I was dragged like a rag doll by two guards after being brutally beaten. I was weak, tired and hopeless.
screams howled in my ears, blending with the sound of my own ragged breaths as I dragged towards the screams. I knew those screams, I tried to block out the sound but no matter how hard I tried, I could here it getting closer.
Her screams-Mother's screams.
"Please! Please don't do this! She's just a girl! Leave her out of this!"
I knew the guards intentionally brought me out, to see my worst nightmare unfold in front of me.
I had to watch, like a sickening nightmare that wouldn't end.
I was the abomination they feared, but she was the traitor they despised.
"I didn't know!" she screamed, her voice hoarse from sobbing. "I swear I didn't know what he was! I was deceived!"
The crowd, wolves, didn't care. They jeered, threw stones, spat at her as Father stood up front, his face cold, merciless like his true mate wasn't about to get killed, like he wasn't going to feel the pains of her death. Savannah stood beside him, her eyes filled with the same cruel satisfaction she always wore. How could a daughter hate her own mother this much?
"Mother!" I had whispered from my spot, powerless to do anything but watch.
But there was no saving her. They had decided her fate the moment I revealed what I truly was. A fallen hybrid. A curse on their pure bloodline. And now, my mother was paying the price.
Savannah stepped forward, her voice clear and sharp, cutting through the din of the crowd.
"You betrayed this kingdom," she hissed, her eyes burning with hatred. "You let a shadow creature from hell into our bloodline. You brought this curse upon us, and for that, you will pay."
Mother whimpered, her body shaking as she knelt before them. "Please," she whispered. "I was only trying to protect your sister. she is your sister Savannah!"
Father's eyes narrowed. "You mean the demon you kept hidden all these years? The thing you called a daughter? She's no child of mine. And neither are you anymore. You betrayed our bond Elise."
His words cut deep, even though they weren't meant for me. I could feel the bile rising in my throat as the crowd roared in approval.
Savannah's lips twisted into a smile as she looked down at our mother. "It's time for the traitor to meet her fate."
"No!" I gasped, barely able to contain my grief as I watched the wolves close in. I wanted to scream, to rush down and stop them, but fear paralyzed me. I was alone. I had no pack, no family. My mother had been the only one left, and now they were going to take her from me.
The warriors stepped forward, their eyes gleaming with bloodlust. Two of them grabbed my mother by the arms, dragging her to the center of the courtyard.
I closed my eyes, trying to block out the sight. But the sounds... the sounds were so much worse.
The first crack of bone was loud, too loud. I flinched, my hand flying to my mouth to stifle the scream threatening to tear from my throat.
"Mum..." I whispered through clenched teeth, tears streaming down my face.
Her scream pierced the air, a raw, guttural cry that sent chills down my spine. I couldn't look, but I didn't need to. I knew what they were doing to her. They were tearing her apart-slowly, deliberately-making an example out of her.
"Stop!" I wanted to shout. But no words came. My mouth was dry, my throat tight with fear and despair.
Another crack. Another scream. Then the sickening sound of flesh tearing.
The wolves were relentless, their teeth ripping into her, shredding her like she was nothing more than prey. They were cruel, savoring every moment of her suffering.
Savannah's voice rang out again, cutting through the chaos. "You wanted to protect her? Now look where it's gotten you. This is what happens when you betray your own kind."
I couldn't take it anymore. I turned away, burying my face in my hands as the sounds of her mutilation continued. It felt like an eternity before the screaming stopped. When I finally looked back, the courtyard was quiet, the only sound the wind whistling through the trees.
Her body lay crumpled on the ground, barely recognizable. Blood stained the earth beneath her, pooling around her broken form. The wolves had done their job well. The kingdom's sickening and terrible traditions.
Father stood over her lifeless body, his face emotionless as he wiped the blood from his hands. "Let this be a lesson to anyone who dares to defy the pack, our kingdom."
I swallowed hard, my stomach churning. This wasn't real. This couldn't be real.
But it was.
I couldn't stand the blood and fat of my mother, I emptied my guts and passed out.
...............................................................................
"Seraphina?" A voice whispered.
I turned to see a young boy, probably not older than twelve years. His eyes were wide with fear. "They're coming for you. You need to go."
I stared at him for a moment, frozen in place. Go? Where? I had no home. No family. Nowhere to run.
"They know you're here," the boy urged, his voice trembling. "You need to leave. Now!"
I unfurled my wings and took off into the sky, the weight of everything crashing down on me.
I flew blindly, the wind stinging my tear-streaked cheeks as I soared through the night, my heart pounding in my chest.
Mother was dead. And it was my fault.
I had exposed her. I had made this happen.
I don't know how long I flew, but eventually, my wings gave out, and I crashed into the ground, skidding to a stop in the middle of a clearing. The grass was cold, damp beneath me, but I couldn't move. I couldn't think.
All I could feel was the crushing weight of grief, pressing down on me, suffocating me.
Why had I been born like this? Why had fate cursed me with this wretched bloodline? If only I had been normal, like everyone else, my mother would still be alive.
I curled into myself, my wings folding around me like a cocoon as the sobs wracked my body.
"Seraphina..." a voice whispered from the shadows.
I bolted upright, my eyes wide, searching for the source of the voice.
A figure stepped forward, cloaked in darkness. His eyes glowed faintly, their silver hue all too familiar, just like my eyes.
"Who are you?" I demanded, my voice hoarse from crying.
The figure tilted his head, his gaze piercing. "I am the one your mother loved. The one she protected you from."
I stumbled back, my heart racing. "No... it can't be. You're-"
"A Fallen," he finished, his voice soft but powerful. "Yes. And you are my daughter, Seraphina."
I shook my head, my mind reeling. "No. You're lying. My father-"
"Draven is not your father," he said calmly, stepping closer. "I am. And now that your mother is gone, it is time for you to embrace your true nature."
I took another step back, my wings flaring defensively. "I don't want anything to do with you!"
"You have no choice," he said, his voice cold. "You are of my blood. And now, we the fallen clan will be your new family, you will be one with the shadows."
The ground beneath me trembled, and the air grew thick with an unnatural darkness. Figures began to materialize around us, their forms shifting and swirling like smoke.
"You cannot escape what you are," the Fallen said, his eyes gleaming. "You belong to the shadows now."
I turned to run, but the shadows closed in, swallowing me whole.
..............................................................................
I awoke from the terrible nightmare. I was in the cell. Then it dawned on me-my mother was dead, brutally killed and I might just be next.