The ultimate betrayal

Septa

Septa's hand clutched her bleeding torso, but it did little to stop the blood. Death was closing in. She could feel it.

The last mutant that had tried to steal her food had been a tough opponent, but she had managed to fight it off. The journey was supposed to take two days, and now, after everything she'd endured, she had finally arrived.

The earth clock would reset at exactly midnight. Every survivor had to find a safe house before the sky unleashed another wave of mutants.

She was only a few feet away from one.

Her sister, Xena, stood at the entrance alongside Jettson, her mate.

They had been separated during the last reset, and now Septa could finally get to safety. Limping forward, she struggled to breathe through the pain as she gathered enough strength to call out to them.

"Xena! Hold the gates! It's me, Septa!"

She was too far away. Xena couldn't hear her, so Septa directed her screams toward Jettson instead.

"Jett! It's Septa! Please, hold the gates!"

He didn't notice her either.

A crowd of survivors had gathered outside the safe house, but Septa pushed through them, fighting her way toward the entrance.

Finally, she reached the front and locked eyes with her sister.

Neither Xena nor Jettson looked surprised to see her.

"Hey, let me in. It's me." Septa's hand tightened around her wound as she pleaded with them.

"We know, but you're not welcome here," Xena replied, her tone so firm that Septa's knees nearly gave out.

"Why? We all went searching for food when the reset happened early. I've spent two days traveling on foot just to reunite with you. The clock is about to reset, and if I'm not inside by then, I'll be eaten alive!"

"We're only allowing Lycans and Dandelions inside. No weaklings will pass through," Jettson added.

"We never discussed this! This safe house was supposed to be for everyone. That's what we agreed on when we built it!"

Septa's voice faded as another Lycan was allowed through the gates.

They exchanged smiles without saying a word.

"Do you understand what will happen if you leave me out here?" She dropped to her knees, wincing as pain shot through her body. "I'll die!"

"You still have ten minutes to find another safe house willing to take you in," Xena replied. "We're trying to recruit werewolves who can make our house stronger and encourage others to work with us. Sadly, you don't fall into that category."

Another wave of pain ripped through Septa.

"I helped build this safe house. Please, let me in."

Desperation drove her to push past them, but Jettson shoved her so hard that her ribs cracked.

A scream tore from Septa's throat as she curled into herself, pulling her knees toward her face. Tears streamed down her cheeks when she finally looked up at him.

"Face it. This is the end of our world. It's the survival of the fittest."

Jettson stepped away from the entrance and approached her.

"Accept your fate and die like your fellow weaklings."

"But you told me you loved me!" Septa crawled backward, trembling as his shadow fell over her. "You said we'd start a family once we built a home safe enough for us!"

"Dumb of you to believe I'd ever want to breed with a weakling like you." Disgust twisted his face. "Lycans are matched with Dandelions, and I've found everything you lack in Xena. I'll breed her and build this safe house for both of us."

He spat in her face before walking away.

The clock sounded its five-minute warning.

With what little strength she had left, Septa dragged herself forward.

"Please, Xena. I'm begging you. We're sisters! Don't let me die out here. I can make myself useful. I'll do the cleaning. Anything you want!"

She watched as the last line of Dandelions was allowed inside.

"If I had the choice, I would have thrown you out of this safe house the moment the sky turned red. Now, get away from here. I don't want your blood staining the entrance when the mutants come for you."

"No! Please..."

The heavy gates slammed shut, leaving Septa outside. Her gaze drifted toward the red sky as the one-minute countdown began.

Memories of the days before the sky turned red flooded her mind. Life hadn't been any kinder to her back then, but at least she had been alive.

She pictured herself in the living room, scrubbing the floor while her sisters deliberately walked all over it, forcing her to clean it again.

The countdown ended.

Mutants poured from the sky, flying toward the helpless survivors below. Septa sat there, waiting for her inevitable end.

It wasn't Xena's betrayal that shocked her the most. Somewhere deep down, she had always known her sister could abandon her. But Jettson?

She couldn't believe he could do this to her.

As the mutants circled overhead, Septa made one final wish. A wish she knew would be her last thought before death claimed her.

If the universe ever gave her another chance, she wouldn't trust them again. She'd build her own safe house, gather her own resources, and finally do something for herself instead of sacrificing everything for others.

The first mutant reached her and sank its teeth into her flesh.

She wanted to reach for her leg, but her body had gone numb. Her skin felt cold, and blood continued to drain from her wounds.

Another mutant attacked her side, tearing into her already shattered ribs.

This time, she didn't even try to fight back.

As the light slowly faded from her eyes, Septa remembered how she used to count the seconds whenever her father lashed her for something he thought she had done wrong.

One.

Two.

Three.

The familiar rhythm was the last thing she remembered as the mutants tore into her.

"One..."

The lash struck her back.

"Two..."

"Useless girl! How many times must I teach you the same lesson?"

"Three..."

Her fingers dug into the floor as she fought to keep her body from collapsing under another blow.

"Are you deaf? I'm asking you a question."

The next strike landed before she could answer.

"Four..."

Her voice trembled, but she forced the number out.

"Five..."

"Look at me when I'm talking to you!"

Septa slowly lifted her head, her back burning with pain.

Her father's furious face came into view. She could only stare at him.

Then, a shocking memory came rushing back to her. The mutants feasting on her flesh, Jettson watching from behind the gates, and Xena smiling as they tore into her.

Where had they all gone?

And why was her father beating her again?