Carcere

Chapter 8

Mae's P.O.V.

I wake unceremoniously as I have on this date every year before. There really is no reason to wake up any other way.

There is no one to make my favorite breakfast.

There is no one to gather me into a bone crushing hug.

But more importantly, there is no one to whisper those three little words that I feared I would never hear again in my ear.

Not to mention I am an unmated, unclaimed human female and today is my twenty-first birthday.

The day also known as my potential date of death.

I groan heavily and push up from the worn out cot, throwing my thin covering back and stretching as I stand. If for no other reason than to expect the unexpected, I look out of my cell, catching Red's angered eyes as he swiftly takes up guard.

"Red?" I ask slowly.

He shakes his head and motions for me to stand in the center of my concrete cell. I do as he silently asks and clasp my hands together in front of me, my brow arching up as he opens my metal cage and shackles my wrist and feet together without a word.

Our walk to the bathing room is filled with a tense silence and I feel an unease settle in the pit of my stomach and I itch to find out what has my normally sociable guard on edge.

As he brings my wrist up to unlock the shackles, Red roughly pulls me flush to his body, his voice low and urgent against my ear. To anyone walking by, it would look as if I had been disobedient and was being reprimanded by my guard.

"Be on guard Mae," he tugs harshly on the chains connecting my wrist as I start to speak. "Don't question, just listen." I nod slowly at Red's directive as he proceeds to continue, "The Council has decided to move your execution from midnight tonight to midday."

"Why?" I ask lowly as the shackles fall away.

"Someone must have warned them that Damon is on his way here."

I feel myself sway under Red's grip as reality sets in. "That would mean, without a doubt, that there is a traitor within the pack."

Red nods once. "I was able to briefly link Damon, but.."

His hesitation has my gut twisting.

"You don't know if he will make it in time," I finish for him.

His eyes meet mine, the truth swimming deep within the depths of his expressionless face. "Damon has wolves on the inside, ones that are loyal and devoted to him and our belief that not all humans are monsters." Red looks away, unable to look me in the eye any longer, "But the number is not enough to counter the ones devoted to the wayward teachings of the Council."

I lower my head and draw a deep breath, my words quivering slightly as I whisper, "It's okay Red. Somehow I have always known dying today would be my true fate."

I step back from my loyal guard and friend and make my way to the one place I knew I could truly let out the anguish that is building within me. Turning the shower onto the hottest setting I know I can stand, I strip, allowing the scalding water to rain down my naked body as I slide down the wall and to the concrete floor, ignoring the low growls coming from outside the shower room.

Drawing my knees up, I bury my head into myself and let the certainty of death fill my mind.

If Damon didn't make it to me in time, I wouldn't fight the Council.

I wouldn't cry.

I wouldn't scream.

And I wouldn't beg for my life.