Standing not far from Usher and Vione, Ayla, the Sacred Elder who was always present at every trial, could hardly believe that the defendants that night were Mariah and Greisy. She was shaken. While she didn’t know Greisy personally, Mariah was another story. They were close-so close that Ayla needed time to calm herself and clear her mind.
Ayla exhaled deeply. “I would never have thought that the woman who once cared for Alpha Usher with such tenderness could be someone so devoid of compassion.”
Mariah scoffed, then smiled. “I’m sorry, Ayla. I guess I’ve let you down.”
The pain was almost unbearable. For the first time in her life, Ayla felt the sting of betrayal. She couldn’t stop the tears from welling up in her eyes.
“Oh! Would you like to know something interesting, Ayla?” Mariah asked without waiting for an answer. A second later she continued, “That war, when we came out of the secret passage and were captured by the warriors of the Nimbria Pack, it was all…”
Ayla shook her head. “Please, Mariah.”
“… because of me,” Mariah finished with a grin that only widened. “Are you surprised?”
Even the word surprised was no longer enough to capture the flood of emotions that swept through Ayla. She was speechless, unable to form words.
Meanwhile, Usher, who had overheard the conversation, came to a clear conclusion. Mariah had acted of her own free will. She wasn’t like him, who had been enchanted to obey every command of the Nimbria Pack. Mariah had been a spy, sent by the Nimbria Pack all along to exploit the weaknesses of the Frostholm Pack.
That was why Usher had made his decision. The judgement would be passed.
Berg stood ready. A guard approached, carrying two black cloths to cover the heads of Mariah and Greisy.
“I hope you don’t regret the decisions you’ve made,” Usher said in a flat tone, but one full of conviction. “You will be held accountable for your actions.”
“Regret?” Mariah chuckled softly. But when she stopped laughing, her eyes locked fiercely on Vione. “My only regret is that I could not kill you, Vione. I should have killed you long ago, when you were a baby, when you were found on the edge of the Amerotha Forest.” Her breath quickened, fuelled by anger and swirling memories of the past. “Your father, Ivan, killed Luna Bethany. You should have carried the burden of his sins. You should have exchanged your life for Luna Bethany’s death. But instead, you added to this sin. You killed Madam Mireya. You pathetic Omega! You-”
Usher growled, his reaction prompting Berg to act immediately. He ordered the guard to cover Mariah and Greisy’s heads with the black cloth. They struggled, but nothing could save them from the grave that awaited them.
“Kill them.”
Usher’s order was given. Berg nodded and drew a silver-bullet pistol from the holster at his waist. The faint clink of metal echoed through the now silent room.
Mariah and Greisy stiffened. This time they did not resist. Perhaps they had resigned themselves to their fate, realised it was all futile.
Berg cocked the silver-loaded pistol and placed the barrel directly behind Mariah’s head. The room froze, the only sounds being the rapid heartbeats and gasps of the onlookers.
The trigger was pulled. Hot silver pierced Mariah’s skull. She collapsed to the floor without so much as a whimper. Then Greisy met the same fate.
The stiff bodies of Mariah and Greisy lay motionless. Fresh blood seeped through the black cloth and spilled onto the cold floor. Weldon’s sobs broke the silence. They were dead.
Usher took a deep breath and turned away. He saw Vione standing there, shaken. He knew that Mariah’s words had deeply affected Vione. So, he moved to comfort her.
Vione blinked, disorientated. “U-Usher.”
“Don’t worry about what Mariah said,” Usher said quietly once they were in their room. He reached out and gently wiped a tear from Vione’s cheek with his thumb. “She said those things just to mess with your emotions.”
Vione’s eyes closed briefly. After a moment she nodded. “I know that. Besides, I’m not thinking about what Mariah said, but…”
Vione didn’t finish her sentence, but it wasn’t hard for Usher to guess what was on her mind. He was sure she was thinking about Ivan.
“Vione.”
Vione took a deep breath. “It turns out that all the memories of the future Vione are indeed true,” she whispered in a flat tone. She bit her lower lip, trying to suppress the emotional turmoil in her chest. “In fact, I’ve known for a few days who my biological father is, Usher.” Her breath suddenly became ragged. “I-I-”
Vione’s words were replaced by sobs and Usher immediately pulled her into an embrace. He said nothing, just stroked her back gently. Usher knew very well that no words of comfort could quell the storm inside her at that moment.
The only thing Usher could do was hold Vione. There was no need for words; he just needed to reassure her that no matter how hard it was for her to accept the truth, he would always be there. He would always stand by Vione and promise that the Nimbria Pack would never be able to do this again.
Usher moved. The Frostholm Pack was gathering its strength. Warriors and guards had prepared strategies, ready to fight for the glory of the pack.
Usher was determined that this war would be the last. He would do everything in his power to ensure that the Frostholm Pack emerged victorious. The destruction of the Nimbria Pack was a non-negotiable goal he had to achieve.
Usher had no regard for mercy or anything else. In his eyes, the Nimbria Pack did not deserve it. All the suffering that had occurred, all the grief that the Frostholm Pack had felt, had to be paid back in full by the Nimbria Pack. He would make sure that no member of the Nimbria Pack would live in this world. He knew that no matter what, the Nimbria Pack would continue to seek ways to conquer the Frostholm Pack.
“This will be our last war against the Nimbria Pack,” Usher declared as he surveyed his surroundings. He saw the rows of warriors and guards standing ready, their gazes sharp and determined. “Destroy them. Let the Frostholm Pack be the last pack standing on the battlefield!”
*