LAST HOPE

Carly was dazed to her bone narrow. She couldn’t utter a word... All she could do was just blink. Her heart was torn between anger, confusion and disbelief. He can’t possibly be her mate, or maybe it was all a nightmare. One that she must wake from.

It might be a punishment by the moon goddess but then, what did she do to deserve it. Why was life treating her harshly? 

“Leave me alone!” She shouted the moment, the guards laid hands on her.

“I see that you’ve gotten stronger. Maybe you now have a wolf.” The guards’ leader commented after seeing how Carly pushed the guards away with almost no potency.

Overlooking the statement made, boiling in rage, she yelled, “I am your mate and yet, you order them to lay hands on me and lock me up. What kind of a king does that to his woman?” this made Derek to stop but, he didn’t turn, wanting to continue as he didn’t have time for arguments with a lowly maid who got privileged to be his mate. “A blind King who has so much pride and still, sees himself as a god to easily…” She was yet to finish her statement when she felt Derek’s claws on her skin as it torn through, giving opening to blood and others present, gasped in shock.

“How did he reach in a blink?” A voice asked within the gathered crowd. 

Carly managed to look up at Derek, while trying to endure the pains. What she saw made her shiver in fear and then fell to the ground, covering the bleeding scratch. His eyes were pure red and his brows, creased.

“How dare you talk to me in such a manner? Did I ever claim you? Do we have a bond? Like, even as you are in pains, I feel nothing. Let me ask you, do you even know my thoughts? And yet, you have the audacity to challenge and insult me in public. If not that the moon goddess made you my mate, I would have killed you at the spot. Worthless thing.” His eyes slowing back to normal while his sharp claws, disappeared in a blink, now turning to the guards’ leader, “Keep her in the dried well and make sure she has nothing two days. She must learn so manners. Understood?” 

“Yes, Your Majesty.” The guards’ leader said and nodded twice.

Carly realizing, she made the wrong movement, now went on her knees. “Please, I’m sorry.” But Derek didn’t turn back again as he left the place, heading straight to the hall for the banquet hall as he was directed. Others followed too, as they were also no longer in Carly’s drama. 

The only three that stayed back were, Alpha Hulbert, Ralph and Alpha Esther.

Alpha Hulbert approached Carly where she was on the ground, still crying out, his smiled widened as he couldn’t hide the fact that was enjoyed what happened. A few moments ago, he was terrified after seeing Carly was Derek’s mate but seeing how she got rejected and humiliated, gave him more joy.

“It seems your mate already rejected you.” He mocked as a mischievous grin appeared on his face.

She couldn’t muster any word. She wanted to but was so hurt and depressed to think of anything or how to arrange her words. Alpha Hulbert was correct after all. 

“Take her away and do with her what the Supreme Alpha have instructed you to. Also, feel free to do even worst.” Hulbert added seeing how Carly was still sobbing while touching on the wound left by her mate.

As Carly was being taken away, Alpha Esther stepped forward and whispered, “I told you she was trouble. Imagine her now getting her wolf and being the Supreme Alpha’s mate. Then, she had the boldness to insult him in public. That girl will be the end of you with the kind of hot blood that runs through her veins. If I were you, I’d watch my back.” Saying that, she walked away.

Alpha Hulbert and Ralph exchanged glances. They knew she was right and have to act quickly.

When the guards got to the entrance of the dried well. One of the guards asked their leader. “How do we put her down there?” He asked after seeing how deep the well was. 

“Push her down.” That was his reply to the question and Carly’s eyes widened. 

She looked down again at it.

“Please don’t, I beg of you.” Carly began to beg but, the guard was following orders. Also, he saw how she insulted the king.

Without uttering a word, he signed them and, Carly was pushed in. she fell heavily with her face to the ground. They didn’t bother to check if she sustained injuries. Carly was left unconscious.

At the banquet, they were all being served different dishes, drinks and entertainment. Making silly statements and laughing to it.

“She should be taken as a pleasure slave.” The well-known pervert, Ralph suggested. “No. Since she is the king’s mate. he just to have keep her to be his breeder.” One of the guests suggested after Ralph. His idea provoking those that were allies with Alpha Hulbert.

“No, that won’t be right. The maid is the daughter of the traitors killed. Having her to be your breeder might not be the best opinion. If you need a new Luna, my sister here,” Hulbert paused, pointing to Zoya’s direction. “She will gladly do anything for you.” He concluded and Supreme Alpha Derek nodded and turned to look at Zoya who was smiling shyly.

“I will think about it. But whose daughter is she?” Alpha king Derek asked,

“The daughter of Beta Phil.” Hearing the answer, Derek frowned and clutched his hand into a fist.

Though he had great respect for the late Beta since they were close and Philp was a father figure, he still felt betrayed and hurt having find out about the treason. 

“Keeping her alive is the least I can do since he was once a man after my heart.” Derek said in a doleful tone. He was careful not to show any weakness though his voice almost sold him off.

“Let’s toast to the termination of traitors and the beginning of a new era.” Alpha Hulbert raised his wine, changing the mood.

Throughout the banquet, Zoya kept trying to please Derek. Seeing he didn’t care, she then intentionally tripped thinking since he was close, he would make an attempt to catch her but to her surprise, he watched with everyone as she fell down.

“Sorry.” She heard from every angle but nothing from his side. And it made her wonder how hard his heart was. Even rumors have it that, he killed his first two makes. And the second was even pregnant. 

Hulbert had promised to make her the Luna. The Queen of the werewolf packs under Derek. She still can’t relax, she had to try in the lest way that she can to impress and seduce him.  

After some minutes, Carly woke up facing skulls of decayed heads. She immediately looked up to see no one and the well was really deep. But since it was dried, she got an idea and started climbing while holding the stepping-stones one after another. She got to the quarter and something sting her so bad that, she cried out.

“They used wolf bane on it.” Alexis screeched in her head. “Don’t not touch the stone again else we die.” She cautioned.

Carly fell to the ground in a feeble state. The pains from the wolf bane was unbearable as it felt like her hands were actually sweltering.

“Are we not dead already?” Carly questioned as she couldn’t hold back her tears. “What is the need for living anymore? I’m tired and the goddess isn’t making things any better. Nothing seem to be working right and of all the Alphas and betas, my mate has to be the fiend himself. My enemy. The man who have ordered the death of my father and a miserable one at that.” She continued to sob loudly holding her chest as her heart ached so much. 

“And he rejected us in public. The way he humiliated us in front of them.” Alexis her wolf remarked in a gloomy tone. Making Carly clutched her hurting hands so taut that her fingers bore into her palm as more tears stream down from her eyes.

Since the death of her father, she has not once smiled or have the reason to. it was always from one dilemma to another. Even maids lived far better than her. Yet, her father’s words were for her to forgive the Supreme Alpha before his death. How? Would she be able to?

Carly wrapped herself up in a position. And that’s how she slept throughout the night until in the morning. Immediately she heard noise from outside, probably not far from the well she was in.

Waiting for minutes and minutes turned to hours yet, no one appeared to check up on her. Not even to come give her water. The only company she had were termites and flies due to the disgusting smell.

“Are we going to die like this?” Alexis suddenly asked and Carly let out a heavy breath.