. My lips were dry and my face hurt, but that was nothing compared to the pain I felt in my heart. I was betrayed by those I loved the most. Axel and I were to pledge our lives to one another next week. We were supposed to have a family and, together, lead our pack until our eldest child was old enough to take over. Now I have nothing. Nothing but shame and pain.   

The fluorescent light flickered on and hurt my eyes. Eventually, Lily’s horrific face appeared in front of me. “I am surprised you’re still alive. I bet Axel the wolfsbane would have killed you. Now I have to deal with you, you weak, pathetic bitch.” Her words hurt. She confirmed that they were in this together and that they both wanted me dead. “Not to worry, I’m willing to do it. But first, I’m going to have a little bit of fun with you,” she said, giving me such an evil grin it scared me.   

I watched in terror as Lily walked toward me like a predator stalking its prey. Unlike prey, though, I couldn’t move. She held a pair of large scissors in her hand. She stopped just inside the cell and sniffed the air. “Ew, did you shit yourself? You stink.” She said before she retreated.   

The next thing I heard was the sound of running water. Lily appeared in front of me, smirking. I wanted to say something horrible to her, but my throat was so dry that I couldn’t speak. I also didn’t have the energy. “This will make you smell better, bitch.” Lily shouted before throwing a bucket of cold water over me. The shock of the water made me gasp, but I caught some of it in my mouth. I savored the moisture as the water dripped down my throat and face.   

But the temperature of the water caused me to shake. I hadn’t stopped shivering when I felt my head being pulled back by my hair. Still restrained, I was helpless as I watched my hair fall around me. I’m not a vain person and prefer my hair short. I had only let it grow for my Luna ceremony. I was more frustrated that I was so powerless to stop Lily. Lily laughed as I wanted to curl my hair for the ceremonial pictures. I cried. “Do you remember all those times I told you about my sexual antics? How I let the guy do whatever he wanted to me. Remember when I told you I let him fuck my brains out? Remember, you laughed about it?” She leaned down close to me. “It was Axel. Every time,” The realization that the pair’s betrayal was not a spur-of-the-moment action caused me to be so overwhelmed that I impulsively head-butted her.  

Lily fell back, laughing while blood poured from her nose. “You never suspected a thing because we were smart. He delayed becoming Alpha, so he didn’t have to mark you.” She shouted as she walked out of the cell, donning a mask and gloves from a cupboard. “No one cares about you. I am going to make sure when you die, you die scared and alone. Knowing that no one ever loved you. That you were a forgotten memory.” She sneered as she walked toward me, forcing open my mouth and pouring the contents of a vial into my mouth.   

It burned just as much as last time. I coughed and spluttered. I closed my eyes and tried to breathe through the pain. “Here, let me help,” Lily said, unlocking my cuffs. My arms flopped to the ground, they were so stiff and sore, they ached so much I couldn’t move them. I pulled them to my chest as I cried in pain.  

“I have a present for you,” Lily said so gleefully. I forced my eyes open so I could see what she was up to. Lily placed a bottle of water at the entrance of the cell. I stretched out my stiff arm for the liquid. “Oh, this isn’t your present,” Lily said as she poured five vials of wolfsbane into it. I began to tear up, she offered me a lifeline and was now snatching it away.   

In my distress, I didn’t see Lily advancing towards me. Lily forced me onto my stomach and began cutting into my back repeatedly. I screamed uncontrollably from the intense pain. Eventually, I didn’t recognize the sound of my screams.   

“If you don’t bleed out. You’ll die of starvation. My present to you, for our years of friendship.” She picks up the bottle and places it in front of me. “A concentrated dose. That will end your miserable life. Either way, I will never have to see your ugly face or hear your horrible voice again.” She said before she stabbed me in the back. As she pulled the blade out, the pain was so intense that I prayed to the goddess to kill me.   

I don’t know how much time passed, but my eyes did open. I was still in pain and still alone. I could smell something foul and realized it was coming from me. As I lay there, practically crippled with pain, I told the goddess I couldn’t cope and for Zola to please forgive me.

It was painful to move, but I had to do it. I reached out and just about grabbed the bottle of water. I was better off dead than suffering. No one is looking for me, I thought as I pressed the bottle of water against my lips. Knowing I was killing myself, I pressed the bottle to my lips and sipped the poisoned water. It burned my tongue, but I had to do it. When I couldn’t hold the bottle any longer. I dropped it and collapsed face down on the ground. Closing my eyes, hoping Zola would one day forgive me. I closed my eyes and waited to be free from everyone, free from everything, free from the pain.