Chapter 5

~Nyla~

This can't be happening. I thought to myself. I shook him violently hoping he would wake up and that this was all a prank but nothing. He remained lifeless in my arms.

I screamed as pain tore through me.

“Nooo!!!”

The door burst open and the sentinels rushed in. They only needed a minute to take in the scene and they immediately understood what was happening.

“Alpha Oswald.” One screamed and rushed to where I was cradling his body while crying.

He put two fingers on Oswald's neck and shook his head.

“He's dead.” He said as if in a daze.

“No, no, no. That's not possible. We were just talking. He can't be dead.” I cried.

“Call the elders.” The man said and stood up.

I pulled Oswald to me and rocked him while crying profusely.

It didn't take long for the elders and the other members of the moon council to gather and see what was going on.

“The alpha is dead?” Beta Artemis asked in shock. “What happened?” He demanded but no one was able to answer that question.

“Seize her!” I heard him order.

I looked up immediately and saw the sentinels rushing towards me.

“What the hell is going on? What are you doing?” I demanded.

“What have you done? What did you do to him?” Artemis asked angrily.

“I didn't do anything. I didn't do anything to him.” I cried. “We were just eating and he said he had been poisoned. It wasn't me, I swear.”

I cried hoping they would believe me but they all stared at me in disgust.

“I've always known that nothing good would come out of this union, but he insisted on marrying you and now look what you've done to him! You reek of bad luck and evil and you've killed him just like you killed your parents!”

I fell to my knees while the guards were still holding onto me.

“I swear, I didn't kill him. I didn't. We have to find who did it. He was poisoned. Please listen to me.”

I pleaded.

Artemis shook his head.

“As beta of the pack and the next in line in any state of emergency, I sentence you to death. If anyone is against this decision, then let him speak up.”

I was shocked by his verdict. I looked around hoping that at least one of the elders would come to my side, but no one spoke.

“You will die by fire.” Artemis finished.

“No! Please, please don't do this. Please. I didn't kill him. Please, let me find who did it. Please.” I cried.

All my please fell on deaf ears.

“Take her to the stakes where she'll be burnt.” Artemis ordered.

The sentinels dragged me up forcefully while I cried, begging and asking for help. By the time they dragged me outside, the news had already spread. People gathered to watch as they tied me to the stake.

I could hear them whispering and spitting and talking about how I was a witch and how everything I touched was doomed.

Lily ran up to me from the crowd with tears in her eyes.

“Oh my God, Nyla. What's going on?” She asked.

“I didn't do it.” I told her.

She nodded and held my hand.

“I know. I know you didn't do it. I'm sorry, I can't help you.” She cried.

My heart broke as I saw the tears in her eyes.

“Thank you for everything, Lily. I will never forget and I will repay you in my next life.” I vowed.

Lily burst into tears as her father dragged her away. Artemis stepped up to the stakes next to me and began reading out my crimes. I hung my head in shame and cried, begging the moon goddess to come to my rescue.

They had invited the priestess to come for the execution.

“Due to the magnitude of your crimes,” the priestess shouted. “You will die by eternal damnation.”

Lily gasped and cried harder. I just shut my ears in fear. Eternal damnation meant my soul would be banished to the underworld forever and I would never be able to reincarnate.

She began the incantations and I cried harder. I looked up to the heavens.

“Oh, moon goddess, you've seen my heart and you know I'm innocent. Please come to my rescue.” I prayed.

“Light her up!” Artemis instructed.

The guard set the fire and I began to burn. The pain was excruciating. I howled as the fire engulfed my skin. That was the last thing I felt when the darkness engulfed me and the pain was suddenly gone.

And I knew I was dead.

Death was strange.

I opened my eyes, expecting to find myself in the underworld but instead, I was greeted by sunlight. Very bright light. I blinked, trying to adjust to the intensity.

A face loomed over me looking down at me.

“You're finally awake.” He said.

That voice…

I blinked and sat up rapidly.

There he was, standing in front of me unscathed as if he didn't just die in my arms.

“Oswald?” I whispered in shock. “No, you're dead. How..?” I couldn't even form a coherent question.

“It seems you're still hallucinating, but welcome back to the land of the living.” He greeted me.

What was going on? I wondered. He seemed different from the Oswald I knew. The one in front of me was cold and unfeeling.

“How did I get here? I should be dead. You should be dead? Are we both dead? Is this the afterlife?” I asked in confusion.

Oswald smiled.

“This is real life, little wolf and you're about to experience its horrors.” He said in a deadly voice.